The word "cosplay" may be a child's term tor some, or perhaps may seem like an obscure, strange fetish for a comic hobbyist to others. However, it is neither. Cosplay combines the words "costume" and "roleplay," and is a huge industry, drawing thousands upon thousands of costumers to conventions, affectionately knowns as "cons" among the cosplay community, each and every week. People dress as their favorite Japanese anime, video game, TV show, or comic book character. You may know about New York Comic Con and what happens there, or you may have at least heard the name in passing on the news.
While cosplay-related conventions may appear to be a one-time annual event and the only such event of its kind to the average citizen, it is in fact one of thousands of fan conventions that happen worldwide each year. In any given region of the United States, there is bound to be an annual convention within a two hour drive time. Conventions have grown from humble beginnings of Star Wars gatherings of a couple hundred , to anime conventions of the likes of Anime Expo in Los Angeles, which registered an astounding 100,420 paid attendees.
The costumes in question can be purchased online, commissioned from a professional seamstress or another cosplayer, or, in the case of most convention attendees, hand-made from scratch. Costumes may take upwards of a year to construct and consist of anything from delicate lace dresses containing hand-molded resin jewels to foam armor sets and wood props. Cosplay has spawned craftsmanship and performance competitions, cosplay-oriented fabric lines at Joann Fabric & Craft Stores, and even brand new synthetic materials for wigs and heat-moldable plastics.
The term "cos-famous" is becoming more and more common, as creators such as Yaya Han, pictured below, have garnered millions of followers on their Facebook pages, leading to paid trips to conventions across the globe.
I first delved into the world of cosplay at the boisterous age of 15, after being a fan of anime and video games since I was a small child. A friend planned a trip for us to visit North Carolina's Animazement, during which I turned my love of art, drawing, and minimal sewing knowledge into a craft that has yet to disinterest me well into my early twenties. At Animazement, I felt like a child again, seeing all of my favorite video characters come to life at the hands of ordinary fans like myself. Pictured below is my first costume, created in 2008 from miscellaneous Goodwill finds hand-sewn together, and my most recent costume in 2016, a concoction of insulation foam, hand-dyed fabrics, thermoplastic, and hand-punched grommets into a belt. It's safe to say that myself and the hobby have come a long way.
Through high school and college, I began to travel to new conventions, leading me to explore cities I'd never before seen. I believe that without this hobby, I may not have fostered my love of travel the way that I have. In the coming year, I have even more conventions to explore in other cities I have not yet seen.
As far as Jacksonville and its surrounding areas are concerned, I hope to create a larger cosplay community and involve others in the small convention scene that the city is building. At the end of the month, Fan Lexicon will be hosted at the Lexington Hotel, and I look forward to sharing my hobby and craft with others.
