TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Mayor of Hsinchu Kao Hong-an (高虹安) and Deputy Mayor Chiu Chen-yuan (邱臣遠) have appeared at a press event in full cosplay to promote the first Hsinchu Animation and Comics Festival coming up on May 25-26.
Kao reportedly spent most of the morning preparing for the event and went all out to appear as Freiren, the title character of the popular anime series “Freiren: Beyond Journey’s End.” The mayor’s enthusiasm for promoting the upcoming festival caused a minor sensation.
Deputy Mayor Chiu Chen-yuan dressed as the hero Himmel, who accompanies Freiren on her journey in the animated series. Kao shared a photo of herself in cosplay on her Facebook profile with the caption, “If you are brave Himmel, you will definitely come to the Hsinchu Animation and Comics Festival.”
The post was liked by thousands and shared hundreds of times within an hour of posting. Many netizens joked the mayor had gone too far in her cosplay appearance, with posts like “They broke the mayor,” while most reactions were delighted by how well the mayor was able to portray Freiren, a cute elven mage.
Next week’s Hsinchu Animation and Comics Festival is the first such festival to be hosted by the city at Hsinchu Municipal Stadium. It will feature an international exhibition area, a local talent showcase, anime idol musical performances, a market area, and a “Dragon Ball” commemorative display in honor of the late Akira Toriyama (鳥山明).
