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Tokyo's Comic-Con has banned male cosplayers from dressing as female characters.

A statement on Watch Dark Desire Season 1 Onlinethe official site says it is "prohibited" for men to wear female clothing. That extends to transparent costumes and excessive skin exposure. The move has raised eyebrows in Japan.

The website Kotaku notes that "the ban uses the Japanese word “jyosou” (女装), which is defined as 'wearing female clothing' and which has the explicit nuance of referring to men wearing women’s clothing."

The move is surprising because cross-dressing is a staple of anime and manga culture, and male Japanese variety show hosts on prime time TV frequently cross-dress for segments.

Anime News Network says, however, event organizers have enacted similar bans in the past, as they are are worried about attracting a large number of men dressed as women.

The Tokyo Comic-Con is not associated with the San Diego Comic-Con, which does not have the same restrictions, according to the official website.

UPDATE: Oct. 27, 2016, 2:47 p.m. SGT

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