Animaga Melb 2025 @Animaga @MCEC
Melbourne, a city that celebrates self-expression, culture and passions from all walks of live, played host to Animaga this past weekend of August 23 & 24. Animaga is the leading event celebrating anime, manga, cosplay and Japanese culture in Melbourne. The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre comes alive with all the vibrant colours of cosplay, special guests, panels, gaming and a bustling artist alley.Whether you’re a newcomer to the world of Anime, Manga and Japanese pop culture, or a long-time veteran of the convention scene. Animaga has something for everyone to enjoy!
Artist Alley
Probably the biggest attraction for me at any convention; artist alley. Art is a massive part of my life, my mother a hobbyist artist with immense talent and it was through her that I dabbled in it myself. But most importantly found a love for the arts and creating expression in all its forms. Part of my experience growing up as a writer, was finding a love for character design and development, fleshing out with both art design and character descriptions, to create the best and truest version of my characters to life.
Artist Alley allows me to experience other artists and their creative expression. Maybe they’re an artist specialising in established anime series/characters, or perhaps they create their own works completely original. From drawn art, to arts and crafts, textiles and even jewelry and accessories. Artist Alley isn’t just about the art though, it’s all about the community. I’ve met some lovely people that have since become acquaintances and friends that I get to talk with, catch up on what they’ve been up to and genuinely get a real sense of how much both sides really do rely on each other.
A convention weekend is never complete until I spend more than I should buying merch and art that I’ll never forget the memories surrounding them. Each piece, a future memory to back on later and reminisce. It is forever and always my favourite part of a convention weekend.
Animaga Idol
Step into the realm of anime music with Animaga Idol, the stage is not just a place for a singing competition, it’s a celebration of the music that breathes life into anime. Whether it’s an opening to get you hyped up for the episode, a set piece to immerse you in the moment, or the closing to wind you down in anticipation for the next. Animusic is as important as the show itself and performing is a way to show support for your favourite series!
Think you have all the lyrics to your favourite anime songs memorised? Not afraid to get up and sing in front of a crowd? Ever wanted to or thought about seeing what it would feel like to be an idol? Well what are you waiting for? The stage is yours, all you need is to take it for yourself and get the crowd pumping!
Applications, like everything else, are taken some time before the event itself. Should you be accepted, a panel of judges will pick out their most stand out performers who one their hearts over! This is the perfect place for those who want to step out of their comfort zone and share their passion with like minded attendees!
Cosplay Parade & Competition
Dive into the enchanting world of cosplay, see your beloved characters from all across anime, manga and gaming come to life in the cosplay parade, mini-contest and competition! From elaborate arms and armor, to intricate dresses of sequins and gems and everything in between. Celebrate creativity of all skill levels and the dedication of their creators to the world of anime, manga and video games!
Not a single one of these brave, talented individuals is ever alone or unwelcome here. The comradery and team spirit that goes into cosplay is shown in each and everyone who shares the passion. And if anything ever fails or falls apart on the day, the amazingly talented Captain Patch-it will always be there to try his best to help you mend your outfit and keep you strutting your absolute best. At the end of a busy day, take a load off and come see all the magic that the Parade, Mini-contest and Competition has to offer!
There is always one in almost every pop-culture convention, it’s simply a staple that cannot ever be missing. And every year gets bigger and bigger, over the years it has been a great pleasure of mine to chat with and experience a world of cosplay. And it makes me so proud and happy to see familiar faces who’ve grown into their passion alongside these events pass their skills onto the next generation!
Congratulations to all the entrants, whether you won anything or not. You’re all winners in my books, having the confidence to stand up on stage and strut your stuff is a lot harder than it looks and you are all amazing people. Keep honing your craft and never give up the passion!
Itashi Car Display
As a car nerd and an anime fan, I’m always glad to see that the Itasha display is now a common feature at the Animaga event. With dazzling liveries, on some of the nicest sports cars. From bold colourful wraps, to intricate character design and representation. Every car is a rolling tribute to creativity and each driver’s passion for their favourite anime and game series/characters. It takes a lot of confidence to be able to turn your daily driver and roll around public roads sporting your favourite character all over your car. I don’t think I’ll ever have confidence, but I’m always wowed and awed by the dedication and attention to detail on these sweet rides.
And if you’ve ever wanted to have a makeover on your own ride, CarX Australia can help transform your car into a head-turning Itasha masterpiece. Whether Initial D is your passion or if you just want to support your favourite anime waifu or husbando, the sky’s the limit for creative itasha designs! It’s Anime and Japanese pop-culture on wheels!
Plamo Workshop
And who could forget Gunpla and Plamo models? Whether you’re new to plamo or an avid builder, the Plamo workshop has something for you. With some free kits on offer for everyone to try their hand at building and tables galore for patrons to bring their own kits to build and customise. It’s hard to believe that Gunpla has it’s roots all the way back in 1961, I had no idea it went back so far. And to see where it is now is quite the welcome surpise, I remember when I used to build model cars in my youth before getting into anime and learning my first gunpla kits.
Now an avid builder myself, it’s wonderful to see so many people getting involved in everything from simple kit builds to full blown custom builds and dioramas. Everyone in the plamo workshop are all too happy to give advice and tips on how to get the creative spark and provide knowledge on the best tools of the trade to bring even the simplest of builds to life. From the perfect pair of nippers, to panel lining and full custom paints and techniques!
Every Plamo workshop features a number of competitions for builders of all ages and skill levels to participate in. From out of box kits, to scratch builds, custom kitbashes and full dioramas. There’s something for everyone to compete in and express their creativity and passion for models from their favourite anime, manga or similar media!
Animaga Maid Cafe
And what anime convention would be complete without a Maid Cafe? None, that’s the answer. With kawaii vibes and outfits so cool and cute, who wouldn’t want to feel like a Goshujin-sama or an Ojou-sama? A menu fit for any taste, it might feel a bit overpriced, but then again, you’re not coming for the prices. You’re coming for the moe moe magic and to be treated like a king, queen and everything in between that your heart desires.
Why not leave with a photo of you and your favourite maid/butler? Maybe some merch to remember the experience? A keychain? Maybe some collectable maid/butler gacha cards? It really is an experience to be had at least once!
Conclusion
Animaga for me has had its moments over the many years I’ve attended. Some years were better than others, but I think that’s true of most cons, they won’t always be perfect. Looking back at the years I found lacking, I was an entirely different person. Sometimes it’s not a matter of content, but how one perceives that content. And in the past I have judged Animaga too harshly, in recent years my perspective has changed to one of appreciation and positivity. And I have come to see its charm, everything is put together with genuine love and passion for the anime, manga, games and Japanese pop-culture genres. Everywhere you look, the vibes are all positive, inclusive, creative and wonderful.
There was one thing that stood out to me over the two days, it ran alongside two other events that weekend and both were worlds apart in terms of their mediums. And one only had to take a few steps outside the convention hall, clad in their cosplay or draped in anime merch and one might get several head turns and judgmental eyes on them. Staring in amazement, as though we were aliens from outer space or monkeys in a zoo. These are looks I know all too well, having grown up in space and found a home for myself in mediums that the masses still don’t understand and judge as weird, cringe, or just a phase. Like we need to grow up, fall in line with the masses and be real adults.
But inside these communities are some of the most loving and accepting people I’ve ever known. They don’t care where you came from, what you look like, how you dress or what you call yourself. They only care that you show them the same love and appreciation, this community shares one thing in common and it’s their passion for the world of anime and Japanese pop-culture. We all found ourselves here for various reasons, some people didn’t fit in at school, some people were dealt a harsh path to adulthood. Some were born into the wrong bodies and had to find themselves in a world that kept telling them they’re wrong to feel different, but all of us are like one big family. And Animaga is one of the greatest celebrations of that community, and it warms my heart to see it growing every year. The friends I have made in this space are some of the best I know to this day and I could not be more glad we have this space. A curated space all to ourselves to express who we are and celebrate our diversity with one another.
So if you’re out there wondering if you would enjoy an experience like this, all I can say is this. If you share our passion, you’re one of us, and you are welcome into this big family of ours. So what are you waiting for? See you next year!