What is cosplay?
To put it in simple terms, cosplay is a hobby that involves dressing up as a chararacter from an anime, manga, video game or movie. The term "cosplay" comes from the phrase "costume play", with the word "play" concerning the act of roleplaying, as opposed to plays of the theatrical sort.

Different countries have different venues for cosplay. It is commonly done during conventions and gatherings devoted to anime, manga, video games, fantasy, movies and other genres.

Which character should you cosplay?

If you are just starting out, it is recommended that you cosplay your favourite characters. Think of a character from an anime, video game, manga or movie that you really liked. If you liked the character’s outfit then you should try dressing up as that character.

Remember that you will be the one that’s going to put a lot of precious time and hard work into creating your costume so it’s better if you’re making a costume from a character you like. It is also often suggested that you try not to pick a character based on features similar to yourself. Keep in mind that looking like a certain character is only a part of cosplaying. There are many cosplayers who cosplay characters which are nothing like them. Instead of similarities, you should think about how hard it is to make the costumes and the amount of time, money and effort you plan to put into it.

Another reason to pick a character you like is so that you can easily relate to them and have no trouble walking in their shoes. Cosplaying is not just about the costume but also about the facial expressions, gestures and attitude. Try your best to bring the character you’re cosplaying into reality.

If you would like to learn more about cosplay or are looking to buy pre-made cosplay costumes and accessories, head over to Japanese Cosplay Costumes for Sale at www.costumescosplay.com, where you can find cosplay costumes for popular and hard-to-find anime, video game, manga and movie characters.