Key Points
- The cosplay market is growing and attitudes towards it are changing
- Cosplay, or 'costume play', can be a tool for people to gain self-confidence
- This year's Sydney Manga and Anime Show (SMASH!) sold out weeks in advance
Megumi is normally a “very shy girl”, but when she cosplays, she totally transforms, and not just visually.
“I am able to communicate with others and make friends. I am a completely different person,” the New South Wales-based woman tells SBS Japanese.
“Cosplay has allowed my self-development,” she says, acknowledging that this extends to learning sewing and make-up skills.
Like Megumi, many cosplayers say they experience a boost in self-confidence when dressing up and playing the role of a character from a film, series or video game.
Avery, from Victoria, describes cosplaying as “larger-than life”.
A full-time cosplayer, she makes a living through photo sales, commission services and fan sponsorship.
“Cosplaying fills me with a surge of not only confidence, but strength, and gives me a presence in a world where I would otherwise blend into the aisles,” she says.
Some cosplayers will stick to acting out just the one favourite character, and Avery says, "I only cosplay characters whom I have an undying adoration for."
Megu (left) and Avery (right) Source: Kopkapon/Avery/SMASH!
A 2021 report published by , estimates the market to grow from $4.62 billion dollars in 2021 to $23 billion dollars in 2030.
While the activity is not strictly Japanese in origin, the word "cosplay" (costume play) was coined in Japan in 1983, and it has become an enduring pop culture phenomenon in the country.
Still, public opinion hasn't always been positive.
Elaborate and enhanced cosplay is on the rise Source: SMASH
Previously a cosplay photographer, he says cosplay was once considered to be an obsessive hobby of the “introverted, who lacked cooperativeness and were lonely”.
These people were often referred to as otaku – or geeks, in what is possibly the closest English term.
In the 1980s, anime was “considered to be for children”, such that anime fans were thought to have “an embarrassing hobby,” Mr Ishiwata further explains.
“So, in the case of cosplay, where people dressed up as anime characters, the public’s attitudes were even worse.”
Although cosplay became more widely recognised in Japan by the late '80s, the term also became intertwined with “uniform play” or “sex play” that involved nurse and student uniforms, for example.
For those who didn’t know anime, cosplay was just another form of sex play. No one could talk openly about their hobby at that time.
But as anime gradually shifted their audience to encompass adults with titles like Evangelion and Gundam, the stereotype of cosplayers began to change too.
With the arrival of the internet and social media, connecting with other cosplayers online became easier.
Cosplayers today are able to connect regardless of age, occupation or location, to share their passion. And that's what's happening in Australia.
Cosplayers showcasing their passion and creativity Source: SMASH!
However, they have recently seen a major increase in its popularity.
People have become more accepting. Before that we used to see a lot of people judge cosplayers due to their appearance and view it as a negative.
This year's event slated for 16-17 July at International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) sold out weeks before its opening, and organisers say the COVID-19 pandemic played a part.
After almost two years without such a gathering, Ms Bondoc says cosplayers are eager to showcase their "more elaborate and enhanced cosplays, as well as re-imagined approaches to craftsmanship".
Cosplay is one of the feature event at Sydney Manga and Anime Show. Source: SMASH!
As children, we yearn to be transformed into heroes or have magical powers, but as we grow older, we tend to keep these feelings deep in our hearts, trapped by the thought of 'how adults should be'.
"I believe that cosplay can free us from this shell, regardless of our age."
For 15-year-old student Jenica, cosplaying is a "way to escape [her] everyday life".
"Most people notice the costume before the person, so cosplaying gives me a lot more confidence and encourages me to play that role and really just give people the full experience of meeting their favourite character," she says.
Victorian-based student Gemma, who is also a full-time cosplayer, describes it as "a wonderful escape”.
"Cosplaying transfers you to another universe and lets you forget about all your real-life problems for a little while," Gemma says.
Jenica (left) and Gemma (right) Source: Jenica/Gemma/SMASH!
For this reason, he believes it is the perfect tool to address futoukou - a growing social issue in Japan, where students are unable to physically attend school due to anxiety.
"You will learn to interact with people, and the desire to reproduce a character will essentially improve your skills too," he says.
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