Trademarked Costumes in Parades: Phenomenologically Speaking

H-Migration readers may enjoy "Trademarked Costumes in Parades: Phenomenologically Speaking," the latest post in the blog Parade Talk by Tiff Graham on H-Celebration. In it, Graham looks into the appearances of people costumed as licensed figures from pop cultural productions, particularly LEGO, Star Wars, and Marvel, in a small community parade celebrating the Hawaiian heritage of many Japanese Americans in California. She considers cultural blending, the possibility of corporate sponsorship of community events, and the implications of the participation of these figures alongside Japanese anime/manga cosplayers and traditional Japanese and Hawaiian dance, music, and costume. She also addresses what it means to take a phenomenological approach to this study.