Meeting some real characters at SF Anime Festival

[yuiyoshida]

Dozens of costume artists descended Saturday morning on San Francisco’s Japantown Peace Plaza wearing intricate layers of makeup and elaborate handmade outfits — and basically adopting a new identity for the day.

Among the crowd were several Sailor Moons, a Goku from “Dragon Ball Z,” a Cloud Strife from “Final Fantasy” and, of course, a few Ash Ketchums from “Pokémon.”

The costume artists, known as cosplayers (short for costume play), came from across the Bay Area to take on the identities of their favorite fictional characters for the San Francisco Anime and Cosplay Festival in Japantown.

It was the sixth year for the event, meant to draw people to Japantown to celebrate anime and cosplay, which have taken off in Japanese culture, said Yoko, an event organizer who goes by just one name.

Alongside the impressively dressed fictional characters, hundreds of uncostumed people showed up to show their support and to meet and take photos with their favorite characters.

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