From the 3rd to the 5th of November, Cos-Mic made its triumphant return to the Sunway Pyramid Convention Center in Kuala Lumpur. Boasting a wide range of exhibitors and noteworthy guests from all corners of the anime industry, fans were definitely curious to see if the event could live up to its immense hype – and our team at THE MAGIC RAIN was no exception.
So, how did Cos-Mic 2023 measure up? Here’s what we think:
Exhibitors Galore
Upon walking into Cos-Mic 2023, one would immediately be greeted by an impressive array of exhibitors’ booths spanning almost the entirety of SPCC’s ground floor. Household names such as Hotlink, Predator, Mattel, and Tealive could be found advertising their latest products and offering activities for attendees to participate in. We also managed to spot a few familiar faces such as the Junji Ito Horror House and the Naruto 20th Anniversary Exhibition, which offered immersive photo ops for fans to grab a picture with.
One of the most notable exhibitors’ booths belonged to the game Nikke: The Goddess of Victory, which happened to celebrate its one-year anniversary at the event. Adorned with balloons and cut-outs of the game’s characters, the booth drew a large crowd of fans, who had the opportunity to meet guest cosplayers and take part in games for a chance to win some freebies.
International Guests
Guests are an integral part of any anime convention, and Cos-Mic 2023 certainly did not disappoint in this regard. Chainsaw Man stars Shogo Sakata and Mariya Ise took to the stage to not only share their experiences, but also play some fun games that allowed fans to interact with the actors behind the voices of their favourite anime characters.
Another notable guest was the international cosplayer known as Jane or Zhua Ya. Hailing from China, this talented cosplayer has earned over 190 thousand followers on Douyin, many of whom showed up on Friday to watch panel sharing session, as well as her one-on-one meet-and-greet sessions.
With VTubers rapidly becoming a staple of local ACG events, Cos-Mic responded to the trend by inviting Nijisanji EN’s Kotoka Torahime, Meloco Kyoran and Shu Yamino. Visitors were not only treated to special talk shows with the VTubers, where they answered a selection of questions submitted by their fans; but a lucky few also had the opportunity to call in to a meet-and-greet with their favourite idols.
Artists’ Alley
Cos-Mic’s Artists’ Alley featured over eighty different artists and creators, who were there to showcase their handmade merchandise and unique creations inspired by their favourite anime and videogames. From personalised commissions to custom-made accessories, the Artists’ Alley catered to those who who were looking for a more bespoke experience with their merch purchases.
Unfortunately, our experience was dampened slightly as we found the layout of the Artists’ Alley to be somewhat cramped and hard to navigate. This especially stood in contrast to the spacious and well-lit exhibitors’ hall. Still, patient visitors would definitely be rewarded by the creativity and variety of merchandise that could be found at every booth.
Music
Music has always been a major part of anime culture, and this year’s Cos-Mic featured many musical guests that had fans eagerly singing and dancing along to their performances, such as Brightburn, Fate Feather, and Rina-Hime, just to name a few.
However, Cos-Mic’s most highly anticipated guest by far was definitely Burnout Syndromes, a Japanese rock band known for their contributions to anime series such as Haikyuu!!, Dr. Stone, and Gintama. They took to the stage to deliver an electrifying performance, which was capped off by an exclusive rearrangement of their hit song from Dr. Stone, “Good Morning New World”.
So, did Cos-Mic 2023 live up to the hype? In our opinion, the event managed to exceed expectations in many ways. It was refreshing to see Japanese voice actors and performers having a major presence at a local ACG event, which local fans definitely appreciated as they could be seen packing the halls and screaming their hearts out for these special guests.
Of course, there were also aspects where we felt the event could have been improved, such as the previously mentioned overcrowding of the Artists’ Alley. Perhaps this could simply be chalked up to growing pains as this is only Cos-Mic’s second major event following their debut in 2022.
Overall, we definitely enjoyed our time at Cos-Mic 2023 and look forward to seeing what the organizers have in store for us in the future!
Photographs courtesy of Tommy Lim. Check out the rest of his work on Instagram.
