[Archive 2023-09-18] Wikinews attends Animeleague's summer 2023 Birmingham, UK Anime & Gaming Con

Historical archive — originally published 2023-09-18. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

In late August, con-goers — over 4,000 according to organisers' estimates to Wikinews — flocked to Edgbaston Stadium for the two-day-long Animeleague Birmingham Anime & Gaming Con in the United Kingdom. Wikinews reporter Ash Thawley attended on the second day, August 27, from 11:00 BST (1000 UTC) to 14:00 BST (1300 UTC).

The convention's Exhibition Hall featured crystals for sale, and both it and the second-floor Banqueting Suite hosted anime and video game memorabilia for sale. Also on sale in the latter were J-pop merchandise, swords — including katanas — and doughnuts. Cats Protection was in attendance in the Exhibition Hall.

The second-floor 1882 Suite had events, video and tabletop gaming areas, an Animeleague merchandise desk, and a rest area.

On August 26, Inverness, Scotland-raised J-pop idol Meowgical Rosie performed at the convention. Rosie answered Wikinews' emailed queries after it ended.

((Meowgical Rosie)) I discovered J-pop music and idol culture on the internet one day, and I instantly fell in love. The cute outfits and upbeat songs made me so happy, and I wanted to share that happiness with everyone. It was very different from everything I had been used to up until that point, as I was a slightly tomboyish child, but when I felt the energetic cheerful vibes of J-pop music for the first time I knew in my heart that it was the path I was meant to follow.

((Meowgical Rosie)) I've always been a huge lover of cats, so I knew I wanted to incorporate that somehow. I also wanted to encompass that joyful, almost magical feeling I get from J-pop. The word 'meowgical' seemed to have that vibe I was going for, and my name is Rosie, so I became Meowgical Rosie!

((Meowgical Rosie)) One of the biggest messages I try to share is to not be afraid to follow your dreams and to do what makes you happy. Too often I see and hear of people making fun of others for having unconventional hobbies and interests — it happened to me when I was first starting out as a performer, a lot of people made fun of me for it. It breaks my heart to hear of those who have given up the things that bring them joy because of taunting and bullying. I feel as long as it's harmless, we should be able to enjoy the things that make us happy without fear of what other people think. But of course, I understand it isn't always easy to have the confidence to do so, and that's why I want to help others find that confidence in themselves like I did! I hope that as a performer, I can inspire others like me to be unashamed to follow their hearts and their dreams.

((Meowgical Rosie)) It was not my first time there, I've performed at that event a few times now and it's always such an energetic crowd! Some have come to my performances on multiple occasions now and it's always wonderful to see familiar faces, but also meet new ones each time I'm there! I definitely hope to return next time.

At 12:00 BST (1100 UTC) on August 27, LELE performed at the convention. LELE, a J-pop idol who has performed in Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom, has released a few albums and extended plays, as well as three singles. LELE answered Wikinews' emailed questions after the convention concluded.

((LELE)) I come from a very musical background, both of my parents are musicians and myself and my siblings are also musically trained. However, I didn't actually begin to take music seriously as a career choice until I was about 20. I've always been a huge fan of anime and it was actually the opening theme songs that inspired me to begin singing in Japanese. I wanted to write and produce music that I enjoyed listening to myself, but I also wanted to write something that sounded like it could be a 'theme song'. Often when I write music, I create an anime in my head that would fit with it and it sort of helps to keep me writing within a theme. TL;DR: Anime.

Source and licence

Text adapted from Wikinews attends Animeleague's summer 2023 Birmingham, UK Anime & Gaming Con by Wikinews contributors under CC BY 2.5. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. Contributor history.