CosPlay 101

Here is what Wikipedia says about it. 

NOTE: When I read this Wiki article I found many inaccuracies in it, however it is informative.

Cosplay (%u30B3%u30B9%u30D7%u30EC, kosupure?), short for "costume play",[1] is a Japanese subculture centered on dressing as characters from manga, anime, tokusatsu, and video games, and, less commonly, Japanese live action television shows, fantasy movies, Japanese pop music bands, Visual Kei, fantasy music stories (such as stories by the band Sound Horizon), and novels. However, in some circles, "cosplay" has been expanded to mean simply wearing a costume.

The most specific anecdote about the origin of the word "cosplay" was that Nov Takahashi (from a Japanese studio called Studio Hard) coined the term "cosplay" as a contraction of the English-language words "costume play" while she was attending the 1984 Los Angeles Science Fiction Worldcon. He was so impressed by the hall and masquerade costuming there that he reported about it frequently in Japanese science fiction magazines. This point is debatable, however, as the word fits in with a common Japanese method of abbreviation: combining the first two syllables of one word with the first two syllables of a second word (or, more precisely, the first two moras of each). Other examples of this include Pokémon (%u30DD%u30B1%u30E2%u30F3, Pokémon? short for %u30DD%u30B1%u30C3%u30C8%u30E2%u30F3%u30B9%u30BF%u30FC, or "Pocket Monsters") and puroresu (%u30D7%u30ED%u30EC%u30B9, puroresu? short for %u30D7%u30ED%u30EC%u30B9%u30EA%u30F3%u30B0, or "professional wrestling").

Cosplay venues

Cosplay can be seen at public events such as video game shows, as well as at dedicated cosplay parties at nightclubs or amusement parks. It is not unusual for Japanese teenagers to gather with like-minded friends in places like Tokyo's Harajuku district to engage in cosplay. Since 1998, Tokyo's Akihabara district has contained a large number of cosplay cafés, catering to devoted anime and cosplay fans. The waitresses at such cafés dress as game or anime characters; maid (or meido) costumes are particularly popular.

Possibly the single largest and most famous event attended by cosplayers is the semiannual doujinshi market, Comiket. This event, held in summer and winter, attracts hundreds of thousands of manga otaku and many thousands of cosplayers who congregate on the roof of the exhibition center, often in unbearably hot or cold conditions.

Cosplayers in Japan refer to themselves as reyazu; pronounced layers (by writing the word cosplayers in katakana, it is possible to shorten it in this way). Those who photograph players are called cameko, short for "Camera Kozo" or "Camera Boy". The cameko give prints of their photos to the players as gifts. Tensions between players and cameko have increased due to perceived stalker-like behavior among some obsessive males who push female cosplayers to exchange personal email addresses or do private photo sessions. One result of this has been a tightening of restrictions on photography at events such as Comiket.

While Cosplay arguably originated in Japan, one should not be confused with the idea that Cosplay is considered typical behavior in Japan. While some do attend Cosplay functions that are held in districts such as Akihabara, most Japanese people find Cosplay to be rather silly [2]. In addition, because Cosplay in Japan has adapted such a negative sexual connotation, many Japanese have come to feel that Cosplay is reprehensible. In addition, North Americans who Cosplay typically refer to themselves as "otaku", which is essentially the Japanese word for "geek", and use this word in an attempt to embody themselves in a sociological group that they can be proud of. To contrast, in Japan actual otaku refuse to admit that they are otaku because the idea of otaku it is not looked at as a group of people who are engaging in activity that may seem "just a little different". In fact, being an otaku in Japan entails standing on one of the bottom rungs of the Japanese social ladder.

Cosplay costumes

Cosplay costumes are radically different from typical Halloween costumes. Because the object of cosplay is to literally become one's character, the intricate details of the costumes are critical. Costumes must meticulously adhere to the designs of the characters' attire, and even more generic costumes are often elaborately artistic.[3] Rigorous attention to detail may include ensuring the seams are aligned properly, thread colors are appropriate, and fabric colors precisely match the character and their attire. Some cosplayers will buy their costumes from talented artists, while others may spend months creating the perfect cosplay outfit.

Because the costumes are so elaborate, like-minded people gather to see others' costumes, show off their own elaborate handmade creations, take lots of pictures, and possibly participate in best costume contests at different cosplay events.

Cosplay trends

A recent trend at Japanese cosplay events is an increase in the popularity of non-Japanese fantasy and science fiction movie characters, perhaps due to the international success of such films as The Matrix, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. Characters from the Harry Potter films have a particularly high number of female fans in Japan, with female cosplayers playing either male or female characters, Draco Malfoy being an extremely popular choice.

Cosplaying as characters of the opposite sex is called "crossplay", and cosplaying as characters who dress as the opposite sex is called "cross-dressing". They often coincide, but since some Japanese characters cross-dress to start with, it is possible to do one without the other. For example, a female cosplayer cosplaying as a male character would be cross-dressing and crossplaying; However, a female cosplayer dressing as someone like Mana (male artist from the Visual Kei band Malice Mizer known for dressing in female clothes) would be crossplaying, but not cross-dressing; and a male cosplayer also cosplaying as Mana would be cross-dressing, but not cross-playing.

A small niche group in the crossplaying field are dollers, a subset of kigurumi cosplayers; usually male, they wear bodysuits and masks to fully transform into female characters.

Another recent trend in cosplay is a blurring of the distinction between costumes based on characters from games and anime, and "original" costumes based upon a general theme or existing fashions. In particular, the Tokyo teen-fashion trend of Gothic Lolita has attracted some cosplayers who might not have the inclination (or possibly courage) to wear such distinctive clothes around town, but who would like to dress in such a manner on some occasions. Other popular trends include the "original Visual Kei cosplaying", "original punk cosplaying", "original Super Dollfie cosplaying", et cetera.

Cosplay magazines

In Japan, there are 2 cosplay magazines, Cosmode(%u30B3%u30B9%u30E2%u30FC%u30C9) Dengeki Layers (%u96FB%u6483Layers). COSMODE has the largest share in the market.

There are also 2 emerging cosplay magazines outside of Japan, USA's AniCoz and Mexico's Cosplaymix.

An English digital version of COSMODE is also in the making

International cosplay

Cosplay in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom differs from Japanese cosplay culture in some ways. Cosplay concerning Star Trek, Star Wars, other science fiction worlds, Renaissance-era characters, and historical re-enactments (e.g. Civil War battles), especially at science fiction conventions, are far more popular in America than they are in Japan. Alternatively, some costumes that might be seen as in bad taste in America (such as Nazi uniforms from certain comics or games) may be seen at events in Japan.

For almost 50 years, costume fandom has had a consistent and widespread following with costumers in the west, from the first Worldcon onward, with the influx of anime costumes, the word cosplay is becoming a more and more commonly used term to describe costumes of specifically Japanese media origins.

An issue with cosplaying anime and manga characters is that these characters generally do not have bodily proportions that can easily be mimicked by many typical cosplayers (e.g. incredibly long legs, huge muscles or giant breasts), and there is debate among fans about how important or not this element is when cosplaying.

In Mexico, cosplay is commonly seen inside conventions that can be video game, science fiction or anime themed. It is common that cosplayers will also organize their own reunions which can be themed or free for the sake of taking pictures together. Cosplay in Mexico is competitive in a healthy level, with well established representatives. This phenomenon also can be viewed in other Latin American countries, like Brazil, Argentina and Chile.

In Australia, the trend mirrors the American in that the subject costumes may be selected from sources other than manga or anime. Sources include American comics, computer games, science fiction/fantasy movies and TV shows, animation shorts or features, period drama, novels - any source that provides vivid and graphic inspiration of a character and their costume. Usually the term "cosplay" is not used to cover historical recreation as the focus is on representational accuracy, not historical accuracy. In general, Australian cosplay is most commonly seen in the larger population centers such as the capital cities and major regional centers, as these have the population base to support the diversity among fringe interests. The display of the costumes is not limited to conventions, although it is not unusual for dedicated cosplayers to travel extensively throughout Australia following the convention trail during the year. In addition to the social convening at conventions, many smaller social groupings exist, hosting their own local events.

In France, cosplay is a widespread activity in anime and manga conventions. Large conventions like Japan Expo can attract more than 500 cosplayers. While the majority of French cosplayers choose anime and manga for inspiration, many people like to dress like movie characters, famous singers or even TV show actors even if it's not directly related to the theme of the convention. Unlike the Japanese, French cosplayers use almost exclusively hand made costumes which are often used only once. Buying or reusing costumes is seen as unfair competition (in some contests they can't compete). French cosplayers are mainly focused on the cosplay contest, which take place in nearly all manga, science fiction, fantasy or role playing game conventions. They are not really competitive, they're more of an occasion to show off the costume and appear as good as possible instead (e.g. scene, lighting, soundtrack, etc.). Acting and singing skills are highly valued in contests, and some groups reenact fighting or musical comedy scenes also. For example being able to do a cartwheel stunt in costume is part of the Japan expo tradition and one of the most valued figures in the contest.

In Belgium, cosplay plays an increasingly important role in the F.A.C.T.S. convention with hundreds of people dressed up in costume from different anime series. Also B.I.F.F.F., Asianim and even Hypercon are organizing competitions as it gives conventions an unique additional value.

Cosplay is rapidly entering the mainstream in the Philippines[6][7] , where cosplay events are often held within an anime, manga, gaming, or sci-fi convention. More often than not, these conventions and events are sponsored, and debates have raged on whether or not judges' perspectives are influenced by the organizers of a cosplay event. Also Filipino cosplay rules overlook and allow professional fully commissioned costumes to participate in competitions.

Cosplay also has followers in other parts of Asia such as South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Indonesia. As well as attending comic festivals and events, cosplayers there also frequent districts popular with teenagers.

Cosplay in North America

Anime Convention activity in the United States and Canada has become a much larger and much more popular trend in the 2000s. With the added public attention coming from such popular animated series imported from Japan (see anime) including Naruto, Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, Inuyasha and Bleach, cosplayers and the anime world have peeked their heads into the world of mainstream pop-culture, on at least a relatively underground scale. More and more convention goers cosplay as their favorite characters from their favorite anime, and thus, the cosplay and anime subcultures have been able to have enough influence to further the creation of anime conventions to accommodate for the increasing number of cosplayers.

Conventions in America often include both cosplay and costume contests.[8] The cosplay or "masque" (masquerade) is a skit contest done in cosplay costume. The costume contest is often a test of skill, design, and audience reaction. The contestants are judged either before hand or on stage and then walk across said stage while the audience cheers. The increased popularity of convention costuming has led to the addition of several relatively new cosplay-based events, adding to the traditional masquerade and hall costume contests. Such events include the Anime Dating Game, and Cosplay Human Chess, where participating cosplayers act out their characters' role in the game accordingly.

Competition has led to the development of many cosplay groups that plan for conventions months in advance.

Non-competitive cosplay can often be seen at opening nights for science-fiction and fantasy movies, especially those with an established following. Even in small towns, some cosplayers wait in line for hours before showings of movies in franchises like Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Even cult hits like Serenity have drawn opening night cosplay.

In the UK, US and elsewhere, fans of The Rocky Horror Picture Show attend screenings of the cult film in the costumes of its characters. This tradition began soon after the film's release in 1975.

The annual Bay to Breakers footrace in San Francisco has been a favorite cosplay venue for decades. A large number of cosplayers run or walk in their favorite costume amongst serious competitive runners.

What Wikipedia say about Live action role-playing game CosPlay 

Live Action Role-Playing Game

A live action role-playing game (LARP) is a form of role-playing game where the participants physically act out some or all of their characters' actions. The first LARPs were run in the late 1970s, inspired by role-playing games and genre fiction. The activity gained international popularity during the 1980s.

LARP groups have highly varied approaches to rules, costume, degree of physical acting out, focus of character activity, and genre. LARPs range in size from small private events lasting a few hours to huge public events with thousands of players lasting for several days.

Terminology

LARP has also been referred to as live role-playing (LRP), interactive literature, freeform role-playing, interactive drama (indrama), and wide game. Some of these terms are still in common use, however LARP has become the most commonly understood term internationally. It is sometimes written in lowercase, as larp. The live action in LARP is analogous to the term live action used in film and video to differentiate works with human actors from animation.

Play overview

Players physically portray characters in a fictional setting, improvising their characters' speech and movements somewhat like actors in improvisational theatre. This is distinct from traditional role-playing games where character actions are described verbally. Unlike in theatre there is usually no audience, as LARPs are played for the satisfaction of the participants.

The setting, characters, and rules may be defined in a LARP publication, invented by the organisers of the larp, or created by the players themselves.

Play usually takes place within a defined physical space. This may be a public area or a private building or section that has been borrowed or hired for the purpose. Play usually starts and ends at pre-defined times, and may occur over hours or days. If members of the public who are not involved in the LARP are in the play area, they are typically ignored or treated as part of the fictional setting.

Beyond these basic common features, LARPs vary greatly. In particular there is a broad spectrum of settings that play takes place in, methods of physically representing the characters and the settings, game rules, and types of activity that characters are involved in.

Production

Players may dress as their character and carry appropriate equipment, or costume and gear may be portrayed by physical symbols or entirely imagined. The environment in which play takes place may be dressed to resemble the imaginary setting, and special effects may be used to represent unusual occurrences in the setting.

In character versus out of character

There is a distinction between when a player is actively representing their character (called in character, IC, in game or in play) and when the player is being themselves (called out of character, OOC, off role, out of game, off game or offplay). Some LARPs encourage players to stay consistently IC except in emergencies, while others accept players being OOC sometimes and use devices such as off-game areas, armbands, or gestures to signify when players are currently OOC. Information learned while OOC is usually considered distinct from information learned when IC, and characters making use of OOC information is a form of metagaming.

Simulation and representation

All LARPs occur in both a real and an imaginary environment - the latter called the setting, game world or (in theory) the diegesis.[2] Characters inhabit the imaginary environment, while players inhabit the real, physical environment. In all LARPs, the real environment to some degree represents the imaginary environment (for example, a real wall is normally also an imaginary wall) and player behaviour represents character behaviour. In cases where the real environment does not correspond to the imaginary environment, LARPs use different techniques to simulate events in the imaginary environment. These techniques may include game rules and randomizers (dice, cards), physical symbols (for example a rope signifying an imaginary wall) and theatrical improvisation.

Player characters and non-player characters

There is sometimes a distinction between player characters (PCs) and non-player characters (NPCs). The NPCs exist to make the LARP more satisfying for the players and they typically receive more direction from the organisers than the players do. Unlike in traditional role-playing games where a gamemaster usually plays all the NPCs, in a LARP each NPC is typically played by a separate person. The people playing the NPCs are variously called crew, cast, monsters (in some fantasy LARPs) or NPCs. Each crew member may play many NPC roles over the course of a LARP event. Sometimes players are asked to play NPCs for periods of an event.

Game rules

Some LARPs have game rules that determine how characters can affect each other and the setting. These rules may define things such as a character's capabilities, how those capabilities can change over time, what can be done with various items in the setting, and what characters can do during the downtime between LARP events. Because organisers are often not available to mediate all character actions, players are relied upon to be honest in their application of the rules. There are also LARPs that do without rules, instead relying on players to use their common sense or feel for dramatic appropriateness to cooperatively decide what the outcome of their actions will be.

Organisers

The creative content of a LARP is usually produced by players in collaboration with organisers, called game masters (GMs), referees or larpwrights, who determine the fictive framework of a LARP. GMs may decide how characters are created by players, or write and distribute characters to the players. The characters allowed or authored by the GMs, along with conflicts placed between characters and possible interventions during the LARP, usually determine the type of interaction in a LARP. GMs may also influence the LARP while it is played, for example by playing or briefing non-player characters. The logistical arrangement of a LARP event may also fall to the GMs, or there may be other organisers who handle details such as advertising the event, booking a venue, and financial management.

ROFL LARP

Classification

LARP is notably diverse, with widely different approaches being taken in different groups and regions.[3] LARPs are sometimes classified according to the verisimilitude of the game mechanics,[4] primary conflicts (player vs player or player vs organisers),[5] number of participants, duration (campaigns or single events), stance on role-playing (immersive or theatrical) or genre (fantasy, science fiction, contemporary etc.).

Verisimilitude of game mechanics

A game mechanic is a way of representing a character's action and determining whether it succeeds or not. LARP mechanics can be classified by verisimilitude, i.e. how closely the player's action resembles the fictional action being performed.[4] This difference is most clearly visible when comparing LARPs that use physical combat and those that use symbolic determination of combat. However, the same principle applies to social influence and intellectual problem solving, which can also be based on the actual skills of the player or handled by symbolic mechanics.

Physical mechanics occur without interruption in role-play, using foam weapons, airsoft guns, laser tag guns and similar, to represent weapons. Sometimes relatively harmless versions of real weapons (blunt metal swords, firearms loaded with blanks) are used as representations. Games using physical combat are often known as boffer or live combat[6] LARPs. In LARPs with physical mechanics the physical skills of the player play an important role.

Symbolic determination relies on players momentarily suspending role-playing in order to determine the outcome of an action, for example by rolling dice, playing rock-paper-scissors or comparing character attributes.[7] In symbolic combat systems, weapons may be represented by cards or physical replicas. Depending on the environment the game will be played in, the possibility of misunderstanding, and the sensibilities of the participants, realistic looking weapon props may not be allowed.[8] A "no-touch" rule prohibiting physical contact between players is sometimes enforced.[9] Many symbolic and physical combat systems also use game rules for character attributes like strength and physical endurance to help determine the outcome of a combat situation. Others use an honour system where players are trusted to determine the outcomes of combat through free improvisation.

Genre

LARPs can have as many genres and settings as novels, plays, or movies. Many use settings derived from genre fiction. Some LARPs borrow a setting from an established work in another medium (e.g. The Lord of the Rings or the World of Darkness), while others use a setting designed specifically for the LARP. Proprietary campaign settings, together with rulesets, are often the principal creative asset of LARP groups and LARP publishers. LARP players sometimes re-tell the events of a LARP as a story, with their character as protagonist. However, LARPs seldom feature pre-determined stories of the type common in literature or cinema.

Focus of interaction

Some LARPs, such as theatre-style games in the US, feature primarily conflicts between player characters or groups of characters. Others, sometimes called "adventure style LARPs",[5] pit players against organiser-controlled obstacles or antagonists. Another distinction is often made (especially in the UK) between player-led and organiser-led interactions, the former being improvised by players during play while the latter are planned in advance by GMs although they are usually reactive to the players' improvisation.

Game format

LARPs vary in size from a handful of players to several thousand, and in duration from a couple of hours to whole weeks. Most LARPs are either single, self-consistent events or form parts of a campaign - a series of LARP sessions featuring the same setting, the same rules and many of the same characters.

Common styles

LARP rules and play cover a wide variety of different styles that blend into each other. There are some categorizations that are widely used and in broad terms help identify shared expectations for a game.

Avant-garde

Common in the Nordic countries[10] but also present elsewhere, avant-garde or arthaus LARPs are eclectic events using experimental themes and techniques. Avante-garde LARPs have high culture aspirations, and are occasionally held in fine art contexts such as festivals, art museums or theatres. The themes, settings and characters of avante-garde LARPs are usually relevant to real-world issues of politics, culture, religion, sexuality and the human condition.

Linear

Some groups that run fantasy games with physical combat run small-scale events with between 6 and 12 players and a high NPC-to-player ratio. The ratio is typically 1:1 to 1:2, as opposed to the 1:10 to 1:20 typical of fest events. These events are usually more directed and objective-driven. These are sometimes known as linear events. The International Fantasy Games Society calls such events line-courses.

Fest

A fest (short for festival) LARP has hundreds of participants, usually split into competing character factions camped separately around a large venue. There are relatively few fests in the world, all based in the UK and Europe, however their size means that they have a significant influence on local LARP culture and design.

Simulation

Some of the first LARP-style games were group activities designed to demonstrate various social and political settings. One of the first such games was SimSoc, which is still used in modern social science classes.

Theatre-style/freeform

Theatre style or freeform LARPs are characterised by symbolic combat, an eclectic approach to genre and setting, and a focus on interaction between characters that are written by the organisers. They are sometimes played at gaming conventions, which they suit well as they typically only last a few hours and require relatively little preparation by players.

Youth LARPs

Youth LARPs are intended for children and young people. Some are organised through institutions such as schools, churches, or the Scouts. Denmark has an especially high number of fantasy and medieval youth LARPs.[12] Other varieties of youth LARP include science fiction games and dramatizations of the Harry Potter world.

Common genres

LARPs can be in any genre, however certain genres are especially common.

Espionage

Espionage LARPs are inspired by spy fiction. Some leverage the real world as a venue or real player identities as characters in a manner similar to Assassin or alternate reality games. These usually avoid physical combat and real-looking weapons which could attract unwanted attention from the public and authorities.

Fantasy

Fantasy genre LARPs are set in pseudo-historical worlds inspired by fantasy literature and fantasy role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons. These settings typically have low technology, magic, and fantasy races. Many fantasy LARPs use physical combat and focus on adventure and/or competition between character factions. Fantasy is one of the most common LARP genres internationally.

Historical

Historical LARPs take place in our world, at some point in history. They can vary from a 1930s murder mystery to a feudal Japanese Samurai story. Historical accuracy, in both fictional content and physical props and costume, is often prized in these LARPs, and there are similarities with Historical reenactment.

Horror

Horror LARPs often use horror fiction as inspiration. LARPs with a horror theme can be set in any era, often crossing over historical or science fiction genres. One common sub-genre is based on the writing of H. P. Lovecraft, sometimes using the published LARP Cthulhu Live and often set in 1920s USA.

Military simulation

Military simulation (mil-sim) LARPs focus on military operations, often in modern or futuristic settings. Many include live combat with laser tag, airsoft or paintball firearms. Some mil-sims have a hard-core approach and attention to detail that resembles police exercises or war games conducted by the military. Players may take on combat roles or play non-combatants such as civilians or VIPs.

World of Darkness

Published by White Wolf, Inc., this is a goth-punk setting in which players usually portray secretive supernatural creatures such as vampires and werewolves. This setting can be played using Mind's Eye Theatre, which is a relatively complex symbolic LARP system also published by White Wolf. These LARPs are usually played in a chronicle, a series of short events held at regular intervals, and are also popular at conventions. An international chronicle is run by White Wolf's own fan club the Camarilla. The World of Darkness is one of the most commonly-used LARP settings internationally.

Mythology

Mythology LARPs are set in a semi-historical era with legendary aspects of that time. For example, a Celtic mythology LARP might include features of Celtic myth such as Druids with powers from the gods and goddesses, or legendary creatures and monsters such as the Tuatha Dé Danann or the banshee.

Science fiction

Science fiction LARPs take place in futuristic settings with high technology and possibly aliens, but usually without magic. This describes a broad array of LARPs, including politically themed LARPs depicting dystopian or utopian societies, combat-oriented events played with laser tag weaponry, and settings inspired by cyberpunk, space opera and post-apocalyptic fiction. Official rules have also been published for popular science fiction settings such as Star Wars.