Amin Abbas

ABU DHABI: The third edition of the Comic Craze exhibition is being held until Jan. 22 in Abu Dhabi, featuring Japanese anime comics that were dubbed into Arabic.

The exhibition features 49 artists from the UAE and sheds light on the ingenuity of the creation of satirical, comic, and critical cartoons. 

These talented individuals use their art to observe and comment on the contradictions of human and social behavior and the intricacies of modern life.

Visitors will get the chance to meet new characters and protagonists inspired by modern local culture. Comic Craze also includes interactive elements such as screens broadcasting nostalgic cartoon theme songs, character figurines, and a photo booth equipped with comic props.

Sumayya Al Suwaidi, Community Programme Unit Head at the Cultural Foundation, told Arab News Japan about the story and the challenges she faced while curating comics from Comic Craze this year. “The idea of Comic Craze Vol. 3 at the beginning was to feature the history of comic books in the Arab world and highlight the most popular comic magazines that have been around for many years,” she said.

“However, due to the lack of comic content from the Arab world, we have decided to add a special artwork section for classic Arabic-dubbed Japanese anime series (from the late 1970’s to the late 1990’s) that are being made by Emirati-based artists to highlight their talents and represent a wonderful tribute to these amazing shows that we have grown up with for the new generation,” she added. 

She shared that most people who come to the exhibition are over 30 years old and want to relive their childhood. “(They) were very touched by the artworks of classic Arabic-dubbed Japanese anime series that brought back many wonderful old memories, and they told their children about them. This brought many generations together, sharing their love for the songs and scenes that will live on forever,” said Al Suwaidi. 

Emirati artist Abdulla Al Mansoori shared exclusively with Arab News Japan about his participation at the exhibition, saying, “As a millennial who participated in this exhibition alongside my peers, I can say that seeing the anime and cartoons we have grown up watching is portrayed through our eyes as a wonderful walk down memory lane.”

Al Mansoori drew the iconic anime ‘Chōdenji Robo Combattler V,’ which was dubbed in Arabic in the 1980s, using his own style. 

The artist also held his own workshop. “My part was creating an anime scene. As instructed, I prepared the schedule and materials for the summer workshop, keeping in mind the age group that has signed up. The experience of teaching was somewhat a first, but it was an enjoyable one at that,” Al Mansoori shared.

“The participants in the workshop were also a great group of people. They were all eager to learn and create, and they were very open to my feedback. I was really inspired by their enthusiasm and creativity. We spent the day learning about different art techniques, such as sketching and digital painting. I also provided the students with an art piece for them to color using the methods and techniques they’ve learned and the many shortcuts.”

“I was so happy to see the students’ progress throughout the workshops. They all learned a lot and grew as artists, and I’m confident that they will continue to create beautiful things in the future. Overall, I had a wonderful experience giving an art workshop at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation. It was a great opportunity to share my love of art with others, and I am so grateful for the opportunity,” he concluded.