Cosplay (Kosupure in Japanese) is the contraction that arises from the English terms costume (costume) and play (play). Therefore, the meaning of cosplay is «play dress up».
Cosplay is a perennial fashion that on many occasions becomes a lifestyle, and for some years now it has been a true mass phenomenon, especially in Japan and other Asian countries. Little by little, this phenomenon has been reaching the West, establishing itself as a very influential branch of entertainment and show business.
History
The cosplay phenomenon arose around the 1970s in the Comic Markets of Japan, which are held in Odaiba (Tokyo) where Dōjinshi is bought/sold. 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 has spread to cross the borders of the country of the rising sun and encompass other fields to this practice where it is considered a Japanese subculture.
Cosplayers in Harajuku (Tokyo), dressed as members of the Malice Mizer gang. The number of fans of cosplay has always been increasing, it is becoming more and more common to see cosplayers in any celebration, and it is not uncommon today to see that at the premieres of major film productions, some groups gather dressed in their costumes. best clothes in movie theaters.
Cosplay contests are very common at anime conventions, and some give you the chance to get in for free for wearing your costume. Of course, in these events the so-called kameko (kamera kozo, camera boy) abound, (although there are differences, since kozo is a rude way of calling a child, others believe that they are called kameko for «Kamera Otoko» , which means cameraman) who are dedicated to taking photos of cosplayers, after which, depending on the customs of the place, they offer copies as gifts or incorporate them into the galleries of these people.
The most attractive cosplayers are the most photographed and tend to be surrounded by fans, who follow them to each act they attend; and they go on to become “Idols”. These cosplayers are somewhat professional; but many times violating copyright by charging 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.
Types
Basic Cosplay:
This is the cosplay where a person literally characterizes a character, completing the simplest parameters of this hobby. That is, the cosplayer attends a convention with the costume from head to toe and poses as said character for photographs. Normally, what happens with this type of cosplayers is that people choose characters with whom they identify and with whom they have certain characteristics in common. It is also usual that characters are chosen according to age, gender and, on many occasions, physical features.
Furries:
This cosplay is very similar to kirigume, since it is a full body costume that hides the wearer’s face. A furry is specifically a mascot costume, that is, a stuffed animal that represents the fictional character of an anthropomorphic animal.
Cosplay Crossover:
This is a very interesting and complex cosplay variable when it comes to coming true. Like the gender bender, it has been criticized for not being a cosplay in the full definition of the word. This is because the crossover is about the mixture of two fictional characters.
There are no specific rules for this. Characters of different nature, different types of story and different genre can be mixed. This already depends on the creativity of the cosplayer. It is also a crossover when a specific character is taken and given an alternate style of dress or fashion, such as a gothic, punk, steampunk, or lolita style.
mech cosplay:
This type of cosplayers choose to represent highly complex characters, such as armor or robots. They are considered the most complicated suits, because they cannot be made with fabric alone. They require all kinds of materials that can resemble metals or glass or and therefore, imply a challenge to the imagination when it comes to listing what is necessary to make them a reality.
Animegao:
Animegao The word Animegao literally means «Anime and face», since it is: «face of an anime character». This cosplay is a type of Kirigumi, which refers to character animal-themed costumes that can be found at an amusement park or shopping malls. It should be clarified that the kirigum itself is not necessarily a cosplay, since it serves more commercial purposes.
Cosplay Gender Bender:
This is another type of cosplay that causes a lot of controversy. The gender bender (Also known as genderbend or gender swap) is defined as the cosplay where the original gender of the character is changed. Many people are of the opinion that this is not really a cosplay, since the purpose of this concept is practically to achieve the faithful representation of a character. However, it is considered a category of cosplay as the gender bender seeks to creatively create a version of what the character would be and what they would look like if their gender were the opposite.
In cosplay there are also professionals who make a living from it. Some at least manage to get something to pay for trips to conventions and cover the expenses to make more designs and be able to continue making more characters.
For example, the most famous cosplayers are hired as models at various events (video game presentations, movie premieres, etc.), they have stands at conventions where they sell their own merchandise (usually prints of their photographs), which they also sell online, some they make cosplays for third parties, and in exceptional cases, we have already highly professional cosplayers, whose services are required exclusively by various companies. This is the case of the cosplayer Jessica Nigri and Grasshopper or Tasha Corea and Blizzard.
Eneko, one of the most important professional cosplayers in Japan, explained in an interview that she usually earns 1 million yen a month (about €8,800). And that in the last Comiket, one of the most important events in the country, she earned 10 million yen (around €88,300) for her participation. Of course, for some cosplayers it is a way of life.