Because of its time zone, holidays come to Japan several hours sooner than the rest of the world. Last weekend, Halloween came especially early, though, with parades of costumers being held in both Kawasaki and Tokyo’s Roppongi.
But even as Halloween continues to become more and more popular in Japan, one thing that hasn’t changed is the way most people get around by public transportation. Just about everyone takes the subway, whether you’re a student, businessperson, or living snowman from Disney’s Frozen.
A couple of Twitter users riding the rails last Sunday realized they were suddenly sharing their car with Olaf, the garrulous comic relief from Frozen, which was one of last year’s biggest box office hits in Japan (where it was released under the title Anna and the Snow Queen).
Between Halloween, video game trade shows, and anime events, Japanese cosplay fans have plenty of opportunities to dress up. Most of the time, though, they carry their gear in a rolling suitcase, change into costume at the venue, and switch back to their street clothes before going home. This Olaf fan’s outfit, though, looks like it was too bulky to transport, so he slipped it on at home before heading out the door. The effect is especially cool when he squats down, hiding his legs.
Of course, Tokyo is one of the most crowded cities in the world. If you’ve ever flown in for a trip and tried to carry a large suitcase onto the subway, you know it’s hard to do without bumping into a few people. Olaf seemed to understand he was imposing on his fellow passengers, and offered Japan’s universally accepted “I’m sorry” gesture.
While there’s no denying the fan’s enthusiasm, not everyone who saw his impromptu photo shoot found Olaf to be as adorable as he was onscreen, as shown in Internet comments:
“I can’t find even a shred of cuteness here.”
“It’s a pretty good match, as long as you’re looking at him from far away…”
“A harsh dose of reality for kids across the country.”
“Seriously dude, take a taxi.”
“Olaf, destroying the dreams of little girls everywhere.”
Overall though, it looks like real-life Olaf produced more chuckles than screams, and at least one fan cared enough to remind him, “Olaf, there’s no cloud over your head! You’re gonna die!” Here’s hoping the snowman made it home before he melted, and has the AC cranked until the cold of winter sets in and he can enjoy his New Year’s meal of Frozen osechi.
Source: Hamster Sokuho, Twitter