Festivals - Japan Expo 2026: Fnac Partners with Japan Expo to Launch the “Fnac Daruma of New Manga” to Highlight the New Generation of Mangaka

By Mulder, 06 july 2026

Fnac is further strengthening its involvement in the world of manga by formalizing a unique partnership with Japan Expo, Europe’s largest festival dedicated to Japanese culture. During the 2026 edition of the event, which will take place at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center, the retailer will launch the Daruma Fnac du Nouveau Manga, a new award designed to recognize the best debuts among recently published series. The first award ceremony is scheduled for July 10, 2026, right in the middle of the festival, and builds on Japan Mania, the nationwide campaign organized by Fnac from June 1 to July 12, 2026, to celebrate manga across its entire network. This initiative reflects the retailer’s desire to move beyond its role as a mere distributor and become a true driving force in discovering new talent, at a time when the French market continues to play a major role in the global manga industry, recognized as the leading market outside of Japan.

The Fnac New Manga Daruma Award thus joins the prestigious Daruma Awards, the official awards of Japan Expo that annually honor the sector’s best works, authors, and publishers. Unlike traditional categories, this new award focuses exclusively on emerging series, with the goal of identifying, at a very early stage, creations likely to become the major successes of tomorrow. Eight finalist titles were shortlisted by Fnac’s specialized booksellers, whose expertise has been a central component of the chain’s editorial policy for several years. The winner will be selected through a dual-voting system involving both the public and a professional jury composed of, among others, five Fnac booksellers—a balance that allows readers’ expectations to be weighed against the experience of professionals who interact with the market on a daily basis. Beyond the trophy, the winning work will benefit from significant visibility through prominent display in Fnac stores, on Fnac.com, and in the various editorial selections offered by the retailer—support that is likely to greatly accelerate the popularity of a new series among the general public.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy aimed at reaffirming Fnac’s historic role as a cultural trendsetter. For several years now, manga has been one of the most dynamic segments of the book market in France, driven by an ever-growing and intergenerational readership. In this highly competitive environment, the ability to identify future bestsellers before they become publishing phenomena is a major challenge for specialty bookstores. Fnac thus highlights the work of its teams, whose recommendations regularly influence readers’ discoveries. The retailer also supports this strategy with a particularly rich cultural program, hosting meetings and book-signing events throughout the year with major figures from the Japanese industry. In recent years, French readers have had the opportunity to meet Masashi Kishimoto, creator of *Naruto*; Junji Ito, the undisputed master of horror manga; Naoki Urasawa, author of *Monster* and *20th Century Boys*, among others; and Hiro Mashima, creator of *Fairy Tail* and *Edens Zero*. These events help strengthen the bonds between Japanese creators and a particularly loyal French audience, whose enthusiasm has been growing steadily for over two decades.

This new partnership also illustrates the evolution of Japan Expo, which has become much more than just a convention dedicated to manga and Japanese animation. Since its inception in 1999, the festival has established itself as an essential platform for Japanese publishers, distributors, creators, and cultural institutions, welcoming several hundred thousand visitors each year. The Daruma Awards now play a significant role in recognizing editorial excellence, and the introduction of the Daruma Fnac Award for New Manga complements this initiative by highlighting emerging talent—a category that is often crucial for fostering creative renewal. By combining Japan Expo’s media reach with its national network of bookstores, Fnac aims to firmly establish this new award within the French cultural landscape. At a time when France remains the leading ambassador for manga outside of Japan, this initiative reflects the shared commitment of both partners to foster the emergence of authors and series that will write the next major chapters in the history of manga for French-speaking audiences.

(Source: press release)