China International Comics Festival Kicks Off with Over 1,000 IPs and Awards for New Works

Today marked the opening of the 19th China International Comics Festival in Guangzhou, the country's largest official event in the sector. Under the slogan "Good anime, great China," the "Golden Week of Anime" brings together more than a thousand intellectual properties, thousands of licensed products, and an exhibition area spanning over 80,000 square meters.

The opening day produced a long list of Golden Dragon Award winners, the most prestigious prize in Chinese comics and animation. This year it was divided into five categories: the "Great China" theme award, anime of the year, potential anime of the year, foreign anime, and the new New Star Award from the Light Search Project, in partnership with Bilibili.

The theme award debuted this edition to recognize works that bring Chinese storytelling to new audiences. The winners were Zhongguo Qitan 2, La boda en la pradera, China en el ritmo del tambor: Lingnan, Lingnan!, Hola, calle Beishan, and Yingge Zhumeng.

In the main category, the jury selected ten productions that stand out for combining social and commercial impact. The list includes Baxian!, La oficina de la memoria, Langlangshan Xiao Yaoguai, Linglong Season 2, Boonie Bears: Year After Year, Gan Yi Hong Zhuang Wen Shanhe, There Was a Mountain, The Ring of Evil, Yi Ren Zhixia Season 6, and Fanren: Return to the Southern Chapter.

Awards ceremony during the China International Comics Festival.sohu.com

The jury noted that this year's crop reflects a more diverse ecosystem: contemporary takes on traditional stories coexist with genre series that keep expanding. The value of these works no longer stays on screen but extends to IP development, cross-sector partnerships, and cultural consumption.

Space for new creators and foreign perspectives

The potential anime of the year award put the spotlight on young voices. Ten titles stood out more for their ideas than their polish: Mo Hui Shou, The Museum at Nightfall, Things of the Universe, UFUFUFU, Operation Cross, Stellar Volunteer, The Space Case 1163, Becoming a God Through Likes, Standby Me, and Footprints Are a Little Smaller Than the World.

The foreign category received projects from Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Switzerland. The winners were Little Death, Companion, Dite, Rainbow Feather, Miracle Girl: Double Life, and How Clever the Crow Is.

The New Star Award, created with Bilibili, recognized five original projects with the potential to become long-running series: The Language of the Underground Deer, The Great Sky Above the Earth, Fairy Tales on the Reverse Side of the World, Secrets of the Divine Machine, and Cookbook of Mountains and Seas. The winning teams will gain access to Bilibili's incubation channel, sign a contract, and receive funding and promotional support.

Screen displaying award-winning works at the event.sohu.com

The opening also hosted the China Anime Creators Congress, where hundreds of professionals discussed industry and business. Ye Luying, author of Gan Yi Hong Zhuang Wen Shanhe, said that cultural heritage is not about waving flags, but about suddenly understanding someone who lived a thousand years ago and turning that emotion into images.

Director and screenwriter Wang Yuren, known for Fanren Xiu Xian Zhuan and Jiang Ye, spoke about animated series and IP development as a new direction for Chinese animation. Peng Zijie, president of the Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association, proposed using video games as the engine and anime as the core to drive the globalization of Chinese content.

A giant expo with games and live experiences

The Festival's Anime and Video Game Expo takes place alongside AGF, the Asian games fair, and this year it goes beyond the venue. The organization partnered with businesses across the city to turn the ticket into an "otaku access card": over 100 shops offer discounts with UnionPay and more than 30 commercial areas joined the promotion.

Companies such as Bilibili, Tencent Video, Manyou Culture, Tianwen Kadokawa, and CITIC Press confirmed their presence with exclusive products and launches. The list of IPs with special merchandise is huge: Douluo Dalu, Xian Ni, Shiguang Daili Ren, Bungo Stray Dogs, Toradora!, Made in Abyss, Tokimeki Memorial, Danganronpa, Hikaru no Go, Uma Musume, Saint Seiya, Katekyo Hitman Reborn!, and many more.

Decorative installation in the festival's exhibition area.sohu.com

The video game area features playable demos for the first time at a Chinese expo. Ubisoft presents Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Remake and Heroes of Might and Magic III Remake, Aniplex brings Fate/EXTRA Record, and GSE showcases Splatoon Raiders for Nintendo Switch 2 and Rhythm Heaven Groove for Switch. There is also space for Chinese studios, with games from Tencent, NetEase, Kuro Games, and more.

The indie pavilion gathers over 50 titles where players can try them out and chat with developers. WeChat set up a zone with nearly 20 mini-games. And the Hong Kong booth, organized by the Digital Entertainment Association, brings together the latest in Hong Kong comics and video games with activities to foster collaboration in the Greater Bay Area.

The expo continues throughout the week with cosplay tournaments, otaku dance competitions, and themed exhibitions. If you're in Guangzhou these days, it's a hard-to-repeat opportunity to see up close where Chinese animation is heading.