Manga Barcelona unveils new poster for 31st edition

The poster for the 31st edition of Manga Barcelona, Spain’s largest anime convention, was unveiled Thursday. This year’s poster is inspired by the work of architect Antoni Gaudí, complete with pastel tiles and nature motifs. 

Spokespeople for the convention, taking place from December 5 to 8, also announced the guest lineup, exhibits, and new merch and ticket options.

The biggest event announced was an exclusive concert with Japanese musician Yoko Kanno, for her first show outside of Japan. Kanno will be joined by her band SEATBELTS and frequent collaborator Mai Yamane, who all together worked on the music for the anime ‘Cowboy Bebop.’

A band from the Canary Islands will also participate in the concert. If fans of ‘Cowboy Bebop’ aren’t satisfied yet, the director of the show, Shinichiro Watanabe, will also be at the concert, participating in a one-on-one discussion with Kanno about their collaborative process. 

There are more guests for the convention to be announced. 

New exhibits at Manga Barcelona include the opportunity to visit their mascot Onachan’s bedroom and a new opportunity at the Manga Kids Academy Expo. Titled ‘Seasons of the Year in Japan,’ children and families will get the chance to explore how Japanese customs change throughout the seasons.

Returning from last year is an exhibit celebrating Spanish authors who have won awards at Japan International Manga Awards throughout history.

The convention also introduced new ticket options, including the Onachan fast pass, which has a dedicated queue separate from normal ticket holders, the Abono Onachan, a four-day pass that also has a separate queue, and a children’s ticket. New merch for the convention includes pins, stickers and tote bags. 

Tickets for Manga Barcelona go on sale at the end of July.