A popular cosplayer with a sizable online following has found herself in serious legal trouble after what began as an internet argument about gamer energy drinks turned into a criminal case.
Police in San Antonio say 25-year-old Kendra Noel Manning, better known to her 115,000 TikTok followers as “kit noel,” was arrested Sunday after she allegedly threatened to plant a bomb at a rival vendor’s booth during the San Japan Anime + Gaming Convention.
Manning’s online persona is one of costumes, skits, and playful nods to comic book culture. But according to authorities, her behavior at the convention crossed the line from cosplay into public safety. In the comment section of another influencer’s Instagram account, she allegedly wrote that she would be “planting a bomb in their booth today.”
Allegedly, prior to the Instagram comment the two were The two were in a spat about Gamer Supps, a niche energy drink marketed to streamers and esports fans.
For convention-goers, the words didn’t feel like a joke. An attendee who saw the comment flagged it for event management, who then alerted police. Manning was quickly barred from the convention and issued a criminal trespass order. Before leaving the event, she reportedly admitted to making the post, according to KENS 5.
She was later arrested and charged with making a terroristic threat to impair public service, a third-degree felony that carries the possibility of up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Manning was released on a $35,000 bond, court records show.
The incident has rattled fans who attended San Japan, one of the region’s largest anime and gaming conventions.
Manning is a familiar figure in the cosplay community, with videos of her as Marvel characters Kitty Pryde and Wanda Maximoff drawing tens of thousands of views. On Sunday, she was scheduled to appear as Harley Quinn, but according to reports, when she allegedly made the threat she was dressed as Raven from Teen Titans — a half-demon sorceress with destructive powers. The symbolism wasn’t lost on attendees who later recounted the scare online.
For now, Manning’s cosplay career is on hold while she faces the kind of storyline no influencer plans for: a felony case in Texas courts.
