Hello fellow geeks!
I refuse to believe that 2025 is over, I have no idea where it went. It was still summer just a moment ago, right? :D I swear every new year goes by faster than the one before it and I don't think I like it lol. But anygays, y'all know the drill by now and why I do these kinds of posts at the end of December – and that's to have some sort of mini wrap-up and thoughts about the year. One thing I noticed though is that this year turned out to be one of my most active years to date in terms of events visited, only bested by the everything's-so-new-and-hype year of 2012 when I really expanded my cosplay and congoing hobby for the first time after a modest start.
Cons attended in 2025:
This year stands out for a few reasons and the biggest one is of course my trip to Spain and with that my first con abroad, aka somewhere else than just Sweden and Finland! Another notable first was my visit to Maracon, which is a full-fledged tabletop and board game event (rather than a Japanese/Asian pop-culture one) and thus a different, and technically new, experience. A third thing that's special for this year was the revival of Kemin mangapäivä, which had been dead for a decade! So yeah, 2025 has been quite a ride with both blasts from the past and new experiences!
It's an impossible task for me to pick a favorite of this year's events but I would have to say a tie between Mangafest Sevilla and Tracon; the latter really stood out as I hadn't been to Tracon in forever and it was simply amazing to revisit and see how much it had grown and expanded in roughly ten years time! Mangafest Sevilla of course was a novel experience already by the basis of being so far from home, but I also had such an incredibly fun time with erikavonmars – even the totally awful hotel experience we could laugh about even when it was still ongoing!
As a runner-up and honorable mention I'd probably say Nekocon because yeah, Kuopio during the summer just gives me those sweet vacation vibes and I'll probably never get tired of Aina Kesä's bubble tea stand lol.
I'm just gonna leave this meme here because, due to reasons mentioned above, it dawned on me that I don't really have photos of all the cosplays I've worn this year.. again. Which means I can't do any cosplay compilation thingie. Sometimes I wonder why I even attempt to even do it anymore because what, I've managed to do the compilation four times ouf of, uh, fourteen? :DD Maybe I should do some changes to the style of these end-of-year posts starting next year, that, or just embrace it being a meme at this point.Saves me the effort too. And the yearly disappointment lmao.
Maracon: No cosplay.
Terucon: No cosplay. I did originally have plans but opted out of them due to only being at the con for one day instead of both.
Mangafest Sevilla: I was Kisuke Urahara from Bleach on Saturday, debuted Takatora's brother (Asaki, Yumemishi) on Sunday and wore casual clothes on Monday. Luggage limits kinda ruled out a third cosplay.
~~~
I know that sometimes it bothers me that I don't wear cosplays to every day of the con (I usually opt out of the last day due to convenience, pain and fatigue) but I just, I don't know, I value comfort first at the time being – although I guess, in a way, I can't help thinking that the con experience would be more "worth it" and "complete" if I donned a cosplay each day. Maybe someday I'll attempt it, to challenge myself if nothing else.
Cons attended in 2025:
Konekocon - Kuopio, Finland
Kemin mangapäivä - Kemi, Finland
Kummacon - Oulu, Finland
Kemin mangapäivä - Kemi, Finland
Kummacon - Oulu, Finland
Nekocon - Kuopio, Finland
Mericon - Rauma, Finland
Matsucon - Oulu, Finland
Matsucon - Oulu, Finland
Tracon - Tampere, Finland
Maracon - Oulu, Finland
Terucon - Rovaniemi, Finland
Mangafest Sevilla - Seville, SpainMaracon - Oulu, Finland
Terucon - Rovaniemi, Finland
This year stands out for a few reasons and the biggest one is of course my trip to Spain and with that my first con abroad, aka somewhere else than just Sweden and Finland! Another notable first was my visit to Maracon, which is a full-fledged tabletop and board game event (rather than a Japanese/Asian pop-culture one) and thus a different, and technically new, experience. A third thing that's special for this year was the revival of Kemin mangapäivä, which had been dead for a decade! So yeah, 2025 has been quite a ride with both blasts from the past and new experiences!
It's an impossible task for me to pick a favorite of this year's events but I would have to say a tie between Mangafest Sevilla and Tracon; the latter really stood out as I hadn't been to Tracon in forever and it was simply amazing to revisit and see how much it had grown and expanded in roughly ten years time! Mangafest Sevilla of course was a novel experience already by the basis of being so far from home, but I also had such an incredibly fun time with erikavonmars – even the totally awful hotel experience we could laugh about even when it was still ongoing!
As a runner-up and honorable mention I'd probably say Nekocon because yeah, Kuopio during the summer just gives me those sweet vacation vibes and I'll probably never get tired of Aina Kesä's bubble tea stand lol.
...
...
I've tried to be consistent with cosplaying this year too and I'm, well, quite satisfied with my efforts. Aside from Maracon, Kemin mangapäivä and Terucon (all of which were one-day trips/cons) I cosplayed at every event I went to, despite having my own personal struggles still. I'm actively choosing to have fun despite imperfections and failures and that's what's most important. I can admit I've had some setbacks this year that have affected my willingness to be in front of the camera, but I'm gonna be working on getting comfortable again.
I'm just gonna leave this meme here because, due to reasons mentioned above, it dawned on me that I don't really have photos of all the cosplays I've worn this year.. again. Which means I can't do any cosplay compilation thingie. Sometimes I wonder why I even attempt to even do it anymore because what, I've managed to do the compilation four times ouf of, uh, fourteen? :DD Maybe I should do some changes to the style of these end-of-year posts starting next year, that, or just embrace it being a meme at this point.
Here's a list of what I wore at the cons I attended this year:
Konekocon: Yamato no Kami Yasusada from Touken Ranbu on the one and only day.
Kemin mangapäivä: No cosplay, I was in everyday clothes hosting the drawing room.
Kummacon: I brought good old Jushiro Ukitake (Bleach) back out again for Saturday. No cosplay on Sunday.
Kemin mangapäivä: No cosplay, I was in everyday clothes hosting the drawing room.
Kummacon: I brought good old Jushiro Ukitake (Bleach) back out again for Saturday. No cosplay on Sunday.
Nekocon: Debuted my Gaogamon gijinka from Digimon on Saturday and rewore my America cosplay from Hetalia on Sunday, more specifically the Revolutionary War version.
Mericon: I reused my Revolutionary War America cosplay again at Mericon.
Matsucon: Kisuke Urahara from Bleach on Saturday and just casual clothes on Sunday.
Tracon: I debuted my new OC Shou on Friday and reused my Jushiro Ukitake (Bleach) cosplay on Saturday. I had no cosplay on Sunday because we didn't even stay the full day.Matsucon: Kisuke Urahara from Bleach on Saturday and just casual clothes on Sunday.
Maracon: No cosplay.
Terucon: No cosplay. I did originally have plans but opted out of them due to only being at the con for one day instead of both.
Mangafest Sevilla: I was Kisuke Urahara from Bleach on Saturday, debuted Takatora's brother (Asaki, Yumemishi) on Sunday and wore casual clothes on Monday. Luggage limits kinda ruled out a third cosplay.
~~~
I know that sometimes it bothers me that I don't wear cosplays to every day of the con (I usually opt out of the last day due to convenience, pain and fatigue) but I just, I don't know, I value comfort first at the time being – although I guess, in a way, I can't help thinking that the con experience would be more "worth it" and "complete" if I donned a cosplay each day. Maybe someday I'll attempt it, to challenge myself if nothing else.
With all of that obligatory yapping done I just want to say that the upcoming year will feature more of the same quality content – my blog's going nowhere! So keep checking in for detailed and personal con summaries, all kinds of cosplay stuff and of course colored contact lens reviews. And I promise that this blog will keep on being 100% human-made, just like it always has because honestly, screw AI. :) Creativity is for humans.
Cheers to all readers both old and new & Happy New Year 2026!
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