Wigs, fandom and drama: Exploring the UAE’s cosplay community

“Cosplay makes me feel alive,” said Mossy. “I feel like without cosplay or the cosplay community, I would just have a lot less to do.”

A dancer, influencer and professional cosplayer, the 18-year-old is part of the UAE’s fledgling cosplay community. Like many young members of the community, they began cosplaying during the COVID-19 lockdown, inspired by influencers she saw on TikTok.

“My social media presence is very important to me and my work as a cosplayer,” they said. “And to be like, almost reaching 15,000 followers is crazy.”

Though Mossy creates their content alone - their set-up is just their phone, a tripod from Amazon and a random floor lamp - community lies at the heart of cosplay. Mossy mentions their friendship with 21-year-old international cosplayer Dream Cherries, whom they met in 2021.

“I am very protective of the cosplay community,” said Dream Cherries about Mossy. “Somehow, somehow, I've developed a weird - even though I'm only four years older - maternal instinct towards (Mossy).”

“I started entering cosplay conventions when I was around 15-ish,” said Mossy. “So being in that space, it's always nice to have somebody older to kind of look up to.”

Widely known as the community’s big brother, 25-year-old Abdulrahman Zubair Alobeidli is fondly called ‘Uncle Zubair.’

“I would like to think I'm known in the community for making really big, absurd props,” the cosplayer and propmaker said, laughing. Up until a short while ago, Zubair would often take on commissions to make props at no additional cost, only charging for materials.

“I just feel bad. The community here is quite young - they don't have disposable income,” he said. “I like seeing people happy, like seeing them with the objects I made.”

The community is not without its challenges though, with different cliques butting heads and many cosplayers loosely throwing around the prefix ‘professional.’

“The cosplay community in the UAE, in my humble opinion, needs an ego death,” jokes Dream Cherries.

“I don’t like making enemies,” said Zubair. “It’s a fun cosplay - just have fun.”

Despite everything, however, the excitement is palpable at conventions like Middle East Film and Comic Con.

“I get to see everybody in the community, and that honestly is like one of the biggest parts of cosplay for me,” said Mossy.

“I continue to cosplay because it's my passion. It's something that brings me joy. So I'd like to cosplay as much as I possibly can.”