Disney Cosplay, Animation Industry Talk at Toronto’s Anime North

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Nicholas Moreau

Cosplay photo gallery lower in the article

While definitively an anime convention, there was a variety of Disney content at Toronto’s Anime North. In particular, DisKingdom.com saw dozens of fans in cosplay from the worlds Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel. While the company’s relationship with Studio Ghibli ended in 2017, the event of course had much to offer from Hayao Miyazaki’s creations.

During the weekend, Disney, Star Wars, and Kingdom Hearts cosplay photoshoots were scheduled. As previously reported on this site, the convention including appearances by Tim Eldred, the director of Disney XD series Avengers Assemble, a talk about the connection between Marvel and anime, an anime historian on Hayao Miyazaki, and an evening of Disney karaoke, among other programs.

Anime North is North America’s fourth largest anime convention, the largest in Canada, just as Toronto is the continent’s fourth largest city, and the largest in Canada. The fan-run event offers hundreds of programs, gaming tables, a large marketplace, among other attractions.

Just a fraction of the event, which spans over many buildings.

Handy Manny animation studio talks about industry

Animation studio Nelvana held a panel discussion about getting into the animation industry. The company’s past credits include the 1980s Droids and Ewoks television series, and Playhouse Disney series Rolie Polie Olie and Handy Manny. The varied panel talked about the importance of being flexible, a willingness to try working in specialties like rigging or effects, and that having passion for what you’re doing will lead to improvement.

Voice actor Stephany Seki, who voiced Num Nums in 2016 Disney Channel series Polly and the Zhu Zhu Pets, shared how many of the better new voice actors come from theatre, as many screen actors’ performances are too quiet. While some voice actors focus on one specific voice, Seki specializes in “character” parts, doing a range of voices.

The panelists noted that it “says something about a studio” when various employees have stuck around for over two decades, and at least one crew member remains on staff, who worked on Star Wars: Ewoks (1985-87).

Talking to cosplayer Reiyume Chibi

Jack and Sally, by Reiyume Chibi Cosplay

DisKingdom talked to cosplayer “Reiyume Chibi“, who with her boyfriend Cameron designed armor based on Jack Skellington and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Says Reiyume, whose real name is Ashley, “since he was always helping me with my cosplays, I decided to propose the idea to create an original design for Jack and Sally so that Cameron could be his favourite character.”

Ashley spent a week or so developing the idea for both outfits. Cameron incorporated bones into his outfit, and based on that success, they chose to integrate it into the scythe as well.

“We then used EVA foam to create the entirety of both cosplays and insulation foam for our weapons.” At night, the props light up, “to give a little something extra.” The couple work for a month of nights and weekends to create the cosplays.

After the fact, Reiyume Chibi Cosplay relayed that

The “most difficult part was the makeup and body paint, as we were worried it would wipe off or become splotchy throughout the weekend”, but after the fact, the cosplayer told DisKingdom that she was pleasantly surprised that “it held up overall.”