Manga barcelona
By Charlotte Stace
The Saló del Manga was first held in Estació de França in 1995 and was attended by only 1,000 people, with discussion even turning to whether to hold an event the following year. But it persevered, and now 30 years later Manga Barcelona is the largest cosplay, anime, manga and Japanese culture convention in Spain (the second largest in Europe), drawing in over 100,000 people annually.
Hundreds of companies from around the world descend on the Fira de Barcelona, to take their prime positions at one of the manga and art stalls. Talks, artists signings, activities, displays, workshops and so much more play a huge part in the event. This year, new activities include the Nagomi Area, a Manga Festival, Onachan’s Castle and Takeshita Barcelona St.
Top guests this year include: Naoki Urasawa, Yumiko Igarashi, Agasawa Kocha, Ai Hisano, and Hiroshi Nagahama. Throw in some authentic cuisine, and you’ve got yourself a truly memorable day out.