Japan’s celebration of Internet culture returns in full force for the first time in four years.

The Niconico Chokaigi, or Niconico Super Conference, isn’t an anime convention per se. The annual event is a celebration of Japanese Internet culture and fandom, having grown out of the Nico Nico Douga online video platform.

Of course, there’s a lot of crossover between Internet enthusiasts and anime otaku, so you can always expect a big turnout of cosplayers at the event. That was especially so at this year’s iteration, held April 29 and 30 at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba (about an hour outside of downtown Tokyo), since this was the first Niconico Super Conference since 2019 to be held without attendance caps or other pandemic protocols in place.

The recently premiered anime adaptation of Oshi no Ko is already making a splash with its mix of music, murder mystery, and metaphysics, and cosplayer Emilia Sakurai saluted the series by dressing as Ai Hoshino.

Representing another recent hit was Shinamon as Bocchi the Rock’s Hitori Goto.

But while there’s an image of fast infatuation turnover in online fandoms, there were also plenty of evergreen characters being cosplayed at this year’s Niconico Super Conference, such as Final Fantasy VII’s best heroine Tifa Lockhart (cosplayer Nozomi)…

…Hatsune Miku (Yuyu Hekino)…

… and Di Gi Charat’s Di Gi Charat (Meibi) and Pyocola Analogue III (Kai).

In the fanciest frills department, we spotted Date A Live’s Kurumi Tokisaki (An Shiratsuki)…

…and My Dress-Up Darling’s Shizuku Kuroe (Karen Abe).

Less encumbered by excess fabric were Sound Voltex’s Energy Rasis (Arisa)…

…and Blue Archive’s Kisaki (Rinashi).

2.5 Dimensional Seduction’s Liliel (Makiho) sported another fanciful outfit…

…while this gender-swapped version of One Piece’s Trafalgar Law (Toriy) managed to stand out in relatively casual attire.

In addition to cosplaying fans, there were also official models inside at the booths for video game Nikke…


…Tower of Fantasy…

…and pachinko machine maker Sanyo.

A big thanks to everyone who took the time to pose for us, and we hope to see you all again at next year’s Niconico Super Conference.

Photos ©SoraNews24
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