Otaku Culture Popular in France

The otaku culture is becoming increasingly popular in France. Over 60,000 people are expected to attend this year's Japan Expo held in Paris from 7/7 to 7/9. Manga artists such as Morishige, Aki Shimizu, Hideki Owada, Kenjiro Katatsu, and Mamiya Takizaki, as well as animator Kizuhide Tomonaga, are will be attending the expo.

France was one of the first country to take notice of Japanese animation, and also one of the first country to have a "heavy" manga market. According to people from the Expo, cosplayers are also increasing - just around Paris there are approximately 2,500 cosplayers.

The number of people attending the Japan Expo has been gradually increasing ever since the first Expo, where 3,200 people attended.

Around 100 people attended the Expo's press conference held on 6/2. Fumihiko Yamada, director of the cultural and information service at the Japanese Embassy in Paris, remarks that "even an audience with the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs won't attract this many people."