Astana will host the international Comic Con Astana festival from Aug. 6 to 9. One of the festival’s headline guests will be British-Spanish actor Taz Skylar, best known for playing Sanji in Netflix’s live-action series “One Piece,” the Astana mayor’s office announced.
The role of Sanji, a cook and martial artist, in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the popular manga and anime “One Piece” brought Skylar widespread recognition.
Beyond “One Piece,” Skylar has also appeared in the film and TV series “Boiling Point,” the action thriller “Cleaner,” the war drama “The Kill Team” and the comedy-drama series “Agatha Raisin.” In addition to acting, he is also a screenwriter, director and producer and enjoys extreme sports.
During the festival, the actor will appear on the main stage, interact with fans, answer their questions, and take part in autograph and photo sessions.
Another international guest at the festival will be the K-pop group Kandis. The group will give a special performance for festival attendees. It previously represented South Korea at the Silk Way Star international televised singing competition held in Kazakhstan.
Comic Con Astana is considered Central Asia’s largest pop culture festival. Each year, it brings together fans of films, TV series, anime, comics, video games and cosplay from around the world.
In 2026, the festival will once again take place at two venues — Barys Arena and Alau Ice Palace. Among the festival’s key events is the international cosplay contest, with a total prize pool of around $42,700.
Tickets are now available on the event’s official website.
