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Cosplayers as Malice Mizer
Cosplayers as Malice Mizer

Cosplay (コスプレ kosupure?), short for "costume play",[1] is a subculture centered on dressing as characters from manga, anime, tokusatsu, and video games, and, less commonly, fantasy movies, Japanese pop music bands, Visual Kei, fantasy music stories (such as stories by the band Sound Horizon), novels, and anything in the real world being unique and dramatic (or their moe anthropomorphic form). For the term in biology see Subculture (biology. For the song by New Order see Sub-culture (song. ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly (anime in Japanese, is a Japanese word that literally means " Special effects " It is primarily used to refer to Live-action Japanese Film and A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. J-pop is an abbreviation of Japanese pop. It refers to Japanese popular musicians and was coined by the Japanese media to distinguish Japanese musicians from foreign musicians refers to a movement among Japanese musicians, that is characterized by the use of eccentric sometimes flamboyant looks Sound Horizon (サウンドホライズン, abbreviated by fans as Sanhora (サンホラ is a Japanese musical group with composer Revo as the leader is a form of Anthropomorphism where moe However, in some circles, "cosplay" has been expanded to mean simply wearing a costume.

The most specific anecdote about the origin of the word "cosplay" was that Nov Takahashi (from a Japanese studio called Studio Hard) coined the term "cosplay" as a contraction of the English-language words "costume play" while attending the 1984 Los Angeles Science Fiction Worldcon. He was so impressed by the hall and masquerade costuming there that he reported about it frequently in Japanese science fiction magazines. The word fits in with a common Japanese method of abbreviation: combining the first two moras of each word. Abbreviated and contracted words are a common feature of Japanese. Mora (plural moras or morae) is a unit of sound used in Phonology that determines Syllable weight (which in turn determines stress "Cos" becomes kosu and play become pure hence becoming the nearest Japanese approximation of cosplay, which is kosupure.

Contents

Cosplay venues

Bridge of Harajuku, Tokyo, a famous place for cosplayers
Bridge of Harajuku, Tokyo, a famous place for cosplayers

Cosplay can be seen at public events such as video game shows, as well as at dedicated cosplay parties at nightclubs or amusement parks. Harajuku (原宿 "meadow lodging" is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. A nightclub (or "night club" or "club" is a drinking, dancing, and entertainment venue which does its primary business after dark Theme park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other Entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group It is not unusual for Japanese teenagers to gather with like-minded friends in places like Tokyo's Harajuku district to engage in cosplay. Harajuku (原宿 "meadow lodging" is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward Since 1998, Tokyo's Akihabara district has contained a large number of cosplay cafés, catering to devoted anime and cosplay fans. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. ("Field of Autumn Leaves" also known as, is an area of Tokyo Japan The waitresses at such cafés dress as game or anime characters; maid (or meido) costumes are particularly popular. Maid is also a shortened form of " Maiden " an archaic word for an unmarried woman or a Virgin.

Possibly the single largest and most famous event attended by cosplayers is the semiannual doujinshi market, Comiket. are self-published Japanese works usually manga or novels They are often the work of amateurs though some professional artists participate as a way to publish material outside the regular otherwise known as the or CM, is the world's largest comic convention held twice a year in Tokyo, Japan. This event, held in summer and winter, attracts hundreds of thousands of manga otaku and many thousands of cosplayers who congregate on the roof of the exhibition center, often in unbearably hot or cold conditions. ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests particularly Anime, Manga, and Video games.

Cosplayers in Japan refer to themselves as reyazu (レヤズ?) ; pronounced layers (by writing the word cosplayers in katakana, コスプレヤズ, it is possible to shorten it in this way). is a Japanese Syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with Hiragana, Kanji, and in some cases the Latin alphabet Those who photograph players are called cameko, short for "Camera Kozo" or "Camera Boy". The cameko give prints of their photos to the players as gifts. Tensions between players and cameko have increased due to perceived stalker-like behavior among some obsessive males who push female cosplayers to exchange personal email addresses or do private photo sessions. ---- Stalking is the obsessive following observing or contacting of another person or the obsessive attempt to engage in any of these activities One result of this has been a tightening of restrictions on photography at events such as Comiket.

While Cosplay arguably originated in Japan, one should not be confused with the idea that Cosplay is considered typical behavior in Japan. While some do attend Cosplay functions that are held in districts such as Akihabara, most Japanese people find Cosplay to be rather silly [2]. In addition, because Cosplay in Japan has adapted such a negative sexual connotation, many Japanese have come to feel that Cosplay is reprehensible. In addition, North Americans who Cosplay typically refer to themselves as "otaku", which is essentially the Japanese word for "geek", and use this word in an attempt to embody themselves in a sociological group of which they can be proud. To contrast, in Japan actual "otaku" refuse to admit that they are otaku, because the word suggests a group of people who are engaging in an activity that may seem "just a little different". In fact, being an otaku in Japan entails standing on one of the bottom rungs of the Japanese social ladder.

Cosplay costumes

Cosplay costumes are radically different from typical Halloween costumes. The term costume can refer to Wardrobe and dress in general or to the distinctive style of dress of a particular people class or period Halloween, or Hallowe’en, is a Holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. Because the object of cosplay is to literally become one's character, the intricate details of the costumes are critical. Costumes must meticulously adhere to the designs of the characters' attire, and even more generic costumes are often elaborately artistic. [3] Rigorous attention to detail may include ensuring the seams are aligned properly, thread colors are appropriate, and fabric colors precisely match the character and their attire. Some cosplayers will buy their costumes from talented artists, while others may spend months creating the perfect cosplay outfit.

Because the costumes are so elaborate, like-minded people gather to see others' costumes, show off their own elaborate handmade creations, take lots of pictures, and possibly participate in best costume contests at different cosplay events.

Cosplay trends

A recent trend at Japanese cosplay events is an increase in the popularity of non-Japanese fantasy and science fiction movie characters, perhaps due to the international success of such films as The Matrix, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction - martial arts - Action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski and Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded The Lord of the Rings film trilogy consists of three Live action Fantasy Epic films The Fellowship of the Ring ( 2001 Characters from the Harry Potter films have a particularly high number of female fans in Japan, with female cosplayers playing either male or female characters, Draco Malfoy being an extremely popular choice. Harry Potter is a series of seven Fantasy novels written by British author J Draco Malfoy is a Fictional character in JK Rowling

Cosplaying as characters of the opposite sex is called "crossplay", and cosplaying as characters who dress as the opposite sex is called "cross-dressing". Crossplay is Cosplay in which the person dresses up as a character of the opposite Gender. Cross-dressing is the act of wearing clothing commonly associated with another gender within a particular Society. They often coincide, but since some Japanese characters cross-dress to start with, it is possible to do one without the other. For example, a female cosplayer cosplaying as a male character would be cross-dressing and crossplaying; However, a female cosplayer dressing as someone like Mana (male artist from the Visual Kei band Malice Mizer known for dressing in female clothes) would be crossplaying, but not cross-dressing; and a male cosplayer also cosplaying as Mana would be cross-dressing, but not cross-playing. Mana is a Japanese musician and fashion designer famed for his role as a leader and guitarist of the influential Visual kei band Malice Mizer. Malice Mizer (マリス・ミゼル Marisu Mizeru) is a Japanese rock band and part of the country's Visual kei movement

A small niche group in the crossplaying field are dollers, a subset of kigurumi cosplayers; usually male, they wear bodysuits and masks to fully transform into female characters. A doller is a Cosplayer who performs a variant of Kigurumi cosplay is the Japanese name for Costumed animal characters The name comes from the Japanese verb and noun. In clothing a bodysuit, or body, is a Leotard -like garment that may or may not have snaps at the Crotch. A mask is an artefact normally worn on the face typically for protection concealment performance or amusement

Another recent trend in cosplay is a blurring of the distinction between costumes based on characters from games and anime, and "original" costumes based upon a general theme or existing fashions. In particular, the Tokyo teen-fashion trend of Gothic Lolita has attracted some cosplayers who might not have the inclination (or possibly courage) to wear such distinctive clothes around town, but who would like to dress in such a manner on some occasions. Gothic Lolita or " GothLoli " (ゴスロリ —) gosurorii) sometimes " Loli-Goth " has two definitions Other popular trends include the "original Visual Kei cosplaying", "original punk cosplaying", "original Super Dollfie cosplaying", et cetera. refers to a movement among Japanese musicians, that is characterized by the use of eccentric sometimes flamboyant looks often abbreviated SD, is a brand of Ball-jointed doll, or BJD, made by the Japanese company Volks.

Cosplay magazines

In Japan, there are 2 cosplay magazines, Cosmode(コスモード) Dengeki Layers (電撃Layers). COStume MODE Magazine ( COSMODE) is a Japanese -language magazine about Cosplay. COSMODE has the largest share in the market.

There are also 2 emerging cosplay magazines outside of Japan, USA's AniCoz and Mexico's Cosplaymix.

An English digital version of COSMODE is also in the making. [4]

Cosplay and the sex industry

In Japanese, the term can also mean — and may originate from — the use of costumes for sexual purposes, in which case the "play" refers not to dressing up, but sexual play while dressed up. is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities Human sexual behavior or different human sexual practices encompass a wide range of activities such as strategies to find or attract partners ( Mating and display The term hence overlaps what would usually be known in English as sexual roleplaying or sexual fetishism: for example, wearing a schoolgirl uniform before or during sex would be known as seifuku cosplay (制服コスプレ?), and many Japanese love hotels offer costume rental services. Sexual roleplay is an erotic form of roleplay: it is a sexual behaviour where two or more people act out Roles in a Sexual fantasy Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the Sexual attraction to materials and objects not conventionally viewed as being sexual in nature A is a type of short-stay hotel found in Japan operated primarily for the purpose of allowing couples privacy to have Sexual intercourse.

In the Japanese sex industry, sex clubs that specialize in sexual cosplay are known as image clubs. Prostitution in Japan has a long and varied history While the Anti-Prostitution Law of 1956 made organized Prostitution illegal various loopholes liberal interpretations of An, or, is a type of Brothel in Japan similar to Fashion health parlors In addition to standard fetishistic standbys (schoolgirl, nurse, policewoman, etc), an increasing number, pioneered by the now defunct Wedding Bell chain, cater to otaku with staff dressing up as anime characters. A nurse is responsible—along with other Health care Professionals —for the treatment safety and recovery of acutely or chronically is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests particularly Anime, Manga, and Video games.

International cosplay

Cosplayer Ying-Ching HEUNG at the University of Hong Kong dressed as Wikipedia's anime mascot, Wikipe-tan.
Cosplayer Ying-Ching HEUNG at the University of Hong Kong dressed as Wikipedia's anime mascot, Wikipe-tan.

Cosplay in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom differs from Japanese cosplay culture in some ways. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Cosplay concerning Star Trek, Star Wars, other science fiction worlds, Renaissance-era characters, and historical re-enactments (e. Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded A Renaissance fair, Renaissance faire, or Renaissance festival is an outdoor weekend gathering usually held in the United States, open to the public and g. Civil War battles), especially at science fiction conventions, are far more popular in America than they are in Japan. Alternatively, some costumes that might be seen as in bad taste in America (such as Nazi uniforms from certain comics or games) may be seen at events in Japan. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German

For almost 50 years, costume fandom has had a consistent and widespread following with costumers in the west, from the first Worldcon onward, with the influx of anime costumes, the word cosplay is becoming a more and more commonly used term to describe costumes of specifically Japanese media origins. (anime in Japanese,

An issue with cosplaying anime and manga characters is that these characters generally do not have bodily proportions that can easily be mimicked by many typical cosplayers (e. g. incredibly long legs, huge muscles or giant breasts), and there is debate among fans about how important or not this element is when cosplaying.

In Mexico, cosplay is commonly seen inside conventions that can be video game, science fiction or anime themed. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. It is common that cosplayers will also organize their own reunions which can be themed or free for the sake of taking pictures together. Cosplay in Mexico is competitive in a healthy level, with well established representatives. This phenomenon also can be viewed in other Latin American countries, like Brazil, Argentina and Chile. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the

In Australia, the trend mirrors the American in that the subject costumes may be selected from sources other than manga or anime. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Sources include American comics, computer games, science fiction/fantasy movies and TV shows, animation shorts or features, period drama, novels - any source that provides vivid and graphic inspiration of a character and their costume. Usually the term "cosplay" is not used to cover historical recreation as the focus is on representational accuracy, not historical accuracy. In general, Australian cosplay is most commonly seen in the larger population centers such as the capital cities and major regional centers, as these have the population base to support the diversity among fringe interests. The display of the costumes is not limited to conventions, although it is not unusual for dedicated cosplayers to travel extensively throughout Australia following the convention trail during the year. In addition to the social convening at conventions, many smaller social groupings exist, hosting their own local events. [5]

Filipina cosplayer as a Priston Tale priestess.
Filipina cosplayer as a Priston Tale priestess. Filipinos or the Filipino people are the citizens of the Philippines. Priston Tale is a 3D Fantasy MMORPG that centres on action-based role-playing.

In France, cosplay is a widespread activity in anime and manga conventions. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Large conventions like Japan Expo can attract more than 500 cosplayers. Japan Expo is a convention on Japanese popular culture, taking place in Paris France, although it has branched out into a partnership festival Kultima While the majority of French cosplayers choose anime and manga for inspiration, many people like to dress like movie characters, famous singers or even TV show actors even if it's not directly related to the theme of the convention. Unlike the Japanese, French cosplayers use almost exclusively hand made costumes which are often used only once. Buying or reusing costumes is seen as unfair competition (in some contests they can't compete). French cosplayers are mainly focused on the cosplay contest, which take place in nearly all manga, science fiction, fantasy or role playing game conventions. They are not really competitive, they're more of an occasion to show off the costume and appear as good as possible instead (e. g. scene, lighting, soundtrack, etc. ). Acting and singing skills are highly valued in contests, and some groups reenact fighting or musical comedy scenes also. For example being able to do a cartwheel stunt in costume is part of the Japan expo tradition and one of the most valued figures in the contest.

In Belgium, cosplay plays an increasingly important role in the F.A.C.T.S. convention with hundreds of people dressed up in costume from different anime series. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those FACTS is an Acronym for Fantasy Anime Comics Toys Space, a Belgian Science fiction, Fantasy, Comics, and (anime in Japanese, Also B. I. F. F. F. , Asianim and even Hypercon are organizing competitions as it gives conventions a unique additional value.

Cosplay is rapidly entering the mainstream in the Philippines[6][7] , where cosplay events are often held within an anime, manga, gaming, or sci-fi convention. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP More often than not, these conventions and events are sponsored, and debates have raged on whether or not judges' perspectives are influenced by the organizers of a cosplay event. Also Filipino cosplay rules overlook and allow professional fully commissioned costumes to participate in competitions.

Cosplay also has followers in other parts of Asia such as South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Indonesia. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders Singapore Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. As well as attending comic festivals and events, cosplayers there also frequent districts popular with teenagers.

Cosplay in North America

Anime Convention activity in the United States and Canada has become a much larger and much more popular trend in the 2000s. With the added public attention coming from such popular animated series imported from Japan (see anime) including Naruto, Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, Inuyasha and Bleach, cosplayers and the anime world have peeked their heads into the world of mainstream pop-culture, on at least a relatively underground scale. (anime in Japanese, is an ongoing Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto with an Anime adaptation commonly abbreviated as FMA or Hagaren, is an ongoing Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. is a Manga series created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata. full title ( romanized as INUYASHA More and more convention goers cosplay as their favorite characters from their favorite anime, and thus, the cosplay and anime subcultures have been able to have enough influence to further the creation of anime conventions to accommodate for the increasing number of cosplayers. The following is a list of articles of Anime conventions from around the world

Conventions in America often include both cosplay and costume contests. [8] The cosplay or "masque" (masquerade) is a skit contest done in cosplay costume. A masquerade ball (or bal masqué) is an event which the participants attend in Costume wearing a Mask. The costume contest is often a test of skill, design, and audience reaction. The contestants are judged either before hand or on stage and then walk across said stage while the audience cheers (or not, depending on the etiquette of the venue). The increased popularity of convention costuming has led to the addition of several relatively new cosplay-based events, adding to the traditional masquerade and hall costume contests. A masquerade ball (or bal masqué) is an event which the participants attend in Costume wearing a Mask. Such events include the Anime Dating Game, and Cosplay Human Chess, where participating cosplayers act out their characters' role in the game accordingly.

Competition has led to the development of many cosplay groups that plan for conventions months in advance.

Non-competitive cosplay can often be seen at opening nights for science-fiction and fantasy movies, especially those with an established following. Even in small towns, some cosplayers wait in line for hours before showings of movies in franchises like Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded Harry Potter is a series of seven Fantasy novels written by British author J The Lord of the Rings film trilogy consists of three Live action Fantasy Epic films The Fellowship of the Ring ( 2001 Even cult hits like Serenity have drawn opening night cosplay. Serenity is a 2005 space western Film written and directed by Joss Whedon.

In the UK, US and elsewhere, fans of The Rocky Horror Picture Show attend screenings of the cult film in the costumes of its characters. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 musical Comedy film that parodies Science fiction and Horror films. This tradition began soon after the film's release in 1975.

The annual Bay to Breakers footrace in San Francisco has been a favorite cosplay venue for decades. The Bay to Breakers is an annual footrace which takes place in San Francisco, California. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city A large number of cosplayers run or walk in their favorite costume amongst serious competitive runners.

In the CBS hit show CSI: NY one of the victims that was found dead on episode Down the Rabbit Hole (CSI: NY episode). CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. CSI NY is an American Police procedural Television series, which premiered on September 22, 2004. " Down the Rabbit Hole " is the fifth episode in Season 4 of the popular American crime drama. The dead woman was cosplaying as her avatar, as was the victim's killer.

Cosplay by notable persons

Australian notes sourced from: *Kirstin McLean (2004). [4]. Retrieved October 20, 2005.

See also

References

  1. ^ Stuever, Hank (2000-02-14). A live action role-playing game ( LARP) is a form of Role-playing game where the participants physically act out their characters' actions are Theme restaurants and pubs that originated in Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan around the year 2000 A Net Idol is a Japanese term that is someone who achieves celebrity status through the internet A Cosplay Model, also known as a Cosplay Idol, is someone who models Cosplay costumes for Anime, Manga, or Video game companies 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German What Would Godzilla Say?. The Washington Post. The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D Retrieved on 2008-01-03. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon.
  2. ^ Super-Gaijin '76: Now Let Us Praise Famous Cosplayers
  3. ^ http://costumes.lovetoknow.com/Cosplay_Costumes Cosplay Costumes at LoveToKnow Costumes
  4. ^ COSMODE Online - A Costume & Style Magazine for the Eccentric - About COSMODE
  5. ^ McLean, Kirstin. "Screaming Lord Byron resources", Screaming Lord Byron, 2004. Retrieved on 2005-10-20. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony  
  6. ^ Alarilla, Joey. "Cosplay away!", CNet, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-07-25. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler  
  7. ^ Consunji, Bianca. "Not just child's play", Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-08-16. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting  
  8. ^ Kelts, Roland. "Japanamerica", Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-10-24. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus the commander of the Danube armies loyal to Vespasian, defeat  
  9. ^ See [1]. See also [2]

External links

Dictionary

cosplay

-noun

  1. (anime, manga, video games) A subculture centered on dressing as characters from manga, anime, tokusatsu, and video games, and, less commonly, Japanese live action television shows, fantasy movies, or Japanese pop music bands.
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