Thousands of Hong Kong anime and comics enthusiasts queue for hours in sweltering heat amid delays at annual expo
- Organisers blame long waits, which stretched up to three hours, on last-minute government decision to reduce venue’s capacity
- ‘This is my first time here, and probably the last,’ says one costumed attendee who had already spent 1½ hours in line
Organisers of the four-day Ani-Com & Games Hong Kong event – which features exhibitions not only of anime, but also comics, cosplay, toys, games and esports – said a last-minute government decision to reduce the cap on the venue’s capacity from 75 per cent to 50 per cent had caused waits to stretch to around four hours.
Sweltering in the 33 degree Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit) heat, participants could be seen holding umbrellas, waving fans and sipping refreshments in hopes of keeping cool.
The queue snaked around Wan Chai’s Convention and Exhibition Centre, and appeared to start blocks away. Dozens of security guards could be seen ushering people around.
A cosplayer who gave her name as Kitty said she had been waiting for at least 1½ hours.
