Comic and animation convention in Beijing

The International Comic & Animation Convention is being held in Beijing. A wide array of content from Japanese anime to puppets shows from Taiwan are on display.

Enthusiasts are dressing up as their favourite Japanese anime characters. These youngsters bring their characters off the page, but it seems a bit odd for them to stand together, as they come from totally different cartoon universes.

Chinese cartoon producers are also busy creating their own cartoon universes, and the most creative minds can be found at the Luxun Academy of Fine arts. The academy aims to develop talent that can compete on a world stage.

Prof. Wang Weidong, Luxun Academy of Fine Arts, said, "Technology has been a game changer for the entire industry. Take 3D for example. We as producers need to present our work in a fresh way. We try to develop student's ability master the latest technology to serve their creativity."

While some are turning to technology, others are plundering the past for a uniquely Chinese approach. This is a Chinese puppet show. So what is it doing at a Comic & Animation Convention? The company from Taiwan believes its puppets are not only relevant but hold great promise.

Yang Tsung-han, Manager of Dragon Totem Cultural, said, "Our puppets are an ancient heritage of Taiwan, but we also blended modern elements. We are building on the base of our puppet shows and producing puppet animations."

These puppets are huge in Taiwan, (handling puppet) Hello, I'm from Taiwan, I may look Japanese and dress European but I'm still Chinese because I tell Chinese tales based on Chinese history. My makers hope I can be a huge cultural export to many countries.