Model mania sweeps wonderland
Thousands of fans head to festival to indulge their passion for figurines from the worlds of manga, movies, games, comics and novels, Wang Xin reports in Shanghai.
The figures on display came from a wide variety of genres and themes, including original characters, popular animation and video game characters, and pop stars like Michael Jackson, as well as protagonists in movies such as Superman, Joker and The Lord of the Rings.
China's ACGN and other cultural industries have grown rapidly in recent years. Data from iiMedia Research reports show that the pan-ACGN user base in China is likely to reach over 500 million by 2029, while the pan-ACGN market is expected to expand to 834.4 billion yuan ($117 billion) by the same year.
The nation's model figure enthusiasts have also demonstrated strong purchasing power at the event. Figures can be produced in diverse sizes and scales, and their prices can vary dramatically, from tens of dollars to thousands of dollars or more for a unit — depending on the amount and type of materials required and the time spent producing the model.
This year, tickets for the event's first day sold out within just four minutes, as many collectors were seeking limited edition and exclusive edition figures and merchandise. Despite the relatively high prices, most of these editions sold out quickly.
