Cosplay, from fiction to reality

The art of becoming someone or something else

by Elena Mullor

How many times have you thought you would like to be the character in a movie, game, comic or series? For sure, since you were a child, this thought has come to your mind more than once. Sometimes, when we watch movies or tv shows or we play games, we want to become (for a while) the character that we like the most. We would like to think, to talk and to act like them. That’s why cosplaying has become so famous during the last years. Cosplay is a really cool form of self-expression and it’s practised all over the world.

The word comes from the contraction of ‘costume play’. It is a ‘different fashion’ in which participants, also called cosplayers, wear costumes, accessories and outfits that represent a specific character or idea. Cosplayers often interact to recreate a subculture, focusing on role-playing. It has a specific cultural focus dedicated to the accurate representation of characters or ideas from fiction worlds.

The first cosplay appeared in 1970, at the Comic Market in Japan. Groups of people went to the event dressed up as their favourite manga, anime, comic and game characters. That’s why this practice has always been related to this kind of content, but, over the years, it has spread around the world, crossing borders and genres.

Over the years, a lot of different events of this kind have been appearing, and the number of people interested in them was increasing. Comic-Con, Expocomic, Japan Weekend, FreakCon are some of these events, which welcome thousands of people and prepare everything to give them a good time. The Comic-Con in San Diego is the most famous, and the first one to appear, in the 1970s. This event has presented thousands of special guests at its conventions over the years, like comic creators, fantasy authors, film and series directors, producers and writers. The number of cosplay fans has always been increasing as well, and every year it is more common to see cosplayers in any celebration, or even in cinema premieres.

Spiderman Cosplay

Source: Creative Common

Creativity

Cosplay contests are very common in anime conventions, and it’s here that creativity thrives. The sky is the limit when it comes to cosplay. To make the costumes, you can use foaming paper and thermoplastics to create armor, props and other accessories. Sewing is also a very useful skill for cosplaying, but your closet is also a good place to take a look and find something to wear.

You can never find two cosplays that perfectly similar even when they represent the same character. Every person has their own interpretation which is reflected in the materials or stitches of the suit, so the result will be different depending on the author and how they feel about the character.

The most attractive cosplayers are the most photographed ones and are usually surrounded by people who follow them. Some cosplays are made in a very professional way and the people who create them are becoming famous. But, many times they attempt to use the character to earn money in conventions without paying rights for the use of the image or brand to the creator.

Self-expression

Cosplay is an art open to everyone, as it should be. No one is too big or too small to express themselves. Cosplay is a big community, a brotherhood. You can find a lot of videos about it on YouTube, but also you can check different websites like Cosplay.com and CosplayForum. This way of self-expression unites fans and creates friends for life. If you are undecided about cosplay, try it at least once. There’s nothing better than hear that someone is calling you by the name of the character you are cosplaying.

You can meet new people, discover a lot of new things. And that’s one of the most beautiful things about cosplay; that with it, you can be whoever you want. You can feel free.