subject: Cosplay – A Growing Subculture in Asia [print this page] Cosplay A Growing Subculture in Asia Cosplay A Growing Subculture in Asia
Art, like music, is a universal language. It knows no boundaries and unites people of diverse cultures in collective admiration for a common interest. That is what cosplay has ignited mostly among the younger generation in Asia and expectedly around the world through online communities.
Cosplay was coined from two words costume and play that became an instant hit in Japan during the mid 1980's when a sci-fi magazine writer, Nov Takahashi wrote about the dramatic costume masquerade in a sci-fi convention in Los Angeles. This triggered a new form of artistic expression in Japan where fans donned intricate costumes humanizing their favorite Japanese animated or anime (cartoon) characters and also heroes created from the manga comics. As the trend continued, more characters from favorite video games and movies were also paraded.
Cosplayers in Japan gather not only during the semi-annual Comiket convention during summer and winter, but they hang out in parks and cafes along the busy streets of Tokyo and other Japanese cities as well where you will also find waitresses donning anime or manga costumes or in a maid costume. What makes cosplay distinct from Halloween costumes or from masquerade balls is the objective of the participant or devotee. While wearing costumes during Halloween or theme parties don't require much fanfare and the purpose is purely to have fun, cosplay enthusiasts take on the task of preparation very seriously similar to stage play groundwork. The objective goes beyond the fun part, it extends to making the character come to life starting from the intricate costume and makeup and down to the exact body movements and even how the character speaks.
During the 1990's, because of cyberspace and the distribution of cartoon anime to other Asian countries, cosplay slowly spread to Taiwan and China, and now the growing number of advocates have mushroomed in Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines where cosplayers follow the trend in Japan. Other Western countries have caught up as well like the U.S and Canada, Spain, France & Italy in Europe as well as South American countries like Brazil and Chile. This prompted the organizing of the World Cosplay Summit in Japan where a grand competition of cosplayers from respective regional winners is held annually.
The regional 2010 Asia Cosplay Meet elimination round will be held in Malaysia in June and will be participated by representatives from Korea, Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia. The top three winners will go to the regional final rounds in Singapore in July, and from there whoever wins will get the chance to compete during the World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, Japan.
There is no stopping the growing number of admirers and advocates to this artistic phenomenon with the advent of internet cosplayer communities.
