Kotatsu Japenese Animation Festival Returns to Cardiff & Aberystwyth in October
The Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival touring programme returns to Wales this Autumn with another excellent line-up of films, featuring a selection of short films, the latest blockbusters and some old favourites. Come celebrate Japanese animation at our festival, the only annual anime event in Wales.
Dates & Tickets
- Oct 5 – 6 Chapter, Cardiff. Tickets: chapter.org/seasons/kotatsu-festival-2024
- Oct 25 – 27 Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Tickets: kotatsufestival.com/programme
Whats On
Feature Films
The festival is set to showcase an exciting line-up of 10 films, from the latest Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom to the most loved classic Castle of Cagliostro (Hayao Miyzaki’s directorial debut), offering a diverse array of storytelling that is sure to captivate audiences. Featuring 3 Welsh premieres, The Concierge, City Hunter: Angel Dust and Komada – A Whisky Family, providing an exclusive opportunity to experience groundbreaking films before they hit wider screens. The selection includes a mix of genres, ensuring something for every taste, from thrilling narratives to deeply moving dramas. With a weekend packed full of cinematic experiences, the event promises guaranteed fun and unforgettable moments for all attendees.
Short Films
Through partnership with the New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival in Japan, there will be a programme of 6 short films from independent Japanese students and animators, including SHISHIGARI, directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama, Director of Look Back. (Chapter only)
Music Performance
JERO11 is a guitarist and shamisen player who composes instrumental rock inspired by traditional Japanese instrumentation. JERO11 produces original music and arranges rock covers of Anime, VOCALOID, video game and shamisen music. In this session he will perform traditional shamisen pieces with a modern twist using his homemade electric box-shamisen.
Comic Café
An area to sit and chill while browsing freely donated manga! Any pre-loved comics/books/magazines are very welcome, so please bring them along to Chapter if you are happy to donate them to a good cause. Please don’t take them home afterwards, so others can also get a chance to enjoy them!
Marketplace
At Chapter and Aberystwyth Arts Center, there will be an all day marketplace, featuring stalls selling a variety of Japan/Anime/Manga related goods. Chapter exclusives include Jero11 on Saturday only, and the Japanese calligrapher Yukiko Ayers on Sunday only.
Raffle
Finally, there is the festival raffle held at Chapter and Aberystwyth Arts Center for a chance to win some great prizes, including artwork from Wales’ very own Calon TV and DVD sets from MVM Entertainment. Ticket sales help fundraising efforts for future Kotatsu events. Tickets will be available on the day from the Kotatsu Festival reception, at just 50p each.
The prizes will all be listed on the website at https://www.kotatsufestival.
Help Fund Us
The Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival relies on sponsors and donors to help deliver screenings. If you would like to support them, you can do so with a voluntary contribution via the festival’s Patreon page. Alternatively you can support the festival without paying extra money by signing up at easyfundraising.org.uk and choosing to support the Kotatsu Festival. When you shop via the easyfundraising website, a small percentage of your purchase will be automatically donated to the festival. If you’d prefer to remain anonymous, enable the setting that allows you to be an anonymous supporter.
Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation run by a very small team of staff and volunteers. It has been thrilling audiences since November 2010 with its mission to bring Japanese animation and culture to audiences in Wales. The festival screens a wide variety of films and also provides educational and cultural learning opportunities such as workshops and masterclasses with leading animators from Japan. Experience the festival yearly at Chapter in Cardiff, the Aberystwyth Arts Centre in Aberystwyth, and throughout the Autumn months.