Anime NYC 2024 just ended on August 25, 2024, with a great turnout of fans for an impressive array of brands and talents loved by millions, but perhaps the most striking thing was the cosplay scene that emerged. A particularly creative scene Freeze: Beyond Journey's End Cosplay took the spotlight at Anime NYC 2024 and just by posting about it, I helped make it a viral event.
In a city of 8 million people, it's no surprise that a convention with major companies like VIZ Media, Yen Press, Crunchyroll, and Netflix has a big presence that attracts a lot of passionate, creative fans. My post went viral on X (formerly Twitter) with an anonymous fan's cosplay of a chest-shaped machine mimicking the Frieren, a joke from the series of the same name.
This is a popular gag among manga and anime readers and is a clear manifestation of the meme, featuring a clever puppet mechanism that controls the legs. It looks exactly like the recurring moment in the series. Although this is not the first time cosplaying in this style, the reception from everyone in that moment reminded me of why Frieren is increasingly recognized as the anime of the decade.
Healthy Twitter Reactions Aren't a Given for Anime Fans
My intention was not to have my account go viral because of this post about the Frieren cosplay, but to make sure people knew that it was all about the cosplayer featured. I was delighted to see the immediate reaction to this amazing fan piece, the laughter at the perfectly executed joke, the dance-like movements as he moved what were essentially costumed mannequin legs swinging around outside a monster chest on his head. Healthy reactions and admiration for this fan's work Bringing the Frieren cosplay to life has made it go viral.
Another appealing element of the Frieren cosplay idea is that it introduces How many other people around the world have done the same and just want to share their contributions?. After all, an earlier cosplay variation was featured on knowyourmeme.com's Frieren Stuck in Mimic Chest page. I'm happy to share other additions from Indonesian conventions, citing Japanese predecessors, all eager to join the conversation and contribute to the Frieren adoration.
Over the course of Anime NYC 2024 weekend, the post received 1.1 million views, 5,600 retweets and quotes, 57,000 likes, and over 100 direct responses organically despite coming from a small, private user base. Since this is my account, where I typically receive a fraction of that engagement, I can’t expect this to turn me into a social media star because I neither expect nor deserve it. But it’s becoming increasingly clear that the immediate recognizability and dominance of this post compared to many other posts from the event shows how fans consider Frieren the anime of its time.
Frieren is increasingly considered the best Anime of this era
The series' success has been reflected in cosplay, memes, and compilation websites.
Image created by Joshua Fox
Frieren surpassed Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the most consistent anime on the all-time list, months ago and is ahead by 0.24 points, with 857,918 fans supporting it as of August 27, 2024.
In addition to the responses on the post saying so, aggregator sites like MyAnimeList and general public opinion say that Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is one of the best anime of the 2020s generation.Frieren surpassed Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the most consistent anime on the all-time list, months ago and is ahead by 0.24 points, with 857,918 fans supporting it as of August 27, 2024. The series has consistently been highly regarded by fans and industry peers, with Frieren season 1 being extremely well received.
Frieren has become extremely popular and has maintained a loyal fan base thanks to its loyal fans. It boasts strong animation and color grading that conveys a wistful nostalgia at times, with the main character at the heart of the series being wonderfully voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki, the voice of groundbreaking anime characters like Spy x Family's Anya Forger. For me, the salutary lessons of a series where Its characters learn not to take the people they meet for granted. is a compelling example of its greatness, along with hilarious cosplays that go viral on why fans love Frieren.
Cosplayer Viral Frieren is the hidden hero of Anime NYC 2024
An important reminder of how fans express themselves differently
Soon after my post started going viral, reaching nearly half a million impressions in less than a day, I want to meet Frieren cosplayers so I can tag them to promote their work. At Anime NYC, like other major conventions, I knew where cosplayers congregated, and I soon spotted the trunk with the dangling legs. I found the cosplayer and showed them the post. Although they had an Instagram, they politely declined to share it on Twitter, preferring to remain anonymous while being grateful that the Frieren costume had gone viral.
This is perfectly fine, and serves as a reminder that while fans may express their love for Frieren as an anime that increasingly dominates public discourse in 2024,hey may not do it for social media impression or reputation. This is The most realistic version of a parody joke I've ever seenand people really admire the effort put in. People even share photos or talk about appearances at events like Connecticon or maybe Anime Boston or Otakon, making this Frieren cosplayer famous in surrounding states.
Cosplay is often done out of love for the craft.
Fame or exposure is not the only motivator
I’ve gone to surprising lengths to meet other cosplayers who have left a similar positive impression on me. I met and had lunch with Daniel Høgh in Denmark, who has become famous for his Warhammer 40,000 Imperial Fists Terminator cosplay. I’m friends with Joanna Lye, another 40k cosplayer whose Wonder Woman cosplay has also gained recognition, and many of the other cosplayers I’ve met pursue it out of passion for their fandom or to make money. Viral Frieren-imitating breast cosplays may be on a similar spectrum, and if they want privacy, they deserve it just as much as anyone else.
Like many conventions, Anime NYC has a cosplay competition, called Cosplay Masquerade, judged by experts and well-known figures in the anime fan community, where some cosplayers get to showcase their work. However, the others range from professionals to social media influencers, people from all walks of life, and sometimes celebrities in disguise. Some people aspire to fame and some aspire to careers. However, some people, like Freeze cosplayer, likes to express his ideas and love for a famous brand for fun and contribute to a cultural moment without expecting any compensation.
Source: Know Your Meme, MyAnimeList
