Japanese anime characters and makers will be celebrated in Saudi Arabia in a three-day event entitled 'Saudi Anime Expo,' held amid the ongoing Riyadh Season.

The event, running between 14 and 16 November, will see a variety of activities under the supervision of the Kingdom's General Authority for Entertainment.

"Every anime character that you can imagine is coming all the way from Japan to Riyadh Season. The list includes One Piece, Death Note, Detective Conan and much more," the event organisers said.

Many makers of the Japanese cartoon characters that made fame in the Arab region will attend the event, and the closing ceremony will witness an orchestral concert by Lebanese Sammy Clark, who is widely known for singing the dubbed theme of famous sci-fi series Grendizer and Mazinger Z, accompanied by the Japanese original singers, Isao Sasaki and Ichirou Mizuki, for the first time ever.

Amid the ongoing Riyadh Season, taking place between 11 October and 16 December, dozens of activities are being held in parallel to music and theatrical shows, including tens of cultural and lifestyle forums and exhibitions.

Egypt is strongly represented in the festival through an activity called Layali Al-Mahrosa, "where it will feel like you are walking the streets of Egypt's ancient district, Al-Hussein, having authentic Egyptian food and enjoying a selection of Egyptian singers," the organisers said.

Each season features a different theme to highlight different aspects of Saudi Arabia’s heritage and culture. The most recent festivals were Jeddah Season, a six-week entertainment programme that ran from 8 June to 18 July, and Al-Soudah Season, which included the Flowerman Festival.

Saudi Arabia is currently loosening decades-old restrictions on entertainment as part of a push to improve its image and attract tourists in a broader plan to diversify its economy away from oil..

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