J-Word for the Day

I managed to catch the replay of Tokyo-eye yesterday afternoon and watched in full what the hooha over the M*atsuken samba was all about (see previous entry).

Which brings us to our word of the day: cosplay. At first, I could not catch what the host was saying (he tended to eat his words) that it took some time for me to figure out that it was "cosplay".

It's when people play dress up as characters of manga or anime, video games etc. One of the famous venues for cosplay is in Tokyo's Harajuku or Akihabara districts.

Why do Japanese people love to cosplay? I'm sure, as the segment host said, sociologists would have their own theory, but the answer may be simple: it's fun.

Hmmm, I wonder who I'll dress up as if ever I get crazy enough to engage in cosplay?