For one Saturday in August, Nairobi became a meeting place for anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese pop culture, as thousands of fans gathered at the Carnivore Grounds for Otamatsuri 2026.

Held on August 22 and organised by Movie Jabber, the annual convention drew roughly 4,500 to 5,000 attendees, according to organisers and reports from the event. The turnout made this year’s edition the largest in Otamatsuri’s history and marked another step in the festival’s rapid growth.

The convention brought together cosplayers, gamers, J-pop fans, artists, vendors, and families for a day of Japanese and Korean pop culture. Among the headline attractions was Japanese idol Yurapico, whose performance marked her debut in Africa. Tokyo-based Katanaya Ichi, a samurai and ninja performance troupe, also made its African debut, bringing swordplay and stage combat to the festival.

The programme extended well beyond the main stage. Fans competed in cosplay and webtoon-related activities, browsed stalls selling manga and merchandise, and took part in gaming tournaments and an overnight LAN party. The main festival ran from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., followed by an 18+ after-party, while the LAN event continued until Sunday morning.

The scale of the gathering also caught international attention. The Guardian published a photo essay from the convention, documenting the elaborate costumes and colourful characters who filled the Carnivore Grounds. But Otamatsuri’s story is not only about one increasingly large convention. The event traces its beginnings to Anime Café, a small Nairobi gathering of around 20 or 30 regulars. Over the years, it has moved through increasingly larger venues before arriving at the Carnivore Grounds for its first fully outdoor edition in 2026.

That growth reflects the increasingly visible community that has formed around anime and Japanese pop culture in Kenya. At Otamatsuri, fandom is not confined to screens: it appears in handmade costumes, gaming communities, music, merchandise, performance, and the friendships formed around shared obsessions.

For a generation of African fans who grew up encountering Japanese stories and characters through television, the internet, and streaming platforms, Otamatsuri offers a physical space to inhabit that fandom together.

Take a look at the images below for a glimpse of Otamatsuri 2026 and the fans who brought Nairobi’s anime scene to life.

Photo Credit: Luistatophoto