SMASH! 2023 Best in Show Trophy

For 2023, SMASH (Sydney Manga and Anime Show) requested a 25cm trophy for the Best in Show in their Cosplay Masquerade. SMASH's 2023 theme was The Moon, so this was our main starting point for the piece. 

Throughout promotion, SMASH had been sharing a lot of art inspired by anime/manga such as Sailor Moon, featuring nighttime city skylines and the moon hanging high above. We took inspiration from these and various Sailor Moon manga panels/promotional works. We were very conscious that SMASH! is not just a huge tourism event for Sydney, but also for Japan and Tokyo. As a result, we adorned the trophy with various famous buildings from both Sydney and Tokyo, topping the trophy with the iconic crescent moon bordering the spinning star (monted on clear acrylic rods). This detail was eventually adapted into the medals for the smaller category awards in the Masquerade!