Leipzig Book Fair 2026 Preview: The Otaku Side of Leipzig’s Biggest Book Event

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.

Why I Keep Coming Back

LBM has become more than a fair—it is a creative playground and personal ritual. Every year brings new inspiration:

• Artistic cosplay interpretations

• Emerging photographers and costume presentations

• Japanese pop culture discussions

• Networking with fellow creators

With camera in hand and purple shirt on, I look forward to capturing the essence of Cosplay once again in 2026.

And now enjoy a selection of last year's sets:

ShiroCo Chemnitz 2025: Cosplay Photography, Artist Booths & Community Highlights

A Third Year at ShiroCo

With ShiroCo 2025, I attended the convention for the third time in a row — and just like in the previous years, I had my own artist booth there.

For me, this makes the experience quite different from simply visiting as a photographer. Having a booth means being able to present my photography work directly, including my artbooks, prints, and some of my other creative projects such as my Daruma coin series.

It’s always interesting to see how people react to the work in person. Conversations at conventions often lead to unexpected encounters — sometimes with collectors, sometimes with cosplayers interested in collaborations, and sometimes simply with curious visitors who stop by because a particular photo caught their attention.

ShiroCo has therefore become an important event in my annual convention schedule.

How I First Discovered ShiroCo

Interestingly, I first heard about ShiroCo during AniMC 2023. Both conventions share the same organizer — which explains the similar atmosphere and strong community focus.

After learning about ShiroCo at AniMC, I decided to visit later that same year.

That first visit in 2023 immediately convinced me to come back.

Since then, I have attended every year, always with a booth presenting my photography projects.

From Power Plant to Large Convention

While AniMC takes place in the Kraftwerk Chemnitz, ShiroCo is the organizer’s larger and more ambitious convention.

The event has grown steadily and now attracts a much broader audience of fans interested in:

• anime

• manga

• cosplay

• gaming

• Japanese pop culture

Compared to smaller local meetups, ShiroCo feels more like a full convention experience, with multiple program areas, stage events, and a wide range of exhibitors.

Artist booths and merchandise stands fill the halls, while various activities run throughout the day.

One particularly popular program element are the autograph sessions with voice actors. In previous editions, visitors had the chance to meet German voice actors from the anime One Piece and other well-known series. Even though those guest appearances are a highlight for many visitors, my own focus during the convention is usually somewhere else.

Cosplay Photography Remains the Main Attraction

As much as I enjoy presenting my photography work at the booth, the main reason I attend conventions like ShiroCo remains the same:

Cosplay photography.

Conventions bring together a wide range of creative costumes and passionate fans, which creates endless opportunities for interesting portraits and collaborations.

Between managing the booth and exploring the convention floor, I usually try to squeeze in as many cosplay shoots as possible. Even quick spontaneous portrait sessions can lead to surprisingly strong results.

Over the years ShiroCo has introduced me to many new cosplayers, some of whom I later worked with again on other projects.

The Artist Booth Experience

Running an artist booth during a convention adds an entirely different layer to the event.

Instead of simply walking around with a camera, the booth becomes a small exhibition space where visitors can discover my work in a curated form.

This includes:

• photography artbooks featuring cosplay portraits

• Japan artbooks with many of my stories from Hokkaido to Okinawa

• selected photo prints

• and special projects like the Daruma coin series

The coins, inspired by the traditional Japanese Daruma symbol of perseverance and goal-setting, often attract curiosity because they stand out among the more typical convention merchandise.

Many visitors are surprised to see such a combination of photography, artbooks, and collectible coins at a convention booth.

But that mixture of creative projects is exactly what makes presenting them at events like ShiroCo so enjoyable.

A Look Back: ShiroCo 2023–2025

This section is perfect for showcasing some of the most memorable cosplay portraits from the past three years. Comparing the images also highlights how both the convention and the cosplay scene around it have continued to grow.

Community, Creativity, and Continuity

One of the most appealing aspects of ShiroCo is the community atmosphere.

Despite its growth, the convention still retains a welcoming and approachable vibe. Many visitors return every year, which means you often meet familiar faces again.

For photographers and cosplayers alike, this continuity makes it easier to build long-term creative relationships.

Each year brings new costumes, new projects, and new opportunities for collaboration.

Looking Ahead

After three consecutive years, ShiroCo has firmly established itself as a reliable highlight in my convention calendar.

The combination of:

• a friendly community

• interesting guests

• creative cosplay

• and the opportunity to present my own work through an artist booth

makes the event particularly rewarding.

If the past three years are any indication, I will almost certainly be back again next year — camera ready and booth prepared.