Complying with tax obligations is usually one
of the most boring and painful activities of the year, unless you live in the
land of the rising sun. The urban district of Toshima, in the heart
of Tokyo, continues to demonstrate why it is the epicenter of otaku
culture by keeping active its unusual incentive program where citizens
can deduct their taxes and receive in return a complete
metamorphosis experience by becoming their favorite anime or video game
characters.
All this benefit works through the famous
national Furusato Nozei (hometown tax) system, which allows
taxpayers to donate part of their taxes to a specific municipality in exchange
for thank-you gifts. In Toshima's case, the maximum reward known as the
"Platinum Package" requires an approximate donation of 530,000
yen. Those who contribute this sum receive a costume completely tailored to
any character they choose, accompanied by a team specialized in makeup,
hairstyling, professional photography session and exclusive passes with VIP
access to the most important cosplayer events in the famous
Ikebukuro neighborhood.
For those who do not have such a sum, the local
government designed more accessible options such as the "Gold
Package" for 220,000 yen, which offers the same styling
services but selecting characters from a pre-designed catalog, or simple passes
from 20,000 yen. The intention of the district is to take advantage
of Ikebukuro's immense reputation as a mecca for collecting to ensure that
anyone, even without previous experience in the field, can live the experience
of personifying their animated hero with the best possible technical quality
without worrying about making anything on their own.
Knowing that Latin American governments often
waste tax revenue on meaningless projects.
