It’s terribly upsetting when the media makes fun of cosplay. They treat it as a joke, as though it’s a sick fetish that only weirdos are interested in. It makes me want to take them by the shoulder and shake some sense into them. Really? What kind of reporters, journalist or whatever not do their research first?
They need to be neutral when gathering information and pass along that information to their viewers/readers the same way. Not turn it into an negative thing just because they don’t like the sound or image of it. Then try to pass it off as a horrible thing with false evidence.
If they knew their stuff, they would know that cosplay is a hobby, not a lifestyle. Cosplayers do not run around everywhere in their life dressed up as a fictional character. Nor do they change their personality to take on the role of the character 24/7.
I don’t see why people treat cosplay as a horrible thing. It’s quite similar to those who do reenactment and live action role-playing game (LARP). The difference is that with cosplay it’s basically “costume play”, there’s no acting involve and what matters is looking the part. Unless there’s a situation that the cosplayers want to be in character for fun.
There are many reasons why people cosplay and it varies from person to person. Some people cosplay due to the creative challenges and aspects involved. Sewing from a pattern can be easy, but sewing some of the seemingly unique and impossible designs found in some media can be a fun challenge for both novice and experienced seamstresses alike. There are some people out there who go out of their way to find the hardest costume they can, just to have the challenge of trying to make it, and the feeling of accomplishment at the end if they manage it!
Some cosplay as an escape. There are many people out there who read books and watch movies for a temporary escape to another world. Others choose to cosplay instead! Getting into character and acting out that personality with other cosplayers can be a hugely amusing prospect, and a lot of fun can happen while doing it. Not just for those taking part in it but also for those watching, such as in Masquerade, an event in anime conventions.
Others do it for the social side. Attending meet-ups and conventions is a great way of meeting other people who have the same interests as you, and many find themselves meeting life-long friends through this hobby. The social side can take place both in-person and online.
Of course, there are those who do it for all of the reasons above. There’s probably other reasons why people do it that I don’t know of. But there is so much about cosplaying that it’s hard to cover it all in one post.
 DamnBlackHeart · Sat Apr 21, 2012 @ 07:19pm · 0 Comments |
