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ROViPOP culture

Hobby and Enthusiasm Notespad 

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ALL  ABOUT COSPLAY AND COSPLAYING, TECHPLAY, FASHIONPLAY, TOYPLAY
 

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OTAKU ~ Popular Culture (Pop culture)

I - OTAKU

I.1a - [Otaku] the Past or the "Genuine" or "the Early Days Otaku"

is a Japanese term that refers to people with obsessive interests, commonly the anime and manga fandom. The sub culture trend of the "young hearted" and "young minded" individuals.

I.1b - [Otaku, J-Otaku] or the Present Day Otaku or "Japanese pop culture"

It is typically used to refer to a fan of anime/manga but can also refer to Japanese video games. The sub culture trend of the "young hearted" and "young minded" individuals Plus or Japanese culture in general.

I.1  - MANGA (J-Comics) OTAKU

I.2  - IDOL OTAKU

I.3  - TRAVEL OTAKU

I.4  - PC OTAKU

I.5  - VIDEO GAME OTAKU

I.6  - AUTOMOBILE (Motoring) OTAKU

I.7  - ANIME (Animation) OTAKU

I.8  - Mobile IT equipment OTAKU

I.9  - AUDIO-VISUAL Equipment OTAKU

I.10- CAMERA OTAKU

I.11- FASHION OTAKU

I.12- RAILWAY OTAKU

I.13- VOCALOID OTAKU

I.14- COSPLAY OTAKU

I.15- FIGURES OTAKU

I.16- PRO Wrestling OTAKU

I.17- FOOD OTAKU 

II.1-1- Cosplay / kosupure

• COSPLAY – American / English words

• コスプレ KOSUPURE – Japanese words

            , a portmanteau of the words costume play, is a performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character or idea. (Wikipedia)

Or  Costume in Play

• an act of staging or presenting a play or other form of entertainment.

synonyms: show · production · showing · presentation · staging ·

• staging

NOUN

• an instance or method of presenting a play or other dramatic performance.

• a stage or set of stages or temporary platforms arranged as a support for performers or between different levels of scaffolding.

The term cosplay (translate “kosupure” in japan) is Japanese in origin. The hobby was then later picked up by the Japanese and reinvented by Americans.  

II.1-2-COS-ARTS

          , a portmanteau of the words costume-arts. Costume or fancy dress is the distinctive style of dress of a particular people, class, or period. A costume can be a particular style of clothing worn to portray the wearer as a character or type of character other than their regular persona at a social event such as a cosplay, masquerade, modeling, a fancy dress party  or in a theatre performance.

• In Cosplay feat. cosplaying

     , a word of Japanese origin that's short for "costume play", is a performance art in which participants wear costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea that is usually always identified with a unique name (as opposed to a generic word). These costume wearers often interact to create a subculture centered on role play, so most time they can be seen in a play group, gathering or convention. A significant amount of these kinds costumes may be originally designed or homemade and unique, depending on the character, idea, or object the costumer wearer is attempting to imitate or represent. The costumes themselves are often artistically judged to how well they represent the subject or object that the costume wearer is attempting to contrive.

• In Costume feat. Fashion-art

Fashion is a popular style or practice, especially in clothing, footwear, accessories, makeup, body piercing. Fashion is a distinctive and often habitual trend in the style in which a person dresses. It is the prevailing styles in behaviour and the newest creations of textile designers. Because the more technical term costume is regularly linked to the term "fashion", the use of the former has been relegated to special senses like fancy dress, cosplaying or masquerade wear, while "fashion" generally means clothing, including the study of it. Although aspects of fashion can be feminine or masculine, some trends are androgynous.

• A [costume-arts model type or model type inspired expressions] (from Middle French modelle)

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, is a person with a role either to promote, display, express a costume line product (notably costume, costume x fashion clothing) or to serve as a visual aide for people who are creating works of art.

• A [costume-arts modeling type or a model type inspired expressions]

      , is considered to be different from other types of public performance, such as cosplaying or “costume in play” performing. A person wear a costume as a costumer with a role either to promote, display it’s costume-arts to serve as a visual aide for people who are creating an expression thru its costume works of art in portrait or portfolio type of photography or videography product commercial, product promotional display, modeling or just a model type portrait inspired fan & fun shoot.

• If costumer expresses its costume not in costume modeling type or person in costume for promotion of just an art display but in a performance art - in “costume in play” or - in a “character role playing” type and it’s is considered as a cosplaying.  

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• All About COSPLAY

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• Cosplay (コスプレ kosupure), a portmanteau of the words costume play, is a performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture centered on role play and a broader use of the term "cosplay" applies to any costumed role play in venues apart from the stage. Any entity that lends itself to dramatic interpretation may be taken up as a subject and it is not unusual to see genders switched. Favorite sources are manga and anime, comic books and cartoons, video games, and live-action films.

The rapid growth in the number of people cosplaying as a hobby since 1990 has made the phenomenon a significant aspect of popular culture in Japan and some other parts of Asia and in the Western world. Cosplay events are common features of fan conventions and there are also dedicated conventions and local and international competitions, as well as social networks, websites and other forms of media centered on cosplay activities.

Cosplay in Japan

The Jingūbashi (Jingū bridge) which passes over the Yamanote Line south of Harajuku Station, Tokyo, at the Meiji Shrine gate is a famous gathering place for cosplayers. Pictured, a group of people dressed as visual kei style musicians in 2006.

Cosplayers in Japan used to refer to themselves as reiyā (レイヤー), pronounced "layer". Currently in Japan, cosplayers are more commonly called kosupure (コスプレ), pronounced "ko-su-pray," as reiyā is more often used to describe layers (i.e. hair, clothes, etc.). Those who photograph players are called cameko, short for camera kozō or camera boy. Originally, the cameko gave prints of their photos to players as gifts. Increased interest in cosplay events, both on the part of photographers and cosplayers willing to model for them, has led to formalization of procedures at events such as Comiket. Photography takes place within a designated area removed from the exhibit hall.

Since 1998, Tokyo's Akihabara district contains a number of cosplay restaurants, catering to devoted anime and cosplay fans, where the waitresses at such cafés dress as video game or anime characters; maid cafés are particularly popular. In Japan, Tokyo's Harajuku district is the favourite informal gathering place to engage in cosplay in public. Events in Akihabara also draw many cosplayers.

Cosplay in other Asian countries

Cosplay is common in many Asian countries. For example, it is a major part of the Comic World conventions taking place regularly in South Korea, the Republic of China (Taiwan), and the People's Republic of China (Hong Kong).

Cosplay in Western culture

"Mr. Skygack, from Mars" on the front page of Tacoma Times in 1912

The popularity of cosplay in Japan encourages the misconception that cosplay is specifically a Japanese or Asian hobby. The term cosplay is Japanese in origin, but costume play was originally a hobby from the United States where it has historically been known as costuming as opposed to cosplaying. A.D. Condo's science fiction comic character "Mr. Skygack, from Mars" was the subject of cosplay in 1908 in the United States. Science fiction fan Forrest J Ackerman attended the 1939 1st World Science Fiction Convention in the Caravan Hall, New York, USA dressed in a "futuristicostume", including a green cape and breeches, based on the pulp magazine artwork of Frank R. Paul. Ackerman later stated that he thought everyone was supposed to wear a costume at a science fiction convention, although only he and his girlfriend, Myrtle R. Douglas, wore one and he rarely wore one to any future convention.

The hobby was then later picked up by the Japanese and reinvented by Americans. For many years, costuming has had a widespread following and continues to experience growing popularity in North America and Europe, and has more recently spread throughout South America and Australia. Western cosplay's origins are based primarily in science fiction and fantasy fandoms. It is also more common for Western cosplayers to recreate characters from live-action series than it is for Japanese cosplayers. Western costumers also include subcultures of hobbyists who participate in Renaissance faires, live action role-playing games, and historical reenactments. Competition at science fiction conventions typically include the masquerade (where costumes are presented on stage and judged formally) and hall costumes (where roving judges may give out awards for outstanding workmanship or presentation).

The increasing popularity of Japanese animation outside of Asia during the late 1990s led to an increase in American and other Western cosplayers who portray Japanese characters. Anime conventions have become more numerous in the West in the previous decade, now competing with science fiction, comic book and historical conferences in attendance. At these gatherings, cosplayers, like their Japanese counterparts, meet to show off their work, take photos, and compete in costume contests. Convention attendees are frequently seen dressed up as Japanese animated characters, but just as often dress up as Western comic book or animated characters, or as characters from movies and video games. Differences in taste still exist across cultures. Some costumes that are worn without hesitation by Japanese cosplayers tend to be avoided by Western cosplayers, such as outfits that evoke Nazi uniforms.

(information reference guide from Wikipedia).

For more information please visit the online library at web link below. Thanks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosplay

Purpose

The cosplayer's purpose may generally be sorted into one of three categories, or a combination of the three:

<>·fantasy, there is a certain level of notoriety that is attached to cosplayers. Such cosplayers are often characterised by their choice of popular characters.

<>·The third is those who enjoy the creative process, and the sense of personal achievement upon completion. Such people are more likely to have a greater budget dedicated to the project, more complicated and better quality outfits with access to more materials. They are noted by participation in cosplay competitions and are also more likely to engage with professional photographers and cosplay photographers to take high quality images of the cosplayer in their garment posing as the character.

Favorite characters sources include the popular Japanese Otaku culture (manga, anime, video games), tokusatsu TV & films and some Otaku companion inspired from Japanese sub culture street fashion, Western culture  comic books, science fiction, fantasy film, video games inspired characters, other popular asian fantasy and teledrama from South Korea and  Filipino popular  Komiks, sci-fi, fantasy TV and Film arts characters.

Any entity from the real or virtual world that lends itself to dramatic interpretation may be taken up as a subject. Inanimate objects are given anthropomorphic forms and it is not unusual to see genders switched, with women playing male roles and vice versa. There is also a subset of cosplay culture centered on sex appeal, with cosplayers specifically choosing characters that are known for their attractiveness and/or revealing costumes.

Cosplay GenresTokusatsu - Any Japanese live action TV show and film included metal heroes and henshin (“transformation”) are referred to as Tokusatsu. Only a few have dared to do Tokusatsu cosplay. Not only is wearing tight spandex a daunting task, making the hero’s perfect oval helmet is extremely difficult. Thanks to recycled sawdust and patience, more and more are trying out this type of cosplay. Abared, Power Rangers, Kamen Rider Heroes and even Godzilla are all considered Toku cosplays.

J-rock – Aside from their music, Japanese rock bands are also known for their flamboyant goth-punk-like fashion that border on looking androgynous. J-rock cosplay is also associated with Visual Kei, a term attributed to both glam rock-punk-metal sub genre as well as the eccentric sense of style Visual Kei bands are know for. Visual Kei was popularized by bands like X Japan, Luna Sea, Malice Mizer and Psycho le Cemu abd by individual artist like Mana and Miyavi.

J-Pop – (Idol group and individual artist) – Also popular in Japanese Pop music and dance scene are the cute j-pop idol all girl group and individual artist that are popular in cosplay that inspired cosplayer from their kawaii look and colorful cute trendee costumes. J-Pop idol girl group like AKB48 is the most favorite among the cosplay enthusiast. 

Gothic Lolita – Although more of a fashion statement, a considerable number of anime/manga/game characters dig the petticoats, laces and frills prevalent in Gothic characters to cosplay are: Sugintou and Shinku from Rozen Maiden and Myoubi from Alichino.While characters being cosplayed have predominantly come from Japan, there was no rule that western comic cartoon, movie characters and video game characters can’t be cosplayed.

Other Cosplay Classifications: 

Mecha Cosplay – Robot and Robot-like characters are brought to life by the mighty rubber sheet commonly known as “craft foam” or “foam rubber”. This is the key in making excellent “Mecha” costumes. Noteworthy Mecha cosplays are Gundam Girl and Zaku Girl, Iron Monger, Kid Voltron, Optimus Prime and other Transformers.

Armor Cosplay – The next big bad a$$ cosplay are the medieval or modern knights in shining armor, Robocop, Marcus Fenix and even Megaman characters fall under Armored Cosplays.

Sexy Cosplay – (Real) Girls who have it, do flaunt it with their stylish, skimpy, itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny costumes. Should you need to spot a sexy cosplayer, just look for a thick crowd of trigger-happy photographers. Sexy cosplays of Wonder Woman, Star Wars sexy girls, Rikku from Final Fantasy X-2, Female Kamael from Lineage II and others.

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Some popular Sexy Cosplay (Girls and Boys) includes the popular anime character from Fairy Tail, Beach Summer and Swimming pool recreation and party theme from Naruto series, Bleach series, Code Geas: Lelouch the Rebellion series, Gurren Lagann,  Mobile Suit  Gundam, Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, K-On and Virtual Diva's/ Virtual Idols from Vocaloid and Super Sonico, Pinoy Komiks Mars Ravelos Sanglakas (Darna, Dragonna, Varga), Sanlahi Universe (Diwata, Narra, etc.), Bayan Knights League of Superheroes and Pinoy Eco-Fantasy/Epic-Fantasy (Enchanted Garden, Amaya, Indio). ​

Source Information:   by Tanya Obedoza (Playground Magazine) and ROViC ROViPOP