From Where They Stand

How Sarawak-born cosplayer Hakken became a global phenomenon by bringing iconic anime characters to life

- Zue Wei Leong

“I never expected all of this. I was just a weeb (a person who is fascinated with Japanese culture) who wanted to dress up as my favourite anime characters,” laughs Hakken.

Their cosplay journey began at age 12 in their hometown of Miri, Sarawak, after watching videos of Naruto cosplayers on YouTube. “My parents were into anime and manga, especially Slam Dunk, so I grew up with them but cosplay was something I had never seen before and I wanted to try it,” they share.

More than a decade later, Hakken is one of the most successful cosplayers in Asia with more than 3.8 million followers on Instagram and 900,000 followers on Twitter. They are known for their meticulous attention to detail when cosplaying characters from cult-favourite anime and manga series, such as Howl’s Moving Castle, Jujutsu Kaisen, and their personal favourite, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. Hakken’s online popularity translates into real life. Their loyal fanbase often shows up in droves to in-person appearances around the world, eager to catch a glimpse of the charismatic 25-year-old—both in and out of costume. 

Cosplay culture is catching on around the world, appealing to the youth by providing entertainment, escapism or a sense of identity, belonging and community. However, for professional cosplayers including Hakken, it is also a craft to be perfected.