El Salón del Manga de Asturias, Nika-Pon, regresa a Avilés con mejoras en conexiones y enfoque educativo

Adrián Santos and Raquel Ruiz

Fans of Japanese culture have an unmissable appointment in Avilés on the weekend of April 12 and 13. The Manga Salon of Asturias, Nika-Pon, returns to the Fair and Exhibition Hall of La Magdalena for its eighth edition. As a novelty, it will feature a shuttle service that will connect the bus stops at the Avilés station (Muelle-Ambulatorio and Llano Ponte) with the fairground, facilitating connections to other cities and reducing dependence on private vehicles.

It was presented this morning by Raquel Ruiz, Councilor for Youth of Avilés, accompanied by Adrián Santos, president of the Nikaku Dan Association, organizer of the event in collaboration with the Avilés City Council.

The venue will have over 100 stalls, where attendees can find craftsmanship, manga, video games, illustration, food, or imported products from Japan.

The event will feature over 1,000 square meters dedicated to board games and role-playing, expanding its offerings with the addition of children’s role-playing. Additionally, the venue will once again host a prominent tournament, the Warhammer 40K.

In this edition, Nika-Pon enhances its educational focus with a conference specially aimed at families on gamification and the proper use of AI. Conducted by Professor Jorge Veses, a one-hour practical session will follow the presentation.

The world of dubbing comes to the Manga Salon of Asturias with a new space sponsored by the Asturian academy Voices. Actors David Flores and Enrique Carmena, known for acclaimed titles such as Full Metal Alchemist or Blue Lock, will exchange views in a round table. Likewise, a talk supported by the Milky Way editorial, aimed at young people interested in working in the manga industry, is included.

Asturian talent will be showcased this year in the literary section with four invited writers. In addition, the language academic, María Esther García López, who has published over fifty works, will also be present. Among her books, one featuring haikus in Spanish, Japanese, and Asturian stands out.

The usual contests, workshops, video game area, technology, and various exhibitions and displays will complete the program of this edition.

The event, organized by the Nikaku-Dan Cultural Association and the Avilés City Council, will have free admission until full capacity is reached.

Detailed information and program: