Estepona is hosting the fourth edition of the Costa del Sol Manga Festival, featuring three days dedicated to manga, anime, and Japanese culture

The event will take place September 18–20 at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos and will feature cosplay and K-pop contests, video game and TCG tournaments, workshops, talks, music, and numerous activities for all ages

The Estepona City Council announces that the city will host the fourth edition of the Costa del Sol Manga Festival, which will take place on September 18, 19, and 20 at the Exhibition and Convention Center. It is one of the most important events dedicated to manga, anime, and contemporary Japanese culture in Andalusia.

The Councilor for Youth, Julia Simón, noted that “following the success of previous editions, this new edition returns with an expanded program, new themed areas, and a strong commitment to inclusion, local talent, creativity, and cultural diversity.” The festival has thus established itself as a gathering place for fans, artists, creators, families, and the general public.

The event is organized by the PAX Cultural Association, a nonprofit organization that develops cultural, artistic, and social activities related to manga, anime, and youth creativity. Among the festival’s objectives are promoting alternative leisure activities, bringing Japanese culture closer to the public, and creating a space open to creativity, participation, and community.

One of the main attractions of this fourth edition will be the presence of prominent professionals and creators linked to the world of manga and geek culture. Among the guests is Rafael, president of the well-known international publishing house Mangaline, who will participate in the activities and meetings scheduled during the festival. Also in attendance will be artist and illustrator Víctor Marín, who will share his experience and career path in the field of illustration and artistic creation with the public, as well as writer Gemma Swan, who will present her latest novel, *Steampunk. The City of Metal,’ during the festival. These events will allow attendees to learn firsthand about the work of professionals and creators and to share experiences with them.

The venue will be divided into different themed areas, including a zone for exhibitors and artists, video games, collectible card games (TCG), a stage, workshops and activities related to Japanese culture, conferences, presentations, and a food court.

Highlights of the program include cosplay contests—with individual, group, and children’s categories—as well as K-pop activities, karaoke, Random Play, and various contests and trivia games related to geek culture.

The video game program will feature tournaments for various titles and formats, while card game enthusiasts can participate in competitions for Final Fantasy TCG, Magic: The Gathering Commander, and Pokémon TCG.

The festival also includes Warhammer-related activities, such as introductory sessions to Warhammer Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40,000, as well as events focused on miniature painting.

Attendees can also participate in workshops such as “Create Your Own Miku” and “Decorate Your Portaphotocard,” as well as other interactive activities and events related to Japanese culture.

The main stage will host a large part of the program, featuring karaoke, trivia games, contests, exhibitions, and K-pop and J-pop Random Play sessions, while the conference section will include talks, interviews, and events related to manga, cosplay, illustration, and creative arts.

The festival will be open to the public on Friday, September 18, from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., while on Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20, it will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The organizers have distributed the activities across different areas of the venue over the course of the three days.

The Costa del Sol Manga Festival Vol. 4 is more than just a leisure event; it is conceived as a space for cultural and social interaction that combines entertainment, creativity, and participation. The initiative aims to encourage active youth participation, foster a sense of community among families and fans, and introduce attendees to various aspects of Japanese culture.

Likewise, the festival helps highlight artistic and creative talent, boost business activity among shops and companies linked to culture and leisure, and strengthen the image of Estepona and the Costa del Sol as a cultural destination.

With this fourth edition, PAX Cultural continues a project committed to culture, creativity, participation, and community building, offering a rich experience for fans and the general public over the course of three days.

FESTIVAL PROGRAM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

STAGE

5:15–5:30 p.m. Welcome to the Festival

5:30–6:00 p.m. PPLU Trivia, an activity co-hosted with Cosplay.

6:00–7:00 p.m. Open karaoke.

7:00–8:00 p.m. Random Play K-pop, an activity organized in collaboration with K-pop.

K-POP

4:00–5:00 p.m. Song requests.

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Trivia.

6:00–7:00 p.m. Open performance.

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. K-pop Random Play.

8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Song requests.

COSPLAY

5:30–6:00 p.m. PPLU Trivia, an activity shared with the Main Stage.

CONFERENCES

6:00 p.m. Talk and workshop with Marioara Lazau, Mery Made It.

VIDEO GAMES

5:30 p.m. Guilty Gear tournament.

6:30 p.m. Mario Tennis Tournament.

TCG AND BOARD GAMES

6:00 p.m. Introductory activity—Final Fantasy

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

STAGE

12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Karaoke Contest.

2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Geeky Video Game Trivia.

5:00 p.m. Geek Trivia with PepeluVZ, an activity shared with Cosplay.

6:00 p.m. Individual Cosplay Contest.

7:00 – 8:00 p.m. K-pop Random Play.

8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. J-pop Random Play.

K-POP

11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Song requests.

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. K-pop Trivia.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. J-pop trivia.

3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Song requests.

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Decorate your photo card holder!

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Song requests.

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. K-pop Random Play.

8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. J-pop Random Play.

COSPLAY

5:00 p.m. Geek Trivia with PepeluVZ.

6:00 p.m. Individual Cosplay Contest.

8:00 p.m. Wig Styling Talk with Karmaa_Cos, an activity co-hosted with the Conferences.

CONFERENCES

5:10–5:40 p.m. Juan Mangas Roa.

6:00 p.m. – 6:40 p.m. Interview with Mangaline by Juan Mangas Roa.

8:30 p.m. Talk on wig styling with Karmaa_Cos

VIDEO GAMES

12:00 p.m. Mario Kart World.

1:30 p.m. Tekken 8.

4:00 p.m. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

7:00 p.m. Street Fighter VI

TCG AND BOARD GAMES

11:00 a.m. Final Fantasy TCG Tournament.

WARHAMMER

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Introduction to Warhammer Age of Sigmar.

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Introduction to Warhammer 40,000.

ACTIVITIES

11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Create your own Miku.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

STAGE

11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Geek Trivia 2000+.

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Individual K-pop Contest.

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Group K-pop Contest.

2:00 p.m. Kids’ Cosplay Contest.

3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Open Karaoke.

5:00 p.m. Group Cosplay Contest.

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. K-pop Random Play.

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Open stage.

8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Stage closing and farewell.

K-POP

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Song requests.

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. K-pop trivia.

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Individual K-pop contest.

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. K-pop group contest.

3:00–4:00 p.m. Song requests.

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Decorate your photo card holder!

6:00 – 7:00 p.m. K-pop Random Play.

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Open performance.

COSPLAY

2:00 p.m. Kids’ Cosplay Contest.

5:00 p.m. Group Cosplay Contest.

VIDEO GAMES

12:00 p.m. Dragon Ball Fighters Z.

4:00 p.m. Marvel Tokon.

TCG

10:00 a.m. MTG Commander Tournament.

11:00 a.m. Pokémon TCG Tournament.

WARHAMMER

12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. Warhammer Raffle.

ACTIVITIES

11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Create your own Miku.