Beyond fantasy: From 'me' to 'us'

This summer thousands of young attendees and cosplayers from China and around the world came together for the "BilibiliWorld 2026" to celebrate their favorite gaming, anime, and creator communities in Shanghai. Organized by Bilibili, one of the China's prominent video-sharing platforms, the event is a space where fantasies and reality coexist for youngsters.

As somebody already well-versed in the culture of anime, comics, gaming, and novels, I saw this one-day trip as an opportunity to catch up with a familiar acquaintance. My first impression of the activity was the massive, early-morning queue. The crowd moved like a tide surging towards the check-in gate, sweeping us up in its current. Standing there shoulder-to-shoulder and holding our breath waiting for the gate to open, I felt less like an entertainment-seeking visitor and more like a participant in a collective ritual.

Stepping inside, the exhibition unfolded a rich tapestry of fandom, ranging from Chinese titles, such as Genshin Impact and Scissor Seven, to overseas franchises, like the Marvel series and One Piece. At various booths, astonishingly massive and intricately designed models stood alongside cosplayers in elaborate costumes, each bringing iconic game and anime characters to life. Having lived in Shanghai for all of my 16 years, I couldn’t help but ask myself, "Is this really the place I know?"

Taking photos with cosplayers once felt intimidating to me, however, the genuine hospitality of the community quickly melted my anxiety away. For me, this became a way to hold onto the people I met and the vibrant world we created together.

Through my lens as a content creator, this realization became even clearer. Having made videos on the platform for over three years with a community of more than 10,000 followers, I still felt like a small fish in a big pond. When I spotted several creators with more than 3 million subscribers, I quickly gathered the courage to approach them. Their energetic, engaging videos had long fueled my creative journey, and meeting them in person made that inspiration feel incredibly tangible.

Speaking with them, I learned how they had built their massive community through persistence, imagination, and a willingness to share. Those few minutes quietly ignited my own passion to keep creating.

Above all, these encounters offered me a deep sense of belonging. They made me feel that my own work, no matter how humble, was woven into a much larger community that unites creators, enthusiasts, and the fantastical world we all share and love. At that point, creation ceased to be a solitary endeavor. Instead, it became a journey of turning "me" into "us".

Sitting on the metro on my way home, already longing for this "heaven" to return, I realized that this activity was never an escape from reality, but a bridge between the physical world and a spiritual utopia for us. It reveals a profound yet hidden truth: whatever we discover within the realm of fantasy is meant to be carried back and lived out in the real world.

The author is a student from Shanghai Pinghe School.

The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

If you have a specific expertise, or would like to share your thoughts about our stories, then send us your writings at opinion@chinadaily.com.cn, and comment@chinadaily.com.cn.