Anime has become a lifestyle for some young people in Romania. They go to the extent of dressing up like their favorite characters
Three decades after the broadcast of the famous Sandy Bell in Romania, Japanese animations called "anime" have not lost their popularity, on the contrary.
Young people are more and more interested in these productions and even dress up like their favorite characters. In Cluj-Napoca, fans from various cities gathered on the evening of November 4th to celebrate the Japanese animation culture.
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Anime, a lifestyle
Anime has become a lifestyle for some young people in Romania. For instance, a young lady dedicates a significant amount of time to her outfits, which have brought her fame online.
Participant: "I am Kafka from Honkai Star Rail. She is one of my favorite characters; I really like her, she is a strong woman. This costume, to be fair, is bought, but I made the wig and certain accessories. The accessories are made from something called EVA foam. Otherwise, I make them out of purchased materials or clothes I already have and just alter them".
She wasn't the only character embodied at the event in Cluj-Napoca.
Reporter: Where did you get your inspiration today?
Young lady: "From an anime called Chainsaw Man. The character's name is Makima, she is the negative character in the anime".
Young lady: "Today, I dressed up as Kuromi, a Japanese character. She's very cute".
Young lady: "I am Pom Pom Purin; my character is a bit older, so not everyone knows it. The anime debuted in 1996".
Young lady: "It's a character I really like from Naruto. I actually received this costume for my birthday, so it was a gift, but it was something I wanted".
Such events are in high demand, say the organizers.
Tudor Vlassa, president of the Anime Club in Cluj: "Tonight we expect over 400 people. Usually, we organize events like this twice a year, one in spring and one in autumn, and otherwise, we have weekly meetings. The community is much larger than even we expected".
Japanese animations became popular in Romania in the 90s with series, such as Sandy Bell or Saber Rider. The interest has not waned even after three decades.
Bogdan Gorgănea, independent consultant in the field of Japanese animation: "The phenomenon is very popular among young people; they just need as many events and platforms as possible to express themselves and develop their passions".
According to an international publication dedicated to news about movies and television productions, over 69% of young people from Generation Z, meaning those up to 26 years old, frequently watch Japanese animations.
