Cosplay, or ‘Costume Roleplay’, is extremely popular in across the world, but it is especially popular in Japan, where much of the character ideas originate. In Japan, entire subculture of ‘cosplayers’ dress up as characters from manga, anime, tokusatsu, comic books, graphic novels, video games, hentai and fantasy movies.
There are pictures all over the web of cosplayers, but this collection showcases some of the more elegant and beautiful examples of the cosplay subculture.
Sun Tzu has spent about 7 years in Asia traveling through Japan, Hong Kong, China, and Korea. A true fan of everything that is weird and strange, he decides in the end what is displayed and published on this site. Sun has previous experience writing for numerous print mags such as XLR8R, URB, and Movement Magazine.
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James
Title should read: "When It Comes to Cosplay… Japan Has the MOST losers"
These people seriously need to grow up and get a life and leave their pedophile imaginations alone!
Yamazaki
Cosplaying is like an art form, you're just narrow minded and very uneducated.
Thought
Someone's jealous……..(probably also a secret spanker to this sort of thing!) :-}
Why else be looking at "Losers" you despise!?!
Ryan Lee Hannant
I agree with James.
I also think this is an unfair representation of Cosplayers. Most of them are awkward, unattractive people in shitty homemade costumes that can only be socially confident whilst dressed like a complete tit.
Mika
I disagree with both of them. Cosplay can also be an art- the work that goes into costumes (by some), is ridiculous. Some work for over a year to complete some costumes, along with making armor or hand embroidering. Granted, there are those who are awkward & unattractive, like you said Ryan- but at the same time there are plenty who are beautiful and confident regardless if they are in costume or not. It's unfair of both of you to stereotype something like this. It's a hobby, like anything else.
G-Man
I also disagree with the top two. Cosplay is either a hit or a miss. Yes, you got tons of people who look absolutely horrendous in cosplay, but then you also have those who love their craft and are actually accomplished craftsmen (and women). I'd never cosplay, but I respect the cosplayers who know how to embroider, process leather, and even MAKE THEIR OWN METAL ARMOR AND WEAPONS. Are any of you blacksmiths?
This? This is cosplay done right:
http://loyalkng.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/co…
pacat
I guess if we can put up with goth we can put up with this.Hopefully they will grow up
Mika
@G-Man : I agree, those cosplayers who can make their own metal armor and weapons are truly masters of the craft.
It takes a lot of time and effort – and it's fun to show off what you have created, it's nothing about being childish, or needing to grow up.
pacat
It is great,but there comes a time that fantasy overflows to reality. It can be fun but like all things of fantasy,you need to be careful that you keep part of you in reality.
Jay
I bet everyone that has criticised cosplay has or knows someone who has dressed up in there favorite sports teams uniform or something close to it and stood with hundreds if not thousands of people dressed similar and they are perceived normal.
And don't say that its not the same, if you dress up out of your normal clothes into a representation of something then its all the same.
-Jay
sadmanh
i agree with these comments, a lot of craftsmanship goes into making these costumes and we should respect that. And lets face it all country’s have some kind of seemingly crazy obsession ! like america, with muscle cars ! most Japanese would prefer a compact & fuel efficient car.
Nikki
Thank you Photoshop!
aya
whatever… its their life so why bother! anyway, nice nice nice ^__^
Jenn
Cosplay can be done very wrong or very right. Just because these jewels came from Japan doesn’t mean the country doesn’t have an abundance of awful cosplays as well, and it certainly doesn’t prove that there aren’t diamonds among the rubbish of western cosplay.
Rami
really Japanese ppl Have a lot of time to be wasted
Mali
And western people haven't? WoW anyone….? It's the same all over the world. Let people have their hobbies, you probably have your own that could be criticised a lot.
Acky
It's not your own culture…
Just back off and have your own life instead
zin
wow, everyone is getting so testy- give it a break
For one I do agree, it seems like a lot of cosplay seems to have to do with fetishes, sometimes bordering kiddie porn- and therefore, personally I know whenever I spoke to people and I did bring up my liking for cosplay here in America, I usually got weird stares because here people automatically associate that with fetish, or perverts since that's the look that many popular anime and japanese culture has impressioned here.
continue-
zin
continued-
Also, not all people make their cosplay clothes. Infact there are websites that many people do just buy from and there are shops in Japan that many cosplayers admit to buying their outfits from, it all depends on the person. Some people like the look but are too lazy to make it theirselves. Others like the look and are willing to make their own style/attire. And yes, I hope this doesn't start an arguement on Japanese people being lazy, because all people can be lazy and all people buy stuff online at some point.
zin
Continued!
However, I do agree. Not all people cosplay. So don't generalize that ALL Japanese people are childish and play "dress up" too much, or even that that's their cultural thing if you want to get technical. (And if you want to point fingers, remember there are roleplaying shops/conventions here in America based on American concepts like Star Wars or whatabout those people who dress up like dead celebs on Hollywood Bolevard? That can be considered cosplaying as well.) Because not everyone is into that. But just cause you like it, doesn't mean you need to grow up.
And like Acky said, just back off and have your own life.
justgowiththeflow
The cosplayer that has most photos is Kipi. She's my favorite cosplayer ๐
__DT__
James and Ryan lee, you both suck, your just saying that because they have talent on doing cosplay, and their Japanese that's their life not yours, so you just shut up in the corner and enjoy those girls on their costumes.
Silver_Bullet
you people who complains about cosplayers are just too old on this, i bet you came from year 80's, this is already 20th century, so grow up. if your jealous qbout their culture, then don't say anything, if you really want to tell them that their only wasting their time on those kinds of things, then go to japan and tell them, lets see if you guys don't get back to your country alive.
peewee
I just find cosplay to be a bit too creepy…especially when grown ass adults are doing it. I mean it's like these grown women are wanting to look like 10 year olds to appease the pedos out there…with the shit loads of makeup and circle lenses and photoshop to try and look like an "8 year old doll"…it's just all so kinda of desperation for attention for them.
anonymous
is it bad news that I can recognize every character being cosplayed in those pics?
Mit-
No it just means your like me.. OH CRAP yup thats pretty much bad news.. o.o
james bond
i anticipated them to be a bunch of freaks with no real-life or something the like before imet know any of them personally,(i'm not a cosplayer) but the most of them were cool and not losers at all, though, i guess some noreal-lifeidiots were there too
CiChan
Wow, just wow…
You say, “japan wins, look at these fine examples of cosplay.”
Most of them are the SAME GIRL! (im assuming there are more, I just scrolled through)
That’s kipi, and she does a lot of cosplay, and has professional photographs taken + the wonders of Photoshop. (lightening the photo and such.)
I think the west CAN cosplay just as well, but most of them don’t take it as seriously. It’s just fun.
I don’t think you should judge based on a race, it all depends on the person, and who they choose to cosplay.
Also cosplay supplies are more available in Asia.
BTW Before I get “Oh your just saying that because your not Asian.” I am, and this is just my opinion.
Sorry of I offended anyone! ^o^
Rirry MissLeelleett’s
I really liked her cosplays, and I already have one of those cosplay ๐
Frank
It depends on each person’s thinking but you should think about why it is still growing. Personally, I still like cosplay because through the character it is the desire of a certain part of each person