More than three times the age of the schoolgirl she’s cosplaying as? No problem!

The vast majority of popular anime characters are in their teens, since stories about people in those age groups tend to be the ones that resonate best with the medium’s core fanbase. High-quality cosplay, though, is often outside the means of teenagers, since they might not have the money to spend on pricey costume materials and camera equipment.

So due to the financial benefits of an adult-level-paying job, it’s not at all uncommon for anime cosplayers to be older than the characters they’re cosplaying as, and that’s true of Sayuri Ozaki, (katsumisayuri_sayuri on Instagram) who’s seen here cosplaying as high school idol Kotori Minami, from the Love Live! franchise.

While Ozaki has opted not to dye her hair the trademark “Kotori beige,” her outfit looks great, and it’s hard not to notice that her legs do too. Now, like we said, Ozaki is older than Kotori, who’s only 16 when we first meet her in Love Live!. So how much older is Ozaki?

Twice as old? Nope, guess again. Three times? Getting closer, but still not quite there, because Ozaki is actually 50 years old.

Granted, the 34-year age gap is a little inflated by the fact that Ozaki just had her birthday on July 15. Still, even in Japan it’s rare to see 50-year-old cosplayers, especially ones who can look totally natural wearing the frilly, schoolgirl uniform-inspired designs of contemporary idol stage fashion.

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おはぼよです🌼🤗🌼今日は心新たにする祈りの日です‼️24年前 17日からの家族を全員なくしたと思った3日間は 私の人生最大の地獄でした😣祈りのかいなく地獄が続かれた方々も沢山いらっしゃいます‼️だからこそ❗大事に思う人達が生きててくれる幸せを感謝したいです‼️ #生きててくれて有難う 😌 #親孝行出来るチャンスをもう一度くれて有難う 😌 #あの日 #さゆり を初めての海外に連れ出してくれてて #かつみさん #ありがとう😊 #ミースケ😸一緒にいてあげれなくてごめんね😭 #人と普通にバイバイする時でも✨ #必ず笑顔で お別れします😌 #心の奥に必ずあるのです #人っていつお別れになるかわからない❗ #それが #トラウマであり #教訓です ✨ #かつみさゆり #かつみ❤️さゆり #阪神淡路大震災 #吉本坂46 #ラブライブ #はぐっとプリキュア

A post shared by かつみ❤さゆり ❤さゆり (@katsumisayuri_sayuri) on

With her photogenic looks, you might be assuming that Ozaki is a professional model, but she’s actually a comedian, and one half of husband-and-wife comedy duo Sayuri Katsumi (her husband Katsumi Taihei being the other member).

Ozaki has been part of the show business scene for so long that one of her fans is the aunt of our Japanese-language reporter Meg, who’s old enough to have kids of her own. “I’m glad to see Sayuri-chan looking so radiant and beautiful, without a trace of sadness,” Meg’s aunt remarked upon seeing her Love Live! cosplay.

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このお洋服✨一目惚れで買っちゃったんです〰️🎶🤣🎶お値段3500円〰️🎶🤣🎶 お安い〰️‼️なので今日の『せやねん』生放送✨珍しく脚出してないの巻~🤣 #脚が出てない 😅💦 #ホワイト 一色❤️ #そんな珍しい衣装に #トミーズ雅 兄さん #今日目チカチカせえへん と…🤣 #楽屋では🎵 #みんなに #今日パンツみえへん🤣 #って… #もはや変態扱い🤣🤣🤣 #ヒラヒラが嬉しくって #1回転 🌼🤗🌼 #かつみさゆり #さゆり #吉本坂46 #サマードレス #かつみさん写真上手 🎶 #さゆりの衣装は自前

A post shared by かつみ❤さゆり ❤さゆり (@katsumisayuri_sayuri) on

So maybe the real secret to eternal youth is to laugh as much as you can.

Featured image: Instagram/katsumisayuri_sayuri
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