By John Cairns
(Second of Two Photo Collections)
WAN CHAI, Hong Kong – Everyone's a remarkable character. So it seemed at the 12th Ani-Com and Games Hong Kong (ACGHK) show from July 30 to August 3 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). All about comic books, animation, electronic games and related collectibles, the annual fair, wildly popular with teenagers and young adults, attracted 580,000 visitors, up 4.5 per cent on 2009.
For years, I've attended events at the HKCEC. Never before did I encounter so many heroic, dangerous or innocent-looking costumed people, not even in 1997 when a British prince, his entourage and Beijing officials jammed into the building for Hong Kong's change-of-sovereignty ceremony.
A newfangled term describes many Ani-Com goers. They're “cosplayers” (from the words “costume” and “play”), who dress up as favorite characters, pose for photos and create “a party atmosphere”.
Formerly the Hong Kong Comics Festival, Ani-Com focuses on fun. By wearing costumes, testing games, reading comics, collecting autographs, competing in contests and buying new products, the attendees pursued fun big-time. My study of the passing faces showed that most participants definitely enjoyed themselves, despite the often-intense congestion at the 500-booth venue.
Not only did I feel like one of the oldest people there (surely twice as old as many), but I failed to recognize most of the Asian comic and video characters on the shelves or walking past. Spotting a few familiar faces, like Bruce Lee, Darth Vader, Spiderman and a Coca-Cola polar bear, took serious searching. Obviously, I'm badly behind on Asian comics-and-video culture.
This Hong Kong event strives to rival the Anime Expo in Los Angeles and the Tokyo International Anime Fair. With so many quirky characters, how could it fail?
Elaborately decked out 'cosplayers' pose
with precision, almost like mannequins.
Fans meet creators at autograph sessions.
No one messes with this guy.
'New business?' Surprising characters hold the
floor at the Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Placing a crisis call to comic-book headquarters?
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