Hetalia Cosplay Contest

Tokyopop is looking for costume pictures to include in their september release of Hetalia. It’s a manga, originally a webcomic, in which various countries become characters for historical satire. It’s reportedly got a large fan following already.

12 cosplay winners will have their photos included in the book. Oddly, there’s no mention of whether they’re going to print in color, which I think would matter. Black-and-white reproductions may not show off detail.

To enter, you have to post your photo to both Flickr and Facebook (ick). I don’t care much about the contest — although I find it fascinating that a publisher is encouraging scanlations in this way. After all, how will you know what the costume looks like that you’re copying/homaging if you haven’t already read the book? So by definition, their winners will have already been familiar with a book not yet published in the U.S.

It’s also interesting that the prize is giving Tokyopop free content. They don’t even offer to send you a copy of the book that your photo will be published in! That’s cheap.

But I am looking forward to reading the story, which I hear good things about. Anyone know any more to recommend/dissuade me?