Athletic otaku runs marathon in impressive time while cosplaying as anime magical girl 【Photos】

When running a full marathon, you want to make sure you’re outfitted with the proper equipment, like supportive, well-cushioned athletic shoes, sunglasses to keep the glare out of your eyes, and, of course, a frilly anime magical girl skirt so you can cosplay as you run.

TV broadcasts of marathons are surprisingly popular in Japan. Of course, even those who’re of the mindset that an hours-long foot race makes for a boring spectator sport had their eyes drawn to last Sunday’s Kobe Marathon, which featured this entrant.

プリキュア、がんばれ！ #神戸マラソン！ #まさかの登場 #しっかりと鍛えてはる #声援を受けて激走 #来年も期待♡(´∀｀*)ｳﾌﾌ https://t.co/bRTSOMGw3A

—
✿あころฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ✿ (@akoro_aloha_s2_) November 15, 2015

Striding forward amongst the other runners dressed in shorts and tank tops, this flamboyant individual stood out by cosplaying as one of the magical girls from anime franchise Pretty Cure, or PreCure as it’s known to its fans. Most of those fans are elementary school girls, but, as sometimes happens, the series has also struck a chord with a slice of Japan’s hardcore anime otaku, of whom we’re assuming this guy is one.

▼ Or maybe he just really like the color blue.

テレビつけたら神戸マラソンでプリキュアが走ってた。 https://t.co/HeeMfh3JeS

—
すーぱーのい子 (@noizy) November 15, 2015

Despite his unorthodox attire, the man still clocked a respectable time of two hours, 42 minutes, and 23 seconds. That wasn’t enough to place among the top male finishers (the winning men’s time was two hours, 18 minutes, and one second), but it’s still well under the three-hour line that many marathon runners strive to break.

▼ It also would have been good enough for second place in the women’s division, if the race officials had decided to place the runner in the category his cosplay character would belong to.

神戸マラソンの女子トップと並走するプリキュアさんがじわる。 https://t.co/l0lbVVql5q

—
さ く ん ぬ . ✍ (@610_alb) November 15, 2015

神戸マラソンの先頭集団にプリキュアの人が！ https://t.co/rLKux4PrIp

—
花瓶とガビ～ン☆ (@ikicyann) November 15, 2015

This wasn’t the costumed competitor’s first time to dress up for the Kobe Marathon either. Last year he ran the race dressed as a different PreCure character, with a differently colored wig. His 2015 time was more than 15 minutes later than his last one, and with dozens of PreCure magical girls left to dress as, we imagine he’ll be cosplaying again in 2016.

▼ Besides, his outfit isn’t that much more colorful than some of the normal running gear.

プリキュアおじさん速い！！神戸マラソン https://t.co/SHtcxdJkFv

—
純 (@jun1143) November 15, 2015

Source: Kinisoku, Kobe Marathon 2015
Top image: Twitter/@jun1143

Origin: Athletic otaku runs marathon in impressive time while cosplaying as anime magical girl 【Photos】
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