21st China Int’l Cartoon & Animation Festival to open tmr in HZ

Hangzhou has once again opened the door to a fairy-tale world as the 21st China International Cartoon & Animation Festival (CICAF) launches its annual extravaganza. Scheduled from May 29 to June 2, the event will host a series of dazzling activities, cementing the city’s status as a global hub for animation and C-pop culture in China.

The main venue at Hangzhou White Horse Lake International Convention& Exhibition Center will showcase top-tier domestic and international brands. Themed zones—ranging from original works and esports to “Hangzhou elements” and children’s content—will highlight industry achievements. Platforms like iQiyi, Tencent, Bilibili, and Alibaba’s Youku will participate, alongside IP showcases such as Black Myth: Wukong. Parallel events include the CICAF Cosplay Super Show finals (from May 31 to June 2), attracting enthusiasts nationwide, and the voice actor competition (on May 29 and 30), aiming to nurture dubbing talents.

A highlight will pop up as the “Animafest Zagreb” exhibition, co-curated by the China Cartoon & Animation Museum and Croatia’s Museum of Contemporary Art. It explores Zagreb’s legacy as an animation capital, tracing the Zagreb School of Animation and its storied international festival, while spotlighting 50 years of the world festival of animated film in dialogue with Hangzhou.

Meanwhile, the skies above Hangzhou are dazzled with a drone and light show along the Qiantang River nightly at 20:00 until June 2.

Themed metro trains and stations have also returned. The Binkang Road Station on Line 1 not only features the familiar friends from Chinese animation, but also includes diverse IPs such as Eiga Doraemon: Nobita no Esekai Monogatari, Stitch! The Movie, and Elio. The animated-themed bus with the CICAF mascot Le Le is taking tourists on a tour along the West Lake loop, and taxis are popping up randomly in various parts of the city. Go and meet them!

Hangzhou animation leads the nation

Hangzhou’s animation landscape now includes over 270 upstream and downstream enterprises, employing more than 12,000 professionals. Leading local companies like Zoland Animation, Sparkly Key Animation Studio, and Electronic Soul stand alongside industry giants such as Light Chaser Animation Studios and XIRON Animation& Comics.
In 2024 alone, 292 Hangzhou-developed games secured publication licenses (20% of China’s total), while 227 network animations obtained distribution permits (over 30% nationally). The city leads in state-recommended animation projects, underscoring its creative dominance.
Source: Hangzhoufeel