Anime League’s Manchester Anime and Gaming Con is a vibrant celebration of all things anime, gaming and cosplay. Every year, the convention draws enthusiasts from across the UK, showcasing their love for their favorite characters and franchises through intricate costumes and stunning performances. Among the many highlights of the convention are the cosplayers, who bring their A-game to create unforgettable recreations of their favorite characters.

We spoke to a number of cosplayers at Manchester Anime and Gaming Con about their experiences in the community and what brought their cosplays to life.

Spirit Blosson Ahri from League of Legends – MibiMibi

As one of the special guests at the event this weekend, it was no surprise that MibiMibi had one of the most beautiful cosplays on display. Her tails and ears were both commissioned and the cosplay itself was mostly made up of second hand pieces. Ahri might not be Mibi’s main but she’s still a top tier cosplay! You can find Mibi on Instagram and follow her work.

Nier Automata – Adam and Becca

This isn’t Adam and Becca’s first time out as 2B and 9S and hopefully won’t be the last. They gathered the cosplays from charity shops as well as buying other elements of them online and enjoy attending conventions together. It seems like almost every cosplayer’s favorite part of the events is seeing everyone else’s cosplays and the same goes for these two! Make sure to check out Adam on YouTube too.

Death – Ross

There aren’t many places where you can run into Death personified and live to tell the tale but Manchester Anime & Gaming Con is one of them! Ross both bought and commissioned the different aspects of his cosplay and brought them all together. This isn’t the first time he’s gone for a darker cosplay, having cosplayed a Plague Doctor at previous events too.

Gorou from Genshin Impact and Original Character Felix – Nathan and Felix

It’s not often you get to see a completely unique character at a cosplay event but Felix has certainly filled those shoes. This handmade cosplay, unsurprisingly, took a lot of hours that maybe should have been spent revising! But it’s worth it in the end. Gorou may not have the time to graft making the cosplay but has a real love of the cosplay community and how it can bring wide groups of people together. Check out Nathan and Felix on Instagram here!

Chainsaw Man, Power and Aki – Edward, Alissa and George

Group cosplays are really popular at events like Manchester Anime & Gaming Con and that’s something Edward, Alissa and George know all too well! They had a great combination of handmade and purchased elements to bring their group together. While they may not have been to a tonne of events, this isn’t their first rodeo. It seems like everyone is here to see the other cosplays on show and this group is no different.

Mercy from Overwatch – Samantha

Alongside D.va and Akari cosplays this weekend, you could find Samantha and her handmade Mercy cosplay! Samantha had help from her brother-in-law, who was also attending the con as Ziekaru’s Workshop. He created the wings and halo elements but created all of the EVA foam pieces herself. Although it’s not Mercy’s time to a con, she was certainly turning a lot of heads with the details!

Doctor Strange and Dumbledore – Stuart and Glynn

Bet you never thought you’d see these two characters together! Whereas Glynn has been cosplaying for some time now, this is Stuart’s first time but it seems like Manchester Anime & Gaming Con has given him the cosplay itch. There’s a third cosplayer in this gorup and that’s Fawkes the Phoenix, who came to Glynn from a friend along with his own birth certificate.

Cosplay events take place around the world and it’s always worth checking out other cosplay interviews if you want to attend!