While the term cosplay encompasses various types of costumed role-playing, such as science fiction, fantasy, horror, mythology, fetish, and so forth, this chapter focuses only on Japanese and North American cosplay related to anime, manga, and video games. Cosplay also refers to the activities, such as masquerades, karaoke, and posing for pictures with other otaku, that are associated with dressing and acting like anime, manga, and video game characters (Macias and Machiyama 2004 Poitras 2001).
The term cosplay combines costume and play (or role-play). This is the essence of cosplay, or kosupure (Aoyama and Cahill 2003 Richie 2003). Cosplayers spend immeasurable monies and hours constructing or purchasing costumes, learning signature poses and dialogue, and performing at conventions and parties, as they transform themselves from "real world" identities into chosen (fictional) characters. These fans, who also refer to themselves as otaku,1 wear detailed makeup and elaborate costumes modeled after their favorite anime, manga, and related video game characters (Poitras 2001 Richie 2003).
All over the world, cosplay fans gather at conventions and parties to share their appreciation of and affection for anime and manga (McCarthy 1993 Napier 2001 Poitras 2001).
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