Cosplay

Cosplay Koujaku, one of the characters in the visual novel DRAMAtical Murder

The cosplay, a contraction of costume play ("interpreting in disguise"), is a representative activity, where the participants, also called cosplayers, wear accessories and costumes that represent a specific character. Cosplayers often interact to create a role-playing subculture. A broader definition of the term "cosplay" applies to any offstage use of role-playing costumes plus designing or making the costume, regardless of its cultural context. Favorite sources for this include comics, movies, books, anime, manga, and video games.

Cosplay of the space marine Warhammer 40.000in the Dragon Con, 2014

The cosplay has a specific cultural approach dedicated to the realistic representation of an idea or a fictional character; It can have different variants depending on the intention and the context, normally making a physical and dramatic representation of a character. Among its variants are notably: the representation of anthropomorphic characters, the anthropomorphic adaptation of zoomorphic characters, cross-dressing, the representation of opposite gender roles.

Etymology

The term cosplay originates from a contraction of costume (English for disguise) and play (English to act), normally used as a short word to replace the original term, costume play, (act with disguise). A person who practices cosplay is called cosplayer.

Some versions of the origin of the term attribute the creation of the term cosplay to Nobuyuki Takahashi from the Japanese studio Studio Hard in 1984, during the presentation of the Worldcon in the city of Los Angeles. Other versions mention that the first appearance of the word kosupure (コスプレ) was in an issue of My Anime magazine in 1983. The Japanese term is constructed with an abbreviation by using the initial berries in two independent terms for the construction of a completely different compound; in this description costume derives in kosu (コス) and play in pure (プレ).

History

The phenomenon of cosplay arose around the 1970s at the Comic Market in Japan, which are held in Odaiba (Tokyo) as places to buy/sell Dōjinshi. This act continues to be performed periodically. There, groups of Japanese dressed as their favorite characters from manga, anime, comics, and video games. Thus, this practice has always been closely related to these products, but over the years, it spread to cross the borders of the country of the rising sun and encompass other fields where this practice is considered a Japanese subculture.

Cosplayers in Harajuku (Tokio), dressed as members of the Malice Mizer band.

The number of followers of cosplay has always been increasing, it is increasingly common to see cosplayers in any celebration, and it is not uncommon today, to see them in the premieres of major productions cinema, some groups meet dressed in their best clothes in movie theaters.

Cosplay contests are very common at anime conventions and in some you have the opportunity to enter for free for wearing the costume. Of course, these events abound in so-called kameko (kamera kozo, camera guy), (although there are differences, since kozo is a rude way of calling a child, others believe that they are called kameko by "Kamera Otoko", which means man-camera) that they are dedicated to taking photos of the cosplayers, after which, depending on the customs of the place, they offer them copies as a gift or incorporate them into the galleries of these people.

The most attractive cosplayers are the most photographed and are often surrounded by fans, who follow them to every act they attend; and they go on to become "Idols". These cosplayers are somewhat professional; but many times violating copyrights by collecting money in the acts where they are invited and without paying royalties for the use of the image and/or brand of a character to the creator or company.

Cosplay also includes furry fandom

Cosplays de la familia picapiedra de Los Picapiedra en la ciudad de Punto Fijo, Venezuela.

The importance of cosplaying around the world is reflected much more in young people considered as generation Y, or millennials. Young people looking to find a more globalized identity without focusing on a single lifestyle; therefore, there are cosplayers who can be considered rockers, graphic artists, DJ's, etc.

Within cosplay there are some trends where crossplay could be highlighted, which consists of dressing up as a character of the opposite sex, or furry, which is dressing up as an animal giving them human characteristics.

Competitions

Cosplayer. New York Comic with. 2012

Cosplay contests are organized in various countries, often in a comic book event. According to the organizer, higher points are given to the costume or the representation of the character.

It is common for cosplayers of one nationality to travel on their own to other countries to participate in cosplay contests.

Since cosplay has become a widespread practice in almost any country that has an anime-related act, some companies have taken the opportunity to hold international competitions, among which we could highlight the World Cosplay Summit, held in Japan or the Yamato Cosplay Cup that is held in Brazil.

The competitions are for who has the best photos.