Isaiah Poitou

This project explores the experiences of Black cosplayers who love manga, anime, and Japanese culture, while also facing racism and exclusion from fandom spaces. As a Black artist and fan myself, I’ve often felt the need to hide my interests out of fear of being judged, bullied, or seen as “out of place.” Innerchild, the last piece of this work, represents the loss of innocent joy—when something you love becomes a source of shame instead of comfort.

Through photography and film, I aim to tell both personal and shared stories of what it means to love something deeply, yet feel excluded by the very community that surrounds it. This project highlights the embarrassment many of us feel when expressing our passion for anime or cosplay, and how that embarrassment is often rooted in racialized responses and online harassment.

I worked with a variety of materials and mediums to shape the aesthetic and emotional tone of the work. For example, in the Howl’s Moving Castle photoshoot, I chose to shoot on film rather than digital to create a timeless, nostalgic look. The world of Studio Ghibli often feels like it exists in a past era—similar to World War I or II—and I wanted to reflect that sense of history and storytelling. Each project is presented in custom VHS cases designed as photobooks, reinforcing the theme of nostalgia and personal memory.

My visual references include titles like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Pokémon, and Howl’s Moving Castle. These beloved series inspired garment designs and styling that blend fantasy with personal identity. I wanted to capture the joy, playfulness, and creativity of cosplay, while also confronting the racism and gatekeeping many Black fans endure.

The ultimate goal of NERD-STAR is to make others feel seen. It’s a message to anyone who has felt like an outsider in spaces they love: you’re not alone. Your joy is valid, your stories matter, and your inner child deserves to be celebrated.