Manga Maniacs Day at Manchester’s Urbis

By John Freeman on 21 May 2008

Crazy about Astro Boy, think you could make it as one of Gwen Stefani’s next Harajuku girls or would just love to star in your own version of Spirited Away?

Manchester’s Urbis Centre is inviting manga and cosplay fans to take part in their Cosplay competition and win an evening with friends in their mini Manga cinema and have your very own portrait painted by UK Manga artist Sonia Leung.

On Saturday 28 June, between 12 – 3.00pm, the Centre is inviting fans of Cosplay to come to Urbis dressed as one of their favourite Manga/Anime characters. There will also be workshops for young and old alike in Manga animation, guiding you in the principles of Manga design and giving you quick cheats on how to produce your own masterpieces.

On the day, you’ll have your photograph taken to be displayed on the Gallery wall for all visitors to see. If you can impress the selected panel of Manga specialists, and if you’re the winner, you’ll get an exclusive evening preview in the Centre’s mini Manga cinema for yourself and a bunch of mates, and have the cinema all to yourselves!

You’ll also win your own Manga portrait painted by Artist Sonia Leung, which the Centre, currently running the How Manga Took Over the World Exhibition until the end of September, will frame for you to take home and display with pride. They will also be giving away Manga themed goodie bags for 50 runners up.

• Visit the Urbis Official web site
• Read Matthew Badham’s review of How Manga Took Over the World

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.