WHAT IS COSPLAY
Cosplay is, in essence, a form of costume role play (RP), where individuals can dress up either as their favorite characters from popular movies, television series, and video games or even as characters of their own creation. The act has become a subculture highly interested in vast elements of its form, such as creating outfits and enjoying the online forums where the community thrives. And even to the conventions where individuals can enjoy each other’s outfits and roleplaying and show off their skills.
The community is traditionally Japanese, having been born from science fiction conventions in New York but highly inspired and driven by Japanese media and style, with the word itself even coming from the Japanese “kosupure.” Over the years, as the internet and the ability for like-minded individuals and communities to chat online have increased, the hobby’s popularity has skyrocketed and been more normalized. Fan conventions have become popular in Western culture, and even those outside the scene are known to attend such events too.
HOW IS COSPLAY IS ENJOYED?
Many people enjoy cosplay for different reasons. Some use it to appreciate their favorite media, dressing up in pre-bought outfits and wigs, perhaps from the internet or other cosplayers they’ve chatted with to show their love of a particular anime or movie. Other people find the hobby and craft aspect of cosplaying the most attractive, utilizing seamstress-like skills to make their own clothes and apply their own makeup, often using typical fabrics and makeup as well as full prosthetics and liquid latex. Many enjoy making the costumes themselves, and therefore the creation of their piece becomes a labor of love that demands their rewatching or replaying their favorite media, adding the most high-quality and perfect details to showcase their skills to the community and proclaim their adoration of their chosen media.
Often with cosplay, it takes more than just a simple outfit or putting on an accent to appear just as your favorite character. It is usually required to wear tattoos (even if temporary) and body piercings and use props, the latter of which are often made by the cosplayer to ensure excellent accuracy. Such props could come in weapons, such as fake axes, bows, or swords, or even shields, wands, handbags, or anything else a character may become known for that should be included in an outfit.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DRAG AND CROSS-DRESSING?
While cosplay is often understood to be the dressing up of a character, it is essential to acknowledge that cosplay is more than just appearing like someone different. It is about becoming someone different. It is, in its truest form, role play. Therefore, cosplay goes beyond just wearing outfits, but instead is about entirely embodying a character, which links naturally to sexual roleplay. Over time, cosplay has become more sexualized in public and in its use within the private sexual sphere.
Cosplayers may not only feel more confident while dressed in an outfit they’re proud of but will also find great satisfaction in taking on traits and mannerisms of their chosen media while ‘in character.’ This can mean accents, culture, behavior, and temporarily becoming the character themselves. This is often popular within the bedroom not only because it can be hot for the person they’re having sex with, especially if they are cosplaying a character too and are roleplaying a specific sex scene or fantasy, but also if they happen to be sexually attracted to the character being cosplayed. For example, suppose a woman cosplays as Princess Leia in her famous gold bikini, a character adored by many men across the ages. In that case, the individual they’re having sex with will likely enjoy the fantasy, the outfit, the roleplaying, and the physicality at the moment. This can add to the enjoyment of sexual intercourse for both participants.
More than just the appearance of the character being cosplayed, it is also important to note that for the person or people cosplaying, sexual roleplay can perhaps aid their confidence as it allows for a distance from their own personal sense of self. Any issues they may have with their personality or body can instantly be ignored for a few moments as they become someone else, ferociously embodying their chosen character. Therefore, it can be a massive boost to individuals’ self-esteem, allowing them to enjoy sexual intimacy on their own terms in the manner they feel most confident, even if that appears to be in a way that is the least like their day-to-day self.
The foreplay when cosplaying can be understood to be far more intense, as there are entire backstories to delve into. This helps those who sometimes struggle with knowing what it says, providing them general ideas to follow or even a script if particular scenes are followed word for word. The eroticism of this can be wildly stimulating for many couples and individuals alike, and as a result, cosplaying during sex has become familiar within the community, as discussed on cosplay message boards like ours and within the general public. It has become another way to enjoy fantasies without fear of embarrassment. The endless possibilities and opportunities that cosplay allows for further eroticism, too, as there are a limitless number of characters to dress up as and pretend to be and a wide variety of ways even to enjoy that character. Retaking the Princess Leia example, endless sexual fantasies can soon crop up with many costumes, scenes, and fantasies surrounding that character. Considering all of the characters in a franchise and the many franchises and media pieces out there, cosplay is an eye-opening opportunity to delve into sexual arousal and interests and get back to having fun in the bedroom.