You have no idea of the meaning of this strange word? Are you wondering what kind of absurd mental illness could have affected a “normal” girl, which now take photographs of herself dressed up as unlikely characters? And, from bad to worse, are you considering following her example?

Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with you, simply... the Cosplay world has just caught you too!

Let's explain something: the word cosplay comes from the two terms “costume player”. In fact, the essence of all this crazy world stays in it's name!

The “costume” part is represented by the fact of disguising as a character, making the costume with all the accessories like weapons, jewels, etc. Then, you take your character's typical poses, the attitudes, interpreting him in order to become just like the original... and this is the “play” part!


This fad -even if it's an inappropriate term, because Cosplay is something between a hobby and a real vocation- comes from the East, where Cosplay had been famous and appreciated for years.
In Japan there are huge fairs, like the Comiket of Tokyo, and places for young people -like Akihabara district, in Tokyo- where you can find a lot of cosplayers meeting without any special event. A Cosplay clothes trade flourished, too, which sells pre-packed cosplay clothes and offers a line of shops which sell almost all the necessary!
Cosplay is based on the fact of disguising as characters from the anime and manga, or even, as it often happens nowadays, from videogames (most of all Final Fantasy!) or movie and famous series. (like Matrix, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, etc.)
In the matter of costumes drawn on movies, we have to digress. This is a parallel fact, and maybe it's even older than the Japanese Cosplay of '80, because it had been born in the USA during the seventies, thanks to the Star Trek fans who wore Federation's uniforms during public demonstrations. This particular sector is called Costuming: it's not based on the interpretation of specific characters, but only on the representation of the worlds created by the greatest movie sagas, as Star Wars. Usually, who plays Costuming doesn't create amateurishly his costumes, and prefers to buy the official replicas of uniforms, weapons and armours. Furthermore, a costumer tends to play always only one character.
A Cosplayer instead, like an actor, loves to plays always different roles, from cartoon and comics heroes, movie and videogames character, to manga, anime, and everything which can awake his imagination.

What's different from Carnival?
That's what you're wondering, right?

Well, there are many big differences between Cosplay and Carnival: more than you think!
Cosplay is spreading around the world: you can see a huge amount of sites if you key the word “Cosplay” on Google or on Ebay, and ordinarily one can do Cosplay during the various Comic Fairs all around Italy (there are a lot during all the year, as Lucca Comics in November, or Cartoomics in Milano in March). That let you do Cosplay many times during many months... not just once a year! Besides, a cosplayer not only wears his chosen character's clothes, but he interprets him, showing off his typical attitudes and poses (poses he will continuously assume, with patience and pleasure, every time someone will want to photograph him!).
This is the best part of Cosplay: empathizing with your character, really “becoming” him during a fair, playing his part in order to make him real, just for the fun of those who watch.
And I think there's no comparison with putting on a Zorro's costume during Carnival just to throw streamers, isn't it?

It takes only a bit of exhibitionism and madness... everyone can do Cosplay, you only have to want to have some fun, and to “shift” yourself just for one day! There are no age limits (there are cosplayers from 13/14 years old, to over 30, but often there are a lot much younger or much older!), neither creativity limit: everyone can have the costume he desires, no matter if it's bought on-line, created by a tailor or by a friend, or totally hand-made.
Expert Italian Cosplayers usually prefer hand-made costumes, in order to show not only their performing talent, but also their manual and artistic skills. But don't let anything put you off: everyone is totally free to express his creativity.
The important thing is the result: the fun and the satisfaction you will get from this. How to get there, is a choice everyone could make basing on his own ability.

Would you like to try?

Now that you know what Cosplay is...
I wish you to have fun!

Ryuki

[Top]^