Japan Street Meets Comic Con Africa: The Pop Culture Super-Connection

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Comic Con Africa, in an exciting collaboration with JETRO and Japan Street, is set to turbo-boost South African companies straight into the heart of Japanese pop culture like never before. We’re talking an online meet-up that’s spiced up with engaging dialogues with Japanese firms and a whole lot more, all unfolding in the Japan Pop Culture Connect session. Sounds like a blast, right?

Comic Con Africa is not just upping the ante for the 2023 festival with a power-packed anime and manga line-up, but also introducing these immersive business-focused sessions. Leading Japanese pop-culture brands, intellectual properties (IPs), and merchandisers are lining up for this exhilarating pop-culture feast. This is another way Comic Con Africa is revving up to open the pandora box of pop culture to Africa.

The Japan Pop Culture Connect session will come to life in two riveting phases. Phase one begins with an online webinar in July, packed with insights from professionals with sky-high reputations. Phase two brings an exciting matchmaking session in September.

What’s in store for July? A goldmine of information! Delve into copyright infringement complexities, unlock the value of officially licensed merchandise, and discover how to shorten import trade routes between Japan and South Africa, all this and much more. Get ready to hear from stellar speakers including Kazuo Rikukawa, Ruan Botha, Christiaan J Steyn, and Frankie Chow. Get your calendars out and circle 27 July 2023, from 9:00 am SAST in bright red!

To join the conversation, register here: https://bit.ly/CCA_Japan

September holds the promise of even more exciting opportunities for South African merchandisers and content stakeholders. Picture this: networking online with official Japanese license holders and content producers, sparking new partnerships, and strengthening relationships with Japanese representatives of your favourite IPs. This is your launchpad to facilitate licensing opportunities, source fresh ideas, and gain industry insights that will inspire and fuel your business growth.

JETRO won’t stop there! They are also powering up “Otaku Town” at the live Comic Con Africa festival this September, an anime haven featuring an Anime theatre, a cosplay karaoke café, and stalls selling officially licensed merchandise and lip-smacking Japanese food.

Project Director of JETRO Johannesburg, Mizuho Nakanishi, expressed her excitement, anticipating the meeting of local businesses to boost anime exports to South Africa. Comic Con Africa’s Content Director, Rene Staack, also echoed the enthusiasm, hoping to create a thriving space for the South African anime community and facilitating direct engagement with Japanese brands.

Comic Con Africa, JETRO, and Japan Street are all geared up to broaden the global reach of pop culture and empower South African companies to explore their collaboration with Japanese counterparts to the fullest. Through the Japan Pop Culture Connect session and the immersive Otaku Town experience, they aim to foster lasting relationships and drive innovation in the vibrant South African pop culture landscape. So, get ready to be part of this thrilling ride into the heart of Japan’s pop culture!