The Rise Of Cosplay In The West
Halloween is one of the best times to indulge in your deepest fantasies and dress up as whatever you want to be. However, there are a group of people whose hobby it is to dress in amazing and elaborate costumes, called cosplay which is short for “costume play”.
Cosplay came from Japan. It’s a performance art where people dress up as characters from Japanese Anime, Manga, graphic novels, video games and movies. Nowadays, there are quite a few places for cosplay fans to put on their costumes and meet fellow players. There are specific cosplay parties. They also meet at comic book/video game trade shows and at manga or anime festivals.
Even though cosplay was originally popular in Japan, it has spread to the West, mostly due to the increase in popularity of Japanese manga and animation. Anime festivals and conventions have become so popular that many countries hold them annually. These now compete with science fiction, comic and other historical enactments for attendance. Cosplay has now moved away from its original Japanese emphasis. It now embraces costumes from TV series and movies such as Star Trek and Lord of the Rings. You could even include people who participate in Renaissance Fayres and re-enactments of Civil War battles.
However, for the purists Cosplay will always mean dressing as a character from Japanese manga or anime. So, what are the most popular cosplay characters? The most popular include Naruto, Goku and Astro Boy.
Costume manufacturers have now caught onto the cosplay movements and have begun to produce ready-made cosplay costumes as well as the necessary accessories like wigs and props. Many fans still prefer to be more creative and design their own costumes as the object of cosplay is to strictly adhere to the costumes worn by the character they are representing. Purists insist on copying the costumes as exactly as possible. They also try to master the mannerisms of each character that they portray.
If you fancy becoming a cosplayer or just want to wear something original for your Halloween party or event then take a look at our anime costumes website for some inspiration.
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150th American Civil War Pocket Watch W/ Chain Hunting Case Decorated. Japan Mo $24.99 |
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NEW WW1 WW2 GERMAN JAPAN WALL MOUNT SWORD DISPLAY STAND CIVIL WAR $19.99 |
