And why do you Cosplay?

[Nessie-chan]

I am doing a feature for my 2nd year journalism print class about cosplay in the UK. I just wanted to get some SERIOUS quotes from forum members as to why exactly you cosplay and what got you into it in the first place.

If y'all could, it would be a mega help and hopefully we would learn some things too!

Nessie x

[Manga Girl]

I first got into it after buying a book showing the best cosplays from Japan, it was then my love of cosplay began.

I cosplay because it boosts my confidence because outside of the expo and forum meet ups I am very shy ^^; and it gives me chance to be a complete different person

[CrystalNeko]

I went to the expo and saw how amazing and normal it is to cosplay there! I was kinda a cosplay wannabe at the time as some people from the Anime . forums were talking about going to the past expo. And then the next expo after my first I was alone and saw that LOADS of cosplayers had loads of fun. So the expo after that I decided to try it for myself and just love it now! Plus cosplaying gives me something to do in my spare time xD

[ShurikenFire]

Well going to London normally would be me wearing something gothic like and trying to enjoy the day, when i heard about the expo, i thought cosplaying would be fun.

Whenever i go London which is every couple of weeks, i'd always be in cosplay =3

[zaikrafu]

Well I've been going to the expo since it first opened and origionally there was basically no cosplayers, or anime stuff, but as the years went by it got more popular (of course) and then I decided I would cosplay myself, so I did. And then I discovered the forum and joined, as I didn't know about this site before hand and I was very young.

And I must say, I adore cosplaying. Its fun, makes you feel like you can dress up and fit in and get the sense of being your favourite characters for a day. Also it boosts your confidence and lightens up your mood.

[sjbonnar]

To be honest, it began quite some time ago when I first saw an article in Computer and Video Games magazine about Kelly Brook promoting Dungeon Keeper by being dressed as one of the Mistresses in Central London. When looking this up, I found out about cosplaying and my interest was piqued but I was young and had no talent in this field so promptly forgot about it.

Fastforward to the London Expo May 2005 which was the first one I attended. It was here that I saw cosplayers in the flesh for the first time and it amazed me. I realised that I had to at least try it out. My first costume was bought from a website online, and I wore that to the expo with some positive results. I then realised that with bought costumes, I couldn't enter the masquerade so I went away determined to make my own. So, using the costume I had bought, I created a pattern and made my own version (it was my Kenpachi costume) and from then on, I was pretty much hooked.

Why do I cosplay now? I love the escapism, the feeling of accomplishment, the fact that I can now actually sew to fix clothes that have torn etc. and more than all of that, I LOVE to perform. I like to get into character, to pose for photos with my mind focussing on what this particular character would do and I love being on stage and acting as the character.

[sanji]

umm well i wanted to go to an expo (christmas time - ish 2006) so i searched on the internet for one in londen ( my parents wouldnt go anywhere else) but i looked at pics from past expos and i said i wanted to cosplay like them so i gradually persqueded (sorry bad speeling) my cousins and my siblins to cosplay and i had about 5 cosplays i wanted to do
lol my cosplay changed so much in this time till may but i orderd a coat (akatsuki) from the internet and my cousin also wanted to do one at that time i was doing itachi so my nan made a coat exactly like it from the templates from mine and my nan was teaching me how to sew at the time and i help my bros my bor helped me etc so it was sort of like a family thing and in oct i went to expo number 2 where i did a bleach cosplay (urahara) and i was sorta driven to do more cosplays from sjbonnars amazing cosplays to see if i can ever get one as good as his ( pretty pathetic ) ive havent done it yet but im going to try


sanji (sorry for the spelling mistakes)

[Lycoris]

When I went to my first expo in October 06, I thought cosplaying was rather silly and childish, even stupid because it almost looked like they were trying to be creepy and weird. Then when I got there, I found out that quite a bit of it was true but that that was the fun of it. Seeing how relaxed people were and in some ways acting almost like you would expect every day, I found myself rather jealous that I couldn't do the same and since I was by myself, I just tensed up and didn't speak to anyone. I decided I wanted to cosplay the next time but wasn't very good at sewing so I got a costume made, one of the best decisions I've made. It saved me a load of time and I could still go out and have fun, relaxing with people who enjoy the same hobby- creeping out the norms!

[Kirst]

I knew of it and the expo's only last year and thought, wow it looks really cool. So I looked up when the Midlands Expo was and put together a costume for it. I felt a little embarrassed when I first got to the expo, but when I saw how many people did cosplay I felt a lot more comfortable.
So I've only done it once, but I am going in May!

[Strawberry]

The first cosplay event I've attended is London Expo Oct 05. I just wanted to go to the Expo because I was an Amine/Manga/Games fan & I wanted to go there to get some Amine merch and spend time with my friends down in London. During that time almost all of my friends were in cosplay and I felt jealous because they were having so much fun in their costumes, plus they were talking to strangers and making new friends with other cosplayers! So I decided to cosplay at the London Expo in May 06 so it will me the opporunity to enjoy the Expo as much as my friends

Lol, to be honest I used to be too shy to cosplay because I thought that I will look too stupid & weird, but the more I cosplay, the more I want to wear a more weirder costume XD!

[CrystalNeko]

Lol, to be honest I used to be too shy to cosplay because I thought that I will look too stupid & weird, but the more I cosplay, the more I want to wear a more weirder costume XD!

Lol I felt that way at my first two expos! XD That's why I wanted my friends to cosplay too so that I don't feel too out of place xD; But now I'm alright ^-^ Though I'm still really shy when meeting other cosplayers! D=

[Bureda]

I can honestly say "I do not know"
sometimes I question myself and then just go with the flow.

[Adziu]

Because I am a big vain attention-seeker who needs my insecurities massaged by compliments about pulling off a character I personally find attractive. THERE, I SAID IT! *Runs off crying*

[Bureda]

Because I am a big vain attention-seeker who needs my insecurities massaged by compliments about pulling off a character I personally find attractive. THERE, I SAID IT! *Runs off crying*

Everyone is like that passively tbh. If someone said they were not it would be bullshiz!
Apart from furry's that are covered from head to toe, that's just love and dedication.

[flamespete]

I like to cosplay because I get to live as my favorite characters for a day or two!

[EksDee-Luna]

I cosplay for a few reasons.
For one, I like the idea of trying to match like for like as accurate as possible to the things we see and love in our favourite entertainment mediums. Getting a costume -just right- is quite rewarding and satisfying.
Secondly... It's an escape. Not only do I put on a costume, but I try to get into my character from time to time throughout the day. For a few days in a year, I can forget i'm me. No matter what good or bad circumstances are in my life, I can throw it all away, and just be someone else..

[Kimi-fox]

afew reasons, bring to life a character that i enjoy watching on TV, or reading about, or in terms of my may cosplay... be 'myself' as its the only real chance i get to be in my costumes, so i make the most of it ^.^

[rockangel005]

I first saw cosplay on http://www.deviantart.com
And I always thought I'd never be able to, it's too much trouble or something.

I got my cosplay about half a month ago, and I've already worn it out quite a lot.
I went out with a group today, and I've found that cosplay actually boosts my will to talk to people.

... It's also interesting to get people wanting photos with me and 'Naruto'. XD

[PainSSBB]

When the Anime or Manga is over, you've read every fanfic on the net and you've exhausted all forums of 'what if' discussions, the next thing to do is become the character

[rockangel005]

Agreed!
Sort of. XD

[Nihongo-Hime]

I'm not really sure when I got into cosplaying. I think it just went hand and hand with my likeing for anime and mnaga and all things Japan really. Cosplaying for me is in a way of form of showing off my creativity and just being free. Wearing a costume and then falling into the character your potraying is just so much fun. The first time I cosplayed I remember feeling like a total fool untill I got to the expo, and then being around so many cosplayer I just got all hyped up and loved it. Its the atmospher I love as well.

[Sukai-yume]

First and foremost, cosplaying is FUN!
I first got into it when I discovered cosplaymagic.com and saw all the wonderful cosplays on there of my fave anime characters and thought how awesome it would be to be able to wear some of them. You get an incredible sense of belonging, especially at cons and meets, when you see literaly hundreds of cosplayers all into the same things as you are. It makes you more confident also. I'm sure alot of people here felt a little odd on the underground in cosplay on the way to their first expo, but when you get nearer [on the DLR platfom for me] they all start swarming around and the atmosphere is amazing!

Plus, in my oppinion, as well as anime and manga, "cosplay brings you together" [its my wonderful logic ]
For example, one day when I was out shopping I came across a cosplayer in a Haruhi outfit walking past with a friend. I looked once and did a doubble take. My cousin told me a few weeks back that she saw a Haruhi cosplayer walking round Watford highstreet and to look out for her. [sounds very ominous doesn't it XD lol] So I caught up with them and we randomly started talking about anime/manga [as you do]
And that, comrade, is how you make friends in style. XD