Jeddah communication conference explores anime's digital evolution
According to Saudi Press Agency, the session focused on anime's shift from traditional television broadcasts and DVDs to digital platforms, including live streaming, instant subtitling and cloud-based production.
Streaming giants such as Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Funimation were highlighted as pivotal players in the transition, offering translated or dubbed episodes immediately upon release and funding original series such as 'Devilman Crybaby' and 'Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.'
Speakers in the session, including Manga Productions CEO Essam Bukhary, said that social media and online forums have opened the door to unprecedented engagement among fans, as well as community and cultural interaction, since audiences now take part in evaluating episodes.
Concerns were raised that heavy dependence on technology could erode the handcrafted aesthetic that defines traditional anime.
Saudi Arabia's burgeoning interest in manga and anime, which dates back to the 1970s, is helping to usher in a revolution in cultural production.
Japanese art forms have captivated audiences of all ages, gaining significant popularity in recent years. Their ability to combine entertainment, culture and education has made them of great interest to Saudi society.
To support this interest, the General Entertainment Authority has hosted events like the Saudi Anime Expo, drawing international visitors.
In line with these efforts, the ministries of culture and education launched the Manga Education program to nurture student talent, as well as integrate arts and culture into public education.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leaders
a day ago
- Leaders
Marvels of Saudi Orchestra to Mesmerize Paris at Versailles Palace
The Saudi Music Commission has proudly announced an extraordinary concert, 'Marvels of Saudi Orchestra,' scheduled for 5th September at the historic Palace of Versailles in Paris. This highly anticipated event signifies a profound cultural exchange, further strengthening the enduring ties between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of France. This prestigious performance, therefore, highlights Saudi Arabia's growing global cultural presence and artistic excellence on an international stage. Under the esteemed patronage of Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, who also chairs the Music Commission's board of directors, this concert serves as a vital cultural bridge. This significant initiative actively deepens the already robust and cooperative relationships between the Kingdom and France. Consequently, this collaboration fosters mutual understanding and appreciation through the universal language of music and art. Showcasing Saudi and French Musical Heritage A press release from the commission confirmed the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir will captivate audiences with an exquisite repertoire. This selection powerfully reflects the profound depth and artistic plurality inherent in Saudi Arabia's rich musical legacy. Furthermore, an array of vibrant performing arts, meticulously organized by the Theatre and Performing Arts Commission, will accompany the musical presentation. These traditional Saudi performances include Al-Khobeiti, Al-Majroor, Al-Rifaihi, and Al-Khathwah, offering a comprehensive cultural experience. Complementing this magnificent display, the Royal Opera House Orchestra will perform celebrated French masterpieces, thereby paying a heartfelt homage to the illustrious heritage of the Palace of Versailles itself. A Harmonious Global Dialogue Significantly, a captivating fusion segment will intricately intertwine both Saudi and French musical traditions, symbolizing a truly harmonious and profound dialogue between these two great and ancient cultures, underscoring the shared human experience expressed through music. This return to Paris notably marks the eighth stop on the highly successful global tour of the 'Marvels of Saudi Orchestra,' that initially commenced with an inaugural and memorable performance at the iconic Theatre du Chatelet. Since then, this remarkable tour has already enchanted diverse audiences across the globe, performing in Mexico City's National Theatre, New York's Metropolitan Opera House, London's Central Hall Westminster, and Tokyo Opera City. Subsequently, the orchestra performed at Riyadh's King Fahd Cultural Centre and the world-renowned Sydney Opera House, demonstrating its widespread international appeal, in an extensive global reach that truly exemplifies the commission's dedication to cultural exchange. This grand concert unequivocally reaffirms the Music Commission's unwavering commitment to actively empowering talented musicians and artists. Furthermore, it provides an invaluable global platform for showcasing the Kingdom's rich and diverse musical heritage to an international audience. This initiative therefore significantly contributes to the global appreciation of Saudi Arabian arts and culture, fostering deeper connections worldwide. Short link : Post Views: 6
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
A massacre on the eve of WW2 still haunts China-Japan relations
TOKYO – Japanese vlogger Hayato Kato's 1.9 million followers are used to his funny clips about exploring China, where he has been living for several years. But on 26 July he surprised them with a sombre one. "I just watched a movie about the Nanjing Massacre," he said, referring to the Japanese army's six-week rampage through Nanjing in late 1937, which, by some estimates, killed more than 300,000 civilians and Chinese soldiers. Around 20,000 women were reportedly raped. Dead To Rights, or Nanjing Photo Studio, is a star-studded tale about a group of civilians who hide from Japanese troops in a photo studio. Already a box office hit, it is the first of a wave of Chinese movies about the horrors of Japanese occupation that are being released to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two. But a sense of unfinished history – often amplified by Beijing – persists, fuelling both memory and anger. Speaking in Chinese on Douyin, China's domestic version of TikTok, Kato recounted scenes from the film: "People were lined up along the river and then the shootings began... A baby, the same age as my daughter, was crying in her mother's arms. A Japanese soldier rushed forward, grabbed her, and smashed her into the ground." He said he had seen many people on the Japanese internet denying the Nanjing Massacre had happened, including public figures, even politicians. "If we deny it, this will happen again," he continued, urging Japanese people to watch the movies and "Iearn about the dark side of their history".The video quickly became one of his most popular, with more than 670,000 likes in just two the comments are less positive. The top-liked one quotes what has already become an iconic line from the movie, uttered by a Chinese civilian to a Japanese soldier: "We are not friends. We never were."For China, Japan's brutal military campaign and occupation are among the darkest chapters of its past – and the massacre in Nanjing, then the capital, an even deeper has made it fester is the belief that Japan has never fully owned up to its atrocities in places it occupied – not just China, but also Korea, what was then Malaya, Philippines, Indonesia. One of the most painful points of contention involves "comfort women" – the approximately 200,000 women who were raped and forced to work in Japanese military brothels. To this day, the survivors are still fighting for an apology and his video, Kato seems to acknowledge that it's not a subject of conversation in Japan: "Unfortunately these anti-Japanese war movies are not shown in Japan publicly, and Japanese people are not interested to watch them."When the Japanese Emperor announced on 15 August that he would surrender, his country had already paid a terrible cost – more than 100,000 had been killed in bombing raids on Tokyo, before two atom bombs devastated Hiroshima and defeat, however, was welcomed in large parts of Asia, where the Imperial Japanese Army had claimed million of lives. For them, 15 August carries both freedom and lingering trauma – in Korea the day is called 'gwangbokjeol', which translates to the return of light."While the military war has ended, the history war continues," says Professor Gi-Wook Shin, of Stanford University, explaining the two sides remember those years differently, and those differences add to the tension. While the Chinese see Japanese aggression as a defining, and devastating, moment in their past, Japanese history focuses on its own victimhood – the destruction caused by the atom bombs and post-war recovery."People I know in Japan don't really talk about it," says a Chinese man who has been living in Japan for 15 years, and wished to remain anonymous."They see it as something in the past, and the country doesn't really commemorate it – because they also view themselves as victims."He calls himself a patriot, but he says that hasn't made things difficult for him personally because their reluctance to talk about it means they "avoid such sensitive topics"."Some believe the Japanese army went to help China build a new order – with conflicts occurring in that process. Of course, there are also those who acknowledge that it was, in fact, an invasion."China fought Japan for eight years, from Manchuria in the north-east to Chongqing in the south-west. Estimates of those killed range from 10 to 20 million. The Japanese government says around 480,000 of its soldiers died in that years have been well-documented in award-winning literature and films – they were also the subject of Nobel laureate Mo Yan's period is now being revisited under a regime that holds patriotism as central to its ambitions: "national rejuvenation" is how Xi Jinping describes his Chinese dream. While the Party heavily censors its own history, from the Tiananmen Square massacre to more recent crackdowns, it encourages remembering a more distant past – with an outside even revised the date the war with Japan started – the Chinese government now counts the first incursions into Manchuria in 1931, which makes it a 14-year war, rather than eight years of full-fledged him, Beijing has also been commemorating the end of World War Two on a bigger scale. On 3 September, the day Japan formally surrendered, there will be a major military parade in Tiananmen in September, a highly-anticipated new release will focus on the notorious Unit 731, a branch of the Japanese Army that conducted lethal human experiments in occupied Manchuria. The date of release – 18 September – is the day Japan attempted its first invasion of is apart from Dongji Rescue, a film inspired by the real-life efforts of Chinese fishermen who saved hundreds of British prisoners of war during Japanese raids; and Mountains and Rivers Bearing Witness, a documentary from a state-owned studio about Chinese resistance."That one generation fought a war on behalf of three, and endured suffering for three. Salute to the martyrs," a popular RedNote post on Nanjing Photo Studio reads."We are not friends...", the now-famous line from the movie, "is not just a line" between the two main characters, says a popular review that has been liked by more than 10,000 users on is "also from millions of ordinary Chinese people to Japan. They've never issued a sincere apology, they are still worshipping [the war criminals], they are rewriting history – no-one will treat them as friends", the comment says, referring to some Japanese right-wing figures' dismissive has issued apologies, but many Chinese people believe they are not profuse enough."Japan keeps sending a conflicting message," Prof Shin says, referring to instances where leaders have contradicted each other in their statements on Japan's wartime years, in Chinese history classes, students have been shown a photo of former West German Chancellor Willy Brandt kneeling before a memorial to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1970. The Chinese expect a similar gesture from wasn't always the case, Japan surrendered in 1945, the turbulence in China did not end. For the next three years, the Nationalist Kuomintang – then the ruling government and the main source of Chinese resistance against Japan – fought a civil war against Mao Zedong's Communist Party war ended with Mao's victory and the Kuomintang's retreat to Taiwan. Mao, whose priority was to build a communist nation, avoided focusing on Japanese war crimes. Commemorations celebrated the Party's victory and criticised the Kuomintang. He also needed Japan's support on the international stage. Tokyo, in fact, was one of the first major powers to recognise his wasn't until the 1980s – after Mao's death – that the Japanese occupation returned to haunt the relationship between Beijing and Tokyo. By then, Japan was a wealthy Western ally with a booming economy. Revisions to Japanese textbooks began to spark controversy, with China and South Korea accusing Japan of whitewashing its wartime atrocities. China had just begun to open up, and South Korea was in transition from military rule to Chinese leaders moved away from Mao – and his destructive legacy – the trauma of what happened under Japanese attack became a unifying narrative for the Communist Party, says Yinan He, associate professor of international relations at Lehigh University in the US."After the Cultural Revolution, Chinese people for the large part were disillusioned by communism," she told the BBC. "Since communism lost its appeal, you need nationalism. And Japan is [an] easy target because that's the most recent external [aggressor]."She describes a "choreographed representation of the past", where commemorations of 1945 often downplay the contributions of the US and the Kuomintang, and are accompanied by growing scrutiny of Japan's official stance on its wartime hasn't helped is the denial of war crimes – prominent right-wing Japanese don't accept the Nanjing massacre ever happened, or that Japanese soldiers forced so many women into sexual slavery – and recent visits by officials to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Japan's war dead, including convicted war hostility between China and Japan has spilled over into everyday lives as nationalism online peaks – Chinese and Japanese people have been attacked in each other's countries. A Japanese schoolboy was killed in Shenzhen last economic rise and assertiveness in the region and beyond has changed the dynamic between the two countries again. It has surpassed Japan as a global power. The best time to seek closure – the 1970s, when the countries were closer – has passed, Prof He says."They simply said, let's forget about that, let's set that aside. They've never dealt with the history – and now the problem has come back to haunt them again." – BBC
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Music Commission to present ‘Marvels of Saudi Orchestra' at Palace of Versailles on September 5
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Under the patronage of Prince Bader bin Farhan, Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Music Commission's Board of Directors, the Saudi Music Commission announced that the 'Marvels of Saudi Orchestra' concert will be held on Friday, Sept. 5, at the Palace of Versailles in Paris. The event will feature the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir performing a repertoire that reflects the depth and diversity of the Kingdom's musical heritage. The performance will be accompanied by the Theatre and Performing Arts Commission showcasing four traditional Saudi arts: Al Khobeiti, Al Majroor, Al Rifaihi, and Al Khathwah. The Royal Opera House Orchestra will also present French classical works, with a special fusion segment blending Saudi and French musical traditions The concert marks the eighth stop in the global 'Marvels of Saudi Orchestra' tour, which has previously visited Mexico City, New York, London, Tokyo, Riyadh, and Sydney. The tour's return to Paris follows its debut at Théâtre du Châtelet. According to the Music Commission, the event underscores the role of music in fostering cultural exchange and reflects the Kingdom's commitment to supporting talent and promoting its cultural heritage internationally.
