ONIGIRI Plus Co., Ltd.

Koi cosplay bridges the gap between the Nishikigoi and Cosplay worlds — where ONIGIRI unites beauty and culture.

Cosplayers in elegant costumes add a touch of glamour to the prestigious stage of koi shows. It is a sight many have undoubtedly seen at least once. “NISHIKIGOI” and “COSPLAY,” two iconic elements representing Japan, have now developed into internationally recognised aspects of Japanese culture.
ONIGIRI Plus Co., Ltd., was established as Japan’s first company to specialise exclusively in cosplay. We interviewed COO Minori Takei about the meaning behind their unique company name and how the collaboration between Nishikigoi and cosplayers came about.

ONIGIRI Plus Co., Ltd., based in Shibuya, Tokyo, is led by CEO Yui Kanan, an active cosplayer. The company boasts one of Japan’s largest rosters, with over 1,500 cosplayers registered both domestically and internationally. Established in 2013 as Japan’s first company specialising in cosplay, it engages in various business activities, including casting cosplayers, planning and organising domestic and international events, producing promotional campaigns across multiple industries, handling copyright negotiations, and providing consulting services.

Minori Takei, the COO, explained that the unique company name “ONIGIRI Plus” represents the identity of cosplayers who have evolved into a recognised part of Japanese culture:
“Fifteen years ago, cosplayers were regarded as inferior to models — merely hobbyists in society’s eyes. There were many cosplayers back then, but very few made it a profession, and companies didn’t consider hiring them. The name ‘Onigiri’ was chosen to reflect the idea of these tiny, rice-sized individuals coming together in large numbers, each expressing their colour and flavour, and stepping out into the world.”
“Cosplay,” now recognised as one of the key elements of Cool Japan, has a large fan base overseas. Many requests were already coming in before the company was officially founded. To make the name easier for international audiences to remember, they chose the English spelling “ONIGIRI.”

The 10th International Junior Koi Show (2023) marked their first koi show participation.