Andreas leads a double life. By day, he works as a software developer and sits at his computer for hours on end. But in his spare time, he transforms into Reinhard van Astrea, an anime hero with bright red hair who wields a large sword.

Japanese animation and their associated stars have a large fanbase. Enthusiasts like Andreas invest a lot of time and money into cosplay and their various competitions, where he can entertain his dream of becoming a superhero.

A report by Almut Röhrl.