Tokyo Cosplish school offers "cute English"

By Sophie Hardach

TOKYO (Reuters) - For a GR8 opportunity to brush up your Moeng, visit Japan's first Cosplish course.

A Japanese entrepreneur has set up a language school targeting fans of "cos-play", or "costume-play", which involves dressing up as a favourite character from "manga" comic books or animation movie characters.

Teachers at the school wear fantasy costumes and give lessons in "Cosplish" -- a mix of English and "cos-play" slang.

This month, Cosplish's schedule includes a "Broken English" course and an "Otaku Eiken" ("Geeks' English") class, centred on the comic books loved by geeks, who are known in Japan as Otaku.

There is also "Moeng" -- a combination of "moe", which is geeky Japanese slang for "cute", and "English".

"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," Yohei Suzuki, who founded the school with his brother Tomohiro, told Reuters.

Japan's geek market, which covers comics as well as "anime" animation movies, computer games and role-play cafes, has been estimated at some $1.7 billion in 2007. Since Otaku are generally enthusiastic spenders, a multitude of businesses has sprung up to feed the growing market.

Suzuki said Japanese geeks, known for being shy and socially awkward, might hesitate to sign up for a normal English course where they would have to talk to glamorous young women.