Animaga Cosplay activities
photo credit @justinc7838
photo credit @Chuong Photography
Skits and Performances | Saturday, 29th August
Ever thought of a fun skit with your friends, or spent hours perfecting a dance routine from Uma Musume that deserves a real audience? We are introducing a dedicated stage competition purely for performance-based entries. This is your chance to step into character, bring your favorite scenes to life, and entertain the crowd. Whether it is a dramatic theatrical piece, a comedy skit, or a coordinated idol routine, this is your time on stage!
Please check out the Terms & Conditions on the application form before submitting. If you still have any questions about the stage after checking, please feel free to reach out to our cosplay team!
- Where: Main Stage
- Date: Saturday, 29th August
- Time: 16:30-18:00
Rising Star Cosplay Competition | Saturday, 29th August
If you are just beginning your competitive cosplay journey or want a relaxed environment to show off a creative passion project, this category is designed entirely for you. The Rising Star competition is a beginner-friendly space created to help emerging cosplayers gain confidence, experience stage presentation, and share their hard work with a supportive audience. Our friendly judges can provide advice, support and a chance to talk about the costume you poured your love into. Rising Stars is the perfect stepping stone to develop your skills and get a true feel for the spotlight without the pressure of an advanced competition or just to have fun!
Please check out the Terms & Conditions on the application form before submitting.
- Where: Main Stage
- Date: Saturday, 29th August
- Time: 16:30-18:00
Goddess of Victory: Nikke Cosplay competition | Saturday, 29th August
We are excited to welcome Goddess of Victory: Nikke as the official sponsor of the Animaga Melbourne 2026 Main Stage.
As part of the main Cosplay Competition, selected cosplayers representing Nikke characters will be featured together in a dedicated, themed stage segment on the main stage. While all judging and awards strictly follow the standard Animaga Cosplay Competition process and criteria, there is an exclusive bonus for participants: every selected Nikke cosplayer who takes part on stage will receive a Summer Revival merchandise prize pack sponsored directly by Nikke.
- Where: Main Stage
- Date: Saturday, 29th August
- Time: 15:30-16:30
Sponsor by
photo credit @Kyle Photography
Animaga Cosplay Championship | Sunday, 30th August
Our main cosplay competition is back with a renewed focus on technical skill and stage presence. Tailored specifically for intermediate and advanced competitive makers, this is the platform to showcase complex builds, intricate prop fabrication, and high-level craftsmanship. With the best prizes of the weekend on the line, if you have poured your dedication into engineering a stunning costume and want to test your skills, prepare your finest work and take the main stage on Sunday.
Please check out the Terms & Conditions on the application form thoroughly before you apply.
- Where: Nikke Main Stage
- Date: Sunday, 30th August
- Time: 16:00-17:00
Time to meet the amazing sponsors for our cosplay events! Entrants will be strutting their stuff in front of our experienced cosplay judges, competing for thousands of dollars worth of prizes across the weekend. Check out the fabulous trophies we have for award winners, and swipe to meet each sponsor and learn about what’s on offer across our Skit Showcase, Rising Stars Cosplay Competition and Sunday Cosplay Competition. It’s not too late to submit your entry, but get in soon, entries close Friday 14th August!
Tay Bassi Photography
Tay Bassi is a Melbourne-based professional photographer who many in the cosplay community will be familiar with. Tay creates dreamy studio set ups and atmospheric location shoots to truly bring characters to life. She can’t wait to work with our Best in Show winner from our flagship Sunday competition, who will receive an exclusive 1.5 hour photoshoot package with Tay worth $300!
Good Hunter Haberdashery
Good hunter haberdashery is an Australian cosplay business that knows exactly what crafters want. From corset boning and bombproof eyelets, to the best hand sewing needles, Good Hunter Haberdashery stocks a range of high quality materials for your next crafting project. Every award winner in our Sunday event will receive gift vouchers to shop at the online store. Winners of the the Rising Stars competition on Saturday will have the chance to dive easily into the world of corsetry, as each will receive a copy of the e-book ‘Quick and Dirty Guide to Corsetry’, written by Major Sam Mansfield, corsetry and couture expert.
The Dangerous Ladies
The Dangerous Ladies are a stalwart supporter of the cosplay community across the world for over a decade, supplying fabulous resin kits, 3D printed props/accessories, custom printed fabric and digital sewing patterns. Fans of Final Fantasy, Fire Emblem, Hoyoverse and many other series may be familiar with their wares, and it’s now even easier to get items shipped to Australia for your next cosplay project! We’re excited to announce that the Best in Show and Runner Up in our Sunday competition will receive vouchers (in Canadian dollars) to use on their web store.
Lumin's Workshop
luminsworkshop have put together some amazing prizes for our Rising Stars competition on Saturday! Each winner of the Rising Stars competition will be able to join a Lumin’s Workshop class session of their choice for free! With half-day classes running across the year at their Campbellfield location, on topics from prop and armour making to LED lights, it is a great chance to pick up some new skills, or tips and tricks from the best. You can stop by the Cosplay area at Animaga and get hands on with some Lumin’s Workshop materials at the Touch and Try table!
Hoshi
Hoshi sell contact lenses and cosmetics for cosplay across Australia, and if you’re thinking about lenses, wigs or any other items to complete your next cosplay look, check out their web store. Hoshi will be producing a fabulous hamper of cosplay goodies for the Skit Showcase winner!
Colin Magazine
Colin Magazine are excited to be involved with our cosplay events again this year and will be offering a range of prizes in our cosplay events across the weekend, including a prize pack for the Skit Showcase winner and a copy of the latest edition of Colin Magazine for all of our Judge’s Choice Award winners, packed with inspiration, reflections and tips from Australia’s incredible cosplay community. Judge’s Choice Award winners in our Sunday event will also receive a prize pack from Colin Magazine. Stop by their booth in the cosplay area to chat with the Colin team and hear about their plans for the rest of the year!
Participant Perks
As if this lineup of prizes wasn’t stacked enough, we have a little something for ALL our cosplay event entrants across the weekend, thanks to our sponsors @nenechickenaus and @indomieau. We know con crunch often wins over food, and sometimes those butterflies in your stomach before you go on stage can get the better of you. So have a feed on us after the con! All Sunday event entrants will receive a Nene chicken gift voucher worth $20, and entrants in our other cosplay events will receive Nene chicken coupons to score a freebie with your next purchase. We’re also giving out Indomie noodles of various flavours!
Sponsor by
The countdown to the convention weekend is officially underway, and the stage is set for an extraordinary weekend of creativity, craftsmanship, and performance. We are thrilled to finally unveil the expert panels of judges who will be evaluating this year’s incredible talent at Animaga Melbourne
To ensure every participant receives the attention and specialized feedback they deserve, we have expanded our programming and split our judging panels across two action-packed days. Our judges bring decades of collective industry experience, ranging from master-level armor fabrication and intricate textile design to professional stage production and choreography. They are dedicated to supporting, encouraging, and recognizing the immense dedication that goes into every single second of preparation.
Saturday Judges: Rising Stars & Skit Performance
Halatrix
Instagram: @halatrix_cosplay
Halatrix is an award-winning cosplayer who has been cosplaying since 2014 and competing since 2016. She started her journey in Perth before moving to Melbourne and has really fallen in love with the local scene here. Halatrix enjoys cosplaying from every genre, but she has a personal love for anything that challenges her and teaches her new techniques. Her background in theatre and costume design means she loves hearing how people put their passion to paper and needle to garment. She is always in the mood to cheer for a performance and cannot wait to see everyone strut their stuff on stage.
- Favorite Anime: Spy x Family
- Favorite Game: Final Fantasy XIV
- Favorite Manga: My Hero Academia
- Photo Credit: Athiril
Shirokarai
Instagram: @shirokarai.cos
Shirokarai is a Melbourne-based cosplayer with over nine years of experience, competing since 2023 with multiple awards under his belt. He is a craftsmanship cosplayer who works across many different mediums with a specialty in needlework. He is always looking for opportunities to improve his craft and loves finding new materials to try out. He is passionate about uplifting fellow cosplayers and encouraging people to give competitions a try. He is very excited to be part of the judging team and to support others on their competitive journey.
- Favorite Anime: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Favorite Game: Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Favorite Manga: Witch Hat Atelier
- Photo Credit: @brie.kaye.photography
Astercat
Instagram: @astercat.cos
Astercat is a competitive cosplayer with 18 years of experience, holding qualifications as a Sewing Machinist, Pattern Drafter, and Fashion Designer. She has earned 19 cosplay awards across Australia and New Zealand, including multiple 1st Place and Best in Show titles. As a multiple-time Animaga competitor and winner, she brings both deep technical expertise and competition experience to the judging panel, and she is excited to see the incredible talent on display this year.
- Favorite Anime: Steins;gate
- Favorite Game: Shin Megami Tensei V
- Favorite Manga: xxxHOLIC
- Photo Credit: Nyxling Photography
Sunday Judges: The Animaga Cosplay Championship
Sunny salina
Instagram: @sunnysalina
Sunny salina is a Melbourne-based cosplayer and costume maker with over 10 years of craftsmanship experience. She has competed and won several major awards across Australia, bringing a very strong focus on sewing, leatherwork, and intricate embroidery to her builds.
Favorite Anime: Hunter x Hunter
Favorite Manga: Berserk!
Favorite Game: Skyrim
Photo Credit: Oscar Lupton
Luminoxity
Instagram: @luminoxity.cosplay
Luminoxity has been cosplaying for 15 years, having started at the age of 14. He is excited to return to Animaga as a judge simply because he loves looking at cosplays! Even when not judging, he has always enjoyed discussing builds with fellow cosplayers to learn how they bring a character to life. He is also a massive anime fan, having grown up watching many classic series.
Favorite Anime: Detective Conan
Favorite Manga: Fairy Tail
Favorite Game: World of Warcraft
Photo Credit: Brad
Clampanda / Siera
Instagram:@clampanda
Siera is a Naarm-based cosplayer who is celebrating their 20th year of cosplaying in 2026. Before getting into cosplay, they learned to sew through fashion and dance costumes, eventually moving on to formal pattern drafting at RMIT to hone their skills. Siera has won numerous local and state awards, with their proudest achievement being crowned the Madman National Cosplay Champion in 2013. Outside of sewing, Siera enjoys embroidery, cross stitch, watercolour painting, and photography. They also occasionally take to the stage as a performing artist in aerial lyra and dance trapeze—making their own costumes for that too, of course!
Favorite Anime/Manga: Cardcaptor Sakura, Star Driver, and Witch Hat Atelier
Favorite Game: Undertale and anything Pokemon!
Photo Credit: @brie.kaye.photography
Get hands-on and unleash your inner maker! The Lumin Workshop Touch & Try Area at Animaga is your chance to experiment with prop-making tools and techniques in a fun, interactive environment. Whether you’re a seasoned cosplayer or a complete beginner, drop by to test out the tools of the trade and see what you can create.
To ensure this space remains safe, creative, and fun for everyone, please read our area guidelines before diving in.
General Etiquette & Housekeeping
- Listen to the Team: Please follow all instructions from Animaga staff and volunteers—they are here to help you safely enjoy the workshop!
- Share the Space: We want everyone to have a turn. Please respect your fellow attendees and spend no more than 10 minutes on a single activity when it is busy.
- Protect the Gear: Keep all food and drinks safely away from the equipment and workstations.
- Leave It As You Found It: Do not remove any items, tools, or materials from the Touch & Try Area.
- Not for Consumption: It might look like candy, but it’s craft supplies! Please do not consume any items from the area.
Crafting Safety Guidelines
- Watch Your Fingers: Always keep your fingers and hands safely away from the path of any blades.
- Foam Only: Never point a blade at anything other than the provided foam. Be mindful of your surroundings.
- Save the Tables: Always perform your cuts directly on the provided cutting mats.
- Sticky Situations: Apply adhesive only to the foam materials, not to the tables, mats, or tools.
Ready to build something awesome? Step right up and let’s get crafting!
- Where: Hobby Maniaz Cosplay area
- All-Day Event
Sponsor by
Missing a prop to complete your cosplay, or simply want to add an extra touch of authenticity to your photos? We have you covered.
Thanks to a generous partnership with our friends at HobbyManiaz, we are excited to introduce the Animaga Prop Library. This new feature allows attendees to borrow from a curated selection of high-quality replica weapons and accessories, completely free of charge, for use in our cosplay area photo studios.
Whether you are stepping into Yue Studio for a professional shoot or capturing memories at our free photowall, these premium props are designed to help you get the perfect shot and elevate your overall convention experience. HobbyManiaz has provided these iconic items so you can bring your favorite characters to life with the right gear in hand.
📸 How to Borrow a Prop
If you would like to use one of these high-quality props for your photos, please speak to our friendly cosplay team at the Cosplay Reception before you join the queue.
⚔️ Available Props
Choose from our current selection of items:
- Elden Ring: Greatsword
- Fate/stay night: Excalibur Sword
- Frieren: Frieren’s Staff
- Genshin Impact: Jade Spear
- Genshin Impact: Wolf Sword
- God of War: Leviathan Axe
- Jujutsu Kaisen: Spear of Heaven
- KPop Demon Hunters: Rumi Sword
- Where: Hobby Maniaz Cosplay area
- All-Day Event
Sponsor by
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Catch Me If You Can: Captain Patch-It’s Enrichment Hour!
Captain Patch-It has been running Cosplay Repair at conventions for over a decade—though he rarely gets to get out from behind the desk. That all changes this weekend! Join Captain Patch-It as he officially leaves the repair station to explore the convention floor. Where is he going? What is he doing? Who knows? (Honestly, neither does he). Join his tour and take part in the chaos, or try to track him down as he roams across the convention! Want to know where he’s headed? Follow his socials to track his location live!
(Saturday, 1:10pm – Starting outside the Panel Stage!)
Photo credit to BrettWphoto
- Where: Panel Stage
- Date: Saturday, 29th August
- Time: 13:10
