Nepal’s Cosplay Festival Unites Hundreds of Fans in Colorful Celebration

Nov 10, 2024

Dozens of cosplayers attended the annual Nepali festival of “Otaku Jatra,” embracing pop culture by dressing up as various anime characters and performing their iconic moves and deeds. It is one of the occasions when enthusiasts and fans can see their favorite characters come to life. The annual cosplay fest of “Otaku Jatra” attracts thousands of attendees, with pop culture enthusiasts from across Nepal coming together to celebrate. Although the festival has existed since the early 21st century, it started gaining significant impact and a vigorous presence only after 2016. Cosplay, a portmanteau of "costume play," is an activity and performance art in which participants wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent fictional characters, primarily from anime. People dressed as these characters often interact with each other to create a subculture and perform role-playing tasks in venues beyond the stage. Anime, cartoons, comic books, manga, TV series, and video games are the main sources of inspiration for cosplays. Cosplay, originating from early 20th-century fan costuming at sci-fi conventions, gained its name in Japan in the mid-20th century and has since fostered a global community. Anime, distinct from traditional cartoons by addressing real-life issues and human emotions, has captivated Millennials and Generation Z, with genres spanning romance, sci-fi, and horror. The first TV anime, Astro Boy (1963), marked anime’s international rise, influencing young fans who now view it not just as entertainment but as a source of life lessons in friendship, resilience, and teamwork.