Animenia Abu Dhabi 2026 brought massive immersive anime IPs such as Dandadan, Spy X Family, Bleach and Gintama, major Japanese guests, and one of the region’s biggest cosplay competitions.

But what was it like behind the scenes?

In this episode, we share our experience hosting the cosplay judges panel, what we learned from international judges, and why this event feels like a turning point for the UAE anime community.

Was this the biggest anime festival in the region yet? Let’s talk about it.