AnimeSuki Forum - View Single Post - Who Would You Cosplay As? Why (Give specific reasons)?

kj1980 · 2004-03-29, 15:13

Question: How is cosplaying viewed outside of Japan?

Reason why I ask this question is because I do know that in the United States, you have a day called Halloween where you go out trick-or-treating for candy by wearing costumes. Now, is Halloween reserved for kids like "animations/cartoons are for kids," or do adults go along as well? If so, then I refer back to the original question, "are people outside of Japan more open to costume-wearing events?"

Comparison to Japan: over here, cosplay is actually disdained and frowned upon as "you are already grown up and you're still playing around wearing costumes!? Get a life!" Hence, most cosplayers keep their hobby as a secret from their regular social friends to risk painful looks and judgments, while maintaining cosplay-friends in the sharing of their same interests.

Another bad trend that evolved is that cosplaying has turned into something of an erotic nature here. You see brothels and parlors that advertise "girl cosplay fun! Starting from 30,000 yen!" Hence, you have more social discomfort in cosplaying. A nice Japanese proverb would be: "It's easier to point out the bads than investigating into the goods."

2004-03-29, 15:13	Link #7
kj1980 Gomen asobase desuwa! Join Date: Nov 2003 Age: 43	Question: How is cosplaying viewed outside of Japan? Reason why I ask this question is because I do know that in the United States, you have a day called Halloween where you go out trick-or-treating for candy by wearing costumes. Now, is Halloween reserved for kids like "animations/cartoons are for kids," or do adults go along as well? If so, then I refer back to the original question, "are people outside of Japan more open to costume-wearing events?" Comparison to Japan: over here, cosplay is actually disdained and frowned upon as "you are already grown up and you're still playing around wearing costumes!? Get a life!" Hence, most cosplayers keep their hobby as a secret from their regular social friends to risk painful looks and judgments, while maintaining cosplay-friends in the sharing of their same interests. Another bad trend that evolved is that cosplaying has turned into something of an erotic nature here. You see brothels and parlors that advertise "girl cosplay fun! Starting from 30,000 yen!" Hence, you have more social discomfort in cosplaying. A nice Japanese proverb would be: "It's easier to point out the bads than investigating into the goods."