Manga & Pop Culture Conventions in France: 2026 Guide

36 million manga volumes sold in 2025. A turnover of 309 million euros. France is the world's second-largest manga market, right behind Japan. And this passion shows up every year at dozens of conventions across the country.

Whether you're a visitor, a figurine merchant, or an event organizer, here's everything you need to know about manga and pop culture conventions in France in 2026.

The French Convention Landscape

The National Heavyweights

Japan Expo remains the flagship event. Every year in early July at the Parc des Expositions de Villepinte near Paris, it's the unmissable gathering for Japanese culture in France. In 2025, the event brought together around 200,000 visitors over 4 days, with more than 800 exhibitors across 140,000 m².

Paris Manga & Sci-Fi Show takes place twice a year (February and December) at Porte de Versailles. More compact than Japan Expo, but with sharp programming and a more accessible atmosphere. Expect 40,000 to 60,000 visitors per edition.

Comic Con Paris (October, Grande Halle de la Villette) blends American comics, manga, and broader pop culture. More film and TV oriented, but with an increasingly significant manga section.

Regional Conventions on the Rise

This might be the strongest trend in recent years: the rise of regional conventions.

Geek Days (Rennes, Caen, Lille) found its formula: medium-sized events in cities that had nothing before. Result: 1,600 monthly searches for "Geek Days Rennes" and editions that regularly sell out.

Bordeaux Geek Festival, Toulouse Game Show, Lyon Manga, Made in Asia (Brussels, but with many French visitors)... Every major city now has "its" convention.

Why does it work? Because not everyone can — or wants to — travel to Paris. Regional conventions offer a more intimate experience, shorter wait times, and often lower prices.

What You'll Find at a Manga Convention

Figurines and Official Merchandise

This is the core of the merchant offering. Figurine stands (Banpresto, Bandai Spirits, Sega, Furyu) consistently draw the longest lines. Between accessible prize figures at €25-40 and collector pieces at €200+, the anime figurine market represents over 60 billion yen in Japan.

In France, shops like JB Manga Shop have positioned themselves in this niche by offering official anime figurines and merchandise. Often present at conventions, these retailers allow collectors to find authentic pieces with local service — an advantage over direct imports that involve delays and customs fees.

Trading Card Games (TCG)

Pokémon, One Piece Card Game, Dragon Ball Super, Yu-Gi-Oh... Collectible card games have exploded in recent years. Conventions have become venues for tournaments, trading, and rare card sales. One Piece Card Game in particular has seen meteoric growth since its 2022 launch.

Artists and Creators

Artist Alley — whatever the name — is the space where illustrators, fan-art creators, and independent artists sell prints, stickers, and commissions. A creative ecosystem in its own right, with its stars and regulars.

Cosplay and Shows

Cosplay isn't just a hobby — it's a major draw for conventions. Cosplay competitions (like the European Cosplay Gathering at Japan Expo) generate viral social media content and attract visitors who wouldn't have come otherwise.

Exhibiting at a Manga Convention: What You Need to Know

The Typical Exhibitor Profile

There are three main categories:

1 Specialized merchants — Figurine shops, merchandise and TCG sellers. They work the convention circuit and often make up the bulk of exhibitors.

2 Independent artists — Illustrators, jewelry makers, artisans. Artist Alley is their playground.

3 Publishers and distributors — Manga publishers (Glénat, Kazé, Ki-oon), game distributors, brands.

Budget and Logistics

A booth at a regional convention costs between €300 and €800 for a weekend (6 to 12 m²). At Japan Expo, prices climb to €1,500 - €5,000 depending on location and size.

Add to that:

• Transportation and accommodation (often the heaviest expense for traveling merchants)

• Stock to transport and display

• Signage and booth decoration

• Exhibitor insurance

Booth Profitability

A good figurine merchant at a regional convention with 5,000 visitors can make between €3,000 and €8,000 in revenue over a weekend. At Japan Expo, the best booths exceed €30,000.

But beware: profitability depends heavily on booth placement, event quality, and stock offered. A poorly placed booth in a secondary corridor can mean a disastrous weekend.

For more on calculating trade show profitability, check our complete guide to trade show profitability.

Organizing a Manga Convention: Specific Challenges

Exhibitor Management

A medium-sized manga convention hosts between 80 and 200 exhibitors. Managing registrations, booth assignments, options (electricity, tables, badges), payments... It's a massive workload when everything is done by email and spreadsheet.

It's precisely to address this type of challenge that platforms like Keyqo were developed: interactive floor plan editor, online booth reservation, centralized exhibitor management. The goal is to save organizers time on administrative tasks so they can focus on the visitor experience.

The Floor Plan: A Central Challenge

In a manga convention, booth placement is strategic. Major figurine merchants want to be at the entrance. Artists want natural light. TCG booths need space for players.

An interactive floor plan lets organizers visualize the layout, propose locations to exhibitors, and optimize traffic flow. It's a massive time-saver compared to plans drawn in PowerPoint or Excel.

Ticketing and Communication

Manga conventions have an advantage: their community is natively digital. Announcements on Twitter/X, Instagram, and TikTok generate organic engagement that many B2B trade shows envy.

But this strength is also a risk: a bad experience spreads just as fast as a good one. A queue problem, a cancelled guest, an overcrowded booth — and it's the event's reputation that takes the hit.

2026 Calendar of Major Manga Conventions in France

Event	City	Period	Visitors (est.)
Paris Manga (winter)	Paris	February	40,000
Geek Days Rennes	Rennes	Feb-March	15,000
Toulouse Game Show	Toulouse	March	30,000
Made in Asia	Brussels	March	25,000
Bordeaux Geek Festival	Bordeaux	May	20,000
Japan Expo	Villepinte	July	200,000+
Comic Con Paris	Paris	October	50,000
Paris Manga (autumn)	Paris	December	45,000

*Dates and figures are estimates, subject to change. Check each event's official website for up-to-date information.*

2026 Trends: What's Changing

The Rise of TCG

One Piece Card Game, Lorcana, and the eternal Pokémon... Card games are taking up more and more space at conventions, to the point where some events create dedicated areas with gaming tables and official tournaments.

Cosplay as a Marketing Lever

The smartest organizers integrate cosplay into their communication strategy. Partnerships with influential cosplayers, competitions with significant prizes, professional photo booths... Cosplay generates shareable content that attracts new visitors.

Digitalization of Management

No more exhibitor registrations by email with attachments. Organizers who are professionalizing adopt digital tools for booth management, floor plans, payments, and communication with exhibitors. It's an inevitable evolution as conventions grow and expectations increase.

To understand the stakes of this transition, our article on event digitalization details the opportunities and pitfalls to avoid.

Conclusion

Manga and pop culture conventions in France are no longer a niche phenomenon. With hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, significant revenue for exhibitors, and a passionate community, it's a full-fledged event segment.

For visitors: find events near you, plan a budget, and enjoy the unique atmosphere of these gatherings.

For exhibitors: do your math, choose your conventions carefully, and invest in your booth presentation.

For organizers: experience quality makes the difference. Investing in good management tools means giving yourself the means to deliver a smooth and professional event.

Want to simplify your event organization? Discover Keyqo's features or check our pricing.

Sources: GfK — French Manga Market Report 2025, SNJV — Video Game Barometer 2025, UNIMEV — Key Figures of the French Event Industry