Japanese Manga comic series marks 20th anniversary in Vietnam

World famous Japanese comic series ‘Doraemon’ celebrated its 20th anniversary in Vietnam on December 9 at the zoo in Ho Chi Minh City with several cultural activities like cosplay, photo contest and meetings with Doraemon fans.

The first edition of the series in Vietnam.

The event was hosted by the series authorized publisher in Vietnam--Kim Dong Publishing Company.  

Though the series only received a lukewarm response initially, it slowly gripped readers in Vietnam. Reflecting on the tough early days, Mr. Nguyen Phu Cuong, a staff member from Kim Dong said, “The first press conference for the series only attracted eight small retailers from among 60 that were invited. The first episode of the series was issued at 2pm on December 11, 1992 which drew a lot of interest from the public.

Then unexpectedly, the series became a hot topic among Vietnamese readers. The issues sold rapidly, from thousands to hundreds of thousands. Long queues of Vietnamese teenagers waited for new episodes of the series at book stores, which became a common sight,” said the staff proudly.
    
The series later became the first authorized comic series in Vietnam. Kim Dong editor-in-chief Nguyen Thang Vu paid US$100,000 for the full copyrights for Vietnam. He also proposed to the Japanese partner to co-host the Doraemon scholarship fund for Vietnamese children. The fund worked very well to help children continue their studies.

Over the years, the series has been translated and reprinted many times.

The Doraemon comic series belongs to Japanese mangaka Fujiko F. Fujio, whose real name is Hiroshi Fujimoto, and originally ran from 1969 to 1996 in the Japanese market.

Artist unveils work at her studio  

Well-known artist Van Duong Thanh will greet the new year with a display of 50 new paintings at her workshop from tomorrow.

The paintings, measuring up to 4m, feature the beauty of the four seasons in Ha Noi, as well as portraits of famous painters and musicians, including Van Cao, Trinh Cong Son and Pham Duy.

The opening ceremony, entitled Impromptu, will start at 4pm. Visitors will be entertained with classical sonata melodies by talented pianists including Ton That Triem, La Ho Minh Khue and the Czech Ambassador to Viet Nam, Martin Klepetko.

Film of B52 blitz marks anniversary

Films featuring the American War and the 1972 B52 blitz of Ha Noi will be shown nationwide in Viet Nam for a week from Wednesday.

The event will mark the 40th anniversary of the Vietnamese victory and the blitz, which lasted 12 days and nights.
The opening will be held at 7pm on Wednesday at the National Cinema Centre, 87 Lang Ha Street, with the film: Ha Noi, 12 ngay dem (Ha Noi 12 Days and Nights).

Other films to be screened during the week are Ha Noi Ban Hung Ca (Ha Noi the Historic Song), Nam 1972 Lich Su (The Historic Year of 1972), Chuyen O Mot Vung Non Cao (Story of a Remote Mountainous Region).

Ha Noi team wins dance contest

The Ha Noi-based SINE team won the final round of the Top Viet Nam Round of Centaur Dance Showdown that took place at the Gossip Club in HCM City's District 1 on Friday.

The jury consisted of Bboy Ynot from Rock Steady Crew, singer Ho Ngoc Ha and choreographers Viet Max and Ha Le.

The team will represent Viet Nam on a five-day trip to Singapore for the international final round on January 18 with rival teams from India, Malaysia, Singapore, the Phillipines and Thailand.

Art installation denounces war

Vietnamese-Cambodian artist Le Huy Hoang will display his installation art project entitled The Wall at the Goethe-Institute on Friday.

The installation features a high wall made of animal bones to indicate human cruelty and the meaninglessness of war.
His artwork was originally inspired by the genocide in Cambodia under the Pol Pot regime.

"However, the further I researched, the more I realised that the whole world has experienced similar sorrow," Hoang said.

"For me and for many people, walls are often used as a metaphor for isolation, or denial of an individual or a community. There's also, of course, always a wall inside each person, which can also be known as prejudice, discrimination or ignorance of human feelings," said Hoang.

Born in Ha Noi in 1967, Hoang has held 12 solo and group exhibits in Viet Nam, Italy, China, Cambodia and Thailand.

The exhibit will run until January 6 at 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Ha Noi.

Concert motivates youth to work for country

A colorful concert was held at the Quan Ngua Sports Complex in Hanoi on December 8 as part of the many activities to mark the 10th National Congress of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union on December 12.

Thousands of local residents gathered at the Quan Ngua Sports Complex to enjoy the concert titled ‘Bay Cao Khat Vong Tuoi Tre Vietnam’ (Passion of Vietnam’s youth flies high).

The concert is the fifth part of the entertaining series called ‘Khat VongTre’ (Youth’s Passion).

Several senior officials, leaders from the Party Central Committee, and central government, including Ha Thi Khiet, secretary of the Party Central Committee, were present at the event.

The concert featured popular singers of Vietnam such as My Linh, Trong Tan, Tung Duong, My Tam, Cam Ly, Ha An Tuan and Phuong Linh; more than 400 artists from the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra; the chorus of Hanoi College of Art; and the Vietnam Circus Federation.

The performance was in two parts. The first part was titled ‘Proud of our traditions’ which drew a very effective picture of the country’s history in which many young Vietnamese fought for freedom during the war. The second part titled ‘Youth’s passion, raise your voice’ called for more youth to believe in the development of the country in peacetime.

Besides the art performances, the event also raised funds for the campaigns ‘Accompany young seamen to sea’ and ‘Nguyen Thai Binh Scholarships’ supported by Thanh Nien Newspaper.

VNN/VNS/SGGP