Mokumokuren Fan Meeting in Bangkok 30 MAY 2026
Article about Mokumokuren appearance in Bangkok on 30 May 2026 for a stage interview and autograph sessions
(Disclaimer: Happy 5 July!!! This is my personal account for tshd fans who were unable to attend the event and would like to learn more about it, and maybe experience it indirectly through my impressions. It's a BIG article too. If you feel uncomfortable for any reason, please stop reading).
If you want to jump straight to Mokumokuren event, scroll down to PART 3 'NEXT STAGE INTERVIEW' and PART 4 'AUTOGRAPH SESSION')
1 - MOKUMOKUREN IN THAILAND
Mokumokuren attended AFA anime festival at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok on 30 May and appeared (with face covered) at:
Q&A Interview on the public stage (ground floor)
2 autograph sessions in the meeting room (morning & afternoon, 3rd floor)
Mokumokuren's visit was arranged by Phoenix Next, Thai publisher. Insteasd of selling the tickets to autograph sessions alone, they offered an autograph package that included a signed autograph board, a few merch items and a separate admission ticket to the AFA festival (for a total of 2,190 thb). Honestly, I needed no bonus offets, I would have attended just for the autograph.
The organiser sold the package through their Thai-language website. Sales opened just 2 weeks before the event. Some fans were worried it would sell out in minutes! I even took the morning off work to fight for it! But, hey - NOPE - the packages remained available until the last day. Even so, both autograph sessions were full! Yay!
I'd never been to an anime festival overseas before, let alone an autograph session with a mangaka. To me, "Meet & Greet" events had only ever existed as chains of tweets and colourful pictures - they never felt real.
In my case, I couldn't afford to travel there but an insane plot twist happened: I won a Cinderella card when my employer made an error and paid me financial compensation. Overwhelmed with nothing but tears of gratitude and lust for life, I got an autograph package, a plane ticket and a hotel in Bangkok. Unable to take a long vacation, I arrived just one day before the festival. Afterwards, I stayed for two more days as a tourist to explore and appreciate the beauty and culture of the host country (29 May - 1 June).
Part 2 - Bangkok greets you with warm welcome and cold drinks
On the plane, I impatiently counted the remaining kilometers on the seat-back screen as the distance between me and Mokumokuren grew magically shorter. Yet, the stunning views outside kept stealing my attention. Thailand is a beautiful country. It looked incredibly green from above, with a few enormous parks and gardens visible during descent. When the plane finally landed, I felt tears in my eyes.
At the airport, on my way to the express train into the city centre, I spotted a 7-Eleven store and a few cold drinks stalls. The temperature was over 30 degrees with high humidity and intense sunshine. The trees and flower bushes were in bloom, sunflowers were being sold in flower shops. Bangkok was full of life and had warm, positive energy. People were dressed mostly casually, hot snacks and ice-cold drinks were sold on nearly every corner!
Later, I found out Mokumokuren had arrived a few days in advance and had already tried Pad Thai. They also said that the heat felt very similar to Japan, just without the cicadas. At one point, Mokumokuren also revealed that 'Hikaru' would probably like Thai food.
Interestingly, Thailand is home to the world's fifth-largest Japanese community of immigrants and expats. Japanese tourists enjoy traveling there! There are plenty of Japanese cafes, restaurants, izakayas, shops, hotels, even a ryokan. Japanese brands such as Donki, Animate, Sushiro, Muji, and Uniqlo are also there. Most of these places are concentrated in one area in central Bangkok (Phrom Phong / Sukhumvit / Thonglor). I chose to stay in a Japanese hotel to have a familiar base, then explore Thai places and culture after the festival.
The organisers informed fans that they were welcome to give gifts to Mokumokuren, but they didn't provide guidelines on what kinds of gifts were acceptable. So I decided the gifts should be lightweight, small, not edible. I chose a neon green gift bag ('Hikaru' color) and put inside some items, including local souvenirs from my home country.
I also added a postcard featuring wonderful fanart by @alicerush she had made for me (THANK YOU). The postcard was supposed to contain my fan letter, but it was written only in my mind. I stayed up late writing it and had to finish it early the next morning - the morning of the Festival Day itself. The receiptionist kindly printed it for me.
If you happen to find yourself in a situation like mine, try to arrive at least 2 days before the event to recover from jet lag, decompress after work / studies and deal with any last-minute issues that might come up. I was very happy despite everything, but physically tired.
Part 3 - STAGE INTERVIEW at AFA 2026
Mokumokuren's schedule on 30 May:
Autograph Session 1 – 10:00AM-12:00PM
Stage Interview - 12:45 (my attendance)
Autograph Session 2 – 3:00-5:00PM (my attendance)
As I arrived at the festival, the first autograph session was already underway and Mokumokuren was somewhere close by. It was hard to believe and incredibly exciting!
The festival venue was huge - cheerful and very loud - with cosplayers and plenty of stalls selling manga and merch. It felt really reassuring! I found the Phoenix Next booth with tshd merch and quickly snatched up a few items before rushing to the dark stage hall for the interview.
I took a seat as close to the stage as I could around row 4 or 5. After the Japanese singer Shun Nakanishi finished his performance (he was very nice!), the stage crew began setting up a large black booth for Mokumokuren. To the left of the booth, the moderator with strawberry blonde hair took her seat.
The moderator made several announcements in Thai and Japanese languages, but she explained in English that no photography or videography was allowed because Mokumokuren is an anonymous mangaka who wishes "to keep their private life private". Meanwhile, the audience filled the hall... it was completely full, and the excitement kept building...
I expected Mokumokuren to magically appear inside the booth like in a circus act or a theatre play, or for festival staff to escort them to the booth while holding a large black curtain in front of them. I also imagined whispering their answers to an 'interpreter' who would then speak on their behalf. After all, a voice is personal information too, it can reveal age and biological sex quite directly. I also know this because following privacy rules is part of my job.
Someone energetically walked towards the booth and vanished. It happened in a split second. I assumed it was another stage assistant.
The moderator began to speak in Japanese and Thai, apparently introducing Mokumokuren, when SUDDENLY MOKUMOKUREN'S VOICE RESONATED ACROSS THE HALL THROUGH THE MICROPHONE, clear, very young and melodic. There was a sense of pleasant shock in the audience.
My brain did a f***ing somersault and finally processed what I hadn't been able to understand in that split second: the "stage assistant" I had noticed earlier was wearing a box over their head. My eyes had seen Mokumokuren. Their figure, their clothing. I just hadn't had time to register their features or what they were wearing. And that was fine - we weren't supposed to see or memorise anything.
The moderator asked questions in Thai and Japanese and Mokumokuren responded in Japanese. The moderator then translated their answers into Thai. It was a staged interview format where all questions and answers were pre-prepared and the audience did not participate. I should note that fans were allowed to ask questions during the autograph sessions.
After the interview, Mokumokuren stepped out of the booth and I saw their back. Now I could see they wore gender-neutral clothes a black cloak draped over their shoulders, which they held as they walked, rather than wrapping it around themselves.
(The next paragraphs are my subjective impressions on Mokumokuren's voice, so please skip to the next part if you don't need this)
I tried to decipher what Mokumokuren was saying but ended up letting it go. I focused on the voice. I wanted it to remain in my memory. I kept recalling that voice for days.
Fans reportedly described it as "very cute". But it was more than that. As their young, clear and melodic voice continued to resonate across the hall, it felt as if it was purifying the air of any negative energy. That's how good it was.
Their speech was enthusiastic and fast, and their pitch rose noticeably at times. They sounded excited and assertive, and maybe a little hyped up after their first morning autograph session. Still, their articulation was absolutely professional. If I had no idea who was speaking, I would have assumed it was a voice actor.
I hope one day everyone can hear their voice!
After the interview, I met a lovely Thai fan, who has a great twitter account with analysis and fan translations of new materials. They treated me to a mango shake - the first Thai treat I had since my arrival. They were the first Thai person I met. I was lucky to have met them and I am forever grateful. We headed to the autograph session together, going up the escalators to Room 208 A-B. Escalator after escalator, closer to the target...
Room 208 A-B was located on a very quiet floor with soft carpets and natural light falling through panoramic windows. The Kubitachi shop stall was right there with two figures of Yoshiki and Hikaru. It was the main attraction!
A small crowd had already formed a queue to the registration desk. The organisers checked IDs, marked names on the list, and handed out entry tickets, signboards, a name card and festival admission wristbands.
Fans who had registered, were then rearranged into separate queue lines, one batch after another, and everyone quietly waited, some with aching feet. There was a sense of anticipation. I think I saw two famous cosplayers of Yoshiki and Hikaru, but I'm not sure.
A really quiet, long wait was finally over. Fans who arrived the earliest, including my Thai companion and me, were let in first. We entered room 208 and sat in one of the front raws. The photo below is official material from AFA 2026 and shows the morning session, not the afternoon session I attended. Mokumokuren was in the booth. The fans were entering on the right side and exiting on the left side.
Large-scale images of Yoshiki and 'Hikaru' made them look 100 times cooler! To the left of us was a huge screen displaying one more artwork from the Ashidori arc, and it also looked stunning in large format. This gave an optimistic impression that the readership were now in the second half of the story, with a new season of the anime in production and the final volume set to begin in just a few days (June 2).
Once everyone had gathered, it got very quiet again. I think some people were feeling a little nervious too (in a good sense). Understanding the privacy restrictions, no mobile phones were in sight. I was one of the very few western attendies in the room. Many Japanese fans were present. In the stillness, I felt awkward and shy. Suddenly, the fan on my right spoke with me and my Thai companion and gifted us handmade Yoshiki and 'Hikaru' themed bracelets! It was so sweet!
Mokumokuren's voice rang across the room again. Apparently, they were already inside the booth and speaking through a microphone. As they spoke, their characters Yoshiki and ‘Hikaru’ on the booth poster suddenly seemed so much cuter.
The organiser gave a long speech, however, the English version was only 2 sentences and along the lines of “No video, no photo, no voice recording" (this attitude of the organisers, who still chose to sell the tickets to foreign guests, leaves space for improvement).
After that, the organisers held a raffle where about 10 people won exclusive merch, that was nice! And only then - only then, only theeeen - it was finally time for the autographs!
The front row was called first and arranged into a queue on the right side. Each person had about 30 seconds to enter the booth, get an autograph, exchange greetings or ask a question, and then leave. At the exit, they received a package with autograph session merch and had to leave the room.
Mokumokuren's microphone was switched off during the session, so we couldn't hear what anyone was saying, only muffled voices and - sometimes - laughter. I guess the walls of the box were soundproof.
At some point, my row was summoned. I stood by the wall, stiff, holding my neon-green gift package and a signboard. The lady in charge of the queue, who spoke some English, reassured me that I could chat with the author and ask a question with the help of an interpreter. I was very grateful to her.
I was asked to walk in. I held my breath and stepped inside. I think there were two extra walls inside, like in a labyrinth, shielding me from seeing Moku-sensei, and shielding us from being seen by people outside. It gave everyone privacy. There was no "roof" on the booth.
(I only have a vague memory of those 30 seconds. I felt so shy I didn't have the courage to look directly at Mokumokuren or try to memorise what was happening. It was a happy and fulfilling moment for most fans, especially the easy-going ones, but apparently I'm the stiff one).
Inside was a long desk with three people seated behind it, Mokumokuren in the middle, with their head and body covered, and an organiser on each side. I was again surprised and grateful to see them in person like that, it was nice, it felt... real.
We greeted each other and I handed over my signboard. Their hands looked and moved like those of an artist or a pianist - and, of course, they are an artist. They picked up a gold marker and began writing carefully, checking the English spelling of my name against the card. At one point I noticed that their left finger appeared stuck on the letter T ("To"), but after a few seconds they raised it without smudging the ink. As they were writing, it suddenly felt dangerously quiet. And I thought: "Ohh, it this the moment to speak? Speak your truth you came here to say".
I can speak a little Japanese, but, guys... no. Maybe I said "thank you" in Japanese but after that I started showering them with warm greetings and best wishes (in English) as if it were their birthday! Mokumokuren very slightly twitched - and the interpreter began translating. By the end, I wished them great health and lots of success with future projects. I wanted to reassure Mokumokuren that I'd continue supporting them even after tshd finishes.
I got my signboard back and handed over the gift bag. At the exit I received a big bag with autograph session merch. The Thai companion was kindly waiting for me, and we went back into the hall with its soft carpet and glass walls... it was time to leave... I somehow remember pausing for a moment, trying to hold on to that strange pleasant aftertaste of those 30 seconds...
Yes, we took photos next to the Kubitachi stall - just like the other fans!
I went downstairs to see off my Thai companion and say goodbye, bought a cold matcha drink to celebrate and wandered back to room 208. There was no other place I wanted to be in this world at that moment.
Overwhelmed and distracted by text messages from friends, I nearly fell at the bottom of the escalator (I stepped onto an escalator going down, convinced it was going up). I could've been injured really badly. Thankfully, a security guard caught me by the elbow kdrama-style. My bags crashed on the escalator steps. The drink mostly remained inside the cup thanks to the lid, spilling, but not destroying my treasures. I'm not embarrassed to talk about it because I want to give a realistic account and a warning: again, these events can be overwhelming, so if you have the choice, don't push yourself through last-minute arrivals and sleep deprivation the way I did.
I returned to the hall outside Room 208. For the next two hours, I sat in a chair, resting, texting and watching - sentimentally - as fans came out one by one. They took selfies and photos with their signboard and autograph merch. It felt like a sweet afternoon daydream. At some point, I took photos of my merch too and helped fans who had come alone by taking photos of them next to the Kubitachi stand. An atmosphere of joy and quiet celebration lingered in the air.
Afterwards, I returned to the AFA festival to buy more Thai merch. But in the end, the gifts I treasued the most were the autograph and giveaway handmade presents from fans! At the hotel, I placed some of the items under the TV.
Yes. It was one of the happiest days of my life. Events like these are always rewarding in unexpected ways. I hope that everyone who reads this will have the same experience too.
On 2 June, the morning of my departure, I woke up and the first thing I saw was THIS Yen Press cover:
During the festival, I had a silly thought: "Mokumokuren is meeting fans today, AND they also know what's going to happen in the next chapter. Do they plan to drop a sad or a happy update?". So this is what Mokumokuren had in mind when they were meeting the fans! This wonderful image.
I read 47.1 on the phone in the taxi on the way to Suvarnabhumi airport.
Back home, after the whole day of flying, I unwrapped the autograph signboard and saw a fingerprint on "T" in the sunset glow. As if a cat accidentally touched paint with a paw.
I thank my sister who helped with purchasing the autograph package. I also thank my Thai companion for the warm meeting and a keychain that i wear everyday. And thanks to one special artist who lives almost in the same timezone and was online "by my side" throughout the festival day.
And I'd like to thank my oomfies for kind and heartfelt words. I wish I could take every one of you along. I want to note, just in case, that I wanted to notify as many people about the trip as I could, but still ended up missing a few. If you're one of them, I'm deeply sorry, it was never intentional. Hopefully, Mokumokuren makes another appearance soon for more people to meet with them.
