Cosplay events are no longer a new concept in Malaysia. Today, we see cosplay events happening bi-monthly, as in one held at least twice a month. Almost every average person out there would know at least one cosplayer as one of their acquaintances, or would have known someone who would love to attend cosplay events. Cosplay events are such a rage that there are even companies out there that are coming up with their own cosplay events, or incorporating cosplayers into their marketing strategies to appeal to the niche audience. “Cosplay seems to be the new hip thing nowadays,” said Jared Cheah Jin-Eu, the event manager at the biggest cosplay event that happens annually in Malaysia, Comic Fiesta. He has been involved in the cosplay and anime, comics, and games (ACG) events since 2003, so it would be 14 years to be exact. Based on his own experience, he states that back in the early days there would only be around two events happening annually. Those events being Comic Fiesta an...
The hobby of cosplaying is no longer a new phenomenon in this progressive age where everyone is allowed to freely express themselves and their interests more. Cosplayers outside of events are constantly turning heads in their interesting over the top costumes and colourful wigs as they are rarely seen in a regular public setting. As the hobby’s reputation increases, it reaches corporations and their staff, who interestingly enough, have been incorporating cosplayers into their marketing strategies. One such example can be seen from Nippon Paint’s Pylox Spray Paint campaign, whereby they engaged a popular cosplayer who goes by her stage name, Rikka Blurhound, to star in their commercials and promote their product. Their series of video commercials, titled as “The Dream Guardian” is up on Nippon Paint’s YouTube channel, and has garnered over 180,000 organic views. The numbers of the actual paid video commercial that has been broadcasted on netizens’ screens is probably a lot highe...