The government-funded and jury-led Japan Media Arts Festival has been running since 1997, and tradition has always dictated that the winners be displayed in a special exhibition after being selected. This year is no different, as the Japan Media Arts Festival exhibition is set to take place from June 1 to June 16 in Odaiba.
All of the winners from each category will be ‘displayed’ in a special exhibition room in the ‘Miraikan’ National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation this year, grouping together such works as Boichi’s ORIGIN manga, Boris Labbé’s La Chute short film and Ken Furudate’s Pulses/Grains/Phase/Moiré sound installation into one display of the finest specimens of Japanese media. At least, for this year.
The Japan Media Arts Festival exhibition is also planning to put on various events during the 15-day exhibition period. These include a talk with Award for Distinguished Service 2019 winner Takeda Hiroshi and special guests Yoichi Kotabe (Super Mario Bros. character design) and Katabuchi Sunao (director of In This Corner of the World) on June 8, as well as a “conference” that ORIGIN author Boichi will be presiding over on June 15.
Entry to the Japan Media Arts Festival exhibition and all of its events is free, but guests are encouraged to RSVP to the events using the Peatix app to avoid any disappointment in the case of oversubscription.
The exhibition is also teaming up with voice actor and fripSide lead singer Yoshino Nanjo to produce an audio guide for the exhibition, which will also be available through an app launching at the end of May.
It’s set to be a very busy summer for any fan of Japanese media. Over in Japan, we have the Isao Takahata exhibition as well as the Fate/stay night 15th-anniversary celebrations, and now this Japan Media Arts Festival exhibition. Let’s also not forget that the British Museum is holding an exhibition on manga until the end of August. Is it me, or are my Japanese animes getting far too cultured?
For more information, check out the official website.