New to cosplay and wondering what’s up with the fancy costumes, props and theatrics?
Cosplay is not that much of an alien concept as it appears to be! It simply means dressing up as an existing character, chiefly from popular anime, manga, video games, movies, even books! One may consider cosplay to be a life-adaptation of two-dimensional media, basically what actors do when they bring characters from animation, games and books onto the big screen.
The major difference is that most cosplayers, i.e. people who cosplay, make their own costumes, props and do their own make-up to transform themselves into the character that they are cosplaying!
What do cosplayers do after ‘transformation’? This is a common question that people who aren’t familiar with the ‘cosplay scene’ love to ask. It actually has an unbelievably simple answer – anything. One doesn’t need any particular reason to cosplay apart from passion and there are no rules on what you should or shouldn’t do once you’re all dressed up. Cosplayers aren’t entertainers, so they don’t necessarily dress up to perform. In Japan, cosplayers are known to just don their costumes and hang out with fellow cosplayers on the streets together!
Due to the complicated nature of cosplaying, most people restrict cosplaying to events and photoshoots. In Singapore, cosplayers usually attend anime conventions and Japanese pop-culture events like the EOY to meet fellow cosplayers and fellow fans. The more competitive cosplayers might participate in competitions where they will perform skits reenacting famous scenes that their character was in to win prizes and gain recognition for their costuming and acting skills. Cosplayers are usually required to roleplay as their character too, especially during competition performances, so cosplay is truly a hobby that requires lots of talent!
Did you know that contrary to what many people assume, Cosplay actually originated from the West? Costuming has always been popular in the West – think Halloween, Mardi Gras, costume parties, theatre and the like. Then Nobuyuki Takahashi, producer and publisher of Japanese studio Studio Hard, ‘imported’ the idea of cosplay to Japan through Japanese science fiction magazines after he was impressed by costumed fans at a Science fiction con in America in 1984.
After that, the rest is history. Since the anime industry in Japan enjoys a huge following, dressing up as popular characters from famous anime series naturally became a trend. Popularity of cosplay spread to the Asian region. Meanwhile, following the increase in popularity of anime and manga in the West, cosplaying of anime and manga characters has also become highly popular in the West.
“If I don’t cosplay, will I have fun at an anime or cosplay convention?” Of course you will. These conventions are great places for fans of anime and Japanese pop-culture to congregate and make new friends, and cosplayers are regular fans who enjoy mingling with like-minded people. Furthermore, cosplayers make great photography subjects. However, bear in mind that cosplayers are not obliged to amuse you or pose for you. Do respect their personal space when interacting with them!
Editor ~ Angie Ng
