Doujin Market 2016 - Singapore's Biggest Yet!
Neo Tokyo Project's Doujin Market (Doujima) returns this year - bigger, better and bolder, with anew venue and fresh content that showcases the very best in illustration and derivative fan content.
Taking place on 7th and 8th May at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, the show will feature some 90 arts groups, over 100 youth artists from Singapore and around the region, a dedicated Visual NovelHub, seminars, as well as networking opportunities for aspiring creators.
“Interest in Doujima has exploded since our first iteration at *SCAPE in 2014,” said Jason Koh, Account Director of Neo Tokyo Project. “Moving to Suntec is the logical choice as it allows us to provide an even bigger, better equipped and more visible platform for creators to showcase their works.”This year, Doujima is supported by Noise Movement, an initiative of the National Arts Council which provides seed funding to ground-up programs to catalyze arts creation, participation and appreciation among young people.
The event is also recognized by the International Otaku Events Association (IOEA) of Japan as a premier exhibition in Singapore.Since 2014, the number of exhibiting circles has grown threefold and visitors can expect artists from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States, as well as homegrown collectives like Collateral Damage Studios, Daiyaku and FantaisieNocturne Productions at Doujima.
The Visual Novel Hub, the first of its kind here, will also feature local and international titles by independent game developers. It is presented by Afterthought Studios, the creators of Singapore's first successfully-Kickstarted visual novel - 'A More Beautiful World'.“Visual novels are a compelling new way of storytelling. I hope to pave the way for aspiring creators to get their start in this growing industry,” said Darren Kwok, Director of Afterthought Studios.
“I'm certain that with both community and top-down support, we will see more and more independent titles being published in Singapore.”As part of Doujima's ongoing efforts to spur youth entrepreneurship in the arts and inspire budding artists to create, visitors can look forward to a series of seminars by industry professionals on drawing, marketing and self-publishing.
While Doujima is not a cosplay event, cosplayers and pop-culture fans are welcome to get in on the act, with a dedicated chillout zone and refreshing soda from Official Beverage Gabu Gabu. “We at Neo Tokyo Project are committed to forging new avenues for artistic expression,” said Jason. “We hope that this year's programs will engage, excite and empower the community to greater heights.” he added. Doujin Market 2016 will take place at Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre, at The Crescent (L2) on 7th and 8th May. Doors open from 11 am to 7 pm daily. Admission is FREE.
