Subtitles by Wang Xinzhou.
The industrial heritage on Fuxing Island, the only inland island along Shanghai's Huangpu River
A small island in Shanghai is about to become a big playground for anime and gaming fans.
Fuxing Island, the only inland island along Shanghai's Huangpu River, will host a major erciyuan, or the two-dimensional pop culture about anime, manga and gaming, event from August 8 to 10.
The event, called Red Land Open World Adventure Island, is organized by social media platform Xiaohongshu (RedNote) and is expected to attract tens of thousands of anime and gaming fans.
The event will transform 80,000 square meters of the island into an immersive adventure zone.
Fans can explore over 50 well-known anime and gaming worlds, such as Pokémon, Genshin Impact, Cyberpunk 2077, and Assassin's Creed: Shadows.
The island will become the world's first so-called "Pain Island," a term used by anime fans to describe spaces decorated with intense fan-themed visuals and experiences.
A view of Fuxing Island
Xiaohongshu said nearly 300,000 users have already taken part in the ticket pre-registration quiz. Tickets for both daytime and full-day experiences sold out in seconds during open sales.
During the event, three themed zones will cover the island. Shipyard Park will become "Time Port of Rebirth." Gongqing Road Warehouse will turn into "Trial Grounds of Reincarnation," while Fuxing Island Park becomes "Forest of Stillness."
Participants can interact with game characters, attend cosplay events, and collect exclusive merchandise.
Each visitor can choose a character role, receive an "equipment kit," and collect badges by completing quests.
The island will also host the Echo Project music festival each night, with performances by popular anime and game song artists.
A poster of the Red Land Open World Adventure Island event, scheduled from August 8 to 10
The island covers 1.2 square kilometers and was originally formed in the 1920s from river dredging. It became a key industrial zone in the 1930s and occupied by the Japanese army as a military base during World War II. It was renamed after the war to mark national recovery.
The island once housed the East Shanghai Shipyard, a major player in China's industrial history. Today, landmarks like the White Cottage and Fuxing Island Park recall its past. Chiang Kai-shek stayed in the cottage briefly in 1949 before leaving for Taiwan.
In December 2024, Shanghai opened its Quantum City Innovation Base on the island, signaling a new phase of development focused on science and technology. City planners aim to make the island a hub for digital innovation, art, and eco-tourism, with year-round cultural and commercial events.