We believe you have heard of this word all around, especially if you’re a nerd or geek. With the popularity rising in the western world and especially in East Asia, people are asking a lot of questions about cosplay: What is cosplay about, why is it expensive, why is it cringey, and even why is it so popular.
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Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
What Is Cosplay?
To define the term cosplay, or costume roleplay, is a kind of hobby where people dress up as fictional characters which are usually from anime, video games, or comics. And now we’re here to answer all of your questions so let’s dive right into this topic and answer all the commonly asked questions.
Is Cosplaying Expensive?
No, cosplay is not necessarily expensive. In fact, there are many cosplayers who DIY-ed their own costume to save costs. However, DIY takes a lot of time because of all the details. Normally, professional cosplayers will take note of every single detail in the costume to perfect it, which can end up costing a lot
One example of a famous DIY cosplayer is Varlana, or Kamui Cosplay on YouTube. Just take a look at this Valkyrie she made by hand. In the video, all of the details required to make it took her about 2 months! However, that doesn’t mean you need to be a professional or even spend a lot to have fun!
Why Is Cosplay So Famous?
It is a form of artistic expression which allows people to showcase their talents and skills through their costumes. So there are many things to consider when it comes to creating costumes, such as the materials, the art style, the practicality, the list can go on!
Besides that, people can practise their acting abilities since it involves embodying the character and bringing it to life, like imitating the character’s speech patterns, behaviours, and more.
Most of all, fans can express their love towards their favourite series. This social event als unites people with similar interests which then leads to new friends and it becomes another way to escape from the hectic real world.
Why Do Some People Find Cosplay Cringey?
No matter what anime you watch, there are some characters that just have a jerky personality. When cosplayers get too much into playing as such characters, some may find them to be really annoying or jerky it.
Besides that, there are people who perceive anime and video games as hobbies for kids. So when they see adults getting into it, they’ll find it cringey and immature for their age.
What Do You Do In Cosplay?
Besides having a really fun costume, there are many other aspects to take note of such as hair, makeup, and even contact lenses. Some will even go as far as wearing fake body parts in order to have a similar body shape to the character.
However, the most vital part of cosplaying is the behaviour, mannerisms, speech, and even down to poses. After all, the whole point of it is really to bring your favourite character to life so it’s these details that make or break your cosplay.
Can You Make A Living From Cosplaying?
Allegedly, cosplayers can earn up to a few hundred thousands of dollars in a year (according to alot). There are cosplayers who are paid by event organisers to attend events and promote merchandise.
Another way is commissions, which is helping other cosplayers create their outfits. As you know, creating costumes takes a lot of time and expertise. Some even require woodcrafting or metalwork! Thus, skills like these are highly valued and useful in the cosplay community.
Once a cosplayer becomes super popular and famous, another income possibility in this modern world is becoming a social media influencer and getting paid to promote products. Take a look at this video of Myrtle Sarrosa promoting Lemon-Dou on her Instagram.
What’s Next?
As you can see, cosplaying is a wonderful hobby loved by many around the world. This is because it is a fun activity and a great way to bond with others of similar interest. If you’d like to start on this hobby, get your supplies from Animee Cosplay.
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