Anime fans flexed wings, brandished swords and posed for photos at the C3 Anime Festival Asia Singapore this weekend.
Formerly known as Anime Festival Asia, the three-day event at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre is expected to draw at least 100,000 visitors.
The home-grown annual festival, which began on Friday and runs until today, started out as an anime-centric event in 2008, and has since expanded to other cities such as Bangkok, Jakarta and Tokyo. It is due to go to Hong Kong in February.
Last year, the event drew 94,000 visitors in Singapore. This year, organisers hope to see the turnout go up by 5 to 10 per cent.
Among the highlights of the festival is the I Love Anisong concert, which features popular Japanese music acts. Some, such as mega girl group Nogizaka46 and pop duo ClariS, are here for the first time.
Software engineers Kevin Lin, 24, and Carl Valencia, 32, travelled from the United States to attend the festival again, following their first visit last year.
Mr Lin, 24, said he is keen to see music acts such as ClariS, nano and fripSide, whom he has followed for some time but never got the chance to see live. "I fly out of the States very often for concerts and I have always had an eye on this festival," he said. "Every year, they consistently get amazing guests and this year they did not disappoint."
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C3 ANIME FESTIVAL ASIA
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WHERE: Levels 3 and 4, Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Raffles Boulevard
WHEN: Today, 9.30am to 7pm
ADMISSION: $88 for a one-day ticket, available from www.apactix.com/events/ detail/c3afasg17
INFO: www.c3afa.com/sg17
Photographers clustered around elaborately decked-out cosplayers such as Ms Tatty Marlina, 41, who works at a gym and was dressed as the character Morgana from video game League Of Legends, complete with moving wings that she had spent three weeks making.
Children ran to hug security officer Amirul Mok, 22, who was dressed as large squishy robot Baymax from the movie Big Hero 6.
For some, the festival was a family affair. Retired civil servant Teo Lye Huat, 80, turned up to support his cosplaying granddaughters Zephyrine and Stephanie Tham, 17 and 23 respectively.
"I was quite surprised," said Mr Teo. "I always thought there was just a handful of people doing this, but there are so many here. I have no idea what they're dressed as, but this is quite fun."
