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《Doll Weekend》 World’s Largest Cosplay Exhibition Arrives in China with Over a Thousand Cosplay Dolls Participating to Break a World Record.
World’s Largest Kigurumi Exhibition Arrives in China's Guangdong Province, with Over a Thousand Cosplay Dolls Participating to Break a World Record.
Guangdong, China, August 15th,
Doll Weekend 12 (DW12), eagerly anticipated by anime doll enthusiasts worldwide, is set to open its doors from August 16th to 17th at the Sheraton Resort Hotel in Heyuan City, Guangdong Province, China. As the world's largest Kigurumi anime doll convention, this annual event will bring together thousands of "anime doll" cosplayers, exhibitors, and creators to jointly craft a dreamlike midsummer carnival. The event's theme is "Discover the Resonance of the Soul", inviting all friends who love anime, cosplay, and doll culture to explore their own unique "anime doll" world.
Kigurumi
Since its first event in 2013, the Doll Weekend series has grown into an internationally recognised event in the Kigurumi anime doll field. This year, for the first time, it has received full support from a Chinese municipal government, establishing it as a new cultural industry. Kigurumi anime dolls, or "kigurumi" for short, is a form of anime character dress-up originating from Japan. Participants wear an elaborate head shell and custom costumes to transform into cute or cool "anime dolls", achieving a perfect transformation from reality to fantasy. Unlike traditional cosplay, Kigurumi anime dolls focus on the exquisite craftsmanship of the mask and the harmony of the entire body, emphasising the perfectly replicated cuteness and mystique of an "anime doll".
Over the past 11 events, Doll Weekend has attracted tens of thousands of cosplayers from China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe, and America, exhibiting thousands of types of head shells, costumes, accessories, and promoting the global spread of Kigurumi anime doll culture. The 12th event will be held at the Sheraton Resort Hotel in Heyuan, chosen not only for its beautiful natural environment and high-end facilities, but also to symbolise the international hotel brand's recognition, offering players a more comfortable and dreamlike "resort-style" themed experience. The organisers stated that this event will incorporate the scenic European-style gardens, introducing more outdoor interactive elements, allowing "anime dolls" to fully express their creativity on a lush summer day.
Dozens of anime itasha cars to be exhibited for the first time, jointly with anime dolls.
This event will be held at the Sheraton Resort Hotel in Heyuan Bavaria Manor.
The DW12 event schedule is diverse, covering a full range of content from commercial exhibitions to entertainment interactions. The core exhibitor area will feature numerous top Kigurumi anime doll production studios and brands. Well-known companies such as HiDolls, HAMPOO LATEX, Raigeki Workshop, Neko Tofu, Gen-Neko Monogatari, and Ko-you Tezuka will exhibit their latest head shells, exquisite costumes, accessories, and related products. At the same time, the venue will host high-level forums and interactive exchanges, introducing new technology fields into the event.
In addition to business activities, DW12 has added several special features, the most notable of which are the "Fireworks Display" and the "SkyDoll Drone Show". The fireworks display will be held at night, where players in their "anime doll" costumes can enjoy the spectacular show, creating a romantic summer night atmosphere. The "SkyDoll" drone show will be executed by the "Damoda Zhikong Drone Team", combining technology with the growth history of Doll Weekend, with drone formations drawing various "anime doll" patterns that will illuminate the night sky.
The first-ever anime cosplay-themed carnival fireworks display.
Online events are equally rich. The organisers will live-stream the entire event on Bilibili's "Doll_weekend" channel, allowing global users to watch for free in real-time. Fans who cannot attend in person can still experience the charm of DW12 through the live stream. The live broadcast schedule has already been released, featuring a variety of content including exhibitor interviews, player parades, performances, the drone show, and the fireworks display.
As a promoter of Kigurumi anime doll culture, Doll Weekend is more than just an exhibition; it is a community that connects the world. Over the past few years, the event has fostered the birth of countless creative studios, driven innovation in head shell craftsmanship, and even influenced the peripheral development of the anime industry. Its arrival in Heyuan City, Guangdong Province, will inject vitality into the local tourism industry. The Sheraton Resort Hotel in Heyuan is famous for its hot springs, lake views, and high-end services, allowing players to enjoy a resort holiday between events and truly experience a "fusion of play and enjoyment". The organisers expect this tourism-integrated event to attract over 5,000 participants and an online viewership of over 100,000, further solidifying Doll Weekend's position as the world's largest Kigurumi anime doll convention.
This event is fully promoted by the municipal government, combining the three elements of culture, tourism, and anime.
For more details, follow the official X account @doll_weekend or the Bilibili live-stream channel to join this midsummer carnival!
- 《DollWeekend》Official Website: https://dollweekend.com
- 《DollWeekend》Bilibili: https://space.bilibili.com/2123643738
- 《DollWeekend》X: https://x.com/doll_weekend
- 《DollWeekend》Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@doll_weekend
About Doll Weekend:
The world's largest Kigurumi anime doll image brand and largest exhibition event, founded and managed by Shenzhen Weiou Shikong Technology Company. Doll Weekend brings together thousands of global deep-anime culture players each year and actively collaborates with international brands to jointly create the world's largest subculture event.
About Kigurumi:
Originating from Japanese two-dimensional culture, it is considered one of the dress-up forms of future humans and is a rapidly growing unicorn project within the anime culture sphere. As of 2025, there are over 300,000 core users worldwide, with each user's lifetime value reaching $20,000. It is a new interest product for Generation Z (16-28 years old). At the current growth rate, it is expected to reach a market size of $2-3 billion by 2028 and $6-10 billion by 2030.