AniManGaki, one of Malaysia’s biggest celebrations of all things anime, cosplay and gaming held its 18th iteration with the theme “The Great Exploration of Lost Cities and Forgotten Relics”— unveiling a plethora of activities, performances, and more for attendees from the 28th-30th of August 2026.
Hitting The Dance Floor
With special guests like Hidetaka Tenjin, James Day, Jacob Takanashi and more, attendees were thrilled by the lively performances and panels. On stage, powerful vocals and elaborate tunes filled the air as the seated crowd cheered for their favorite local singers and dancers under the colorful lights.
Not to mention a side stage which hosted, amongst other activities: the Pet Cosplay Contest and gaming tournaments. The cutest feline finalists lined up in their adorable outfits and strutted about on stage one by one as the crowd ooh-ed and aah-ed. Fighting game enthusiasts were also seen hyping up their chosen fighters as players fought through brackets to claim the championship title.
Local talent agency VOGI (Voices of Gamers and Idols) took over the VTuber stage this year with a packed lineup of local and international guest VTubers, who kept the crowd entertained with fun games and song performances. Located close by was an arcade game corner hosted by Otogamers, where visitors could try out a variety of games and spectate on community tournaments.
Artistic Showmanship
Both the Artist and Cosplay Alleys were chock full of fans passionately showcasing and selling their wares. With hundreds of booths to choose from, attendees were spoiled for choice with keychains, prints, and badges covering series like Honkai: Star Rail, Umamusume, and Pokémon.
Several rounds could be made, and one would still find new things to discover and buy. It was an absolute pleasure to see so many creative mind congregated in a single place—a testament to the power of community.
Exhibitor booths also featured several well known cosplay guests which attendees could grab selfies with and receive a ton of freebies. Cosplayer Hakken made a special appearance at the Razer Gold booth, where they were received excitedly by many adoring fans lining up just for that occasion.
One of AniManGaki 2026’s most notable highlights was an exhibition dedicated to the work of Mit Photography, a Japanese cosplay photographer known for her artistic and conceptual approach to cosplay. Fans could get a closer look at high-quality prints of her work, as well as a remarkable display of a hand-crafted Genshin Impact costume from one of her shoots.
Community Gatherings
One of AniManGaki’s most unique attractions is the Community Hall, a section of the event where various communities can be found sharing what they love about their favourite anime, games, VTubers, and more. This year, the section was expanded to a larger space, allowing more curious fans to explore the various communities present.
Some notable highlights included a Love and Deepspace cosplayer meet-and-greet, which saw long lines of fans eager to have their photos taken with their favourite characters; a rhythm game booth where visitors could try out a variety of titles for free; and vast displays of merchandise from various dedicated collectors. Voice actor James Day even made a surprise appearance at an Arknights fan community booth.
Located just outside the Community Hall was AniManGaki’s staple VTuber Alley, where many Malaysian and Southeast Asian VTubers were represented through life-size cutouts of their character models. Fans could be seen grabbing photos with their favourite VTubers, and checking out highlights from their streams on a television screen located nearby.
Hunger? Defeated.
Peckish? A wide variety of food and beverage vendors filled the stomachs of hungry attendees, with Japanese street snacks and sweet desserts amongst the choices they could pick from. Tables were provided for where they could chow down on their meals before heading off on their next quest.
The AniManGaki Idol competition saw a massive turnout, with the 12 finalists giving it their all for an energized crowd. What more could a fan ask for when jamming along to their most beloved tunes? Shina シナ was crowned champion, whilst JEI and taekswoon took first and second runner up respectively. A highlight in the Cosplay Competition included a finalist with the team name “One is taken but the other two still single and available if interested pm”
Finally, late-night concerts featuring Aya Hirano, STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION, and KOTOKO livened up the night for many patient attendees, who were already seated outside the doors 2 hours prior. Lightsticks lit up the concert floor and attendees were dancing with abandon with their friends. The energy was infectious, and the music, resolute.
We absolutely cannot wait for AniManGaki 2027—it’s gonna be great! For more information and the latest updates, follow AniManGaki on social media.
