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Somethings bugging me about Cosplay.....




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Abarenbo Shogun



Joined: 19 Jul 2005
Posts: 1573
PostPosted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 3:49 am Reply with quote
Of all the Con photos, cosplayer websites, and whatnot, why is it that American cosplayers habitually cosplay the same frickin' thing? I've seen some unique examples, but those are far and few.

Every con photoset i've seen has the following groups in multiples:

* Naruto Cosplayers
* Final Fantasy (insert game #) Cosplayers
* Metal Gear Cosplayers
* Resident Evil Cosplayers
* Cowboy Bebop cosplay

Or cosplay the same character X1000:

* Naruto
* or any character from Naruto
* Lulu from FFX
* Snake from Metal Gear Solid
* Spike Spiegal from Cowboy Bebop

Does this sorta mirror how the current US Otaku act in relation to shows? They go ga-ga over Naruto, flame anyone that derides Cowboy Bebop, and will snub anything their not familar with? Dare I say it, are some Anime fans overtly Xenophobic??
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marie-antoinette



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 4136
Location: Ottawa, Canada
PostPosted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 4:07 am Reply with quote
It's simple that when a show is popular, it means it has a lot of fans Rolling Eyes

These fans want to show that they are fans by cosplaying from that show, despite the fact that a million other people do it too. It has nothing to do with xenophobia, it's just shows what people like.
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Abarenbo Shogun



Joined: 19 Jul 2005
Posts: 1573
PostPosted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 5:34 am Reply with quote
marie-antoinette wrote:
It's simple that when a show is popular, it means it has a lot of fans Rolling Eyes

These fans want to show that they are fans by cosplaying from that show, despite the fact that a million other people do it too. It has nothing to do with xenophobia, it's just shows what people like.


It doesn't excuse the fact that there is a lack of variety of cosplay in the states. Your answer is apologetic at best.
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Steventheeunuch





PostPosted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 5:43 am Reply with quote
Abarenbo Shogun wrote:
marie-antoinette wrote:
It's simple that when a show is popular, it means it has a lot of fans Rolling Eyes

These fans want to show that they are fans by cosplaying from that show, despite the fact that a million other people do it too. It has nothing to do with xenophobia, it's just shows what people like.


It doesn't excuse the fact that there is a lack of variety of cosplay in the states. Your answer is apologetic at best.


I don't know, the answer was pretty straight-forward.

There's a few things that can attribute to it. Sometimes people have a limited knowledge in regards to Anime, so their dressup pool is limited. Some people want to dress as popular characters because that appeals to them. Some are only able to get access to material for that sort of character. Some want recognition or to show support for a series.

I wouldn't say it's Xenophobia. Some people simply don't want to dress as say Lohengramme Von Reinhardt because they've never seen LOGH, never heard of LOGH, dont like LOGH or dont want to dress up as a character from LOGH. They want to dress up as someone from Naruto because they want to/are able to/can, just so happens a lot of people also want to aswell. We're not all valley teen girls who "omg wer're totally wearing the same thing omg omg britney is such a bitch to me in gym!".
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Ilikeulikeme



Joined: 17 May 2006
Posts: 46
Location: Goose Creek, South Carolina
PostPosted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 6:29 am Reply with quote
Maybe mainstream stuff has to do with it, yeah?
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18430
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:07 am Reply with quote
Abarenbo Shogun wrote:
Of all the Con photos, cosplayer websites, and whatnot, why is it that American cosplayers habitually cosplay the same frickin' thing? I've seen some unique examples, but those are far and few.

Every con photoset i've seen has the following groups in multiples:

* Naruto Cosplayers
* Final Fantasy (insert game #) Cosplayers
* Metal Gear Cosplayers
* Resident Evil Cosplayers
* Cowboy Bebop cosplay

Or cosplay the same character X1000:

* Naruto
* or any character from Naruto
* Lulu from FFX
* Snake from Metal Gear Solid
* Spike Spiegal from Cowboy Bebop

Does this sorta mirror how the current US Otaku act in relation to shows? They go ga-ga over Naruto, flame anyone that derides Cowboy Bebop, and will snub anything their not familar with? Dare I say it, are some Anime fans overtly Xenophobic??


You're forgetting characters from Fullmetal Alchemist, Inuyasha, Trigun, and Neon Genesis Evangelion for 'cons in the States. Part of the reason is because, frankly, they're the hottest series in the States. But let's also not forget that each of those series has very distinctive-looking characters (or at least costumes) which would make someone wearing them instantly recognizable. If you're going to cosplay, wouldn't you want to do it as someone alot of people are going to recognize and appreciate?

If you actually get to 'cons, you do see a much broader variety, but it's still mostly "hot" titles. (The last 'con I went to there was a couple cosplaying as Sousuke and Kaname from Full Metal Panic! except with the genders switched. Very clever. And I dearly hope someone got a picture of the young woman in the outstanding Nausicaa costume.)
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bennyb



Joined: 06 Jun 2006
Posts: 477
PostPosted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:09 am Reply with quote
What's popular gets emulated, simple as that. My local con (Genericon in troy, ny) had like 16 different kingdom hearts cosplayers, 2 narutards and one bleacher.


By far teh COOLEST cosplayers ever tho were Masked Takenuchi and the cromartie gang.
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RDespair



Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 245
Location: California
PostPosted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:09 am Reply with quote
I've only been to a single anime convention (Anime Expo 2005), but I was pleased with the variety in cosplay that I saw there. And my group was doing our part: although we had two Naruto cosplayers (Sakura & the ninja that's an expert at interrogation techniques - forgot his name), we also had a Yomiko Readman from Read or Die & a girl who dressed up as a Last Exile character.
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Boomer





PostPosted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:09 am Reply with quote
At the last anime festival that I attended, I must have seen hundreds of people cosplaying characters from Inuyasha. This year I fear it's going to be the same deal with Naruto, especially those friggin' headbands.
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Keonyn
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Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Coon Rapids, MN
PostPosted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:46 am Reply with quote
Well, if people like Naruto and want to dress as those characters than more power to them. I dislike Naruto myself but could care less if I see alot of cosplayers dressed as its characters because it's popular and so obviously you're going to get alot of fan attention towards it, including cosplay.
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