This year in Lagos, the second edition of a somewhat special festival was held, dedicated to manga, these cartoons from Asia, mainly Japan.
You may not know them, but Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, Pokémon, or One Piece are some of the manga that is acclaimed by millions of people around the world and Nigeria is no exception. And for the occasion, hundreds of fans wore outfits in tribute to their favorite characters. This is the case of Antonio and his headband similar to that of his favorite ninja, the famous Naruto.
“I like mangas because they are a reflection of life, there is something for everyone and for all tastes. If you like sports, there are sports mangas, if you like Horror movies, action movies, romance, and fairy tales, there’s a manga for you and you just have to watch it. Manga is awesome and it’s for everyone,” says the young man.
Inclusive manga, in which everyone finds themselves, is one of the reasons for their popularity. But for other fans, manga plays a bigger role in their lives.
“In the toughest times of my life, it’s what I use to feel better. I’ve been watching cartoons since I was six, my cousins and I went to buy CDs one day at random and it was the cartoon Naruto… It’s very nice, it makes me happy all the time”, explains Mine Ovadje, a fan.