From the moment my friends and I stepped into the popular Japanese Anime and Pop Culture event, ‘Manifest’ held at Melbourne’s Showgrounds, it felt like Christmas had arrived early.
A few girls in Pikachu kigurumi (jump suits) walked beside us and we were greeted warmly by an interviewer and cameraman from Madman Entertainment who stopped to film us and ask us a few questions about Manifest and about us as cosplayers.
I was dressed as Saber from Fate/Stay Night, with my boyfriend as Archer and my friends as Gilgamesh, Rider and Kotomine Kirei.
The photo above is from a photo shoot at the showgrounds with a few Fate/Zero cosplayers!
Photo by Michael Bosa.
Upon approaching the main events areas and the trading hall, there were already so many cosplayers, photographers and event goers bustling about! A long line of people extended outside of the trader’s hall as it had not opened yet.
The boys had to pick up some emergency duct tape in the event that someone’s armour began to fall apart, so Gilgamesh and I waited outside the hall while they hiked over to Coles, nearby.
It started to rain quite a bit and we were forced to take shelter in the hall once it had opened, where we were interviewed by another website.
A larger area was used for the trading stalls were event goers could purchase merchandise, and various posters, artwork and handmade items.
The hall was a bit easier to get through this year and there was more to see which is always a plus!
The event runs for three days in August, but the atmosphere was the busiest and liveliest over the weekend as usual since a lot of the younger attendees have school to go to.
Photographers were running around taking all the photos they could, with their cameras at the ready to snap up a photo, including me whenever I had the time to take a photo.
As usual, the events were also a highlight, with screenings, video games section, cosplay competition, panels, games and other competitions such as ‘Anime Idol’ and the Karaoke competion.
I attended the cosplay competition over the weekend which was a little bit unorganised, yet it was still a bundle of fun!
With cosplayers talking about the hard work they put into their cosplays, performing a skit on stage and posing for the photographers and audience.
Overall, it was such a busy and exciting weekend that seems like a blur now, I always go to meet up with friends, buy things and watch the cosplay competition, but there is always lots to do at Manifest!
Be sure to check it out next year if you’re an anime, manga or video game fan, it’s very enjoyable and the people are very friendly!
I’m already looking forward to it next year!!
Article by Jess Waugh
Photos by Michael Bosa and Jess Waugh
