A first look at a cosplay photo book based on the works of Urusei Yatsura and Inuyasha creator Rumiko Takahashi has been released.
The new book will feature a variety of cosplays from Enako, a voice actor, streamer and model who is known as Japan's highest-paid professional cosplayer. The book will see the popular cosplayer taking on the roles of numerous characters from several of Takahashi's most popular series, including Maison Ikkoku, Ranma 1/2, and Inuyasha. Takahashi even designed a brand new character for Enako to portray in the new book. The first image from the photo book, which shows the cosplayer dressed up as Lum, the alien princess from Takahashi's original hit, Urusei Yatsura, was revealed on Enako's personal Twitter account. The as-yet untitled collaboration book will be released in Japan on Sept. 6.
Urusei Yatsura has been the subject of renewed attention lately, as Jojo's Bizarre Adventure studio David Production readies a new anime adaptation of Takahashi's classic sci-fi romantic comedy. The reboot is being directed by Hideya Takahashi (Platinum End) and Yasuhiro Kimura, who directed Jojo's Golden Wind season. The new show is planned to run for four seasons and will adapt select stories from the original manga, which ran from 1978 – 1987. Lum and Ataru's return to TV will begin broadcast in Japan this October. Details about the series' international release have yet to be announced.
When she is not creating hit manga or supervising the many adaptations of her work, Takahashi is busy collecting awards: in 2020 she was given the distinguished Medal with Purple Ribbon award by the Japanese government for her contributions to the arts and culture, and in 2021 she was inducted into the Harvey Awards' Hall of Fame for her achievements. The manga author is still working on her current manga series, the supernatural fantasy Mao, which began publication in 2019 and is distributed in English by VIZ Media.
Enako began cosplaying in 2012, and is now so well known in the Japanese cosplay community and anime fandom that she is paid by conventions to bring her cosplay to their events. It has been reported that she makes over $90,000 USD a month through these paid appearances and photo shoots. Cosplay has become a full-time job for the 27-year old, and in a video released at the beginning of the year, she revealed that she owns a "cosplay warehouse" that houses over hundreds of costumes, which are meticulously catalogued and archived by her staff.
Source: Twitter