Indonesia
Japan Kingdom of Character
Fancy of having a photograph with anime character from Japan? Hundreds of Superkids didn’t want to miss that chance at Grand City Mall Surabaya not long ago. In one corner of the ground floor, General Consulate of Japan in Surabaya joined with Japan Foundation held a Japan Pop Culture Character Fair. The event was opened by Japan General Consulate in Surabaya, Noboru Nomura.
“Character has a special value for Japanese. Through anime and manga, we can all learn about culture and moral values. Thereby said, Doraemon is more than a mere entertainer, but also an educational mean,” Noboru explained.
The same event previously hit a success rate in Medan, and publicly open for free. Visitor could borrow various mask of character for the photo session. “Feel free to put them on, but they are not for sell. It’s all just for the fair,” said Hikma Kurniasari, a committee member.
From Surabaya, the traveling fair will visit Indonesia National Galley, Jakarta, in upcoming March 4-17, 2014. It’s expected that visitors will be more comprehensive about Japanese society to anime and manga. A team from Japan Foundation was standing by, ready to provide any explanation about what the character really is, why are they so popular and where the cultural character of Japan originated, some people even try to reflect the characters and the impact within society.
HAFIDA INDRAWATI
PHOTOS: HAFIDA INDRAWATI
