How to interact with Cosplayers during an event?
It was your first time attending an anime convention, the place is crowded, hundreds and hundreds of people are walking, queueing, and suddenly in the corner of your eyes, you spotted a 3D version of your favourite 2D anime characters!It was a cosplayer!
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| Kudryavka Noumi! By me hahaha! @hanihashiya (Insta) |
Cosplay came from the word Costume and Play, (コスプレ kosupure). In general, it is a performance art in which people dress up as 2D characters. Wearing colourful wigs, with elaborate costumes and rather thick makeup to achieve that anime complexion and brightly-coloured, large anime eyes, cosplayers are very easy to spot. To some people, meeting cosplayers are sometimes the highlights of coming to an anime convention.
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| Ashiru / Rurusama (@rurusama9), me and Iris (@iris.peach) in ODEX Cosplay Carnival at Tampines Hub |
I'm a cosplayer myself (though not cosplaying in that pic above), and to me, anime conventions are more of an event to meet old friends and make new ones! Sometimes I get to meet the more famous cosplayers whose pictures I see almost every day in my social media, and being able to see their works in real life felt so awesome!
Even as a frequent convention-goer, sometimes I get the nervous feeling in asking for a picture or simply praising cosplayers for their wonderful getups. I thought this would be even more true for those shy-er ones and those who attend conventions for the first time.
So, what is something that you should and should not do when you meet a cosplayer?
When asking for a picture :
Cosplayers put in a lot of effort in preparing their costumes, wig and makeup. So when someone asked me for a picture, I always felt that my work is commended! Hahaha. Of course, there is a right time for everything. If the cosplayers that you see is rushing to one place or is resting, respect them and wait until they are ready for pictures. Sometimes people will have to queue for pictures too!
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| Selfies with @xiaoyukiko (Instagram) during ODEX Cosplay Carnival at Tampines Hub! |
It is a must to ask for permission before snapping a pic! Remember to tell them if you intend to upload it to the internet or your social media account. Most people are okay with it, but some are more sensitive when it comes to their online presence. You may need to ask them whether they are okay with the picture before you tag them online!
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| Asking Yukiko / Kiko for permission before uploading the pic! Just do it! They don't bite! |
If you have a specific pose in your mind that you want them to do, feel free to tell them! Most of the time cosplayers have a pose in mind too for a specific character, but personally, I think inputs are quite welcomed (as long as it is not too awkward or inappropriate)!
Of course, you can also pose with them, and when you do, if you feel like borrowing their props to pose with, please ask first beforehand! I heard many stories from cosplayers whose props broke because people wanted to take pictures with it, or simply because they want to touch and admire it from a closer distance.
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| AK. Wirru as Field Team Leader (Monster Hunter World)! Splendid props!! Check out more of his work!!! https://akwirru.com/ |
Regarding physical contact, it is super important to ask if they are comfortable with it. Don't just hug them, give them head pats, hold their hands, or put your arms around them! If you won't do it with a stranger, you shouldn't do it to a cosplayer too! This is always true regardless of the character that they cosplay.
When talking to them :
Most cosplayers have cosplay names or at least some online alias. Some also have a specific Instagram or Facebook page dedicated to only cosplay content! You can try asking, but if they don't want to share their details, don't force them to divulge their private information such as real names or where are they studying/working at.
Oh and also! Some cosplayers are masters at cross-dressing, so don't be surprised to learn that that handsome Rin Matsuoka turns out to be a female in real life! (Is it a he? or a she?Who knows!) Some are quite open about doing cross-dressing, but there are those who are not, and there are also those who enjoy having people guessing their real genders. Respect is the key, and when in doubt, ask them about it! Most cosplayers I know are quite friendly as long as we ask politely!
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| Rin Matsuoka by Yosuke Sora / @mr.yosuke (Insta) |
You can compliment them if you think they did a good job in portraying the character, but try not to give negative feedback such as : "You are too tall to be Aisaka Taiga!" or "You're too chubby to be Sebastian Michaelis," or "You're too skinny to be Tsunade," or any judgmental comments. Keep it to yourself, or if you really have to tell them, then say it nicely. Encourage body positivity! Cosplaying requires a lot of courage, while some may like being the centre of attention, it is not so easy for some people!
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| Ryuji Sakamoto from Persona 5 by Rui / @merotama (Insta) |
In conclusion, most of this is quite common-sensical, as long as you remember that cosplayers are also human who deserves being respected, you wouldn't do anything wrong! It's just that sometimes we are all too excited about seeing our favourite characters in real life. I'm guilty of that too sometimes!
Written by Hani Hashiya
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