Online Reporter
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
THE Embassy of Zimbabwe in Tokyo, Japan, together with Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha Co. Ltd, ZaifINO and Kaika Financial Holdings Co. Ltd, have launched an international cultural exchange project between the two countries.
It’s titled “Become A Manga Artist In Japan”.
The initiative seeks to leverage the Japanese manga market and Zimbabwean talent to create new possibilities. Cultural exchange events, centred around anime and cosplay, such as “Japanday” and “Otakukon,” are held regularly, attracting hundreds of participants, which is clear evidence of the growing interest in the Japanese culture.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Japan, Stewart Nyakotyo, said there is a lot of creativity among the youths.
“Young people in Zimbabwe continue to believe in the power of creativity, even in difficult environments. This project is an opportunity for them to share their stories with the world and I believe it will serve as a bridge to connect us with the people of Japan.”
The initiative is a support project which introduces works by young Zimbabwean manga artists in Japan and provides them with an opportunity through publishing and promotion.
In an ever-changing social environment, manga has emerged as a beacon of hope for the unemployed young creators through sharing their captivating stories with the world.
More and more young people are engaging in creative expression, seeing manga as a powerful tool to communicate their voices globally.
This partnership is coming at a time when the Japanese anime cultural sector is facing a shortage of skilled workers and their government has started looking beyond the horizon to introduce mechanisms to attract new talent from abroad.
Most importantly, in recent years, there has been a growing interest within the Japanese manga industry which prompted the drive to discover diverse talent and expand globally.
This project is also an effort to achieve further diversity in manga culture through collaboration with overseas creators.
Over the years pirated content worldwide destroyed the entertainment industry and Japan could not be spared as the country lost an estimated two trillion yen in potential revenue.
The government of Japan seeks to strengthen cooperation with industry groups that include anime firms.
Yuichi Iwano, the president and CEO of Jitsugyo no Nihonsha, said:
“Publishing is a job that delivers voices beyond countries and languages. Zimbabwean manga artists will be able to write stories in their own words and encounter Japanese readers. I believe that such encounters will foster the culture of the future.”
