Otakuthon 2010: Taking Cosplay Out for a Walk
By Ludmila Rishkova
Going to the annual Otakuthon convention was like stepping into Bizarro World. Moved, in the last few years, from Concordia University to the Palais des Congrès de Montréal, the convention at first seemed like a mishmash of the everyday and the imaginary. Businessmen in suits mingled with everyday tourists and security guards while all around them unravelled the world of Japanese anime culture and the fabulous world of kosupure or Cosplay, as costumed teens and adults darted here and there dressed as ninjas, sailor moon girls, gargoyles, superheroes and even birds. However, the above mentioned tourists and business men and everything we take as landmarks for everyday ‘normality’ were outnumbered by the world of Anime culture.
Since this year was my first time at Otakuthon , I went in with no expectations and armed only with a notepad, a few leaky pens and my iPhone. I got my first heads up the moment I was dropped off at the corner of Viger and Jeanne Mance, as a group of cheerful Cosplay fans did the merry-go-round through revolving doors of the Palais des Congrès. My boyfriend did a major eye-roll, wished me good luck and waved me goodbye; note that the Cosplay fans were dressed as “Somewhere in the ballpark of XVth C.E. Warriors-slash-Robin Hood characters protecting a hefty blonde Princess.” My second heads-up was the “Weapons Registry” signs in the queue to buy entrance tickets.
The convention was fabulous in itself as it offered a three-day occasion (August 13th to 15th this year) to attend multiple workshops such as Otakuthon Idol, the Cosplay dance-off, Otakuthon Bingo, multiple screenings, popular singers and voice actors and even a Free-Hug zone, or rather Free-Hugs individuals with Free-Hugs inscriptions hanging on their chests (and a lot less welcoming expression on their faces), all that without mentioning the show-room. The crowning element to the convention however was the variety of the participants.
The most prevalent anime characters present seemed to be the Naruto Akatsuki, who huddled together in their black kimono with characteristic red cloud print and traditional straw hat. The Akatsuki’s name literally translates as “daybreak”, and they are the main antagonists of the Naruto world.
Another common presence were the Gothic Lolita (gosurori) and Sweet Lolita (amarori). Having read about them in an article by Isaac Gagné, I was fairly surprised to see them as they offer a strange sight. Unlike the Akatsuki, whose presence indeed indicates Cosplay, the Sweet and Gothic Lolitas are an actual representation of Japanese subculture. This is where the Otakuthon gets really interesting as it reveals the participants’ playful side, all the while hinting at the seriousness of it all.
Whether one wants to take one’s rorita role as a trend or as a lifestyle, the exposition room offers several stands dedicated to selling Lolita accessories such as miniature hats, gigantic bows, ruffles and so on. It also offers an amazing gathering of real and not-so-real anime artists and one can purchase original works, spinoffs and various prints. For those a little short on cash there are also bookmarks and miniature prints from $2 to $5.
Personally, I favoured the above mentioned artefacts, but the exposition also offered numerous trinkets such as stuffed Pokémon animals, Hello Kitty slippers, Super-hero sweats and shirts, as well as collector’s items such as Final Fantasy memorabilia, games and posters. In short, whether an avid manga reader, a gamer or an anime lover, whether an admirer or avid participant in Japanese subculture, a curious bystander or merely someone who likes to dress up, the Otakuthon convention satisfies many needs. After all, I encountered many characters directly from video games, books and even movies such as Avatar, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, and one must not forget the all-time favourite Star Wars.
The Otakuthon is a fabulous experience, though somewhat hard on the eyes thanks to all the creatures, colors and incredible amounts of bare skin as all the superheroes tend to execute their costumes religiously. And, the upside of it all is the curious blend of anonymity and communal feeling that comes with a costumed event, since one might feel at once part of a like-minded community and à l’égard from the judgmental ‘outsiders’. All that goes to say, costume fan or not, the Otakuthon is a must on the to do list, and if in desperate need of a last-minute costume, I must add that there were so many ‘cats’ present that one more couldn’t possibly do any wrong.
*The Gothic and Sweet Lolita are a fascinating phenomenon and their presence at the Otakuthon raises questions such as, how big of a role Cosplay plays in the attendees’ lives in between conventions? How thin is the line dividing the parameters of normality, the dichotomy of trend versus lifestyle, and the degree of seriousness that separates Cosplay from Sub-culture?
If you’re interested in learning more about the Lolita/Rorita aspect of Japanese culture, I strongly recommend the following paper:
Isaac Gagné. Urban Princess: Performance and “Women’s Language” in Japan’s Gothic/Lolita Subculture. Journal of Linguistic Anthropology. Vol 18, Issue 1 pp. 130-150, 2008.
More images from Otakuthon:
