Lions, Tigers, and...Samus? Oh, my!

Cosplay.
According to Wikipedia, it is defined as "a portmanteau of the English words "costume" and "play", [and] is a Japanese subculture centered on dressing as characters from manga, anime, tokusatsu, and video games, and, less commonly, Japanese live action television shows, fantasy movies, Japanese pop music bands, Visual Kei, fantasy music stories (such as stories by the band Sound Horizon), and novels. However, in some circles, "cosplay" has been expanded to mean simply wearing a costume."

Some think it simply strange, and others find it creepy and unnerving. There is sometimes an undertone of sex, but that is usually dependent upon the participants and the venue in question. For the most part, it is usually just a way to have fun with a shared interest.

There are many different types of cosplayers, from all parts of the world. In the USA, widespread cosplay is a more recent phenomenon, at least as most people define the term. However, in a very basic sense, Americans have been participating in this little game for a long time. For decades, Americans have been attending Renaissance fairs, all dolled up in period garb, ranging from the historically accurate to the fantastic styles of elves and dwarves. This is, at it's root, a form of cosplay.



There are also many other Western-centric cosplay norms, such as opening night at movie theatres for films like Star Wars, Harry Potter, and the Lord of the Rings movies, as well as cult classics like Serenity and the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The last two, especially, have gained some popularity among cosplayers, as there are not only opportunities for dressing up, but also for a sort of playacting or scenarios that are played out in the theatre while the movie is playing.



From here, it gets a tad more...fantastic. Anything is fair game for players, though there are some strong standards. Anime characters are credited by most for being the first big topic of stitchery. Anime was the preferred standard for many decades in Japan, as the live-action film industry suffered from a lack of budget and viable locations for shooting. Also, the relatively small number of Western-looking actors working in Japan made it nearly impossible to film anything set outside of Japan. With animation, filmmakers were able to bring to life a wide variety of cultures, locations, and characters. All of this contributed to making anime a huge part of the Japanese media culture. Plus, they usually make for really cool costumes.



And then, there were video games. And we all love video games. Who wouldn't want to be Mario or Master Chief for a day? Well, with the right materials and some tricky stitching, you can be. Video game characters are seeing a dramatic rise in popularity at cosplay gatherings, with entire troupes of players selecting a group of characters from the same game or series, in much the same way that troupes would previously choose a group of characters from an anime show or film.





Last, but not least, we have what can be the most involved form of cosplay.
The live action roleplayer.
"A live action role-playing game (LARP) is a form of role-playing game where the participants physically act out some or all of their characters' actions," says Wiki. This can be done with most RPG's, from medieval fantasy games like Dungeons & Dragons, to modern-day horror games like White Wolf's Vampire: the Requiem. The players dress up in garb appropriate to their character, then act out the scenario set before them by the Game Master or Storyteller. Many believe that this is a more totally immersive way to role play, as it gets you away from the kitchen table and out into the world.