On October 10, 2025, South China's Guangdong province brought its vibrant animation and trendy toy culture to 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 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, caused a sensation. Four decades later, Guangdong's creators returned to Japan, presenting modern animation and trendy toys that carry 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.
To know more about the event:
Guangdong animation, trendy toys shine in Tokyo, highlighting China-Japan cultural ties
Reporter | Li Muzi
Script | Li Muzi
Japanese proofreading | Dai Bosi
Videographer | Guo Hongda
Video Editor | Qin Shaolong
Poster | Qin Shaolong
Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
