Shocking Stunt at Guangzhou Firefly Animation Expo
At the Firefly Animation and Comic Expo in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, the online community was stunned by a one-of-a-kind service offered by a female cosplayer.
Viral videos on social media show the cosplayer preparing a large basin filled with fresh lemon slices and soaking her feet directly in it. After soaking, she sold the liquid as a drink called “fresh foot soak water” for 15 yuan per cup (about 60,000 VND).
Fans had to scoop the foot soak water themselves from the basin into small paper cups. Although the idea sounds strange and unhygienic, footage from the scene showed a long line of male fans patiently waiting to pay and try it.
Netizens React: “This Is Seriously Gross!”
Once the video surfaced, it sparked a huge backlash not only in China but also among Japanese online communities. Most netizens expressed shock and strong disapproval of the act.
Many international netizens commented with disgust:
“Absolutely disgusting and creepy! How can anyone drink that?”
“Are buyers thinking it’s some kind of eternal youth potion?”
“Drinking this is filthy and totally unhygienic…”
Many also raised concerns about food safety and event regulations, questioning how such an unverified and potentially bacteria-laden “drink” could be openly sold at a public expo.
Copying the “Foot Juice” Trend from a US Anime Expo
Fans of ACG culture (Anime, Comic, Games) pointed out that the Guangzhou cosplayer was imitating a stunt that caused a stir in the US recently.
Specifically, at FanimeCon 2026 held last month in San Jose, California, a female cosplayer sold what she called “pure foot soak juice.” She soaked her feet in buckets filled with sweet drinks and offered a detailed price list based on soak intensity.
The pricing tiers at the US event were:
Basic level: Starting at $10 per cup.
Mid-level: Options at $15 and $20 depending on concentration.
Premium cup: Up to $30, including an extra “service” where the cosplayer spits into the cup.
At first, many thought it was a staged joke to get attention. But when it turned out to be real and people lined up to pay for it, the public was shocked by the extreme and twisted enthusiasm of some fans.
Selling “foot soak water” or “foot juice” at anime expos in both the US and China raises serious alarms about the dark side of fan culture. Turning these unhygienic and tasteless stunts into money-making schemes not only harms the image of genuine cosplay communities but also poses direct health risks to participants.
