Unlocking the fan-verse

Viktoria Chernenkii and Denis Chernenkii — better known as Medovvika and Armeyes — are among Russia's best-known cosplayers. Recently in Shanghai, they transformed into Rapunzel and Flynn Rider from the Disney movie Tangled, bringing the fairy tale to life at the intersection of fantasy and reality.

Making their second trip to China, the couple flew from Moscow to attend Bilibili World 2026 from July 10 to 12 in Shanghai.

The event is one of Asia's largest gatherings for ACGN (animation, comics, games and novels).

They began preparing for their BW debut months before departure. Determined to portray her favorite character as authentically as possible, Medovvika commissioned a seamstress to handcraft her "historically accurate" costume six months in advance.

As for Rapunzel's iconic long, gorgeous blonde braid, Medovvika turned to China. About a month before leaving, she did what many Chinese cosplayers do — she reached out to a Chinese platform and placed a rush order to customize the wig.

"Only Chinese wigmakers know how to make the wig light, beautiful and detailed," recalls Medovvika excitedly.

The couple also researched BW's traditions and discovered that attendees often exchange handmade gifts. They prepared their own freebies for Chinese fans: beautifully printed cards featuring their cosplay photographs, paired with pieces of Russian chocolate.

Although they are leading cosplayers in Russia, they were still amazed by BW's scale, inclusiveness and the creativity of Chinese participants.

"Chinese cosplay is on another level when it comes to craftsmanship and detail. We don't have a venue this large in Russia. This festival isn't just huge — it has something for everyone, from gamers and photographers to anime fans," she adds.

Despite the language barrier, the eye-catching pair was frequently stopped by fellow attendees asking for photos.

They described Chinese fans as "polite, friendly, lovely and always ready to help", and hoped to meet more Chinese cosplayers in Russia in the future.

This year marked the first time BW sold tickets to overseas fans. The three-day event attracted a total of 400,000 visitors from over 30 countries and regions across the world, and featured 170 global exhibitors, more than 60,000 cosplayers and nearly 1,000 itasha exhibits — vehicles decorated with vibrant ACGN-themed artwork, according to video-sharing platform Bilibili, the event's organizer.

Among those spotted in the crowd was Cambodia's Princess Norodom Jenna. Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, dropped teasers for the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday, drawing large crowds of fans like South Korean YouTuber Kim Chae-ho, who joined enthusiastic audiences eager for every new reveal.

Allison Franco and Alberto Franco, a couple in their 30s from the United States, even applied for passports and traveled abroad for the first time specifically to attend BW.

Wearing matching custom outfits inspired by video games, they spent six weeks preparing for the Shanghai trip and were particularly struck by the warmth and hospitality of the local people.

"We haven't had any issues that we thought we might have. Everyone has been so kind and gone out of their way to make sure we have a great experience ... I wanted to be one of the people who come over here (at BW), experience it and show my fans what it's like," says Allison Franco, a content creator with over 1.2 million social media followers.

She adds that Chinese ACGN-themed productions, such as Heaven Official's Blessing and Link Click, are "insanely popular" in the US.

Alongside the fan carnival, musicians from both China and abroad also came together for the annual ACGN-themed Bilibili Macro Link concert.

Now in its 14th edition, this year's concert featured music from seven popular Chinese games, including Arknights, Azur Lane, Genshin Impact, and Wuthering Waves.

Casey Lee Williams, a 27-year-old American vocalist who began recording music for animation at 14, says she is grateful to be part of the event.

After first singing for a Chinese game soundtrack in 2017, she has come to appreciate the industry's strong commitment to music and musicians.

Williams says China has given her "incredible" opportunities to perform over the past decade. Dressed as a character from Wuthering Waves, she performed one of the game's songs at the concert before embarking on a tour spanning Asia and the US later this year.

"Being together is the most important thing in the world. China's ACGN community really captures that spirit and brings people together in such a special way. On a global scale, togetherness is what matters most," she says.

Celebrated Chinese singer Tan Jing also drew inspiration from the passion of ACGN fans. Having released her first ACGN cover song in 2021, she performed her first video game song at this year's concert, prompting a sing-along from the audience.

"I'm delighted to see younger generations helping Chinese culture continue to evolve and gain global influence. More international participants are joining the event, and our traditional culture is crossing borders through music. I also hope to further explore cultural integration and musical innovation," Tan says.

Industry data show that in 2025, the revenue generated by China's independently developed games in overseas markets exceeded $20.45 billion.