Auction introduction: Our favourite animation characters return to Sotheby’s Hong Kong with CONTEMPORARY SHOWCASE: ANIME GO, a follow-up to last year’s highly successful CONTEMPORARY SHOWCASE: MANGA, a white-glove sale in 2020 which for the first time presented the largest animation-themed assemblage to auction. Taking inspiration from Pokémon Go, one of the most popular and top-grossing games worldwide, the theme ‘Anime Go’ draws parallels between the gamer’s goal to ‘capture, evolve and complete the collection’ with the instinct behind art collectors – be they of fine art or animation art. Animation has long been a global cultural phenomenon that speaks an international visual language. It extends its influence into fields ranging from fashion and film, to contemporary art. While animation is deeply ingrained in our everyday, it deserves to be celebrated as a new arena of collectible art. Offering more than 130 lots, the scale of this Showcase supersedes its predecessor. The auction features anime’s best loved characters from series such as Gundam, Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, Pokémon, Slam Dunk, and Yu-Gi-Oh. The selection presents a look back at Japan's animation industry and its evolution, tracing its rise from the 1960s, to its golden era through to the 1990s and beyond. One cannot discuss Japan's unmatched contribution in this art without mentioning Studio Ghibli, the animation production house which created the masterpieces My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, or without giving nod to Tezuka Production, creator of Black Jack, Astro Boy, and Kimba the White Lion. This auction offers a rare opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts alike to acquire collectibles – production cels, douga, and genga – including of these celebrated animations.