Channel your inner otaku, the Animaga Expo returns for a third year at the Melbourne Showgrounds and the event will be a Japanese pop culture fan's dream. The anime, manga, and gaming worlds will be getting equal representation over the weekend – expo highlights and favourites include the cosplay competition, Maid and Butler Café, and Gunpla model building workshops.
The Animaga Video Games is back with plenty of new games and activities in the console area. Try out your karaoke skills at the Starlight stage competition, or battle your friends to a trading card game at the Animaga Card Game Area. Hungry? Stop by the Animaga Maid and Butler Café. Taking a leaf out of the original maid cafés in Akihabara, Tokyo, you'll be treated to a relaxing cup of tea or a set meal by the kawaii maid staff.
Don't miss the chance to meet your anime, manga, and gaming idols, this year's Animaga guests include Japanese voice actors Toru Furuya (Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon) and Ryoko Shiraishi (Triage X, Gundam). Star cosplayers Yui and Kaname will also make an appearance, as will CEO of Toko Otaku Mode Tomo Kamei, and one of Tokyo's best-known maids, Hitomi from @home Café.