Cosplay is fun!

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Do not adjust your sets, this is not Jitendar's blog, we are not in Anime land! Except I guess to a small extent we are. My knowledge and interest in the genre is pretty low, if I said I hated Battle of the Planets, but enjoyed the odd showing of Pokemon I'm sure someone would point out to me that one or the other (or both) has nothing to do with Anime, or real Anime, or words to that effect.

But cosplay, or "costume play" as it were, that I find fascinating. Halloween is fun, always been a fan of making pumpkins and dressing up as something seasonal. But this takes things to a new level, forget fancy dress parties, people who cosplay do it anytime they like. And whilst you get the odd person dressing up as Star Wars/Trek characters, a lot of them seem to prefer more Japanese origins.

Not being up much on Anime, I really don't recognise the outlandish outfits or people they are trying to represent. Many of them also look rather impractical for anything other than posing, but perhaps that's the whole point, I'm not really sure. The work that has gone into some of these ranges from throwing on a wig, to full blown transformations.

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Many of these people really take this seriously, which is I guess very important when you are trying to imitate a cartoon character. Going anything less than the whole nine yards would just end up making you look silly, although sometimes some of them still do look silly, but points for trying! Sites like Cosplay.com have become an interesting community hub for fans of this entertainment, for both those wanting to try their hand at fantasy recreations to those that like a browse.

At some point this will break out of the realms of the internet, and hit the mainstream, there will be a TV show dedicated to it I'm sure. Though probably a very cheap one, sat on a high numbered cable channel, if there isn't already. And I predict it will be hosted by Keith Chegwin, or failing that Noel Edmonds if it gets screened at a more prime-time slot.

But before I depart from this subject, I cannot go without steering you towards WTF Costumes, which contains a few good Cosplay outfits, but mostly a load of very bad ones. Check out pages 25 and 10 in particular, just don't do it at work!


This Week's Videos



First up it's a 4 year old kid who is playing along with classic The Who track Won't Get Fooled Again. He likes his cymbals a little too much for my taste, but he does make me wonder what the legendary Keith Moon was capable of at that age. The latter is still the best drummer I've ever heard, playing them with the kind of passion, style and diversity that is rarely emulated.



Following that, something much more calming, a time lapse video taken from the bridge of a container ship which is leaving port at night. Very peaceful, strangely compelling and with lighting reminiscent of Bladerunner, what more could you ask for?

Your Opinions and Comments

There's more cosplay afoot than you can shake a stick at...

Anime UK News have this Press Release on their site for the forthcoming MCM Expo...

WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT:Your chance to be part of gaming history!

The London MCM Expo needs you! The UK's No.1 consumer event for movies, video games, comics and more is attempting to smash the world record for the largest gathering of people dressed as video game characters on the opening day of the event, Saturday 23 May 2009, at the London ExCel Centre!

Last October, the London MCM Expo played host to the current world record during the London Games Festival where 342 fancy dressers ranging from Mario to Solid Snake and Final Fantasy characters narrowly got into the record books by beating the former record of 337. Let's show the world that London's serious about gaming this May!

To Qualify:
1. All participants must be wearing costumes representing characters from video games.
2. Characters from other media such as films, television, books and comics are acceptable; however these must have featured in video games before any subsequent appearances in other media. For example: (a.)Lara Croft first appeared in a video game in 1996, prior to subsequent movie and comic book appearances; therefore Lara Croft qualifies for the world record attempt. (b.) Superman first featured as a comic book character in 1938, prior to his first appearance as a video game character in 1978; therefore Superman does not qualify."
posted by Jitendar Canth on 14/5/2009 15:07
That begs the question, who would you go as?

And does Pikachu count?
posted by RJS on 14/5/2009 16:32
I'm so old school that I doubt anyone would recognise what sprite I'm emulating.

I would have gone with Clumsy Colin, but the game came after the crisp packet.
Maybe Horace, from Hungry Horace
posted by Jitendar Canth on 15/5/2009 13:38
Heh, I never played that although I remember the adverts (and the ones for the game). Can't beat a bit of HH though, however I'm still unsure what that sprite is supposed to be.
posted by RJS on 15/5/2009 14:49
I always took it to be the monster from the Bugs Bunny cartoon

"I will call him George, and I will hug him, and squeeze him..."
posted by Jitendar Canth on 15/5/2009 15:01