Starting on 26th April 2024, Anime Fest+2024 by Comic Fiesta, held at Tropicana Gardens Mall is drawing to a close on 28th April 2024.

While Anime Fest+2024 may be smaller compared to other larger ACG events in Malaysia such as Comic Fiesta and Animangaki, the event was still an absolute blast to explore. Here, I would love to share my experience of Anime Fest+2024.

PlayStation Booth

Starting from one of the main highlights for me, the PlayStation booth.

For me personally, it’s always exciting to see big gaming brands such as PlayStation participating in ACG events, as they usually bring new games to showcase.

In Anime Fest+ 2024, they are showcasing the massively popular AAA game that was recently released, Stellar Blade. Even though it was just a demo, getting to try out the game was a real threat and provided a moment of exhilarating fun.

Image Credit: Digital Braves

Image Credit: Digital Braves

Not only that, the exhibitors were pretty generous with their free gifts for participants, such as giving out exclusive Stellar Blade stickers for the first 100 participants for all three days, and even giving out Stellar Blade USB sticks for those who were strong enough to defeat Stalker on Saturday. If you were lucky on Saturday, you might even be able to have a meet and greet with Le Josette who was cosplaying as Eve that day.

Even though the booth may not have had as many games, or been as crowded as the SEGA booths at Comic Fiesta last time, I think having 4 devices for a newly released game available like this was more than enough to keep attendees entertained.

Predator X Tekken 8

Aside from thrilling RPG action from the PlayStation 5 booth with Stellar Blade, the collaboration between Tekken 8 and Predator was another highlight of the event.

Speaking about Predator first, the booth itself features many of the latest Predator laptops, allowing everyone to experience gaming on cutting-edge hardware. There was also a setup in the center of the booth that allowed participants to try out the recently released fighting game – Tekken 8.

Participants can also complete tasks around the booth to earn stamps which can allow them to bring home rewards through the gacha machine.

Image Credit: Digital Braves

Image Credit: Digital Braves

Image Credit: Digital Braves

But of course, the main highlight of the booth was the Tekken 8 competition that took place during the weekends, where the gamers competed against one another in intense battles, displaying their skills and strategies in the popular fighting game.

All in all, combining both high-end hardware trials and hot-blooded competition added another level of excitement to the event, merging the worlds of gaming and entertainment in a truly captivating waty for fans of both Tekken and Predator.

Hololive Meet

Moving away from the gaming aspect of Anime Fest+ 2024, we are treated once again with featured appearances by our beloved Vtubers from both Hololive and Holostars! Fans of Hololive do be eating well as Koseki Bijou from Hololive -Advent- and Airani Iofifteen from Hololive ID are here to grace us with their presence.

Image Credit: Digital Braves

Image Credit: Digital Braves

Furthermore, not only are they here with their models, but they are here with their personalities too. As they are also joined by HOLOSTARS English’s TEMPUS members, Gavis Bettel and Machina X Flayon for stage activities!

The electrifying stage show was enjoyable for fans all around, with some lucky contestants being picked by their idols to participate in stage activities. Of course, those who were not picked can still snap a photo with Airani Iofifteen and Koseki Bijou on the large TV screen, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Haikyuu Pop-Up Store

Haikyuu fans in Malaysia must’ve heard the news about the first part finale – Haikyuu: The Dumpster Battle exclusively coming to GSC Malaysia soon, but in Anime Fest+ 2024, you will have the opportunity to meet up with the character standees from Haikyuu!

The pop-up store also offers a wide range of merchandise, including water bottles, keychains, badges, and more, allowing fans to take home their favorite souvenirs to cherish them for all eternity.

Image Credit: Digital Braves

Image Credit: Digital Braves

It truly was a haven for Haikyuu fans, providing the perfect blend of spending money on their favorite characters and having fun with the standees from the anime.

Stage Event

In addition to all the exciting attractions and merchandise, the event also featured many stage events happening concurrently.

Image Credit: Digital Braves

Image Credit: Digital Braves

Whether it was live performances or special guest appearances, the stage event area not only brought an extra layer of fun to the event but also provided a great place for attendees to take a break and recharge, especially after a long walk after the venue.

Cosplayer Booth

Now, of course, you can’t have an ACG event without cosplayers, and Anime Fest+ 2024 gives that in spades.

A variety of cosplayers are present at the cosplay booth area of Anime Fest+ 2024, and you can also see some attendees come to support their favorite cosplayers.

While cosplayers can be found throughout the event, it’s always important to remember to always ask for permission before taking photos of them.

Artist Booth

Much like Anime Fest+ 2023, the creative art market is not in the exhibition hall, but in a separate area on Level CC. Making sure that their is enough space for all artists and attendees to freely stroll and peruse the merchandise.

Here, the arrangement allows artists to showcase their creations while giving attendees an easy opportunity to browse and purchase their favorite artist’s merchandise. With the spacious arrangement, attendees won’t need to be afraid of being crowded all the time too.

Image Credit: Digital Braves | jacktus.my

Image Credit: Digital Braves | SkyFreedom

Overall Thoughts

While the RM70 2+1 Day Pass is a great deal for those who want to join the events of all three days, but opting for the one-day pass at RM35 is definitely a reasonable price, especially considering the size of the event.

For most con-goers, you will be able to experience almost everything you want just in one day, and attendees can experience all the highlights without needing to rush across the entire venue.

Of course, it’s also fantastic to see more games like Stellar Blade and Tekken 8 being featured during ACG events, and hopefully, future anime events in Malaysia will continue to showcase a diverse range of games and attractions to cater to all interests of the ACG community.