Tokyo Comic Convention 2025 (Tokyo Comic Con) took place across three days beginning Friday, December 5th at Makuhari Messe. The event serves as a prominent pop culture festival with visitors from across the globe. This year’s event featured Johnny Depp, contributing to a major gathering of cultural celebrities at the venue.
Japan’s legendary manga artists also visited the event. Alongside the “TOKYO MX presents Wearable World of Buddha by Manga Artists” exhibition at the Ring Stage section, manga artists Baron Yoshimoto and Yumiko Igarashi joined a talk session, with TOKYO MX producer and project director Makoto Saso acting as host. A report on that event can be found in this article.
Tracing back to 2013, renowned manga artists such as Fujio Akatsuka, Yumiko Igarashi, Tetsuya Chiba, Naoki Urasawa, and Baron Yoshimoto produced Budda-inspired artworks following an invitation from Ko Kojima, the Japan Cartoonists Association’s president at that time. This contemporary project revitalized those works – originally designed for a touring exhibition supporting disaster recovery – as wearable items like caps and T-shirts through NEW ERA. This approach goes beyond the typical “box-type exhibition” structures by positioning the individuals wearing these items as “exhibitors” itself.
We sat down with the three panelists from the talk session to learn about their thoughts on the works, their Comic Con experiences, and their reflections on the state of Japan’s manga industry.
Saso – “This project brought together many distinguished manga artists. I found myself deeply touched by their Buddha-inspired creations. Just keeping them exclusively as gallery pieces would have limited their ability to share this emotional impact in modern times. So my aim was for people to engage with these works by actually ‘wearing’ them.”
Igarashi – “Who could have imagined Buddha-themed arts would end up as caps? Baron wears them beautifully – they’re perfect on him.”
Baron and Igarashi had finally reunited after 40 years at this Comic Con venue! The event had a vibrant energy, even a last-minute autograph session was decided on the spot.
Baron – “Don’t forget to give me my share from the signing session (laughs).”
Igarashi – “He accepted such a last-minute request – his kindness is truly Buddha-like. Thanks to Baron, I feel 40 years younger and it was incredibly fun. I’ve always admired Baron’s work as a fan. His skill is exceptional – a true master of the craft. When we first met in person, I discovered his approachable and genuine nature. He’s exactly as he was back then, which I find both amazed and delighted.”
Baron – “It brings back all the fun memories.”
We asked them about their experiences creating the Buddha-inspired artwork.
Baron – “I invested immense effort into ‘Tennyo Fudo.’ In fact, beyond my ongoing series Ah, Wilderness, I am developing a major piece in my studio – roughly two meters tall and four meters wide. Going beyond the manga panel limitations to produce large-format works is genuinely fulfilling.”
Igarashi – “‘Nyoirin Kannon’ represents freedom from material cravings. These days, I’ve stopped smoking and drinking, I keep my cat as company, and I’m genuinely content – those material desires have left me (laughs). I feel like my life is meaningful and joyful. Maybe the gentleness in this artwork somehow reflected my present emotional state. The experience was completely different from creating manga pages. THis dignified essence might communicate itself to the wearers. I hope those who wear these items will enjoy ‘interacting’ with the wearable Buddha art, perhaps considering ‘I would have approached it this way’ as they engage with it.”
Baron – “Exactly. Given they were crafted with such devotion, the pieces carry a distinctive energy. I’m wearing the piece now, but then someone else will be wearing it or showcasing it in the future. This represents a profoundly human method of communication, allowing the artwork to achieve true freedom. I wish for people to sense this broader connection when wearing these items.”
Saso – “I was involved in the design process, and this initial release features 23 different variations. Naturally, each one represents exceptional artwork filled with manga artists’ creative energy. I hope people feel free to spontaneously choose them based on reactions like ‘This is adorable’ or ‘This is nice.’”
Baron reflected on his experience of this day.
“Comic Con attracts incredible numbers of attendees and you can sense the dynamic atmosphere. I wish to elevate Japanese art and manga on the international stage even more. With Japan experiencing decline across its culture and economy while losing important elements, collaboration with the government becomes crucial for rejuvenating these fields. I want international audiences to uncover more engaging qualities and help develop Japanese culture. I strongly call upon both national and city governments to create a ‘Tokyo Manga Museum’!”
Comic Con unites all varieties of pop culture into a single space. Within this gathering, the influence of Japanese manga culture – a source of global pride – stands out powerfully. This energy originated from the bonds between legendary artists like Baron and Igarashi, their dynamic leadership in the industry, and their commitment to what lies ahead. Why not discover the joy of “wearing” these creations infused with dedication and enthusiasm for manga culture?
