00:00Kostle is taking root in Kenya with fans using imagination and recycled materials to bring anim and manga characters to
00:07life.
00:09Julius Mokai, a two-time costume competition winner, spent months creating an Enjin costume for Mgachi Akuta using handmade masks,
00:18weapons and accessories.
00:21The best thing is that the lights are very flexible.
00:23I'll be dressing up as Enjin. He's the leader, or rather the field leader for the Akuta team in the
00:30anime called Gachi Akuta.
00:32His weapon is, or rather the characters in the anime themselves are warriors who fight in the trash where the
00:42main character is thrown after the events of the first few episodes.
00:45Organizers say over 4,000 people attended showing how anime and manga are building new communities and giving Kenyan fans
00:53space to turn fantasy into art.
00:56And I think the different sectors or cultural aspects of entertainment, the subcultures are key. It gives people life, it
01:05gives people inspiration, and it's fun and entertaining, yeah. So that's why this event is personally important to me.
01:11This year's competition winner was 24-year-old Yvonne Choki, dressed as Ange Woman, an angel character from Japanese franchise.
01:19My next step is to keep crafting, because I want to be, maybe I cannot be perfect at crafting, but
01:26I want to get as close as I can to perfect.
01:30Fans arrived dressed as characters from One Piece, Naruto and Gachi Akuta. But for many, cosplay is more than costumes.
01:39It's a chance to connect, share interest and express themselves freely.
01:44This event is special to me because I get to meet a lot of like-minded people. I don't go
01:49out a lot, so I don't have the chance to meet people in person. So this event is very precious
01:53to me in that aspect.
01:55As the scene continues to grow, Kenyan enthusiasts are helping shape a distinctly local take on a global phenomenon.
02:03With creativity at its center, cosplay is becoming a platform for craftsmanship, storytelling and new generation of pop culture enthusiasts.
02:12With creativists, come to me about the album.
02:13OK many more.
02:17You
02:19You
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