You hear about it everywhere. But what exactly it is? Read on and find out more.

You must have come across the term “Cosplay” many times recently. It must have left you confused as to what it is? Simply said, Cosplay is when you dress up as a character or a concept. It is not just costume; cosplayers should also adopt the mannerism, dialogues of the character they are imitating. It may seem quite straightforward, but Cosplay is much more than what we have described. The fact that this has now become a sub-culture of its own speaks volumes about it. Let’s know more about it.

History of Cosplay

Historically, the roots of Cosplay are found in the 15^th century, where people used to dress up as characters, objects in carnivals. In the World Science Fiction Convention of 1984, a lot of people came dressed up in costumes. It was then Nobuyuki Takahashi, who coined the term Cosplay, blending the two words costume and play.

Types of Cosplay

Generally, there are two types of Cosplay. It is called Basic and Masquerade. In Basic Cosplay, you attempt to look like a character whereas, in Masquerade, you not only dress but also adopt the body language, mannerism, and act like the character.

It is a very serious business

Despite how it seems, Cosplaying is a very serious business. The culture of Cosplaying is highly competitive. People spend a lot of time and effort to get a perfect look. And God forbid, if you are seen in the same costume as someone else, then you have to prove that you are representing the concept or character the best of them all.

Costumes are handmade

The fascinating part of Cosplaying is that most of the costumes are handmade. Sure, you could get any costume readymade, but here is where the seriousness of Cosplaying comes in focus. Cosplayers spend months of planning and taking care of the smallest details of the costume.

Make your characters

Another fun and exciting aspect of Cosplaying is that you don’t always have to imitate other characters. You can even make your character, dress it up according to your imagination and creativity, and act it out on your own. Just be clear about the background of the character and explain it well to the audience.

Not just the adults, even kids, can also become a Cosplayer. It is an art form that can help us express ourselves with creativity and vibrancy. So, if you want to step out of reality and want to live your fantasy, Cosplaying is for you.