Cosplay: A history and the present obstacles of the community

Maytinee Kramer / Contributing Writer

opinion@fiusm.com

To be a cosplayer is to be a fan—something that is not that different from those who write fan-fiction or marathon a show they have countless times before.  The glory of it all is when a costumed fan stands before the flash of a camera, recreating poses and expressions of their favorite characters from movies, comic books, games or animations. However, with everything comes bumpy roads, and while cosplay can be fun, it can also be intimidating and sometimes grueling.

Cosplay is a contraction of the English words “costume play” and was coined by Nov Takahashi (from Studio Hard). Contrary to what most believe, cosplay did not start in Japan nor is it an original concept of the Japanese. The extent of their involvement was the development of cosplay as a hobby.

Cosplay has been going on for decades, long before many of today’s anime-convention fans.

In 1984, Nov Takahashi was sent to the States to document the conventions, and found that 30 years of costuming tradition had exploded into something more. People took pride in their cosplays, and rather than raiding the closet and showcasing amateur work, became very particular about their standards, judging workmanship and presenting their best for all to see.

Takahashi‘s original idea of cosplay had evolved from cheap and amateur to high-quality and elaborate.

As a fellow cosplayer, I can say that it is fun, but more than that, it is an element of escapism, a sense of belonging in a community that shares a strong bond with similar passion and best of all, it allows for creative exploration and happiness. It is indescribable magic slipping into a costume, transforming into the very character I love. It’s a complete transformation filled with pride, courage and self-confidence.

However, with the fun and games comes the teasing and bullying, and it’s not always from those who call us “geeks.”

Within the cosplay community, the degree of accuracy is staggering, with many feeling pressured to look exactly like their character. Meeting other’s expectations to fully capture that character’s essence can be intimidating. Problems can arise with one’s sewing machine, wigs, props, money can be an issue or simply real life.

Someone who cosplays a different gender, race or body type, or not knowing all about the media from which they pull their costume can also bring out the ugliness within the community. The overall issue is when other people don’t respect a cosplayer simply because they display their best.

Despite the time, dedication and sometimes drama that the cosplay life can create, people have a right to feel awesome. The appreciation from peers, smiles and attention evokes motivation.

Cosplay is more than just fun with a few obstacles. The love for cons and cosplay is great, and the most sincere way of being a fan is not just to be a geek, but to be yourself.

Photo by Maytinee Kramer