Their time in the subcultural shadows long gone, manga and anime are now common sights at prestigious art museums around the world. But Tokyo is still the global capital of anime and manga shows, and this autumn brings another packed slate of highlights to exhibition venues around the city. These are the displays you won’t want to miss in November and December.
The first major showcase of shojo manga ever held at a national art museum in Japan convenes more than 800 original illustrations by three pioneering artists noted for their mastery of themes like inner emotions, women’s emancipation and nuanced history, condensing some 60 years of the genre into a single exhibition.
Until Feb 8 2027
‘It’s neither a stage play nor a concert’, says Belle director Mamoru Hosoda, but a whole new form of live experience. ‘U’, the virtual world depicted in the film, is brought to life through LED screens, singing and sound synchronised with onlookers’ phones, making for an experience that’s both immersive and truly interactive.
Until Nov 15
The force behind smash hits including Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc and Jujutsu Kaisen, animation studio Mappa is celebrating its 15th anniversary with this appropriately gigantic exhibition bringing together original drawings, large-scale sets and video projections from 23 titles – including a massive installation of 3D Titans from Attack on Titan Final Season.
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