[xoxoxoBruce]

This what the shooter saw.

If you look at the first picture, and count how many people are holding just that short section of net. Now figure the net is probably at least half way around the area, and I can see the need to focus all these people with a costume of some sort. Of course the Japs are detail oriented(no pun), so it's a little over the top from our perspective. A simple Sailor Moon or Hello Kitty would have done it.