Cos-Play to Teach Geek's English

A Tokyo school has just begun teaching an innovative new subject called Cosplish, a hybrid of the words "cos-play" and "English."

The strange course focuses on three topics which have become increasingly popular among Japanese culture: the English language, manga, and costume-play. It's centered around Otaku, the Japanese word for the geeks obsessed with anime and manga. To top off the bizarreness of it all, the teachers dress up in fantasy gear to teach the classes.

For a brief background, manga is Japanese cartoon illustrations that have gained global popularity, read not only by children, but adults as well. Cos-play is the act of dressing up as these characters, particularly the popular ones from well known comics.

The costumed instructors teach classes like "Broken English," "Otaku Eiken" (geek's English) and "Moeng" (cute English.) They teach English-language text and internet slang like txt, GR8, BRB and B4.

"Otaku culture is taking over the world. Everybody reads manga now. So I thought Otaku people in Japan might be interested in Otaku culture outside Japan," says school founder, Yohei Suzuki who wanted to create a setting for these geeks to feel accepted.

"They don't get along with normal people. Otaku only get along with Otaku people," he said.

"I wanted to create a space for Otaku. Everyone at my school is a geek, so you don't have to worry about what everyone else is thinking."

The photos show Cosplish lessons in action as well as other images that feature Cos-Play.