SaYONNE'ara - Manga Days

SaYONNE'ara 2025 — 13th Edition: Record Attendance

The 13th edition of the SaYONNE'ara Manga Days took place on April 11 and 12, 2025, at the Place des Héros in Sens, under the spring colors of the Yonne. With 7,892 visitors welcomed over two days, the festival broke its own record, demonstrating growing attractiveness since the post-pandemic recovery.

This edition involved 160 participating establishments—35 libraries, 80 middle schools, 34 high schools, and 11 primary or specialized schools—for a total of over 2,330 registered readers, spread not only across mainland France but also in Guadeloupe, Vietnam, Switzerland, Indonesia, and Japan. A resolutely international dimension for a prize born in a rural department.

A Dense Program Combining Manga and Japanese Culture

The 2025 program featured all the emblematic areas of the festival: meetings and signing sessions with manga authors, an anime dubbing workshop led by Nayéli Forest, two cosplay contests (one for under 12s on Friday at 10:30 am, the other on Saturday), and numerous Japanese cultural workshops. Among the new features, the sound installation Japanese Summer Moments allowed visitors to immerse themselves under a sound-covered umbrella for a disorienting auditory experience (sounds of Tokyo, Kyoto, and the Japanese countryside). The 'Crazy Plastic' workshop by Les Dix Lunes offered the creation of personalized keychains.

Literary Prize Results 2025

The winners of the 13th SaYONNE'ara prize, elected by the vote of participating readers, are:

• Kodomo: Un dragon dans ma cuisine (A Dragon in My Kitchen)
• Shojo: Sur la colline où poussent encore ces fleurs (On the Hill Where These Flowers Still Grow)
• Shonen: Gifted

• 7,892 visitors — festival attendance record
• 160 participating establishments in France and internationally
• Two cosplay contests (children and adults)
• Anime dubbing workshop with Nayéli Forest
• 'Japanese Summer Moments' sound installation
• Furoshiki, calligraphy, Japanese cuisine workshops
• Announcement of the 2025 literary manga prize winners