Cosplay: Bigger, Better and Socially Acceptable

Before you read: I was given an assignment last year to cover “the growth of cosplay.” Animate Miami was right around the corner and a lot of people were talking about how excited they were.

Naturally, this was the best assignment thrown on my lap. I had the chance to interview some insightful and passionate cosplayers and I hope their stories relate or inspire you to try cosplay yourself. Thank you and I hope you enjoy.

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If you’ve ever attended a comic book convention, odds are you’ve seen a lot of people dressed up as characters, such as Eleven from “Stranger Things” or Darth Vader from “Star Wars.” This is known as cosplay. It’s cementing itself in pop culture and is no longer stigmatized.

Geek culture has become a natural part of modern media. People who dressed up as their favorite super heroes 10 years ago would be harshly criticized and bullied for showing interest in something deemed “too geeky,” usually leading them to a feeling of isolation.

Today, cosplay has broken the barriers of judgement and created connections between so many people.

Cosplay is a term that was coined in 1984 in Japan, according to BusinessWorld. But it wasn’t until science fiction conventions in the 60’s and 70’s that people began cosplaying in the United States, according NPR.

Most people cosplay at huge comic book conventions, such as Supercon, Megacon and San Diego Comic-con, to celebrate various genres of media.

“I got to see a lot of things,” Cesar Toledo, a junior majoring in biology and member of FIU’s Geek Culture Club, said. “I hung out with my friend who was dressed as Jon Snow [from Game of Thrones] and it was just so fascinating seeing him go around and people [just] stopping him to take a photo.”

Toledo’s first convention was this year’s Animate Florida. He didn’t cosplay for the event, but he described his experience as something special.

“I love how everyone, despite who they are and where they're from, they all came together and were these characters, and to me, I always found a community like that to be very amazing to be a part of,” Toledo said.

It’s no secret that Hollywood has taken an interest in adapting these popular mediums and bringing them to the big and little screens. This creates a new fandom while also bringing in already existing fans eager to see a new take on their favorite characters.

“I think it has a lot to do with like all of the nerd franchise movies that have become mainstream,” Julie Failde, a senior majoring in English, said.

Failde started cosplaying in 2010 when she was in middle school, but always considered herself as one of the weird kids. Now, she mostly portrays characters from the Star Wars franchise and is the co-host of the podcast “RoundTable PodRacers” where she discusses all topics related to Star Wars. She noticed how today it’s more acceptable to dress up and swing around a lightsaber with an enthusiastic audience.

“Now it's more normal and cool...and I feel like it's become pop culture versus nerd culture or nerd culture has become pop culture,” Failde said.

The number of conventions held in some states has increased, sometimes holding three to four a year, with an increased attendance by 50 percent, according to Otaku Magazine.

The internet and social media also plays an important role in cosplay’s growth. Sites like Instagram and Facebook promote awareness as well as the cosplayer showcasing their work.

“Social media has played an important part in this,” Rixi Gonzalez, an active cosplayer since May 2015, said. “Allowing cosplayers from all over the world to showcase their cosplays and expand their fan base.”

Gonzalez said that she cosplays because she enjoys seeing the finished product and seeing how much her skills have improved.

“It's definitely less susceptible to ridicule to see someone dressing up as a character,” Chikanma Pondexter, a junior majoring in biology, said.

Pondexter, who is also a member of the Geek Culture Club, brings up a very important moment in her life when it comes to the diversity and acceptance from the cosplay community.

“I'm black,” she said. “I remember like thinking immediately before I was so stuck on accuracy. I would always like look at ‘let's see what dark skin characters I can cosplay as.’”

Pondexter said, that overtime, she noticed how people did not care how closely they resembled the characters they dressed as, and it was simply because they liked the character.

If cosplay is at a point where it is addressing social issues such as race and diversity, what is the possibility of increased interest?

“It could only go up,” Toledo said. “I don't really see it slowing down in any way."

Toledo believes that cosplay is becoming more diverse and said that these issues were brought up while at the convention. He said that people who are too technical must remember that it is an individual’s take on a character.

“Just because it doesn't follow a certain set of rules doesn't mean that it's not a cosplay,” said Toledo.

The cosplay community has grown and will continue to grow as long as people are inspired by characters they love and admire. When cosplayers step into the shoes of these characters, not only does it boost their confidence, but they are given the chance to make others happy.

With increasing diversity and representation of many fictional characters in the media, growth and acceptance is the strongest message radiating from the cosplay community. It’s here that anyone can be anyone without judgment.

#cosplaying #comiccons #cosplay #costumes #geek