9 replies to this topic

[Cat M]

For those of you who dabble in cosplay, does anyone do costumes from media other than anime?

I've done costumes from anime, american cartoons and am currently working on a costume for a video game character. I haven't made anything from Manga, US comics or comic strips yet though I've got one or two on my wish list!

[Chastangela]

I've done cosplay from Manga and would have to say that, generally, I preffer it. The artwork done for mangas, because they are still images, are usually much higher in detail and much more intricate. The only diffculties with this is:

1) Finding enough pics of a particular outfit as it may only be drawn once ever and be a small image on one page
2) Examining all that tiny detail and desciphering it into physical form
-and-
3) Colors! The majority of manga is printed in black and white line and shade artwork so unless you take the refferance you want from a full color Art Book, deciding what colors things should be can be a bit diffcult. In this, I think many people take their color cues from the animes, if there is one.

But I do find that cosplays done from manga are often much better and more rewarding because of the details and the variations you can put into things. When everyone has seen the anime done tons of times, its nice to do something just a bit different and a bit nicer.

[mdb]

I've never entered a Cosplay comp with a Japanese media character:)

Galadriel after nearly taking the Ring... Eowyn's Funeral garb (and I got to chant in old English.. that was fun;) ) and Black Diamonds from Moulin Rouge.

Fortunately as the whole idea of dressing up at conventions is fairly new here (the SciFi cons are not attended in numbers anywhere close to Armageddon is here) there isn't the same sort of division between Japanese/Western media as there can be. I do know some entrants are now more inclined to think outside anima/manga/games since they have seen non-anime/manga/games costumes win. There are still good numbers doing anima/manga/games.

[Metanoia]

I don't have any interest in making costumes from other cartoon sources as yet, but I know people who have done wonder woman and characters from batman.

Its funny for me to think of cosplay as anything other than anime because that is what the word is generally used for which is why I think the division is nice between fantasy (ie lord of the rings, moulin rouge) and anime costumes due to the difference. Often anime costumes are made from 2D images and the styles can be quite different to that of the live action movies.

[Cat M]

Its funny for me to think of cosplay as anything other than anime because that is what the word is generally used for which is why I think the division is nice between fantasy (ie lord of the rings, moulin rouge) and anime costumes due to the difference. Often anime costumes are made from 2D images and the styles can be quite different to that of the live action movies.

I know what you mean... I always consider there to be a defined line between my anime costuming and my historical costuming.

When it comes down to it, the word 'cosplay' is just a contraction of the words 'costume' and 'play' which really defines any costuming that we do... but the use of the word has evolved so that we immediately think of only anime.

I think we kind of draw our own mental lines of division between categories of costuming. My divisions tend to be: cosplay, movie costuming, historical costuming, original costuming and low-effort theme costuming (done for the constant fancy dress parties my friends hold). But then where does EGL stuff fit it???? And reproductions of J-Pop groups??? And furries??? argh! it's all crazy I says!

An interesting note: The guy who coined the term cosplay did so after visiting a Science Fiction con in the USA where he saw the enthusiastic costuming and in-character playing of Trekkies and other Sci-Fi fans. With that in mind, it's odd that we almost never associate 'cosplay' with Sci-Fi costuming.

[Metanoia]

But then where does EGL stuff fit it????

EXACTLY! Couldn't have said all of that better! I would like to do some EGL and because its an actual fashion style of japan it doesn't fit into my definition of fantasy (ie. its not from movie/book/artwork)... some is based on historical costume, but its not before I was born so it doesn't fit into the ACG historical costume definition... perhaps we need a "misc and other" category

I guess cosplay is kind of not just dressing up, but being the character... but I still can't help thinking of cute little anime costumes when I hear that word.

[Cat M]

Speaking of EGL - did you get my PM about the magazine I bought you?

[Metanoia]

just PMed you back!

[mdb]

An interesting note: The guy who coined the term cosplay did so after visiting a Science Fiction con in the USA where he saw the enthusiastic costuming and in-character playing of Trekkies and other Sci-Fi fans. With that in mind, it's odd that we almost never associate 'cosplay' with Sci-Fi costuming.

Yep, so I really guess it depends on what you were first exposed to and how you heard the term. When I first read about it, I immediately thought... hey isn't that what those folks over there have been doing for years? It wasn't until I found my way to the cosplay forums: http://forums.cosplay.com that I felt vindicated;).
I have noticed though that cosplay (of western and eastern media) is generally created from fandom. Historical costumers tend to start from the other side; finding excuses for the costumes made because it's costumes first. Though I suppose you could make a point that they do have a fandom: Funky Frocks!

Since the advent of the internet though, it's now really easy to find costumers really delving into anime and Manga etc because the costumes and artwork can be so inspiring. Trinity Blood for instance.. wow... And I'm sure cosplayers start seeing the inspiration of various artworks and are drawn to historcal costume as well....

[Cat M]

mdb - when I think of amazing designs, I look to the computer gaming/video gaming industry. They are bringing out stuff that is just supurb...

like anything from the War of Genesis games or Magna Carta , any Final Fantasy or Square Enix games. Then there's the latest pile of games I've stumbled my way though (reading Japanese is not my forte!) called the 'Atelier' series.

Then there's the countless other games that are all creating more and more amazing character designs to compete in the market. It's sad that many of these will never make it to Australian or NZ shores.