The Japanese manga series Dragon Ball, which became a global phenomenon in the 1990s, will be one of the themes of the new parks. Getty ImagesShow caption: The Japanese manga series Dragon Ball, which became a global…French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman share 'passion for manga'Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund on Monday signed an agreement with the French government to invest $6 billion in creating three manga-themed amusement parks north-east of Paris.The announcement came at the end of a two-day visit to Paris by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who was hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. The Japanese manga series Dragon Ball, which became a global phenomenon in the 1990s, will be one of the themes of the new parks, the office of French President Emmanuel Macron said, without giving details on a time frame. The parks, expected to create 22,000 new jobs, will be built near Cergy-Pontoise, about 30km from Paris. Mirapolis was the first theme park in France, opening in 1987. AFPShow caption: Mirapolis was the first theme park in France, opening in 198…The Saudi side was reportedly attracted to the site due to its proximity to Paris and to the entertainment resort Disneyland Paris, to the west of the capital.The area once housed France's first theme park, which closed 35 years ago. Named Mirapolis, it opened in 1987 with private Saudi funding and aimed to showcase French literature but it closed down due to financial difficulties.Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shakes hands with Rachida Dati, mayor of the 7th district of Paris. EPAShow caption: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shakes hands…The news of the new theme parks is expected to be well received in France, eight months before a presidential election in which Mr Macron will not be able to run, having already served two consecutive terms. The presidential race is dominated by issues related to high public debt and low purchasing power.Shared interestsMr Macron's office said he first discussed the plan with the Saudi Crown Prince during a visit made by the French President to Riyadh in December 2024. “During a conversation at the Crown Prince's residence, the two leaders realised they share a passion for manga,” an adviser to Mr Macron said. Details were hammered out during a series of meetings starting in March 2025 between the French President's advisers and the Qiddiya Investment Company, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund which opened an office in Paris last year. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with French President Emmanuel Macron in Riyadh in December 2024. AFPShow caption: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with French President…In Saudi Arabia, the Qiddiya Investment Company is overseeing the development of a mega-tourism project near Riyadh, including the first theme park dedicated to the Dragon Ball franchise, spanning more than 500,000 square metres.Mr Macron and Prince Mohammed appear to also share an interest in video gaming. On Sunday, they attended the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup, which took place outside Saudi Arabia for the first time, in Paris. Prince Mohammed's visit was otherwise dominated by talks relating to the fallout from the Iran-US war.Updated: August 24, 2026, 4:45 PM