Cosplaying is currently a major hobby not only for the Japanese enthusiasts but also for hobbiest from all around the world. For those who do not know what cosplay is, cosplay is when someone dresses up like a character from an anime, game, or etc .

Wikipedia itself describes cosplay as:

Cosplay (コスプレ), short for “costume play”, is a Japanese subculture centered on dressing as characters from manga, anime, tokusatsu, and video games, and, less commonly, Japanese live action television shows, fantasy movies, Japanese pop music bands, Visual Kei, fantasy music stories (such as stories by the band Sound Horizon), and novels. However, in some circles, “cosplay” has been expanded to mean simply wearing a costume.

Cosplayers in Japan can range from recreational purposes by the common teenager to professional cosplayers. Thats right you heard me, PROFESSIONAL COSPLAYER. Even in the United States there are a couple of professionals. These people will by your request work per hour one on one, make a video, host a party, and etc. They will wear whatever costume you request, provided that they can get access to it.

Can you just imagine the loads of people hiring some beautiful professional cosplayers to play out their weird fantasies? I have to admit myself just seeing some of these pros makes me go….maybe…..just maybe a little. But unfortunately I probably will never know whether I do or not for a majority in fact i would say 95 percent of these pros are native Japanese individuals.

Like I said most of the pros are native japanese and in fact I would say some of the best cosplayers are native japanese. But hey just because most are does not mean all of them are. There are quite a bit of sexy and good cosplayers out in other parts of the country that aren’t japanese at all

Although yes majority of cosplayers are teens and up but not all of them. And as great as professionals are, sometimes they just cant beat the good old AWWW factor of cosplaying children. KAWAII!!!!

If you didn’t say or think AWWW to the pictures above, well then you just don’t have a beating heart!! Cosplaying is both an interesting and at the same time weird hobby. As fun as it may seem and as cool as the girls look in their costumes, one can’t but help think hmm is this a healthy hobby? BUT then again it isn’t much different from civil war reenactments and such things. So all and all it just seems like some good ole fun. Hey if you enjoy cosplaying or enjoy seeing some cosplayers like I do, why not go to some conventions. I sure plan to go to some in Japan in the near future…and…uhhh….you….know….maybe……hire a pro…..FOR A BIRTHDAY party, I swear……. (^_-)

Sources:

Bakaaa, Cosplayer Photo Studio, MPzero, Cosplayer Photo Gallery