How UAE cosplayers turn passion and family into Comic Con magic: Bones, bandanas and a mother-daughter duo

The Middle East Film & Comic Con (MEFCC) Abu Dhabi is drawing more interest and participation from the UAE's cosplay community, as fans and creators from varying backgrounds come together to celebrate their shared passion for comic book characters and anime. At the Animenia festival, Emirati cosplayer Zubair Abdul Rahman, also known as Myrkul, The Lord of Bones, showcased his impressive skeleton costume with a smoke-emitting staff and lantern, emphasizing his love for acting and entertaining others.

Joshua Kieser, cosplaying as Tengzen Uzui from the anime Demon Slayer, is among those who have embraced cosplay as a family affair, bringing his entire family along. MEFCC Abu Dhabi provides a platform for both competition and community, with participants sharing their craft, learning new skills, and making connections with fellow cosplayers.

For Wilbert Arthur, also known as Weiren, competitive cosplay has transformed his hobby into a disciplined pursuit, with each competition providing new challenges to push his skills. He has observed the UAE's cosplay scene mature alongside events like Comic Con, with a growing range of costumes, props, and stage performances. The community aspect of events like Comic Con is just as important as the competition, offering a place for cosplayers to meet, exchange knowledge, and inspire others.

The creation process behind a competitive cosplay build can take hundreds of hours, involving EVA foam, 3D printing, sewing, painting, electronics, and LEDs. Wilbert notes that the polishing on stage hides the extensive work that goes into creating these intricate costumes, and often leads to claims of "cosplay crunch," as creators push themselves to finish their creations.