The biggest Swiss event on pop culture, video games and manga, the 16th edition of Polymanga is being held from April 15 to 18 in Montreux. After two “white” years, fans are waiting for what is already shaping up to be a record edition.
Otaku culture, cosplay, manga, pokemon, anime. These terms do not speak to you or not very much? It’s time to go to the Polymanga festival which is held from April 15 to 18 at the 2m2c in Montreux to get up to speed.
Because Japanese pop culture, at the heart of this Montreux event, is on the rise. In 2021, 47 million manga were purchased in France, twice as many as the previous year. And Switzerland is no exception. “One piece”, whose 100th volume was released in 2021, “Demon Slayer” or the absolute classic, “Naruto”, are also selling “like hot cakes” according to Swiss booksellers.
Success is also there for anime (Japanese cartoons). Recently, the release on the Wakanim streaming platform of the fourth season of “Attack on Titan” – adapted from the manga that has sold 100 million copies worldwide – resulted in an explosion of servers, overwhelmed by million visits as soon as the first episode was put online.
An expected return for Polymanga
After two “white” years due to the pandemic, Polymanga is back with a 16th edition that should delight all fans. They and they will in any case be present. The festival indicated at the beginning of the week more than 20,000 tickets already sold for what promises to be a record year.
18,000 square meters of manga, pop culture, video games, signings, screenings, conferences and e-sports. Not to mention cosplay contests – shows bringing together participants who have created the costume of their favorite hero themselves – which will bring together the best cosplayers in the world.
Le spectacle “Shonen go!”
Among the many events announced will be a cosplay show on Saturday evening. Called “Shonen go!”, it will be the first of its kind in French-speaking Switzerland. It will bring together fifteen of them, including thirteen women, who will go disguised on the stage of the Auditorium Stravinski and pay homage to shonen, this type of manga intended for young men. The most popular genre of Japanese comics, it has references such as “Dragon Ball”, “Naruto” or “One Piece”.
>> To see, interview in the program Point Barre by David Heim, director of Polymanga regarding this 16th edition
This show is added to the many cosplay contests, including the Polymanga Global Easter Cosplay on Easter Monday which will bring together the cream of international cosplayers. A Cosplay District where you will learn how to make armor or a costume will also be there.
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Polymanga2m2c Montreux Music & Convention Center, from April 15 to 18, 2022.
