Female cosplayers at an anime convention in Guangzhou, China, sparked outrage after selling drinks prepared in containers where they had soaked their bare feet.
The incident occurred outside the 39th Firefly Anime Game Carnival, held from July 17 to 20. Videos showed cosplayers sitting beside large tubs containing water and lemon slices while companions served the liquid in disposable cups. Each cup cost 50 yuan, or about $7 to $7.50.
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Some social media posts described both lemon-flavoured and cola-based drinks. However, reports from established outlets mainly documented lemon-infused water. The available reports did not confirm how many cups sellers distributed or whether the drinks completely sold out.
Crowds Gather Around Unofficial Stalls
Videos circulated widely on Chinese social media after dozens of people gathered around the stalls. Some attendees queued to purchase cups, while others filmed the spectacle.
More extreme clips appeared to show customers drinking liquid dripping directly from the cosplayers’ feet. Other footage showed attendees touching or licking their feet as onlookers cheered and recorded videos.
A notice beside one stall sought to portray the activity as a joke. “It is for entertainment only. We do not intend to guide in an inappropriate way,” it read.
The stalls operated in an outdoor public area rather than as authorised vendors inside the exhibition hall. That distinction became important after organisers faced criticism over the incident.
Online users condemned the scenes as vulgar, unhygienic and damaging to China’s cosplay community. Many also questioned why people would knowingly consume a drink handled under such conditions.
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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says contaminated food or drinks can contain germs that cause foodborne illness. Its general guidance urges consumers to choose properly handled beverages and follow basic cleaning and food safety practices.
Organisers Ban Similar Stalls
Firefly organisers intervened after the videos attracted widespread attention. Chinese media quoted them as saying they had expelled the cosplayers and would prohibit similar stalls from returning.
“We have expelled the cosplayers involved and explicitly prohibited such vulgar stalls from appearing again,” the organisers said, according to a translated statement reported by Chinese media.
The Guangzhou stunt appeared to copy a controversy at FanimeCon in San Jose, California, in May. That activity took place during Park Con, an unofficial outdoor gathering connected with convention attendees.
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Videos from San Jose showed costumed participants selling a red drink after placing their feet inside coolers. Signs advertised cups, small swigs and other options. Reports said customers consumed the drink and that the sellers ran out within an hour.
The California sale also raised questions about food vending permits and public health rules. FanimeCon’s official programme did not organise the outdoor stunt, and reports found no immediate evidence of enforcement action.
The Guangzhou organisers said they would strengthen restrictions after the backlash. The episode has also intensified debate over increasingly provocative stunts designed to attract attention at cosplay events.
