Comic Con Cape Town opened its doors early on Day One as thousands of fans queued outside the CTICC2, ready to dive into everything from cosplay and anime to gaming and comic books. With a strong turnout and a rush of last-minute ticket sales, the 2025 edition of Comic Con Cape Town is now officially sold out. But stay tuned to 10and5 for the inside scoop on what’s going down at the Con.
Day one, went down like this…
Anime Guests Take the Stage
The City of Cape Town opened the event before the Main Stage got underway with a headline appearance by Zach Aguilar, voice actor behind Tanjiro Kamado in Demon Slayer. Aguilar met fans, signed autographs, and shared behind-the-scenes stories from his work in anime. He was followed by popular YouTubers Aki Dearest and The Anime Man, who spoke about their journeys in content creation. Cosplayer Yuji Koi also joined the programme, drawing interest for her craft-focused approach to cosplay.
Esports and Gaming Highlights
Esports fans gathered at the Telkom stand for the eDiski Championships quarter-finals and semi-finals, competing for a R175,000 prize. The Next Gen Squad made their first in-person appearance, while the Toyota Gaming Engine offered free-to-play titles and giveaways. Other highlights included the Tekken 8 tournament hosted by Red Bull Golden Letters and UFC5 games hosted by Checkers Sixty60. UFC Champion Dricus Du Plessis is expected to appear on Saturday.
Cosplay Took Over
From meticulously hand-built armour to throw-on capes and character tees, cosplayers came out in full force. The CTICC2 became a multiverse of fandoms, with everything from Viking warriors to Minecraft mobs roaming the halls. Star Wars characters were already out in numbers ahead of May the 4th, and the Casual Cosplay competition delivered some unexpected gems. Our fave was a hilarious trio of bananas tagged as “Victims of Donkey Kong.” Cosplay Central on the ground floor was a popular pitstop, with mirror stations and dressing areas courtesy of Medirite x Essence.
Pop Culture Activations
- Netflix recreated elements from Squid Game season 3, complete with photo opportunities, costumed guards, and a prize display.
- M-Net built an activation for The Last of Us, while
- Amazon ran a “What’s in the Box?” competition inside a large replica delivery box.
- HintHunt’s escape room setup and a Dance Dance Revolution station kept fans moving throughout the day.
Artist Alley and Comic Sessions
In partnership with FanCon, Artist Alley featured over 40 local and international illustrators. Artists held live drawing sessions, shared advice with fans, and discussed breaking into the comics industry. Laura Braga led a themed drawing session focused on Harley Quinn, and younger fans were invited to a “Make Your Own Comic Book” workshop.
Tabletop and K-Pop Events
UnplugYourself introduced fans to tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons and Catan, with access to the Solarpop boardgame library. The Poptaku Stage featured a K-Pop dance competition, talent show, Japanese language lessons, and Dub It Out voiceover sessions where fans dubbed scenes from movies, games and shows with their own twist and prizes for the best performances.
Day One Done but More to Come
With the halls buzzing from lightsaber duels to dance-offs, Comic Con Cape Town kicked off with the kind of energy only fandoms can bring. From artists sketching live to gamers battling it out, day one proved there’s something here for every kind of geek. And with the rest of the weekend still to come, including May the 4th, things are only getting started.
Can’t make it in person? Stay close to 10and5 for behind-the-scenes moments, highlights, and updates straight from the floor.
