Yunmao Ayakawa
October 15, 2007
Hello, everyone! I’m Yunmao Ayakawa, a Japanese cosplay “talent.” Starting with this issue’s column, I’m going to introduce everyone to Japanese otaku culture, cosplay, and more. I hope you enjoy it!
I’ll start off by introducing myself! Ever since I was little, I’ve loved manga, anime, and cosplay more than anyone else. Hmmm, have I been doing cosplay for about seven years already?
I started with cosplaying characters from shonen manga, and I’ve been able to do lots of cosplay since then. One day, I was scouted while cosplaying at an event, and I became a “talent.” So now I appear in television programs, magazines, websites, and more, and I work at various events. Since I love to cosplay, I can work doing cosplaying. Isn’t that awesome? I don’t just work as a talent, but also as an illustrator, writer, planner, designer, and a few other creative jobs.
Since last year, I’ve had a lot of work overseas, starting with America. I really enjoy being able to perform in overseas programs and events. I feel truly happy entertaining everyone who enjoys Japanese manga, anime, and everything else by doing this. I’m actually not that great with English (I’m still studying!) so having a conversation is 
difficult for me, but I can still talk about anything related to anime. If the world community can enjoy the same anime stories, I think it’ll be truly wonderful.
My dream now is to cosplay throughout the world so the Japanese otaku culture can spread even more! If we get the chance, I want to meet with everyone!
Starting with my next column, I will tell you about the current state of Japanese otaku, so I hope you keep reading and enjoy!
