Already on its sixth year of bringing the best show in cosplay in the country, Cosplay Carnival is finally back and it has taken attendees on an otherworldly adventure of epic proportions last April 1 and 2, 2023 at Function Rooms 3 to 5 of SMX Convention Center Manila. Always a yearly tradition and much awaited spectacle by the cosplay and anime community, Cosplay Carnival provided troves of entertainment and attractions to its legions of fans and patrons.
Cosplay Carnival: Reborn a Dragon took on a new look as the first event in the Cosplay Mania Isekai Reborn Event series for 2023 that promises to take attendees as adventurers into a different world to take on quests and explore vast new realms. Cosplay Carnival wanted everyone to experience an “isekai” adventure, and that was what they got. It got together many fascinating exhibitors like Razer Gold, Nikke, Aniporum, Salonpas, Gamdias, and many more. There was also the Artist Alley that had booths from end to end. And of course, All Star Avenue showcased fan-favorite cosplay celebrities where there were picture-taking, merch selling, and autograph signing, a delight for true fans everywhere.
While onstage, Event hosts Jill, Fatima and Envy welcomed everyone to the show and whipped up everyone to a frenzy as they took the stage for the festivities. They had the audience engaged and animated with activities like Cosplay Auctions.
There was fun for everyone with engaging contests with the audience with Cluenami, the Crunchyroll Shinobi Showdown, Frenemy Feud and Trivia Throne Throwdown. All the contestants got to show show their wits and knowledge of anime, gaming, and otaku culture and everyone was a good sport in participating in all of the games Cosplay Carnival has to offer.
Cosplay Karaoke ran for both days with both anime and mainstream editions, with some of the best singers in the community going toe to toe with each other in giving their best musical performances. They had the audience cheering and singing along to well-loved tunes that transcended generations.
Cosplay Carnival has also prided itself with its diverse and exciting cosplay contests, and this year it has three. Day 1 saw the Grand Finals of the Razer Gold cosplay contest which showcased their Top 8 Genshin Cosplayers. Each cosplay was magnificently astonishing, as well as the skits they have prepared for the competition. The crowd went wild as they supported, cheered, and hoped the one they bet would win. Everyone was supporting all contestants, and the contestants themselves are supporting one another. Such camaraderie is inspirational. At the end, the winners were announced and got to win really cool prizes from Razer. We are proud to have our Cosplay Model and Correspondent Jane Yu as one of the judges for the contest.
Also on Day 1 was Cosplay OTP where contestants showed off their cosplays and talents in front of the crowd. Cosplay OTP had cosplayers do their splendid catwalks after which they made unique “tags” as the went in and out the stage, to the delight of fans and judges alike. Those who did particularly well got amazing prizes for different categories during the awarding.
Day 2 got to feature a much-anticipated Cosplay Dance Duet where pairs of contestants thrilled the audience with their frenetic and creative performances that wowed the crowd. The audience could not get enough as cheers and shrieks echoed in praise of the dynamic dance duos on stage. The winners got to take home some really great prizes for being judged as the best.
Making this year’s Cosplay Carnival extra special was its special guest cosplayer from Thailand, Kael. Lots of Filipino fans were dying to see him after him guesting on Cosplay Matsuri Online a while back. They finally got the chance to have a autograph signing and photo op sessions with him during his time in Cosplay Carnival, as well as fascinating Q&A segments on both days at the Cosplay Carnival stage.
There was also the announcement of the special guest for cosplay.ph’s upcoming event, ACX, and it is the sensational cosplayer, singer and celebrity, Amelia Kor from Malaysia, and it brought even more excitement from fans for ACX, scheduled on July 15 and 16 at the SMX Convention Center Manila.
And as always, arkadymac.com was there for the cosplayers. There were so many in attendance, all eager and excited to cosplay, all with a wide range of characters and themes. It’s evident that cosplay as a hobby and passion continues to thrive with the thousands of cosplayers who are passionate and earnest in their craft, including Dru Chloe as Pyramid Head, crafted by NanoOks Play.
arkadymac.com has been proud to be Cosplay Carnival 2023’s official media partner for the sixth straight year. Many thanks to everyone on the arkadymac.com team for the photos and reporting for this coverage.
And thank you for dropping by. Do visit us again for more features here at arkadymac.com.
#Cosplay #Cosplayph #CosplayCarnival2023 #RebornaDragon #IsekaiReborn #arkadymac
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