Cosplayers, artists and fans gather for first Reading Anime-Fest

Many of the people attending Reading Anime-Fest arrived Saturday at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Reading dressed as characters from their favorite anime or manga series. Among them was Ariel Abbott, 22, of Coatesville, Chester County, who came dressed as Hinako Shimizu from the Japanese horror franchise “Silent Hill.” Abbott attended the first-time event in Reading with three friends — sisters Serena Campoli, 22, and Amara Campoli, 15, of Parkesburg, Chester County, and Charry Stone, 16, of York — who all cosplayed characters from the Japanese manga series “Soul Eater.” Even though Stone lives about an hour away from the others, the group carefully coordinated their costumes while preparing for the convention. “While making our costumes, we were on call with each other, like just struggle-bussing it,” Stone said before they headed out to the floor to explore what the convention had to offer. “It’s really when you can meet other people who also like the same thing,” Amara Campoli said. Anime enthusiasts from around the region found a welcoming community at the hotel. More than an hour after the doors opened, the line to purchase the $20 admission tickets stretched well into a hallway. The convention provided a platform for artists and authors to share their work with fans who appreciate the same creative influences. Anil Serpin of northern New Jersey, author of “Nandi and the Castle in the Sea,” peers out from his home with no corners at the Reading Anime Fest in the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 701 Penn St., on Saturday, March 7, 2026. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) At one table, author Anil Serpin of New Jersey displayed copies of his book, “Nandi and the Castle in the Sea,” illustrated by Sheryl Chieng. The display reflected the book’s setting. Serpin said events like Anime-Fest offer creators a chance to connect with readers in a way that social media cannot. “It’s a way to connect with people on a personal level instead of just through a screen,” he said. “If someone follows me after meeting me here, it’s not just a random person. There’s a connection there, and that feels more meaningful.” Serpin said he began attending conventions after publishing the book last year and regularly travels to shows to promote it. After the Reading event, he planned to head straight to another convention in Niagara Falls, N.Y. “I’m willing to travel for shows,” he said. “I do traditional comic conventions and animation shows. My art style kind of leans toward Eastern art, so I’ve found that anime conventions really appreciate it.” One table over, the owner of Go Getter Movement Studioz, Hamburg, used the event to promote her  studio, which offers adults the opportunity to learn aerial art movement by hanging from the 17-foot-high ceiling of a former mill building. Nearby, veteran voice actor Cynthia Cranz sold prints depicting characters she has portrayed over a career that spans more than 25 years in anime. Cranz said she commissions artists to create the illustrations and signs them for fans so they have something to take home. Voice actor Cynthia Cranz of Fort Worth, Texas, greets visitors at the Reading Anime Fest in the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 701 Penn St., on Saturday, March 7, 2026. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) Though her voice is recognizable to fans, Cranz said she enjoys maintaining a degree of anonymity. “I love being anonymous,” she said. “My goal as an actor was for people to care about my work. I didn’t know what that was going to look like, but the people who love anime really love it. It’s fulfilled my goal perfectly.” Cranz lives in Fort Worth, Texas, and said she chose not to move to the entertainment hubs on either coast. “I just wanted to work professionally and have people care about it,” she said. Liz Garcia of Kenhorst displays the characters she created for her book series “Angels Over Demons at the Reading Anime Fest in the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 701 Penn St., on Saturday, March 7, 2026. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) Local artist Liz Garcia, 30, showcased anime-inspired artwork, which she calls Project Hybrid Manga, at the event. The Kenhorst resident said her interest in the art form began when she was young. “It was one of the things I watched growing up,” she said. “When I found manga, it just meshed everything I loved — books, drawing and storytelling.” Her process blends traditional and digital techniques. “I sketch it out on paper, scan it into the computer, then digitally outline it and paint it,” she said. “It’s not AI-generated.” Garcia said manga’s blend of compelling characters and storytelling continues to inspire her work. “You see these really cool characters and then you see the story behind them,” she said. “You get attached to them.”

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