Niccolò Rastrelli Captures Tokyo's Surreal Cosplay Scene in Striking Cyclops Mask Portrait

Photographer Niccolò Rastrelli has unveiled one of his most memorable images — a surreal portrait of Monaka, a Tokyo-based cosplayer, wearing a handmade cyclops mask. Featured by The Guardian, the photograph is part of Rastrelli's ongoing exploration of Japan’s subcultural fashion, blending themes of playfulness, identity, and social commentary.

Behind the Mask

The image, taken in the vibrant streets of Shibuya, Tokyo, captures Monaka dressed in a pristine pink kimono paired with a large, unsettling cyclops headpiece. Rastrelli, who specializes in documenting the intersections of fashion, identity, and urban life, describes this photograph as “the most Tokyo thing I’ve ever seen.”

The mask, handmade by Monaka, is equal parts whimsical and eerie, a hallmark of Tokyo’s cosplay and street fashion scenes where traditional clothing often collides with contemporary or fantastical elements. Rastrelli notes that Monaka’s costume attracted immediate attention from both locals and tourists, highlighting the city’s unique openness to self-expression and eccentricity.

Tokyo’s Street Style as Art

For Rastrelli, Tokyo has long been a source of inspiration. He explains that the city offers an endless variety of visual surprises, with its blend of ancient traditions and hyper-modern culture. Cosplay, in particular, is not just seen as costume play but as a serious, creative subculture in which people like Monaka develop elaborate personas and wearable art.

More Than Just Fashion

The photograph is part of Rastrelli's larger project focused on theatrical self-expression in urban environments. Beyond the colorful aesthetics, the photo speaks to themes of escapism, vulnerability, and the way people reclaim public spaces through personal creativity. The combination of the delicate kimono and the grotesque cyclops mask reflects the tensions between beauty and absurdity — a recurring motif in Japanese contemporary fashion.

Rastrelli's portrait has already resonated with viewers worldwide, offering a window into Tokyo’s boundary-pushing street culture and the individuals who make it thrive.

For Rastrelli, the image is more than just a snapshot — it is a celebration of the freedom to be unapologetically strange.