For the first time in nine editions, the Pelourinho International Literary Party, Flipelô, decided to bring the cosplay universe to its programming. And that’s how characters like the crazy boy of Ziraldo, the brothers Mario and Luigi of the game Super Mario and Doctor Facilier, The Princess and the Frogparaded on the stage of Vila Literary, in Largo Tereza Batista, in the historic center of Salvador, on Thursday night (7).
Cosplay is an English term formed by the junction of the words custom (fantasy) and roleplay (play or performance). In this activity, people dress up with their favorite pop culture fictitious characters that are in anime, games, manga, movies, animations and even books, such as the Maluquinho Boy, character created by Brazilian writer Ziraldo (1932-2024).
“This is a story as soon as I captivated me a lot, because it reminded me of my childhood,” said Deivid Aquino, 20, a digital influencer, actor and singer who paraded in the literary village as a cosplay of the crazy boy.
“I found this idea of cosplay parade in the very inclusive flipelô. Cosplay, by itself, is already inclusion and diversity. I love interpreting child: I also interpret Pedrinho, from the yellow picapau site. The crazy boy is crazy and I’m crazy too,” joked Deivid.
Despite living in Salvador, he had never participated in Flipelô. It was the cosplay parade that made him attend the event for the first time. “I came because of the cosplay event, but I also wanted to step on my feet here for the first time. I don’t read much, but I’m starting to read.”
Salvador (BA), 08/08/2025 – The actor and singer Deivid Aquino paraded in the literary village as Custom of the Maluquinho Boy: “I will do the feijoada when I get home with this pan here that can not stay here only in the head. It has to be on the stove too,” he joked. Photo: ROVENA ROSA/AGENCY BRAZIL
And, like Bom Baiano, Deivid warned that, right after the parade, he would use part of this costume in the kitchen. “I’m going to do the feijoada when I get home with this pan here that can’t be here just on my head. It has to be on the stove too,” he said under laughs.
Salvador (BA), 08/08/2025 – Comic Fair in Literary Village during the Pelourinho International Literary Party – Flipelô. Photo: ROVENA ROSA/AGENCY BRAZIL
Literary village
Located in Largo Tereza Batista, Vila Literary is a space dedicated to young public. When she came up, inside Flipelô, it was still a place dedicated almost exclusively to the independent authors. But in recent years, it has also begun to receive comic book lovers and makers. This is the case of Samuel de Gois Martins, a Paraíba cartoonist who participates in Flipelô for the first time.
“I am selling and exposing here my material, which goes from comics, comic book collections to prints made in screen printing and even tarot cards,” he said, who will still participate in a chat with the public on Saturday (9).
“I love independent art fairs and alternative comics. I think this needs to be increasingly strong here in the Northeast. And see so many authors from various regions here, from the Northeast, strong and gifts [na Flipelô]shows how gradually we are being able to unite and create a scenario of our place, ”he said.
This year, the literary village expanded. In addition to the cosplay and comic book parade, it also opened for a whole pop universe, even promoting a battle of designs and musical performances. But without neglecting your literary side.
Lázaro Ramos at Flipelô, by Rovena Rosa/Agência Brasil
Throughout the Flipelô programming, the village will promote releases and sales of books, debates and chats with writers, illustrators, filmmakers and public artists such as Lazarus Ramos, Thalita Rebouças, Rafael Pants and Rosane Svartman.
“There is room for everyone here: for the people of social networks, cosplay and literature,” said Deco Lipe, curator of space.
According to him, the literary village proves that young people are not only interested in pop culture or social networks, but also seek literature as a means of interest.
“Today there is a large network that is Booktalk [uma comunidade para amantes de livros] and that potentiated reading to young people. Here, in the literary village, we also have mediators and authors who see from the social network. I come from the social network, including. Here we have this paradigm break in which it is placed that young people today are not reading since there are these communities of readers on social networks, ”said Deco.
The diversity of the literary village, he said, shows that there is no opposition between social networks and literature among young people, because both can walk together. “During the pandemic there was a great boom of social networks, where people were inmate and began to create content, and this came this boom from Tiktok and Instagram, which are literary too,” he said.
Salvador (BA), 08/08/2025 – The curator of the Literary Village, Deco Lipe, stressed that young people today are reading a lot through social networks Photo: Rovena Rosa/Agência Brasil – ROVENA ROSA/AGENCY BRAZIL
Deco stressed that young people today are reading a lot through social networks, which offer a wide possibility of reading. “If we see, the Tiktok Network brings, for example, the best selling books in the country and can bring international books to be translated here. A lot of people say that if the young man is on social networking, he doesn’t read. But, on the contrary, we are seeing a movement in which Bookers are dragging crowds. [sociais] They can help in this regard, ”he explained.
The program of Vila Literary is all free and runs until this Sunday (10). More information about the programming of this space and also about Flipelô can be consulted in the Official website of the literary party.
*Agência Brasil team traveled at the invitation of Motiva, sponsor and official mobility partner of Flipelô 2025
