On October 10, 2025, South China's Guangdong province showcased its vibrant animation and trendy toy culture in Tokyo with the "New Dimensions of Guangdong Animation and Trendy Toys Exhibition" at Belle Salle Akihabara, a hub for Japanese pop culture. The event, celebrating the 2025-2026 China-Japan-ROK Year of Cultural Exchange, attracted over 10,000 visitors, including creative industry professionals, students, and fans from both countries.
Guangdong has a long legacy in animation. Masters such as Te Wei, Zhan Tong, Dai Tielang, and Ma Kexuan helped make Chinese ink-wash animation famous worldwide and inspired Japanese legends like Hayao Miyazaki and Osamu Tezuka. In 1981, Te Wei's "Chinese Ink-Wash Animation Exhibition" in Kyoto, Japan, created a sensation. Four decades later, Guangdong's creators presented in Japan modern animation and trendy toys that embody the spirit of traditional ink-wash art while celebrating the long-standing collaboration between China and Japan.
From Guangdong to Tokyo, animation and trendy toys are more than just entertainment; they serve as a cultural bridge. Through these posters, let's experience the creativity, humor, and cultural flair that make Guangdong’s animation and trendy toys shine on the global stage.
Reporter | Dai Bosi
Copywriter | Dai Bosi, Qiu Ping, Li Muzi, Bian Yongxin
Poster | Bian Yongxin, Guo Hongda
Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He