Your Stories

It is known as Cosplay and started over 20-years ago on the streets of Tokyo. Fans dress as their favourite characters from Japanese graphic novels called Manga, or the animated version known as Anime.

Manga masks in Tokyo

The fashion spread from Asia to the USA and eventually to Europe. In the UK it is a growing cult and events have been set-up to cater for Anime aficionados.

A bookshop in Hull played host to over 100 people; mostly in their late teens. The evening consisted of a chance to meet fellow fans and take part in quizzes and art competitions.

Behind the event is a company called Tokyopop, which produces English language versions of Manga books. Their Marketing Manager Andrew Whelan says in Britain interest is growing, thanks to the web.

Andrew Whelan: Tokyopop

“A lot of the kids that have grown up watching Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh have moved on from that. There is a strong element who have come to it from computer games like Final Fantasy. Because of the internet everything is a lot more accessible, the world is a lot smaller place. So ideas that traditionally have gone from Japan to America to here which might take a couple of years now takes a matter of days.”

Fans often make their own costumes and some have set up their own Cosplay groups. One member, Lisa Flatt, who has been a Manga enthusiast for over 10-years, says getting together is enjoyable. “All of us have been Cosplaying around Hull, just going everywhere to Cosplay and stuff. It’s cool just to get into the character you’re playing, it’s really, really fun.”