My Hero Academia cosplayers at Japan Expo, the largest anime convention in Europe
Cosplay is still something eccentric and new to a lot of people – whom you could label as the general public. However, as conventions have grown more popular it has become more widely accepted rather than shunned. If you are a cosplayer and mention to someone that you’re heading to a convention you will probably be met with “are you going to dress up?”, which again shows that people are now aware of it and it has bled its way into the mainstream.
Some cosplayers make their own costumes and the prices can vary depending on the character. The effort that goes into making a cosplay is always guaranteed to be on display when you see homemade cosplays. Though that doesn’t mean you cannot buy a costume. The term cosplayer is a very broad term and even buying a costume counts you as a cosplayer, as you are in costume and portraying a character you enjoy. This also helps people who may find it difficult to engage with other people normally, feel more comfortable making friends at a convention as there’s already a huge common interest. Further enforcing how cosplay is a significant aspect of conventions, is that conventions will hire cosplayers who have a large following, who are essentially famous, and will give them a booth where they can meet their fans. This is used to attract more people to the conventions as it’s a chance for people to meet their cosplay idols.
Now more than ever you would be more likely met with praise and appreciation for your cosplay since geek culture has risen through the ranks of what you could consider as acceptable. To reiterate from my previous articles, Marvel did have a big hand in normalising geek culture. They managed to make comic book characters, that weren’t just your Spider-Man or Batman or Superman but more like your Groot or black Panther a house hold name where everyone knows these characters.
So when you head to a convention you get a lot of people cosplaying characters from films, anime, TV and comics. You can think of it this way, if the character is fictional there’s probably a cosplay of it. This is due to the fact that cosplay is such an artistic and creative hobby – there’s almost no limit to what people can do.
Baby Groot cosplay from Guardians of the Galaxy 2
With cosplaying, there have been some people who are able to make a living off of the hobby. As I mentioned before there are cosplayers with a big enough following that they get the attention of event organisers and are asked to come to the convention free of charge and given a guest booth. They may even cover the travel cost for the cosplayer. Some cosplayers and artists a like take commissions from people who have an interest in their work.
For example, a cosplayer may take commissions to build a prop if they are known for making good props, while some will be taking commissions to design a custom suit pattern. Another way cosplay can be a source of income is if you have a large enough fan base you can get donations through Ko-Fi or Patreon. With Ko-Fi being a service where you can donate a small amount to help a cosplayer reach their goals. Patreon being similar but cosplayers can add rewards for those who pay monthly and they can get prints, tutorials and exclusive insights to the cosplay. Cosplayers may also make brand deals by companies who decide to sponsor them, which is another way for them to make a profit out of their hobby.
I was lucky enough to speak to AnyaPanda, who’s a cosplayer with a large following on her Instagram and YouTube channel and has been cosplaying for a number of years. She has even been the judge of cosplay competitions in a few conventions herself. I asked her a few questions:
What got you into cosplay?
"Since childhood I’ve always been a fiction fanatic and fictional characters have always had a profound impact on me.
"I’ve also always been very creative, so everything about cosplay has always lined up perfectly with my interests.
"When I get super passionate about a given fictional property, it really takes over and cosplay is and has always felt like the perfect way of embracing and proclaiming that passion and emotional connection."
What’s your favourite thing about the community?
"I love that most people are unbelievably supportive of one another. It creates a great sense of camaraderie at conventions, and in general, just a very safe, positive and fun space to be in.
"Most people are powered by their undying creativity and love for fictional media, and being around people like that can be very nourishing.
I will say, however, that this feeling has certainly diminished over the past few years.
"I would definitely say that this feeling of a safe space was a lot stronger back when I started cosplaying a decade ago.
"Cosplay becoming more mainstream paired with this generation’s increasing desire for online popularity has turned cosplay in more of a popularity contest of sorts between many individuals within the community, which has led to some toxicity within the community, which is very upsetting."
Are there any stigmas you feel that are associated with cosplaying?
“Definitely. What primarily comes to mind is how people make the link between sex and cosplay.
"This has always been an issue, and it’s a very frustrating stereotype that many cosplay spectators tend to have.
"Essentially, some people automatically view cosplay as an inherently sexualized thing.
"While it’s true that the most popular and successful cosplayers tend to be those who wear more provocative cosplays, it’s so important not to lump all cosplayers together and assume that all cosplayers enjoy or are comfortable dressing this way.
"It also, regardless of how provocative or modest of a cosplay someone is wearing, is not alright to touch people without their consent or make inappropriate comments to them, which is something that cosplayers experience frequently."
"Just like film, cosplay is an art form. Although sexually-themed films exist, no one ever thinks of film in genera as being an inherently sexual art form, but rather, recognize that there are many subsets within that art form: children’s films, family films, documentaries, and yes, films that contain more mature content.
"It all depends on what the filmmakers desire and are comfortable with making. The same goes for cosplay.
"Dressing up in a costume isn’t an inherently sexual thing; there are many different kinds of costumes and kinds of cosplay content one can make.
"In the end, it all depends on what the individual in question is comfortable with, so while many cosplayers out there are totally comfortable and happy making lewd content, I for example, am not. It’s vital to not lump people all in the same category."
Why do you think cosplay is so popular?
“Fictional media — be it movies, comics, games, TV shows, what have you — have always had a great emotional impact on those who consume them, and many people take great strength from fictional characters.
"Cosplay is like the ultimate way of paying homage to that emotional connection and fully embracing it, and I think that’s what makes cosplay so popular.
"That and it’s an excellent creative outlet, as it spans pretty much every creative discipline, and it’s a great way to spend quality time and further bond with friends and family.”
I would typically cut out and just have the key parts of the interview but I do think what Anya said is important and deserves to be seen. There are so many great aspects of cosplaying and they couldn’t have been said better than in the interview above. It demonstrates how cosplay is a great creative outlet that anyone can enjoy in a variety of ways but like anything there are downsides.
Like anything this hobby is what you make of it, the more dedication you want to put in the more you will get out of it. With that being said what will always be important is that you have fun with it and not be
Anya has been cosplaying for long time and has plenty of cosplay related stories you can listen to on her YouTube channel.
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