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Cosplayers gather at 2013 Yunnan Cultural Expo. The animation industry is young in the area.
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Cosplayers gather at 2013 Yunnan Cultural Expo. The animation industry is young in the area.
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In Yunnan, the province's first cultural industry expo is being held. Animation products are proving to be a big hit, despite the industry being in its infancy in the area.
Yunnan is one of the most ethnically diverse areas in China, with 51 of the country’s 55 ethnic groups living there. And this fact has been a great inspiration to the artists.
This animation series features the stories of Qiqi, a girl from the Bai ethnic group. The first 40 episodes have been released and are proving popular among viewers. 160 further episodes have been commissioned and are due to be released later this year.
The hit series is the brainchild of local animation company Meiao Anime, which concentrates on creating content that will strike a chord with minority groups.
"Not like other companies in the industry, we don’t pay too much attention on the numbers of works. The quality matters most. We want to create works that will last," said Meiao Anime's executive director Shi Haobo.
It’s not only the animation industry that’s burgeoning. Online games are another highlight at the fair. A production called Ice Fantasy Online is an eye-catcher. The game features ethnic elements from the storyline through to design.
Mo Yalong, manager of Tianyou Tech, the game's creators, says the technology used in the game is cutting-edge - there are no more than 6 companies that can create such content.
The animation industry in Yunnan Province is still young. But now there are over 30 production companies, with nearly a thousand professionals working in the field. Many believe that the fusion of technology with these unique local elements is sure to be a wining formula.
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