If you see a large groups of people dressed as comic book heroes near Ala Moana this weekend… here’s why.
It’s time for the Kawaii Kon- Hawai‘i’s longest running animation convention. The three day event celebrates Japanese anime and manga and video games and the social culture that surrounds them.
Many of the attendees dress up as their favorite character- a practice called Cosplay which has become the focal point of the event. Costumes are often handmade, with incredible detail put into their design to be as accurate to the character as possible.
Comic conventions are growing in popularity across the country, fueled by recent reality television shows, and documentaries. The largest, held in San Diego attracted around 130,000 people last year. Comic books have largely been overshadowed by growing presence of film and television features.
The Kawaii Kon has been running for 12 years, and organizers expect around twelve-thousand people this year. Although its focus is still on anime, it also features numerous discussion panels, video game rooms, and cosplay events.
It also has a sister event the Comic Con Honolulu which steers the focus back to comic books. Josh Pugh is the Director of Media Relations for the Convention.
The KawaiiKon takes place this weekend at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. More information can be found at Kawaiikon.com.
