Cosplayers come for the manga library as Otafest celebrates 27th year in Calgary

Japanese pop culture was on full display at the Telus Convention Centre in downtown Calgary as thousands gathered for Otafest. Tyler Barrow reports.

Otafest returned to Calgary this weekend for its 27th year, celebrating anime, Japanese pop culture and community connection.

Thousands of fans, including anime lovers, cosplayers, gamers and newcomers from across Alberta crowded into the Telus Convention Centre Saturday to celebrate.

There were musical guests, voice actors, anime screenings, an Otafest arcade, an artist alley and a manga library for fans to browse through.

“Otafest isn’t just a fan convention — it’s a cultural bridge,” said Stephanie Mok, Otafest’s head of government and press relations. “As we gather to celebrate anime and Japanese pop culture, we’re also embracing the broader contributions of Asian heritage and artistry. It’s an exciting, inclusive way to mark Asian Heritage Month and spotlight the creativity that inspires and connects us.”

She said the key to the appeal of anime is that it offers something for everyone.

“A lot of folks might associate it with Pokemon, Sailor Moon, a lot of those old school shows from mainstream TV,” she said.

“But Japanese animation is more of a medium than a genre,” she added. “So you’ll have content for everyone. There’s content for kids, horror anime, sports anime – so I think one of the reasons it attracts so many people...is because there really is something for everyone in this community."

She said the non-profit festival expects around 20,000 to attend over the weekend. Saturday was sold-out as were weekend passes, with a limited amount of tickets available for Sunday.

For more about Otafest, go here.

With files from CTV Calgary’s Tyler Barrow