Posted on 14th January 2025 by

Animangapop: Behind the Scenes

The interviews

In this short series we take a look behind the curtain at some of the people who make the magic happen. These people give huge chunks of their spare time to bring these shows to life all around the country and are dedicated in making sure they put on the best show they possibly can, making sure everyone has a fabulous time and leave them wanting to attend Animangapop again. So without further ado, let’s say hello to… Hella.

Hello Hella, thank you for taking the time to sit down and answer some questions.

Can you tell us what your role here is at Animangapop?

I’m the Cosplay and Press manager! You will usually find me at the cosplay desk at our events to help with all your cosplay needs and I handle our cosplay guests and our creator passes! I also host the cosplay competition and make sure that everything runs smoothly.

How did you get involved with Animangapop and have long have you been here?

I’ve been involved with Animangapop since July 2024 after our Stage manager Kim sent me the job application! I jumped at the chance to be a part of Animangapop as it was one of my first conventions 10 years ago!

What is one of your favourite tasks and why?

I love meeting all our cosplayers at events and doing prejudging! I enjoy seeing everyone’s amazing cosplays and discussing how they made it. I love hearing the passion from our guests into their favourite characters and how proud they are to have made their own cosplays.

What is the one task that is a grind but needs to be done?

Finding cosplay guests! It can be daunting when we haven’t got a lot of cosplay guest forms so I have to scout for some guests! It’s a task that has to be done.

If you had to pick one memorable thing that has happened in the last 10 years of AMP, what is it?

The massive caramelldansen that happened at one of the first Plymouth AMPs! It’s a memory I hold dear to me and I will always remember the scream that everyone made when it came on!

Animangapop embraces all forms of Japanese POP-Culture. What is your favourite part of Japanese culture and why?

Fashion! I love the Harajuku style and how vibrant it is! I also love how much you can express yourself through clothing, makeup and hair. I love the darker side with all those accessories.

What is your Favourite Anime?

I’m a huge fan of anime with personified people like Hetalia, Girls frontline but my all time favourite anime has to be Azur Lane (It’s a game as well!) I love the idea of infamous ships being anime girls. Hetalia is the reason why I love this genre!

Tell us one funny thing that has happened to you at an Animangapop event in the past?

I feel like this was funny to me but actually more wholesome! At AMP Brighton, I wasn’t cosplaying due to making my own wedding dress and announcing that on stage the room erupted into cheers! It was funny how much the cosplay community went crazy at me announcing my wedding!

Thank you for time time on this Hella, we know you are super busy with Shows.

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