Taiwan Politician Hits Campaign Trail in Neon Genesis Evangelion Cosplay
A politician in Taiwan has gained fame for hitting the campaign trail as Neon Genesis Evangelion's Asuka.
It seems politicians will do anything these days to get elected. For better or worse, just about anything goes for legislative hopefuls. In Taiwan, that was made very clear as the nation is gearing up for new elections, and one of its candidates is going viral for their anime cosplays.
As noted by fans, the candidate Lai Pin-yu sparked conversation when the hit the campaign trail recently dressed as a Neon Genesis Evangelion star. Pin-yu showed up to an event dressed as Asuka Soryu from the classic sci-fi series. And no, this is not the first time the politician has shown up to work in cosplay.
A política de Taiwan Lai Pin-yu vestiu-se de Asuka de Neon Genesis Evangelion, Asuka Langley Soryu, para fazer campanha política.
— Papo Nerd com Elas 🏳️🌈 (@PapoNerdCE) December 30, 2019
Já pensou se a moda pega? Que político gostaria ver de cosplay? E com qual? pic.twitter.com/k6G6yOhGc2
According to previous campaign promos, Pin-yu has also dressed up as Sailor Mars from Sailor Moon. It seems the Taiwan legislative candidate is a big anime fan, and they are happy to bring their fandom to work; In fact, they have done so already. Pin-yu was first voted into the Taiwan legislature in 2020, and she did so with cosplay at her side. As for this election, Pin-Yd's campaign partner Willian Lai has not shown up to any events in costume, but that could always change. After all, fans wouldn't be mad seeing the vice presidential candidate step out of Vegeta or perhaps Naruto.
As anime continues to grow, there is no doubt more instances like this will crop up globally. The medium has been big for decades now, but streaming and global travel have made anime a force to reckon with. From hit films to trending TV series, the industry does it all, and anime streaming services are thriving thanks to the industry's variety. So one day, don't be surprised if you see someone dressed as Monkey D. Luffy hit the campaign trail stateside...!
What do you think about this latest Evangelion tribute? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!