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Secret otaku certification test: Can you see the video game cosplay hidden in this clothing ad?

Casey Baseel Nov 6, 2020
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Should clothing chain Shimamura start calling itself the King of Fashion?

While competitor Uniqlo has gone on to worldwide name-recognition, casual Japanese clothing brand Shimamura has a pretty low profile. With most of its stores (like the one shown in the picture above) in residential areas outside of major city centers, Shimamura’s primary selling point is its extremely affordable prices.

That’s not to say you can’t put together a suitably stylish outfit with what the chain offers, though. As a matter of fact, Shimamura’s website even offers suggested ensembles, like this one with eye-catching crimson flared pants.

Not counting the shoes, the combined price is just 2,780 yen (US$26.50), making this a very reasonably priced outfit…but is it also a very reasonably priced cosplay costume? Some people think so, since the Shimamura clothes being modeled look an awful lot like the wardrobe of video game character…

異世界無双でおなじみ八神庵の三段笑いを集めてみた･･･ pic.twitter.com/kbAXXFIPeV

— ひとちわ (@hitochiwa) June 6, 2020

…Iori Yagami, from developer SNK’s venerable The King of Fighters franchise!

これが元祖八神庵くん
隙あらば暴走してしまう八神庵くん

「すぐ楽にしてやる」
「遊びは終わりだ」
「泣け、叫べ、そして死ね！」
とにかく死ね死ね言ってくる八神庵くん！！

嫌いなものは…
＼＼\　暴力　///／／　

盛大に突っ込んだ思い出( ˘ω˘) pic.twitter.com/irQ7UylsXN

— ナスカ (@n_tetsuroooo_k) October 28, 2020

しまむらのアプリで見た服のコーデが八神庵にしか見えなくて困る… pic.twitter.com/aPzRZJBuBk

— m egu (@meg_hit) October 26, 2020

The similarity appears to have been first noticed by Japanese Twitter user @meg_hit, and has many other fans of the series nodding in agreement, including one of the official Twitter accounts of SNK itself.

https://twitter.com/ryo_redcyclone/status/1323451435141484545

It’s not clear if the resemblance is a coincidence, as seems to have been the case with H&M’s mecha anime salute, or a direct homage, like when Uniqlo paid homage to Shinjuku’s greatest fictional private detective/bodyguard. Either way, if you’d like to dress like Iori, the related page on Shimamura’s online shop can be found here.

Source: Shimamura via Hachima Kiko
Top image: Wikipedia/ぱむ
Insert images: Shimamura
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