China’s COMICUP Bans Japanese Anime, Manga Content

China’s largest fan-run comic convention, COMICUP, has announced a ban on Japanese anime, manga, and related content for its upcoming edition in Hangzhou. Organizers confirmed that the Dec 27-28 event will now operate under a “New Chinese Style-only” programming framework, effectively excluding Japanese intellectual property from exhibition floors, artist alleys, and performances (cosplays).

On Dec 19, 2025, exhibitors received a notice from the organizers asking them to modify or remove any content that was connected to Japanese media, with a warning that non-compliant booths could be shut down. Several artists and vendors have reflected their frustration about the sudden change in framework and getting to know about it only days before, when they had already invested significantly in their booths.

According to the organizers, the “full-scale adjustment” was made due to “current social environment” and “cultural obligations.” The statement didn’t highlight Japan specifically; however, several exhibitors who featured Japanese media-derived content took the issue to social media, stating their shops have been cancelled. 

COMICUP has grown into China’s most influential biannual doujin, fan-art marketplace, historically drawing tens of thousands of creators and attendees each edition. The previous edition in the CP series, held in October, was projected to generate between RMB 600 million and RMB 1 billion ($85 million USD and $142M).

The ban, which possibly followed the recent political tension between the two countries, raises concerns over decreasing turnout and a sharp decline in attendance. According to Ashu Research’s reporting, COMICUP at Hangzhou could lose roughly 200K potential tourists linked to the event.

COMICUP Ban: Japanese Media Faces Growing Barriers in China

COMICUP’s new compliance follows recent disruptions affecting Japanese media in China. The theatrical run of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle reportedly ended abruptly, despite strong box-office performance. The incident added to uncertainty around the scheduling of Japanese anime films such as Detective Conan: The Time-Bombed Skyscraper and Crayon Shin-chan in Chinese cinemas, which have been postponed. 

Live entertainment has also been affected. Concerts linked to Japanese artists, including appearances associated with Maki Otsuki and Ayumi Hamasaki, have faced cancellations. During her performance in Shanghai, Otsuki was escorted offstage. Other Japanese performers also faced last-minute cancellations, including three in Shanghai, two in Guangzhou, and two in Beijing.

Along with movies and live shows, an exhibition on famed manga artist and Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki was postponed in early December. Now, by sidelining Japanese anime and manga at the country’s most influential fan convention, the organizers show how geopolitical frictions are increasingly shaping cultural access at the community level.