Cosplay in America Book Release Party at Royal/T
LOS ANGELES, CA (May 14th, 2010)—Photographer Ejen Chuang announces the release of his first cosplay photo collection, Cosplay in America. In 2009, Ejen Chuang traveled to anime conventions across the United States, documenting the American exploration of "cosplay", a shortened form of the term “costume-play”, popularized in Japan. Cosplayers create, and sometimes perform in elaborate recreations of characters' costumes from animation, comics, and video games.
The project includes subjects from the Anime Expo, Otakon, A-Kon, Fanime, Anime Weekend Atlanta and AnimeFest conventions. Over 1,600 cosplayers were photographed, and over 250 cosplayers from 30 states were selected for the book.
Cosplayers featured in the book will be in attendance, and everyone coming to the party is encouraged to dress up! Cosplay and Japanese street fashion is highly encouraged!
The book release party will be held at Royal/T , the renowned Akihabara-style maid café and gallery space located in Culver City, California on May 23rd, 2010. The event runs from 12 PM - 5 PM, is free, and all-ages. The DJs from Tune in Tokyo will also appear, spinning J-Pop and global dance pop throughout the day. Royal/T is located at 8910 Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90232.
Book Summary
Cosplay in America
Publisher : OptikNerve
Release date : June 2010
Price $40 USD
Specs : 8x10 hardcover, 272 pages full cover
ISBN-10: 0615349064
ISBN-13: 978-0-615-34906-0
About Ejen Chuang
Ejen Chuang is a photographer based in Los Angeles. Previous clients include Interscope Records, Atlantic Records UK, and Warner Brothers UK. This is Ejen Chuang's first book. For more information about Cosplay in America, please visit www.cosplayinamerica.com.
About Tune In Tokyo
Tune in Tokyo was created to stage music events where fans of Japanese, Korean, and global pop and street fashion can meet and celebrate their interests. For more information about Tune In Tokyo, please visit http://www.myspace.com/tuneintokyoclub.
About Royal/T
Located in Culver City, Royal/T is a playful blending of café, concept shop, and art exhibition space. The 10,000-square-foot space reflects the interior realm of fantasy that strongly influences the artists included in Owner Susan Hancock's collection. Royal/T's café is inspired by the meido kissa (maid café) phenomena of Akihabara, Tokyo's electronic district. Re-contextualizing the underground culture of Japan that celebrates “cosplay” (costume play), waitresses dress in maid uniforms with a Lolita-esque touch, while serving an amalgam of French and Japanese cuisine. The art space showcases curated exhibitions with a focus on Japanese contemporary art, and an inventive concept store emulates the collection's sophistication—a seamless merging of Japanese pop culture and high-end design. The Royal/T café is open from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily. For additional information, please visit http://www.royal-t.org.
