TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taipei International Comics & Animation Festival (台北國際動漫節) opened Thursday (Feb. 5), drawing over 3,000 fans to the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center (南港展覽館).
Attendees, some carrying suitcases, flocked to the venue to purchase limited-edition anime merchandise, with one fan planning to spend NT$50,000 (around US$1,578) on exclusive items. The most crowded area featured limited-edition goodie bags from popular anime including "My Hero Academia," "Haikyu!!," "Jujutsu Kaisen," "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba," and "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End."
One attendee who secured the first spot said they started queuing at 9 p.m. Wednesday (Feb. 4) to purchase a venue-exclusive novel. Another fan, who arrived around 10 p.m. Wednesday, aimed for the "Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian" goodie bag.
The festival also features the popular "Chiikawa" characters, drawing crowds with various plush merchandise. "Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch" offers nostalgic appeal, featuring a sticker giveaway and a meet-and-greet with voice actors. The event also showcases novels and comics with special editions. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.68)