Stepping Into the World of Cosplay

Cosplay. It’s a strange, blended word with strange, confusing connotations. Those who participate in it respond to the word with eager excitement and stories of previous costumes and dreams of designs yet to be realized. Those unfamiliar with the term may wonder what on earth it could mean. Is it a game? Does the Cos stand for “Cosby”? is it pronounced with an “s” sound or a “z” sound? (Answers: not exactly, no, and the “s” sound is preferred.) Most of us fall somewhere in between those two extremes, but no matter where we stand on it, it still piques our curiosity. Whether you see it as glorious, fun, odd, or ridiculous, cosplay stands as a clear and growing element of popular culture.

When we were young, many of us played dress-up, donning play clothes that would turn us into pretty princesses or swaggering cowboys. Normally, our parents would only allow us to go out in public wearing these get-ups on one very special day: Halloween. This was the moment when everyone, at least from ages 1-12, was allowed to be whatever they dreamed to be as they tromped through their towns collecting candy treasures from their neighbors. In much of society, part of growing up meant leaving the costumes behind, with the rare exception being anyone involved in movies, theater, and television. Over the last few decades, adults began to hold their own Halloween parties, and it became the one day a year that adults could go back to playing dress-up.

With the advent of motion pictures and television in the 20th century, fictional characters gained a life of their own in the minds of fans all over the world, and these fans dreamed of being their fictional heroes. As comic book, sci-fi, and other entertainment conventions gained in numbers and prominence, attendees seized on the opportunity to show their fandom in the most visual way possible: by dressing as their favorite characters. The term “cosplay” was coined by a Japanese journalist as a blended word using “costume” and “play.” Cosplay at conventions has continually increased since the 1980s until the present day. Every year, new conventions pop up in the United States to satisfy the increasing interest in participation in such events. The most popular convention in the U.S. is San Diego Comic-Con, and its success brought attendees from all over the world to the event and sent them back to their homes with ideas of creating their own local versions.

The first convention I attended is called Visioncon, and it has been held for over 25 years in the southwest Missouri area. The founders wanted to have their own celebration of all things animation, television, and cinema that wouldn’t require long hours of travel for Midwesterners to attend. I went purely out of curiosity, having seen the outlandish photos from this and other conventions, and my experience of the event in person only served to increase my interest in the activity. On my second year of attendance I chose to create a couple of simple costumes, culled from my closet and scavenged from thrift shops. The more I made friends at the event, the more ideas I got from them on how to accomplish my costuming ideas. I also enjoyed that I (along with anyone else) didn’t feel that I needed to dress up, as there were many events and activities that gave attendees plenty to do outside of costuming. What I enjoyed most about the event was that I got to see the cosplayers share their love of their favorite characters with the world. It was a way to let their innermost thoughts and joys be known in a public forum, and the joy they exuded was infectious. Whether I recognized their character or not, I could always enjoy and respect their passionate execution of the head-to-toe look. I have continued to encourage anyone with even the slightest curiosity about cosplay to attend one convention to gain a greater understanding and respect for the dedicated cosplayers who go all out in their efforts to honor their heroes.

Do you have a costume you’ve always wanted to wear? Who are your favorite fictional characters? Please click on the link below to comment and share your fandom and opinions with other fans!