Japanese politicians have received press while dressed as their favorite characters, as a way to celebrate the World Cosplay Summit event.
24 representatives from 12 different countries have also joined the event in cosplay.
Some of the more notable faces are Omura Hideaki, governor of the Aichi Prefecture, and Takashi Kawamura, the mayor of Nagoya. The two went dressed as Inuyasha and Sakuragi Hanamichi, respectively.
While foreigners like us are very amused by this, it seems that some Japanese citizens on Twitter are split, some thoroughly embarrassed by the behavior of their politicians, while others have deemed the cosplays are of poor quality.
The sentiment ranges from complaints about the costumes to the involvement of public figures in general, with some users stating:
This is what happens when public affairs are involved. I’m sick.
As well as:
Since it’s a courtesy visit, even if there are things that can’t be helped, people who don’t have affection for the work shouldn’t cosplay poorly.
The World Cosplay Summit is happening between August 4 and August 6, 2023, in Nagoya, Japan. You can read more about the event on the official site.
