Thomas Tan
The 10th anniversary of Malaysia’s second largest animation, comics and games (ACG) convention AniManGaki drew the biggest crowd attendance yet with 20,000 fans over two days on Aug 18-19, 2018 at Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre, Petaling Jaya.
Yvonne Sng, founder of AniManGaki (AMG), which organised the convention, said what started as a university project has grown its size and turned into a household name as a fun-loving, community-based event.
She thanked the fans for their continued support and all involved parties for achieving the milestone.
“AniMangaki has three goals as an event. Our first goal is that we unite people of all ages who share the passion in animation, comics and games and build a community out of it. The second goal is AniManGaki also serves as a platform for those who are up and coming in the community and those who are rising stars in the industry so we actually root for the underdogs. Finally, the third goal is we inspire a generation of creative minds and all of these were having fun doing it,” said Sng.
“What makes AniManGaki special from other animation, comic and games conventions out there is that we are not a commercial event. We are a community-based event with different groups of people within the community gathered together to make this successful event that has a little bit of everything for everybody,” added Sng.
The theme was “Role Playing Game” and as part of the anniversary event, the organiser had added a large LED screen on stage and additional play space at Central Avenue on level 2 of Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall.
Among the event highlights were Animangaki Idol singing competition, cosplay competition, art competition, doodle contest, trading card game of thrones, collectibles display hall, special interest panels/workshops, artist alley, video game arena, doujin booths, stage performances and night concert.
Some very special guests included Australian singer Donna Burke & Ganime Jazz, who gained millions of fans through her songs “Glassy Sky” from anime “Tokyo Ghoul”; mangaka and illustrator Moriyama Daisuke from Japan who is well known for works “Chrono Crusade”, World Embryo” and “Thou Shalt Not Die”; Serg Loki Mirage, one of the world’s top male cosplayer from Russia who had won first prize in numerous cosplay competitions; and our very own talented Malaysian cosplayer Chinnie.
Cosplay fans came out in droves clad in their colourful costumes and were swept up in the fantasy world of their favourite fictional characters coming to life.
Aida, 22, from Kajang, a final year undergraduate at UiTM, Shah Alam, who goes by her cosplay name of Pixie Dust, has been active in the cosplay community for more than two years.
“I cosplay because it helps me to connect with people in the same fandom and to be the character I love is fun and exhilarating. I usually have fun at AMG and as for today I’m enjoying it very much.
“I love being Lavinia because she is such a strong character from mobile game “Fate/Grand Order”. I pick the character because she is relatable and I enjoy playing the game. I like the character design, story, gameplay and the great voices of the characters,” she said.
When asked whether she bought or made her own costume, Aida replied, “Some people make their own costume to focus on the nitty-gritty detail but I usually buy the costume instead of making my own. I do not have the space, skill and privacy to do huge DIY projects but I do self craft or alter mini DIY projects. Being a student, I allocate a budget for the costume and saving up some money for it each month”, she said.
Aida loves her art form and feels proud of the work she had done.
Some of the cosplays she had done previously included dressing up as Hanayo from Japanese animated series “Love Live!”, Tatsumaki from anime series “One Punch Man”, Sakura Kinomoto from anime and manga series “Cardcaptor Sakura”, Harley Quinn from “Rebirth” comic version and Saber Alter Shinjuku from mobile game “Fate/Grand Order”.
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