Help the culturally clueless

[sspadowsky]

I ask this in the same spirit of morbid curiosity that leads some of us to look at autopsy photos and horrible car accidents: I'm afraid to know, but I can't help myself.

What the hell is "cosplay," and what does it entail? It strikes me as some sort of new, even weirder form of D&D. Enquiring minds, etc.

[Alive]

I think it has to do with "costume play" like them anime (anime fag's i believe is the popular term) like to get into...

[DamnthatDavid]

I'm sad to say that I know what cosplay is.

It is the time old tradition of dressing up as your favorite anime/movie/cartoon charachter, and attending Cons, where you prance around with other disgusting people who have managed to shove their fat asses into very "open" costumes.

Exactly like the LARPing, but inside instead of out.

[Emu]

Think of it as a costume party taken way, way, way too seriously.

[McMock]

It's mainly a japanese thing, isn't it? Supposedly this is huge over in japan and they go really, really far in this.

It's ridiculous. Who in their right minds would do this: hiding behind a mask and pretend to be somebody else so they can enjoy themselves?

...

Right. Never mind.

[Anonymous]

Cosplay

Cosplay is a Japanese subculture centered on dressing as characters from manga, anime and video games, and, less commonly, live action television shows, movies or Japanese pop music bands.

The term cosplay (pronounced kosupure in Japanese) is a contraction combining the words "costume" and "play" which accurately describes the hobby of having fun by dressing up as one's favorite characters. Besides dressing up for public events such as anime conventions, it is not unusual for teens in Japan to gather with like-minded friends just to do cosplay. Since 1998 in Tokyo Akihabara district there is a large number of cosplay cafes, catering to otaku - anime and cosplay fans. The waitresses there dress as game or anime characters. Maid costumes are particularly popular.

Cosplay has spread across the world in recent years, joining with costuming at science fiction conventions in North America and Europe. The main difference between cosplay and costuming in the United States and Europe is that in Japan people typically dress up as characters from Japanese animated films (anime), Japanese comics (manga), or Japanese video games, as compared to dressing up as Star Trek characters or in Renaissance-era costumes. The other difference is that most costuming in the United States and Europe is centered on particular events such as conventions or festivals.

One such small niche of this field are dollers, the term for an amateur kigurumi player. These cosplayer wear masks to fully transform into their characters.

Cosplayers are often called "layers" and the otaku who photograph the layers are called cameko, short for "Camera Kozo" or "Camera Boy". The cameko give prints of their photos to the layers as gifts.

In North American otaku culture, cosplayers at conventions often find themselves on the receiving ends of glomps, a type of high-powered hug.

[Anonymous]

[ScruU2wice]

I wouldn't thought much of that if I hadn't seen the anime picture..

[FS]

[Jixby Phillips]

WELL????

[mburbank]

Cosplay is very, very, very funny and very, very very sad.

Things that are very sad and very funny at the same time are proof to me of the existance of God.

[Supafly345]

I honestly was going to ask this very question, but I didn't want to look like a loser. Just as good a question is why is everyone talking about it recently?

[Burger Lord]

http://www.cosplay.com/

[EisigerBiskuit]

it's sad to find out that your friend want's to dress up as a Mithra
well, not a friend, but a freak nonetheless[/img]

[Anonymous]

I cosplayed as Lammy once. It was hot.

[McClain]

You always look like you're in some sort of costume.

[Anonymous]

[Helm]

I like how the guy on the right with the small hands is all 'uhh guys I'm not too sure about this can we go home and fellate each other?'

[Perndog]

That's a girl.

[Anonymous]

And that's us.

[ArrowX]

last year at my summer school, some girl in my class repeatedly dressed up as....something, with cat ears ans a slutty yellow dress, oh she did this in class almost every day, I asked what she was supposed to be and she simply replied "Merl" (if thats the correct spelling) I sat there dumbfounded for a good 2 minutes, and I STILL don't know what the fuck it means.

[Anonymous]

haha, summer school. Did you miss all your classes during the regular school year on account of a euphoric, twinkie-induced sugar high?

[GADZOOKS]

That never happened and you know it.

[ArrowX]

yes It did

I was in summer school because I failed math class, because I never had the motivation to work in class. Granted your teacher calling you a stupid fuck on the first day for accidentally spilling cream soda on his technicolor tie.

[WhiteRat]

Originally Posted by ArrowX

yes It did

I was in summer school because I failed math class, because I never had the motivation to work in class. Granted your teacher calling you a stupid fuck on the first day for accidentally spilling cream soda on his technicolor tie.

Were you going down on his engorged member?