What Type of Things Are Included in Anime Cosplay?

While many people have heard the term "cosplay" thrown around before, a lot of people still don't know what it means! The word itself is just defined as "the art of dressing up and portraying a character from fiction or popular culture", but in reality, it's so much more. It's about picking a fictional character and honoring them in real life. 

The act of cosplaying has been around for as long as people have been dressing up as something, but back in the '80s, it began to gain popularity because of conventions. If you don't know what a convention is, it's basically a gathering place for fans of fiction, gaming and the like. It's not just about getting together with other people that have similar interests to you!

The three big aspects of cosplay are the character itself (obviously), the maker and the photographer. Before anything else can happen, you need to decide who you want to be for your costume.

Overview of Anime Cosplay

Anime cosplay is related to the fandom of anime, specifically to people who dress up as their favorite characters from popular "anime" (short for animation) series. Cosplayers typically refer to themselves as cosplayers and not futa (which is a genre of hentai). Anime has a broad fan base that includes both men and women. 

Japanese anime fans call themselves otaku and are mostly young men. It's quite popular in Asia as many cosplayers are Chinese, Japanese and Korean. The word "cosplay" is a coinage combining the English terms costume and play.

 

Cosplay is not necessarily a hobby confined to Japan. According to Japanese cosplay historian Haimura Kiyotaka, the contemporary practice of cosplay started in Japan in the early 1980s, emerging from recreational events for manga and anime fans (most notably the Comic Market).

Things Included in Anime Cosplay

Anime cosplay, or dressing up as your favorite anime character at events like conventions or for Church, are a great way to express yourself and have some fun. But if you're looking to put together a costume from scratch on the cheap, it can be tough.

 

The good news is that there are plenty of easy ways to recreate outfits from all your favorite fandoms at home with items you already have lying around the house! So no matter what your budget might be, these three major things should be included in any anime cosplay costume.

White Gloves and Stockings

Anime characters have some of the most detailed costumes out there. However, one of the most popular cosplay weapons is also one that you might not give much thought to. But when it comes to making your costume pop, white gloves and stockings can really add a subtle but important element.

The white gloves work especially great on female characters with their long sleeves. Typically, these sleeves are made out of fishnet material, but the white gloves create the illusion that the character has bare arms! They're also a quick way to pull together an outfit while also giving it a more elegant look than if you didn't wear them. 

They're also a perfect match to many popular cosplays like Madoka Magica and Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Just be careful of the color of your gloves and stockings. If your costume is mostly black, you should stick with white accessories or wear black ones to pull off the look.

A Wig

Wigs are another one of those items that once you know what you need, it's easy to find on every corner in any store. The trick is to find one that is of the style and color you are going for. For example, if your cosplay is redominately white, you should be looking for a bright shade of blonde. This can make your cosplay more genuine and realistic as well!

Once you have found the style and color you want, then it's easy to turn them into an actual wig! Even though they may be pricier than buying headbands or makeup, they will last longer and don't require any assembly to use. The hair and accessories that fit the character in the anime.

Other Accessories:

These are what will ultimately turn your outfit into an actual anime cosplay rather than just something that resembles one! 

 

The hair accessories, such as bows or clips, will quickly add an extra level of "cuteness" to your look while still remaining in character. There are many other things like masks, weapons and special dresses are also included in this. A lot of these items aren't too hard to find, especially if you're looking for something very specific.