• A woman in cosplay poses with Batman at the Middle East Film & Comic Con 2022 in Abu Dhabi. All photos by Antonie Robertson / The National, unless specified otherwise
    A woman in cosplay poses with Batman at the Middle East Film & Comic Con 2022 in Abu Dhabi. All photos by Antonie Robertson / The National, unless specified otherwise
  • The judging panel of the cosplay competition.
    The judging panel of the cosplay competition.
  • A woman in cosplay performs on stage.
    A woman in cosplay performs on stage.
  • A cosplayer with a horse head mask.
    A cosplayer with a horse head mask.
  • The audience turned out in full force to watch the cosplay competition.
    The audience turned out in full force to watch the cosplay competition.
  • A cosplayer as the Marvel superhero Iron Man.
    A cosplayer as the Marvel superhero Iron Man.
  • Symbiote x Chainsaw Man.
    Symbiote x Chainsaw Man.
  • A young girl participates in the cosplay competition.
    A young girl participates in the cosplay competition.
  • The event took place at the MEFCC Mainstage, which is outdoors.
    The event took place at the MEFCC Mainstage, which is outdoors.
  • A girl cosplays as DC superhero Wonder Woman.
    A girl cosplays as DC superhero Wonder Woman.
  • The judging panel featured regional and international cosplayers.
    The judging panel featured regional and international cosplayers.
  • Even though not everyone entered the competition, there was still plenty of cosplay on display on day two of the Middle East Film & Comic Con.
    Even though not everyone entered the competition, there was still plenty of cosplay on display on day two of the Middle East Film & Comic Con.
  • A cosplayer in a menacing outfit.
    A cosplayer in a menacing outfit.
  • The children who competed in the Kids Cosplay competition were all winners and received swag bags.
    The children who competed in the Kids Cosplay competition were all winners and received swag bags.
  • Sylar Serag, as Bazelgeuse Armor from 'Monster Hunter', won first place in the Best Craftsmanship category. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con
    Sylar Serag, as Bazelgeuse Armor from 'Monster Hunter', won first place in the Best Craftsmanship category. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con
  • Ashwani Kapoor as Samurai Vegito Blue from 'Dragon Ball Z' took second place in Best Craftsmanship. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con
    Ashwani Kapoor as Samurai Vegito Blue from 'Dragon Ball Z' took second place in Best Craftsmanship. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con
  • Mohamed Farahat as Banbaro from 'Monster Hunter World' took third place in Best Craftsmanship. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con
    Mohamed Farahat as Banbaro from 'Monster Hunter World' took third place in Best Craftsmanship. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con
  • Sabie Cipriani as Nico Yazawa from 'Long Live! School Idol Project' was first in Best Performance on Stage. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con
    Sabie Cipriani as Nico Yazawa from 'Long Live! School Idol Project' was first in Best Performance on Stage. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con
  • Mohammed Hasan, who goes by the cosplay name Themed Injection, won third place for Best Performance on Stage as Heath Ledger’s The Joker. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con
    Mohammed Hasan, who goes by the cosplay name Themed Injection, won third place for Best Performance on Stage as Heath Ledger’s The Joker. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con

Arts & Culture

Cosplayers take over Abu Dhabi's Middle East Film & Comic Con 2022

A prize pool of Dh25,000 was up for grabs for Best Craftsmanship and Best Performance on Stage

Evelyn Lau
Evelyn Lau

March 06, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

Cosplayers from the region donned their best outfits as part of the competition at Middle East Film and Comic Con on Saturday night at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

The segment is always a highlight of the pop culture event, which is being hosted in the capital for the first time this year. Characters from film, television, video games and anime were some of the popular choices on display at the competition.

There were three categories: Best Craftsmanship, Best Performance on Stage and Best Kids Cosplay. Everyone was a winner in the children's category and received a swag bag.

DC and Marvel favourites such as Iron Man, Batman and Wonder Woman appeared on the MEFCC Mainstage as did references to characters from Pokemon and the video games League of Legends and Monster Hunter. One man showed up in an impressive Symbiote x Chainsaw Man cosplay.

The judging panel consisted of regional and international cosplayers: Italy’s Leon Chiro, Sakura Flor from the Netherlands, Kuwait’s Majed Alkanderi and hadoolalk, Elizabeth Rage from the US, and the UAE’s Essa Al-Bastaki.

“There are so many different parts of cosplay to celebrate,” Rage said ahead of the event. "Craftsmanship, performance, interpretation, all of that. We'll be judging the contests and admiring the work of the cosplayers here in the UAE."

Even for those not in the competition, there was still plenty of impressive cosplay on display around Adnec on day two of the event, as pop culture fans dressed up as their favourite characters.

Winners of the 2022 MEFCC cosplay competition:

Best Performance On Stage

Sabie Cipriani won first place in Best Performance on Stage. Photo: Middle East Film & Comic Con
Sabie Cipriani won first place in Best Performance on Stage. Photo: Middle East Film & Comic Con
  1. Sabie Cipriani as Nico Yazawa from Long Live! School Idol Project
  2. Lujaine Yacoub as Caitlyn Kiramman from Arcane: League of Legends
  3. Mohammed Hasan as Heath Ledger’s The Joker

Best Craftsmanship

Sylar Serag, as Bazelgeuse Armor from 'Monster Hunter', won first place in Best Craftsmanship. Photo: Middle East Film & Comic Con
Sylar Serag, as Bazelgeuse Armor from 'Monster Hunter', won first place in Best Craftsmanship. Photo: Middle East Film & Comic Con
  1. Sylar Serag as Bazelgeuse Armor from Monster Hunter
  2. Ashwani Kapoor as Samurai Vegito Blue from Dragon Ball Z
  3. Mohamed Farahat as Banbaro from Monster Hunter: World

Scroll through our gallery below to see highlights from day one of Middle East Film and Comic Con 2022.

  • The Middle East Film and Comic Con took place in Abu Dhabi for the first time in 2022 after being held in Dubai for many years. All photos: Victor Besa / The National
    The Middle East Film and Comic Con took place in Abu Dhabi for the first time in 2022 after being held in Dubai for many years. All photos: Victor Besa / The National
  • The event is region's largest pop culture festival.
    The event is region's largest pop culture festival.
  • A woman in cosplay at the outdoor Party Plaza area at Adnec.
    A woman in cosplay at the outdoor Party Plaza area at Adnec.
  • Saeed with the Alejandro stuffed toy.
    Saeed with the Alejandro stuffed toy.
  • Print artist Khalid Al Raiisi with his 3D work.
    Print artist Khalid Al Raiisi with his 3D work.
  • Women take a selfie with the Batman statue.
    Women take a selfie with the Batman statue.
  • Ameera of Princess Designs custom art mugs.
    Ameera of Princess Designs custom art mugs.
  • A fan takes a selfie with The Chuckies.
    A fan takes a selfie with The Chuckies.
  • Comic Con visitors pose with Batman.
    Comic Con visitors pose with Batman.
  • Nadine, left, as Ms Joke and Reem as Shinso from the Japanese manga 'Of My Hero Academia'.
    Nadine, left, as Ms Joke and Reem as Shinso from the Japanese manga 'Of My Hero Academia'.
  • From left: Mimi Al Hajehr as Beidou, Lilly Lou as a Japanese school girl and Shouq Al Mehairbi as Nezuko.
    From left: Mimi Al Hajehr as Beidou, Lilly Lou as a Japanese school girl and Shouq Al Mehairbi as Nezuko.
  • A replicate of Thanos's infinity stone gauntlet.
    A replicate of Thanos's infinity stone gauntlet.
  • Visitors enjoy the outdoor area of Party Plaza.
    Visitors enjoy the outdoor area of Party Plaza.
  • Dexter Stephenson as Zenitsu Agatsuma, left, and Ahmed Al Hammadi as Inosuke from 'Dragon Slayer'.
    Dexter Stephenson as Zenitsu Agatsuma, left, and Ahmed Al Hammadi as Inosuke from 'Dragon Slayer'.
  • From left: Paris as Sleeping Beauty, Majed as Karl Heissenberg from 'Resident Evil Village' and Erim as Ezio of 'Assassin's Creed'.
    From left: Paris as Sleeping Beauty, Majed as Karl Heissenberg from 'Resident Evil Village' and Erim as Ezio of 'Assassin's Creed'.
  • Children enjoy an inflatable playhouse in the Party Plaza area.
    Children enjoy an inflatable playhouse in the Party Plaza area.
  • Glow in the dark artist Mohammed Al Ketbi.
    Glow in the dark artist Mohammed Al Ketbi.
  • The Middle East Film and Comic Con 2022 was held at Adnec.
    The Middle East Film and Comic Con 2022 was held at Adnec.
  • Artists Yasmin, left, and Leila Nemer at Artist Alley.
    Artists Yasmin, left, and Leila Nemer at Artist Alley.
  • Young visitors playing computer games.
    Young visitors playing computer games.
  • Comic books available for purchase at Comic Con.
    Comic books available for purchase at Comic Con.
Election pledges on migration

CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections" 

SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom" 

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm

Transmission: eight-speed auto

Price: from Dh122,745

On sale: now

Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

PROFILE

Name: Enhance Fitness 

Year started: 2018 

Based: UAE 

Employees: 200 

Amount raised: $3m 

Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors 

Tank warfare

Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks. 

“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.

“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

ALL THE RESULTS

Bantamweight

Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.

Lightweight

Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.

Catch 74kg

Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.

Strawweight (Female)

Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.

Featherweight

Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.

Lightweight

Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.

Welterweight

Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.

Bantamweight

Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.

Lightweight

Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.

Lightweight

Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.

Welterweight

Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.

Featherweight title bout

Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.

NBA FINALS SO FAR

(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)

Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109

Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109

Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123

Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105

Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106

Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland

Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)

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Updated: March 06, 2022, 10:16 AM
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