Guest Author - Joy Alari
Cosplay is all the rage in the United States but it actually, originated from Japan and yes its quite popular in the United States because more people have embraced Cosplay but its still restricted to certain times.
This is very much different from what happens in Japan, where Cosplay events or Cosplayers themselves, can be seen strutting their stuff and even acting out, their characters on the streets. In the United States Cosplayers or Cosplay events are only seen at conventions.
Cosplay costumes can go from the simple to handmade, elaborate or even purchased from a store. Handmade is usually better, especially if its your hands that creates the costume, you get pride in creating your very own costume and if it eventually wins at the local Cosplay conventions competitions, well for any Cosplayer that’s huge!
But take note, you don’t only have to make your costume to win, you must also strut your stuff in the competition, by acting and talking like the Character of your costume, the feeling is high, you get a big boost for a regular Cosplayer as well as all the fun too.
There are various Cosplay exhibitions at the conventions held in Japan, for example there is the Comiket or Comic Market, which is held twice a year, this provides a good oppurtunity to increase your Anime or Manga memorabilia, as well as show off your new Manga costumes, well in all the excitment don’t forget to take as many memorable pictures as possible!
A Cosplayer is anyone who wears an Anime or Manga gear and they can be found almost anywhere in Japan, because Japan’s youths are the main drive for this fashion, so don’t be startled when you see Cosplayers on the streets of Japan.
Cosplayers have their regular hangouts, where you can see them in their numbers, such as in Tokyo’s Akihabari and Harajuku districts, one can really get lost in Cosplay world, as there are a lot of cosplay cafes where you find the waitresses serving in costume!
There are also some Cosplay parties, which are held in some nightclubs and even in parks too.
If you’re interested in Cosplay or any of the events, then you should brave out the conventions in Otakon, Anime Boston, DragonCon or any of the other conventions that comes up annually in the United States, or better still come to where Cosplay was invented and really rocks, the lovely Islands of Japan.
