Advisers' proposals focus on elevating the city's anime brand

Shanghai is being urged to enhance its global cultural influence by leveraging its thriving anime industry and the booming "goods economy," a unique trend tied to anime, manga and game merchandise.

Two proposals, presented during the two sessions, focus on elevating the city's anime brand and transforming it into a cultural tourism powerhouse.

The first proposal, led by political adviser Wang Xingquan, zeroes in on supercharging Shanghai's anime industry.

With popular events like ChinaJoy and BilibiliWorld drawing young audiences and boosting cultural tourism, Shanghai has become a hotspot for the ACG (anime, comics and game) subculture.

However, the advisers emphasized that more needs to be done to consolidate this success and turn it into a defining cultural and economic asset for the city.

They identified key challenges, such as the lack of cohesive branding for anime hubs like People's Square and Caohejing, the need to elevate local anime companies' influence, and the untapped potential for integrating the city's diverse anime-related activities into a unified brand.

The proposal calls for creating anime-themed districts with enhanced public and commercial spaces, supporting local companies to develop globally competitive original content, and forming a collaborative ecosystem that positions Shanghai as a global leader in the anime industry.

Local ACG giants like MiHoYo and Bilibili are already making waves, but the proposal emphasizes the need for more Shanghai-made hits to dominate the global stage. It envisages a future where anime isn't just a form of entertainment but a cornerstone of Shanghai's cultural economy, drawing fans from across the globe.

Another proposal, by five other political advisers, focuses on Jing'an District's historic Shanghai Animation Film Studio, the birthplace of legendary works like "Havoc in Heaven" and "Calabash Brothers."

The plan is to transform the surrounding Caojiadu neighborhood into an anime cultural destination, with anime-themed restaurants, cosplay-friendly streets and shopping areas brimming with creativity.

Public spaces could get anime-inspired makeovers, turning transport hubs, sidewalks and even bus stops into interactive experiences for fans.