Promoting Japanese culture through DIY anime armour

Melbourne, 16 August, 2016. 

On Monday 22 August, a costume armour expert from Japan called “Goldy” will give a lecture and workshop at RMIT Brunswick to share the Japanese subculture of cosplay with Melbourne locals. 

Goldy (Takahiro Sakai) specialises in recreating the armour of mecha characters from Japanese manga and anime out of light, spongy materials such as polyurethane foam. He works for the World Cosplay Summit and has featured in AnimeExpo in the USA, MCM Expo in London, and many other events around the world. At RMIT he will lecture on cosplay and Japanese pop culture, run a workshop in which participants can learn some basic armour building techniques, and meet with prominent local cosplayers and event organisers. 

Goldy will be visiting Australia under the “Japan Brand Program”, sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan to promote intercultural understanding and introduce various aspects of Japanese culture overseas. Through Goldy’s event, participants will find out how cosplay has developed from a minor subculture into a new tool of cross-cultural exchange worldwide and gain insight into Japan’s tradition of fine craftsmanship.

When: 22 August 2016

Where: RMIT, 25 Dawson St, Brunswick

10:30am - 11:20am: Lecture on cosplay and Japanese popular culture - bookings 

11:40am - 12:40pm: Practical armour-making workshop - bookings

12:40pm - 13:40pm: Reception (invite only)

13:40pm - 14:40pm: Meeting with local cosplayers and event organisers (invite only)