Cosplay and Effect

Playing as a videogame character and dressing up like one might not be as different as you think.

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I cosplayed Pyramid Head last year. Does that mean I like rape?
I don't think so -_-

I'm cosplaying as a mudkip from Pokemon this year at a Con, my only regret is i have not a Water gun.

Cosplay is fun :D

I always try to dress in costume when ever I go to a con, no matter what it is, though I try to be appropriate when I can. Personal best so far was when a group of friends and myself dressed up as a Steam Punk Airship Crew, we won second place in the costume contest and had people asking us about our costumes all day, it rocked!

i honestly never got why you would dress up as someone else except for if you weren't happy with the person you were. i don't want to put a label on cosplayers, but i know that if i had to cosplay, i'd definitely cosplay as myself.

it might just be a movement to become different from others in human societies where judgment is all, but to me it still seems like a superficial way of breaking the boundaries of society when there are better methods for doing so. ah, but i am nothing if not pragmatic.

theklng:
i honestly never got why you would dress up as someone else except for if you weren't happy with the person you were. i don't want to put a label on cosplayers, but i know that if i had to cosplay, i'd definitely cosplay as myself.

it might just be a movement to become different from others in human societies where judgment is all, but to me it still seems like a superficial way of breaking the boundaries of society when there are better methods for doing so. ah, but i am nothing if not pragmatic.

But that's not cosplay. It's just dressing up as yourself. Cosplay is a portmanteau of Costume and Roleplay - are you saying that all RPers are unhappy with the person they are?

theklng:
i honestly never got why you would dress up as someone else except for if you weren't happy with the person you were. i don't want to put a label on cosplayers, but i know that if i had to cosplay, i'd definitely cosplay as myself.

This is one of the most arrogant, self cenetered statements I've ever seen.

I never really got into cosplay. I can understand why other people do, but to me it seems like somewhat of a waste of time. Why use someone else's character when you could instead create a character for yourself. I prefer to create an image for myself than use a precreated one. To me, it's the same kind of idea as using a store-bought costume for halloween instead of making your own. Other folks may not see it the same way, but that's my opinion.

i would really like to try cosplay someday, but i simply dont know how and where i can get the cloths and props i would need.

I've always stayed away from cons and cosplay. It never seemed very fun to me. Maybe I'm just not as hardcore into it as everyone else is...

PedroSteckecilo:

theklng:
i honestly never got why you would dress up as someone else except for if you weren't happy with the person you were. i don't want to put a label on cosplayers, but i know that if i had to cosplay, i'd definitely cosplay as myself.

This is one of the most arrogant, self cenetered statements I've ever seen.

so what if it is? so what is wrong with saying that one thinks it's alright to be oneself? should i be limited by your judgment? should anyone else?

no. nobody should. i understand that every person has an opinion and that some people get overzealous or defensive when going inside their sphere of influence and saying something about it; but seriously what was the point of that message? just because everyone does not think like you it does not mean everybody else are to be judged or limited by your judging. if i was a moderator, that post would be removed immediately.

as for the whole thing about the word cosplay -- yes, i knew what defined cosplay as a word, and i do believe that at least some of those people (along with RPs as well) are unhappy with the person they are. i'm not saying all, because this is one of the things that can be proven empirically false, but i am willing to bet that there's a good amount of people out there who want to escape to a different reality because they don't feel right or well in the society of structured judgment we live in. as i said, i don't blame them, i see bad things in society as well. but, being pragmatic, i think their potential could be used otherwise... for the better.

I think the problem lies in your intimation that being someone else for a time is not alright. People that are unhappy with who they are may chose cosplay as a method of escape, just as they may chose alcohol, or painting, or music, or any of a variety of methods, good and bad, to 'lose themselves'. Creative expression, recreation, novelty, fun - these are also reasons people chose cosplay; it is not a prerequisite that you have problems.

You may feel their potential may be better used elsewhere, but as much effort might be wasted by people chosing how they apply their own talents, I feel that to do otherwise would incur a cost beyond any possible gain.

on the plus side, occasionally stunning women as cats and anime characters o_O;;
on the down side, Men dressed as Kagame from Lucky star -_-;; {a 16 year old japanese school girl)

it might just be me then. i am trying to study some of these trends to figure why people commit to them like they do. it's a non conformist road to venture, and while the article explains much about the trend itself, it tells little about the mindset behind the people; or indeed, what type of people cosplay. i was (and still am) thinking that it attracts people who are unhappy since it allows them some freedom to be someone else; and in that, i was thinking why they didn't think to do something about the problem rather than running away from it. i didn't even consider the creative aspect of it, since it was part of the "cosplay package" as a whole.

also, i apologize; my tone might have been abrasive, but i consider the semantic message to be the point, not how it is delivered. no deliberate offense was meant.

Eh. If I ever go to a con, I'm eschewing pretty-boy anime characters and going as Rorschach.
And the nerds will boy, and proclaim me their Lord.

With in-person conversations there are a myriad of subtle clues that 'shape' how words come across, but in an environment stripped of those clues, the myriad of alternate meanings and connotations will often trip up the intended message.

As for the state of mind, you'd get a better guage going to the cons and observing and meeting the wide variety of people there. Yes, you'll get the extremes, but you'll get those with almost every activity involving people. You may also be right in that it could be attracting more than its share, though it's one of the least harmful (for them or others) methods. Plus, as it's a very social activity, the foundation exists for them to gain perspective and work things out themselves, or with their peers they feel most comfortable around.

Zallest:
I'm cosplaying as a mudkip from Pokemon this year at a Con, my only regret is i have not a Water gun.

Restraining myself from falling into meme-territory on that is going to take every ounce of self control that I have. :D

So, high female percentage of cosplayers, eh? ^_' I guess I noticed that at Dragon*Con. Of course, that might tip into the "sane, single, and pretty, pick two" problem more heavily than the normal pool of respondents.

The Sorrow:
Eh. If I ever go to a con, I'm eschewing pretty-boy anime characters and going as Rorschach.
And the nerds will boy, and proclaim me their Lord.

Psh. I've seen tons of Rorschaches. You've been beaten to it :P

Must... resist... temptation to post... pictures.. of Cosplayers...

I've never really wanted to try cosplaying and I do usually laugh at any friends that do it but the idea of dressing up as a katamari and chasing people around with a huge sticky ball intrigues me.

theklng:
as for the whole thing about the word cosplay -- yes, i knew what defined cosplay as a word, and i do believe that at least some of those people (along with RPs as well) are unhappy with the person they are. i'm not saying all, because this is one of the things that can be proven empirically false, but i am willing to bet that there's a good amount of people out there who want to escape to a different reality because they don't feel right or well in the society of structured judgment we live in. as i said, i don't blame them, i see bad things in society as well. but, being pragmatic, i think their potential could be used otherwise... for the better.

So, if I dress up for, say, a Halloween party, I dislike myself in some way?

If not, tell me what the difference is then?

And I've got to ask - what do you think is better than dressing up and having a bit of silly fun?

Furthermore what gives you the right to judge how someone should use their potential?

smallharmlesskitten:
Must... resist... temptation to post... pictures.. of Cosplayers...

stay strong! DO NOT GIVE IN!

Considering the traditions of Halloween and the dressing-up that goes on there, the idea of cosplay doesn't seem that strange to me. What does confuse me, though, is the decided lack of representations of Western science-fiction characters. OK, you'll probably get a certain number of Master Chiefs, et cetera, but what I'm really looking for is a suit of vintage-2076 T-51b Powered Infantry Armour.

I mean, if some people are spending 100 hours and lots of money on emulating characters from anime or Eastern RPG settings, I don't see the stretch to making a suit of armour. OK, it would be impractical to carry around 50 pounds of metal and plastic all day long, but it can't be any more impractical than some of the weaponry found in the typical cosplayer's simulated arsenal. I wouldn't mind lugging a decent T-51b replica around all day!

RAKtheUndead:
Considering the traditions of Halloween and the dressing-up that goes on there, the idea of cosplay doesn't seem that strange to me. What does confuse me, though, is the decided lack of representations of Western science-fiction characters.

There was that guy who went to blizzcon(I think) in a space marine power armor. That was awesome.

RAKtheUndead:
I agree.

Came across a picture of a (English) girl dressed as a Battle Sister on Kotaku yesterday. Awesome.

FunkyJ:

theklng:
as for the whole thing about the word cosplay -- yes, i knew what defined cosplay as a word, and i do believe that at least some of those people (along with RPs as well) are unhappy with the person they are. i'm not saying all, because this is one of the things that can be proven empirically false, but i am willing to bet that there's a good amount of people out there who want to escape to a different reality because they don't feel right or well in the society of structured judgment we live in. as i said, i don't blame them, i see bad things in society as well. but, being pragmatic, i think their potential could be used otherwise... for the better.

So, if I dress up for, say, a Halloween party, I dislike myself in some way?

If not, tell me what the difference is then?

And I've got to ask - what do you think is better than dressing up and having a bit of silly fun?

Furthermore what gives you the right to judge how someone should use their potential?

i never made a point out of giving judgment over how others should use their time, i just said as a pragmatic i could think myself to see that other purposes can be better than, as you put it, "silly fun". it's not that i see it as a waste, it's just that i have a different perspective on the situation, given what i've stated in all previous posts. now if you actually read up on those you'd at least see where i am coming from in this matter.

as for the halloween part: halloween has a smaller percentage of involvement due to happening just once a year, whereas cosplay is an active pursuit of interest. if people were thinking about halloween all year long, or if people spent a long time finishing a costume for halloween, then i'd have the same views on that situation. since you don't give any more information in your hypothetical example, i must consider it vague. every person is different, and as such, every case of study is different as well (note that i did not generalize people anywhere).

I think I'm going to be The Crow for Halloween.

I guess that counts as cosplay.

I think it'll be fun being in goth clothes in a little while.

I sure hope I don't have serious self-esteem issues.

Aptspire:
I cosplayed Pyramid Head last year. Does that mean I like rape?
I don't think so -_-

It means you like raping monsters! Rawr!

I was invited to some sort of cosplay Bi-Mon-Sci-Fi-Con by an old girlfriend fourteen years ago. I went as a sort of anthropologist/observer/disinterested party.

After I got home I told my brother, "Put on your goalie gear. I feel dirty and need to shoot some pucks to remind me I'm normal." I've taken a very dim view of cosplayers and otaku ever since.

Generally speaking my attitude towards cosplayers is phasers set to mock.

However I write pen & paper RPG systems for my friends and play AD&D. So I think I've matured into a 'whatever take your fancy' philosophy.

Hardcore nerds still freak me out though. Geeks I get on with. I'm with Homer on nerds "Hey buddy, did you get a look at that nerd?".

This reminds me of the time I saw the Mega64 cosplay video. Makes Cosplayers seem like a bunch of arseholes in a way.

zoozilla:
I think I'm going to be The Crow for Halloween.
I guess that counts as cosplay.
I think it'll be fun being in goth clothes in a little while.
I sure hope I don't have serious self-esteem issues.

Did you actually role-play? I mean, did you pretend you actually were The Crow? Then, yes, you were cosplaying.

One mantra that cosplayers need to learn is that what doesn't fit them as normal clothing doesn't fit them as a cosplay. A hairy person (guys and gals alike) really shouldn't be wearing sleeveless and short skirt/shorts/whatever. You don't get away from the fashion police on account of cosplaying.

One thing that always make me curious though, is that cosplayers just don't seem competitive. You step into any hobby, and people are bound to compare, contrast, judge, and boast about their creation and ability. Gamers do the famous tea-bagging, ballers trash talk, etc. But cosplayers..I haven't seen one that argue over why his sephiroth costume is the best. They just..stand there, and appreciate other people's work. How the heck can they remain so calm in the face of so much rivalry? (I want two cat girls in a cat fight, dammit!)