Cosplay: The growing convention phenomenon

September 23, 11:42 PMSF Events ExaminerAngel Thacker

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In my youth, my older siblings frequented many Star Trek and science fiction conventions, where fans gathered to celebrate their fandom with great enthusiasm.  Today's convention goers seem much more free in how they celebrate their fandom, with dressing up in costume becoming a more focused point of event activities.  What is it I'm referring to?  Quite simply, cosplay.

 What is cosplaying?  Wikipedia defines it as a "fan labor type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea"

In other words, fans dressing up and going into the characters or worlds they enjoy from their favorite program or story. Sounds familiar to me!  For, in days gone by, dressing up in costume at any convention was not unsusual.  However, it wasn't too cool to admit to friends outside your fandom circle that you sported your Klingon gear and headed off for a weekend of fantasy escape.  Today's convention goers seem to have a less need to travel about in stealth as they cosplay and are quite a bit younger than they were when my older brothers and sisters where traveling around the Trek and Marvel scene.  

Young cosplayers dancing in character at Fanime 2009

Today's young convention goers are deeply engaged in the characters they portray while cosplaying, some working all year - pulling costumes, choreography and even skits together to win trophies and honors at their local conventions and expos. Slipping into character when they enter the convention and releasing that character only when they exit the event. A wonderful escape from the high tech and high stress world we've created. This is most apparent at the anime themed conventions, where ninjas, vampires, demons and other fantasy based characters pulled from popular Japanese animation products thrive.

Over the years I have become both fascinated and entertained by this aspect of convention life.  Meeting many cosplayers and discussing their passions while observing some intriguing artistic skills blossom

Although we were just as feverish with our obsessions as the young anime fans are today, I don't remember it being as popular and even accepted as it is in today's convention activities.   

I will have a regular feature on cosplay each month and invite you to send me your images or drop me a line as we continue to discuss and explore cosplay in my column.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Below are some of the many cosplayers I've run into this past year!  . 

I would love to hear from you on this or other subjects! Send me your thoughts or blog quotes, I may share your thoughts with follow-ups and future discussions! Drop me a line at angel.thacker@comcast.net and visit my webpage to get updates and submit news.  See you around the hobby shop!