Leipzig Book Fair Preview 2026: Manga & Comic Con Highlights

Every year, the Leipzig Book Fair (LBM) attracts thousands of book lovers eager for author signings, panels, presentations, and literary discussions. While many visitors focus on these traditional offerings, my attention is usually drawn to the Manga & Comic Con (MMC) side of the fair, where Otaku subculture, cosplay, and Japanese pop culture come alive.

Otaku Culture and the Roots of Cosplay

The term Otaku describes individuals with intense passion for anime, manga, and video games. Sociologist Ōtsuka Eiji and researcher Nakamori Akina have highlighted Otaku as a distinct subcultural identity, combining fandom, aesthetic appreciation, and community participation. In this context, cosplay—short for “costume play”—emerged as a performative aspect of fandom, allowing enthusiasts to embody characters and engage in creative expression. Cosplay itself is now considered both an artistic and social phenomenon, bridging fan activity, fashion, and performance.

My Anime

My Personal Leipzig Ritual

I have been attending LBM almost every year since 2004, except during COVID-19 and in 2016, when I was on a Working Holiday in Japan. That year was also when Akira Toriyama, legendary creator of Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball, and character designs for Dragon Quest, made a rare public appearance in Leipzig for a signing session. Toriyama’s work remains foundational for the Otaku subculture, influencing generations with his iconic character design, humor, and storytelling.

2004 also marked a personal milestone: I created my first cosplay costume. I wore a different one—Himura Kenshin—publicly for the first time at a convention in 2005, starting my journey as an active cosplayer.

From Cosplayer to Photographer

Early on, I combined cosplay with photography, starting with a Casio snapshot camera (QV-R52) before moving on to:

Canon 350D DSLR
Canon 750D
Canon 6D II
Canon R5 (my main camera for several years)

I mainly shoot with a Samyang 85mm f/1.4 for portraits and a Canon 300mm f/2.8 for long-distance shots. The latter is perfect for capturing cosplayers in large halls like the Glashalle, where I can maintain the distance needed for cinematic composition.

The Purple Shirt Persona

In recent years, I adopted a second persona alongside my nickname Neko-Lord: the “Purple Shirt Guy”, inspired by my lavender shirt, which I originally wore as a “lucky drone-flying shirt.” Over time, this became a quasi-brand and a creative identity, documented on my blog here.

Looking Forward by looking Backward

Like last year's this LBM in 2026 will host numerous guests and panels. My focus will remain on cosplay photography, particularly in the MMC area:

Shooting at the Glashalle exterior with the 300mm f/2.8 lens
Capturing fullbody shots by using dynamic lighting with minimal interference
Maintaining uninterrupted sightlines for cinematic shots

I expect to photograph 12–16 sets, resulting in roughly 1,200–2,000 photos over all four days.

For many cosplayers, LBM is the first major convention of the 2026 season, despite earlier events like MagC, Dedeco, and AniMC. The fair is an opportunity to:

Reconnect with friends and fellow enthusiasts
Discuss cosplay, Japanese culture, and photography
Meet new cosplayers and potentially recruit participants for my future Cosplay portrait artbook projects

Flashback Moments

Recently, I rediscovered my old Banzai! magazines. Flipping through LBM articles triggered vivid memories: my first cosplay competitions, my early photography experiments, and the excitement of attending a convention focused on both literature and Japanese pop culture.