On the 15th and 16th of October, we had the pleasure of attending Cosplay Carnival at 3 Damansara Mall. Organised by Cosplay Fantasy, visitors to the event were treated to a wide variety of stage performances and on-ground attractions, which lasted from 10am to 10pm.
Curious to know what went down? Keep reading to find out!
Stage Attractions
Performances
Located in the heart of 3 Damansara Mall, the Cosplay Carnival stage played host to a range of exciting stage performances. The weekend kicked off with an appearance from cosplayer and TikTok content creator Pudds, who challenged the audience to a series of games for a chance to win some exciting goodies from Razer.
The festivities didn’t stop there, as visitors got to enjoy dance performances by ADC, Chaerin, and GeminiX, as well as musical showcases from Miro, fewbeats, MayXX Music, and RueiZ. The event also featured erhu performances from MuXue and CEO Chai, who fused popular anime songs with the traditional Chinese instrument to deliver a truly unique experience for both con-goers and mall visitors alike.
The stage attractions ended with a bang on both days, with a surprise singing performance by Sarah on Day 1, and an hour-long concert featuring Amelia Khor on Day 2. The energy from the live performances was truly infectious, with many fans seen headbanging and waving their lightsticks along to the songs being performed on stage.
Panels
Visitors to the event also had a chance to learn from prominent figures in the ACG community during Cosplay Carnival’s panel sessions. On Saturday, celebrity cosplayers Angie and Amelia Khor took to the stage to give their thoughts on cosplay and how the scene has evolved over the years. They ended their session with words of encouragement for new cosplayers and anime fans alike.
The following day, cartoonist Ernest Ng was invited to share his experience of being an artist with a crowd of avid fans, many of whom had also brought along books to be signed. He encouraged aspiring artists in the audience to keep pursuing their dreams despite the odds, and even urged his fans to reach out to him during the event or on social media if they had a question about working in the creative industry.
Cosplay Competition
One of the biggest highlights of the event was Cosplay Carnival’s cosplay competition, which saw over 25 cosplayers vying for a chance to win the RM2,000 grand prize. Guest judges Angie, Amelia Khor and Momo Rex were on site to decide the winners of the competition, with each contestant being judged on costume accuracy, character portrayal, audience reaction, and more.
In the end, cosplayer JoAnn walked away with first place for an amazing depiction of Arataki Itto from Genshin Impact, while second and third place went to Zainal Haziq and Estee亲姐 respectively. We thoroughly enjoyed watching every contestant perform on stage, and hope to see them again at future competitions!
VTuber Cosplay Group Photo
Cosplay Carnival’s most unique attraction came in the form of the VTuber Cosplay Group Photo, where every cosplayer dressed as a VTuber had the opportunity to take a special group photo on stage with their fellow fans. Though the session was a short one, it was clear to see that every participant thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet new friends who shared their interests.
On-Ground Attractions
Booths
With over 50 doujin and commercial booths spread across the ground floor of 3 Damansara Mall, visitors to the event were spoiled for choice when it came to buying merchandise of their favourite anime or game titles. From official plushies and figurines to fan-made keychains and prints, you could find it all being sold on the convention floor.
Visitors could also support their favourite cosplayers by heading to the first floor, where more than 30 different cosplay booths could be found. Guests Angie and Amelia Khor also had their own booths, where avid fans could line up for a chance to interact with their idols.
Maid Cafe
Maid cafes have become a staple of ACG events in recent years, and Cosplay Carnival was no exception. Visitors who wanted to experience the unique maid cafe culture, or who simply wanted a bite to eat, could head over to the Nijikaeri Maid Cafe for a meal and some fun games with the maids on duty.
Games
To top it all off, a variety of games were available at the event for everyone to check out, namely Touhou Spell Bubble and Tekken 7, courtesy of the Malaysian Touhou Brigade and Infinite Carnage. There was even a DDR machine available for anyone who wanted to test their dancing skills!
All in all, we had a great time at Cosplay Carnival. We’d like to give a round of applause to the organizers and their team for helping to put this awesome event together!
With that, we’ve come to the end of our recap. We hope you enjoyed reading this article, and we hope to see you at our next event!
