Whether you are into Japanese anime or not, it’s hard not to be captivated by the sight of people dressing up extravagantly in out-of-this-world getups. Cosplay (short for costume play) has been in existence since time immemorial and is a worldwide phenomenon fueled by the explosive popularity of anime culture. In Malaysia, the cosplay scene is very much alive through the many cosplay events and conventions taking place frequently. These events will not be possible without the many dedicated cosplayers who pour their heart and soul (and money) into bringing much-beloved fictional characters to life. Read on to get to know these famous Malaysian cosplayers.
7 Malaysian Cosplayers Who Blaze The Trail For The Local Anime Scene
New to the cosplay scene in Malaysia? Get familiar with these faces.
1. Hakken
If looks could deceive, Hakken (or Hakken Ryou) would be one of the best examples. The 25-year-old Sarawakian—who was born a biological female but identifies as agender—is perhaps the most celebrated Malaysian cosplayer and it’s not hard to see why. Besides their straight-out-of-manga dashing androgynous looks, their cosplaying skills are simply flawless.
Hakken is not only highly-revered among the cosplay community in Malaysia but also widely recognised internationally, having most recently appointed an ambassador for Tokyo Tourism in Japan among other accolades.
2. YingTze
YingTze is a familiar figure—especially among gamers and those in the local tech community—for being the face of Asus Republic of Gamers. She has also been featured for tons of brands including Logitech G, Mobile Legends Bang Bang, Uniqlo, and Puma.
As a cosplayer, she has aced countless popular anime and video game characters from Demon Slayer to Genshin Impact and they are always on point. Her cute looks and voluptuous figure help with her popularity too!
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3. Prestonles
Prestonles is relatively new to the world of cosplaying but is steadily building his presence which has attracted a large number of social media followers. The professional photographer got his interest in cosplay piqued following his collaboration with YingTze (who is now also his romantic partner) and since then has been showcasing his chops depicting characters like Jujutsu Kaisen’s Saturo Gojo and Vox Akuma (virtual YouTuber) with aplomb.
4. Le Josette
Malaysian cosplayer, game streamer, and content creator Le Josette (a.k.a Josette Swan) is a veteran in the local cosplaying circuit and proof that you don’t have to be a tall and imposing figure to stand out and shine. With her petite frame and striking appearance, Josette has pulled off countless fictional characters ranging from schoolgirls to vixens and each transformation is a feast for the eyes.
5. Mikki Kairi
You’ll be forgiven to think that Mikki Kairi is a K-pop star! Blessed with devilishly good looks that will have you convinced he is a bona fide boyband member, Mikki has had no problem bringing dashing anime men such as Chifuyu Matsuno from Tokyo Revengers and Megumi Fushiguro from Jujutsu Kaisen to life. Not only that, the model is also not afraid to dabble in feminine characters!
6. Lea
A close collaborator of Mikki, Lea is another hunk of a cosplayer for you to feast your eyes on. With a chiselled face and body (as well as good makeup skills), he is able to bring fantasy into reality by stepping into the shoes of Hataraku Saibou (Cells at Work!), Ryomen Sukuna (Jujutsu Kaisen), and the Chainsaw Man, among others.
7. Ai Nurul
You wouldn’t really expect a wife and a mum to be cosplaying, but motherhood hasn’t stopped Ai Nurul from doing what she’s passionate about. The Malaysian hijab cosplayer has been active in the scene since 2015 and has amassed a sizeable following across her social media channels.
Don’t let that diminutive figure fool you though, as Ai is very skilled at transforming herself into a myriad of characters that include Hinata Hyuga from the Naruto series, Klee from Genshin Impact, and Kugisaki Nobara from Jujutsu Kaisen. Fun fact: Her husband is a fellow cosplayer!
Catch These Malaysian Cosplayers At Local Anime Festivals/Events
If you want to catch these Malaysian cosplayers in the flesh and snap a few pics for memorabilia, do follow their social media for updates. It’s a good bet that they, and many other talented local cosplayers, will be strutting their stuff at major anime/cosplay events in Malaysia such as Comic Fiesta and AniManGaki. Who knows, they might just inspire you to start your own cosplaying journey!
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