Although cosplay conventions (commonly referred to as Fes) have always been a gathering place for the Otaku community to connect and showcase their passion through cosplay, there are still many pressing issues that have yet to be addressed, such as ensuring safety, protecting the rights of cosplayers, and maintaining security in the event areas of these conventions.
The group of friends formed Shield of Otaku
With a significant number of attendees at these events reaching into the hundreds and thousands, it is unavoidable that some people take advantage of the festive atmosphere, leading to inappropriate behavior. The high volume of visitors can make it challenging for event organizers to maintain control over the situation, which can sometimes result in disruptions that affect the experience of those around.
Hỏa Ka – the group has established SOO to protect cosplayers and visitors at conventions.
During the 2016 Otaku Festival held at the Labor Culture Palace, a group of friends established the Shield of Otaku (abbreviated as SOO), led by Nguyen Huu, also known as Hỏa Ka, a prominent member of the cosplay community in Ho Chi Minh City.
One of the charitable activities of the SOO group
The group’s mission is to protect the rights of Otaku and cosplayers attending conventions. They often participate in cosplay events and monitor for instances of theft, harassment, or violence against cosplayers within the event premises to ensure timely intervention by the organizers.
Right after its establishment, SOO successfully prevented several disruptive incidents caused by the chaotic behavior of some visitors, which negatively impacted the experience of those around. Below are some instances that the SOO group managed to address.
The group followed, detected, and reported instances of harassment to the organizers.
This is the group of friends in cultural attire, bringing plastic guns into… the cosplayers and visitors were escorted out of the event.
One of the disruptive elements that the group managed to identify at previous festivals.
To ensure a peaceful development of the Otaku community and to freely participate in cosplay conventions organized today, a group dedicated to advocating for the rights of the Otaku community, like SOO, is quite essential. It is hoped that in the future, the SOO group will continue to develop further so that cosplay conventions can be safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
