Japanese pop culture festival begins at Kansai airport

OSAKA, Oct. 18 Kyodo - A Japanese pop culture festival began Saturday at Kansai International Airport
in Osaka Prefecture, showcasing a range of things including fashion and music
inspired by animation and manga comics.
The Japan Pop Culture Festival 2008, sponsored mainly by Kansai International
Airport Co., features ''cosplay'' (costume playing), a type of anime subculture
in which one pretends to become an animated or comic book character by dressing
in a costume and role-playing.
During the two-day event, ''cosplayers'' will roam the airport terminal showing
off their costumes and taking pictures of each other.
A cosplayer clad in a schoolgirl uniform who works in a ''maid cafe'' -- a type
of coffee shop popular among anime fans -- in Osaka, identified herself as ''a
forever 18-year-old'' and said, ''Usually, you can't cosplay in a big place
like an airport. It's so much fun and I feel great today.''
The festival will also host ''CG Anime Cup,'' which the organizers say is the
world's first contest for amateur computer graphics animation.
Amateur CG creators from China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan will take part in
the competition, according to organizers.
A fashion show for a type of youth fashion called ''Gothic Lolita'' will be
also held.
==Kyodo