Disney cosplayers abound at Anime Festival Asia
The C3 Anime Festival Asia, also known as the Anime Festival Asia, returned to Singapore for its 10th annual instalment last weekend (24 to 26 November) at the Suntec City Convention Centre.
This yearâs festival, a first-time collaboration between Singapore organiser SOZO and Japanâs Sotsu, featured blockbuster titles, stage segments with celebrity artistes and voice artistes, exclusive content and merchandise from Japan, as well as a showcase for local content creators.
When Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore went down to the event on Sunday (26 November) afternoon, cosplayers were aplenty and there were dozens of other people including families and toddlers who attended the event. Queues to enter the main exhibition hall snaked all the way to the entrance.
We noticed a wide variety of outfits ranging from Disney characters such as Snow White and Maleficent to iconic Japanese manga characters and even animals such as dinosaurs and bears. Many of the cosplayers said they take pride in their costumes and spend both time and money on them.
âI use different materials to mix and match to what is my outfit, and it costs me around $150 in total,â said 20-year-old Kris Panya, who dressed up as Itachi Uchiha from the iconic âNarutoâ series.
Similarly, student Low Shi Yu, 17, who dressed up as Sasuke Uchicha, usually buys various materials to make his own outfit. Other than Japanese characters, cosplayers were venturing into other genre options.
One group decided to be dolled up as Disney princesses. Student Ginna Koh, 19, who was dressed up as The Little Mermaid, shared that it was a dream come true to be dressed as her favourite princess, Ariel. Koh let on that she spent $90 on her outfit on online shopping site Taobao.
Similarly, 16-year-old Esther Sam also got her outfit from Tabao, saying that it is very normal for cosplayers to source for their outfits online these days.
âCosplaying is a hobby and I donât mind giving up my time and money for it, the best part is that I donât have to be myself,â shared Esther, who added that she was looking to buy more merchandise and find friends at the event.
The event also included the daily âI Love Anisongâ concerts which featured popular anime music acts such as Japanese idol group Nogizaka46, alongside other artistes such as FLOW, Shiena Nishizawa, Tomohisa Sako and Iris.
Watch the cosplayers in action here:
Related stories:
Nogizaka46 in Singapore: Whatâs it like performing in a 46-member group?
All the artistes performing at Anime Festival Asiaâs âI Love Anisongâ concerts
Nogizaka46 to perform in Singapore for first time at Anime Festival Asia
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