by 3 people |
Anime Themed Costumes
Anime costumes are a serious affair in Japan. They fuel a viral subculture called "cosplay" (a hybrid word combining "costume" and "play" and pronounced kosupuray; syllables can't end with consonants in Japanese.) From the streets of Harajuku, known for its outré fashions, to nightclubs, amusement parks and cafes in Akihabara: it's not unusual to bump into real life versions of characters typically encountered only in manga and anime.
But probably the greatest concentration of fantastic anime costumes can be found during the semi-annual "Comiketo" ---the largest comic convention in the world--- held in Tokyo proper, in August and December, with over half a million attending. Admission is free.
Cosplay subculture, and the popularity of anime costumes, spread from Japan to other Asian countries and soon had inroads all over the world. Anime conventions and cherry blossom parades from San Francisco to Boston now host their own contingents of cosplayers. This Halloween, don't be too surprised if you see some of these surreal characters popping up at your party or doorstep! And if you ever choose toleave home in such a costume, especially for something mundane like grocery shopping, well, as Jeff Foxworthy might say, "you may be an otaku."
But probably the greatest concentration of fantastic anime costumes can be found during the semi-annual "Comiketo" ---the largest comic convention in the world--- held in Tokyo proper, in August and December, with over half a million attending. Admission is free.
Cosplay subculture, and the popularity of anime costumes, spread from Japan to other Asian countries and soon had inroads all over the world. Anime conventions and cherry blossom parades from San Francisco to Boston now host their own contingents of cosplayers. This Halloween, don't be too surprised if you see some of these surreal characters popping up at your party or doorstep! And if you ever choose toleave home in such a costume, especially for something mundane like grocery shopping, well, as Jeff Foxworthy might say, "you may be an otaku."
Anime Costumes Table of Contents
Cosplay - Comiket Happenings at Large
- Sexy Cosplay
- The steamier side of Cosplay
- Ticktank's English Guide to Comiket
- How to navigate Comiket
- Comiket 76
- Ichigo's report on the August 2009 Comiket
- Comiket 75
- December 2008 Comiket
- Comiket 74 Cosplay - Japan Pictures
- Japanese cosplay pictures from 2008 Comiket 74 in Tokyo, Japan.
- C73 - Ramblings of DarkMirage
- One otaku's journey of moé enlightenment infused with the latest in anime with a good dosage of bishoujo - A blog about the latest in anime!
- Sakura Con Snapshots
- Sakura-Con, Seattle's otaku convention in April.
Anime Costumes
Which Anime Costume is Right for You?
Anime Costume - Insider Resources
- Bodyline Japan
- Cosplay, Lolita and other fashions direct order from Japan.
Unusual Cosplay Articles
- The 9 Levels of Cosplay Hell
- Cosplay according to Dante :-)
- Should Cosplay be Banned in America?
- Comparison of Japanese and American versions of cosplay.
Anime Costumes on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Anime Art
Anime Costumes - Live
Cosplay(!)
Anime Costumes on Flickr
DSC_0253
DSC_0252
DSC_0250
DSC_0251
DSC_0246
DSC_0247
DSC_0244
DSC_0248
DSC_0243
DSC_0241
automatically generated by Flickr
Cosplay on Amazon
Everybody Cosplay Volume 1 (v. 1)
Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 12/18/2009) 
Cosplay Girls 2: Japan's Live Action Heroines
Amazon Price: $15.56 (as of 12/18/2009)
CosPlay Encyclopedia
Amazon Price: $13.49 (as of 12/18/2009)
Cosplay: Catgirls and Other Critters
Amazon Price: (as of 12/18/2009)
by Minnaloushe
Konnichiwa!
I went to college in Japan and hope to be sharing more about the culture and customs in lenses to come. Enjoy! (more)
Explore related pages
Lord Sesshomaru Costume
- Need help creating a Lord Sesshomaru costume? You've come to the right place. I...
Sewing A Kimono: Step by Step Instructions
- Second in my series of CosPlay lenses, here is my lens about the art of making a...
What is cosplay- The Term "Cosplay" was born around the mid of the 90s in japan and it'...
Kimono Embroidery- I love embroidery and have been embroidering on a professional (non-career) leve...
Sesshography: EelKat's Sessho Maru Lensography
- The day has finally come, when I have so many lenses devoted to Lord Sesshomaru,...
Rin's Costume- Need help creating a Rin costume? You've come to the right place. I am currently...
