This year, for the first time, the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) will be leading a group of creators of original brand characters to participate at the 10th edition of Licensing Japan (日本授權展) , through the "Original Brand Characters Attending Licensing Japan"project (109年圖像角色創作赴日本授權展參展計畫). In form of the Taiwan Pavilion, the TAICCA team seeks to expand market value of Taiwan's creative content and explore access to world stage.
Originally scheduled for April 1-3, the 2020 Licensing Japan exhibition was postponed to Oct. 27-29, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The exhibition brings together many brand characters and animations from Japan and other countries from all over the world.
Licensing Japan is one of the seven major themed trade shows of Japan's Content Tokyo, with emphasis on commercial licensing of cultural and creative promotional novelties, gaming graphics design, and comic and animation graphic designs.
A total of 22 designers and designing companies submitted entries to the "Original Brand Characters Attending Licensing Japan" project selection committee, and 10 were selected by the jury on March 3, including:
• AmisA (愛米莎) & Twaomas (塔哇歐瑪司)
• Bonbon (法鬥哥)
• Chimox (赤毛族)
• Takokuma (章魚熊)
• Kuroro (酷樂樂)
• Sansanplanet (肥鼠星球)
• Gachachicken (扭蛋雞)
• PeaQuin (皮寬) & Balloonmon (白鹿夢)
• Majimeow (麻吉貓)
• Companions of the Forest (山林好朋友)
The Japanese-language "Taiwan Friends" Twitter account was officially launched on June 2 by TAICCA. The account will be promoting the 10 original Taiwan-designed characters winners to the Japanese public.
According to Licensing International's annual report, Japan is the world's second largest licensing market. Last edition of Licensing Japan garnered over 48,549 visitors, with an estimation of exceeding 500,000 visitors for this year's exhibition. Licensing Japan is a great opportunity to highlight and expand market value of Taiwan's creative content.
'Licensing Japan 2020'
Date: Oct. 21 – Oct. 23, 2020
Venue: West Halls, Tokyo Bight Sight, Japan
Website: www.licensing-japan.jp/en-gb.html