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Yohji Lam

A pair of Hong Kong cosplayers have clinched multiple awards, including the grand championship prize, at the 2026 World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, Japan, on August 2.
The winning duo, Ar Lu and Ronnie Kui, dazzled audiences with their handmade costumes inspired by the video game Monster Hunter.
Their performance depicted bipedal cat Felyne and playable game character Hunter battling against an ancient dragon with Hong Kong’s Lion Rock as the backdrop.
“Mum, I did it! Hong Kong’s the greatest of all time!” Ar Lu said during her acceptance speech on stage.
Kui said he dared not even consider the possibility of winning the top award, especially in a competition of this scale, with participants from 40 countries and regions. “It still felt like a dream when they announced the champions,” he told the South China Morning Post.


The pair’s victory marked an impressive return for Hong Kong, which skipped the previous three editions due to the city’s local qualifying event going dormant in 2022. It wasn’t until last year that a new cosplay qualifying event hosted by the Ani-Com & Games HK provided local cosplayers a channel to enter the Nagoya competition.
This competition is a highlight of the World Cosplay Summit, which was held from July 31 to August 2 this year. It is the world’s largest cosplay event, supported by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, typically attracting around 250,000 attendees annually.
The judging criteria for the grand championship prize include costume precision, quality, technique and stage performance, proficiency, presence and that elusive X factor.
Previous grand championship winners include the United States in 2025, whose representatives depicted characters from the game Fire Emblem Engage, and Japan in 2024, with characters from the anime Naruto.
In addition to their victory, the Hong Kong duo received the Minister of Foreign Affairs Award for “contributing to friendly exchanges with Japan” and the Tamakoshi Award, a special prize voted by contestants from previous years.
During his acceptance speech, Kui expressed gratitude to his cat – which had passed away before the competition – for providing inspiration for their team’s costume design.
“We used our own pets as a reference to pinpoint details on the costume design,” Ar Lu said. “Such as our ‘cat’s beard’, how it’s thick at the front and thin at the back.”
She shared on Instagram that it cost HK$14,000 to ship their elaborate costumes to Japan.


The pair had previously won best stage performance at the Gamers8 Cosplay Cup 2023, in Saudi Arabia, an event supported by the World Cosplay Summit. They are now set to join the judging committee for the next summit.
“People should go ahead and support contestants like us, especially those entering international competitions,” Kui said. “It can be quite tiring to put in so much effort when you’re not even sure if you’ll get the fruits of your labour. But whether they win or lose, they need your support.”


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Japan

Hong Kong team wins grand prize at 2026 World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, Japan

Hong Kong representatives Ar Lu (left) as bipedal cat Felyne and Ronnie Kui (right) as Hunter after winning the Tamakoshi Award at the World Cosplay Championship in Nagoya, Japan, on August 2, 2026. Photo: Ani-Com &amp; Games

Hong Kong-based cosplayers Ronnie Kui (left) and Ar Lu prepare their costumes for the 2026 World Cosplay Summit championship in Nagoya, Japan. Photo: Ani-Com & Games

Hong Kong representatives Ar Lu (left) as bipedal cat Felyne and Ronnie Kui as Hunter at the World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, Japan, on August 2, 2026. Photo: Ani-Com & Games

Ar Lu (left) and Ronnie Kui dressed as Frieren and Stark from the anime Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Photo: Ani-Com & Games

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Lifestyle

Entertainment

Ar Lu and Ronnie Kui from Hong Kong won multiple awards for their costumes inspired by the Monster Hunter video game


Ar Lu and Ronnie Kui from Hong Kong won multiple awards for their costumes inspired by the Monster Hunter video game.


Video gaming

Hong Kong team wins grand prize at 2026 World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, Japan

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Ar Lu and Ronnie Kui from Hong Kong won multiple awards for their costumes inspired by the Monster Hunter video game

Ar Lu and Ronnie Kui from Hong Kong won multiple awards for their costumes inspired by the Monster Hunter video game