102 Fun Facts About Cosplay

The word 'cosplay' is a blend of which two English words?

'Cosplay' blends 'costume' and 'play', following the Japanese habit of joining the first moras of two words (kosu + pure).

Who coined the term 'cosplay', in a June 1983 magazine article?

He worked for Studio Hard and wrote for My Anime.

Why did Takahashi coin a new word rather than use the Japanese for 'masquerade'?

He was reporting on fan costuming.

Who are credited as the first people to wear costumes to a fan convention?

At the 1st Worldcon in New York, 1939.

What did Ackerman and Morojo call their 1939 outfits?

Ackerman and Morojo called them 'futuristicostumes': a green cape and breeches modelled on pulp-magazine artwork and the 1936 film Things to Come, sewn by Morojo.

What did Ackerman later admit he had thought about costumes at the 1939 convention?

Only he and Douglas dressed up.

What was Morojo's fandom nickname derived from?

She and Ackerman met through the Esperanto movement.

Which US city has hosted the furry convention Anthrocon since 2006?

Anthrocon has met in Pittsburgh, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, since 2006; its downtown parade of fursuiters draws large crowds of onlookers.

Anime Expo has been held at which city's convention center since 2008?

Anime Expo moved to the Los Angeles Convention Center in 2008 after earlier runs in Anaheim and Long Beach, and has stayed in downtown Los Angeles since.

Which costume won the masquerade at the 2nd Worldcon in 1940?

David Kyle won the 1940 Chicon masquerade as Ming the Merciless, in a costume made by Leslie Perri.

Who made the mask for Ackerman's 'Hunchbackerman of Notre Dame' costume at the 1941 Worldcon?

Ray Harryhausen, then a young stop-motion animator, made the mask for Ackerman's 'Hunchbackerman of Notre Dame' costume at the 1941 Worldcon, and Morojo's Akka mask as well.

What rule did Worldcon adopt in response to a wave of nude contestants?

Worldcon's 'No Costume is No Costume' rule ended the nude-entry trend of the 1970s, though partial nudity stayed allowed when faithful to the character.

What did artist Scott Shaw's 1972 Worldcon costume 'The Turd' consist mostly of?

Scott Shaw coated himself in peanut butter for 'The Turd' at the 1972 Worldcon; it went rancid under the stage lights and food was banned from costumes afterward.

What prop at the 1962 Worldcon led to fire being banned from costumes?

Rules grew in response to specific costumes.

In what year did the first nude contestant appear at a Worldcon masquerade?

The first nude contestant appeared at the 1952 Worldcon masquerade; the trend peaked in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Which comic strip Martian is arguably the first fictional character people cosplayed, in 1908?

A Cincinnati couple wore Skygack costumes to a skating-rink masquerade.

Which French novelist sent almost 700 invitations to an 1877 costume ball where guests dressed as his characters?

Jules Verne sent almost 700 invitations to his 1877 costume ball, where guests came dressed as characters from his novels, an early instance of dressing as fiction.

Where was the 1891 Vril-Ya Bazaar, an early call for costumed attendees, held?

The 1891 Vril-Ya Bazaar and Fete filled the Royal Albert Hall, London, with attendees encouraged to dress as characters from Bulwer-Lytton's 1871 novel The Coming Race.

What was fan costuming called in Japan in the 1970s, before 'cosplay' caught on?

Comiket launched in December 1975.

Who wore the first documented convention costume in Japan, at Ashinocon in 1978?

Mari Kotani wore Japan's first documented convention costume at Ashinocon in 1978, based on the cover art of Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Fighting Man of Mars.

At Ashinocon 1978, what was one impromptu Tusken Raider costume made from?

A friend of future Gainax co-founder Yasuhiro Takeda wrapped himself in a hotel's roll of toilet paper to improvise a Tusken Raider at Ashinocon in 1978.

Who attended the 1965 Academy Con in New York in a Plastic Man costume?

Future Marvel editor Roy Thomas wore a Plastic Man costume to the 1965 Academy Con in New York, possibly the first costume contest at a comic convention.

Who won first place at San Diego Comic-Con's first Masquerade Ball in 1974, as Ackerman's vampire heroine?

Brinke Stevens, later a horror actress, won first place at San Diego Comic-Con's first Masquerade in 1974 dressed as Vampirella; voice actress June Foray was the MC.

Fans began dressing as characters from which 1975 film within a year of its release?

Within a year of The Rocky Horror Picture Show's 1975 release, fans came to midnight screenings dressed as its characters; the initial incentive was free admission.

When was Costume-Con, a conference dedicated to costuming, first held?

Costume-Con, a convention devoted to costuming, first met in January 1983 in San Diego; the International Costumers Guild was founded in 1985.

When and where was the first World Cosplay Summit held?

Five cosplayers came from Germany, France and Italy.

Which country won the first World Cosplay Championship in 2005?

Italy's team of Giorgia Vecchini, Francesca Dani and Emilia Fata Livia won the first World Cosplay Championship in 2005.

Which broadcaster organised the World Cosplay Summit until 2012?

Nagoya broadcaster TV Aichi ran the World Cosplay Summit until 2012, when the event was spun into its own organising company.

Roughly how many countries and regions sent teams to the 2019 World Cosplay Summit?

The 2019 World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya drew teams from 40 countries and regions, each chosen through a national preliminary.

Which Nagoya district gives its name to the World Cosplay Summit's street procession?

The World Cosplay Summit's parade runs through Nagoya's Osu shopping district; about 100 cosplayers joined the first procession.

What happened to the World Cosplay Summit championship stage in 2020?

Many countries also could not send teams in 2021.

What is the single largest event featuring cosplay?

Comiket in Japan, the twice-yearly doujinshi market, logged some 750,000 turnstile visits per edition by 2019, far more than any comic convention; thousands of cosplayers gather on its venue's rooftop.

How many people attended the first Comiket in December 1975?

About 700 people and 32 participating circles came to the first Comiket in December 1975; by 2019 turnstile attendance reached 750,000.

Where has Comiket been held since 1996?

Comiket has been held at Tokyo Big Sight in Ariake since 1996, with editions each August and December.

According to a 2014 Comiket survey, roughly what share of cosplayers there were female?

Crossplay is common in both directions.

Armageddon Expo, a pop-culture show with a large cosplay scene, originated in which country?

Armageddon Expo began in Auckland in 1995 and runs shows across New Zealand, with cosplay contests a fixture of each event.

Where was the first Anime Expo held in July 1992?

The first Anime Expo ran in July 1992 at the Red Lion Hotel in San Jose, California, drawing 1,750 attendees.

Which anime convention narrowly out-drew Anime Expo in 2003?

Otakon in Baltimore drew slightly more attendees than Anime Expo in 2003, briefly taking the North American anime-convention attendance lead.

In what year was San Diego Comic-Con founded?

Shel Dorf and friends launched San Diego Comic-Con in 1970; the first three-day convention that August drew about 300 people.

Which company produces New York Comic Con?

ReedPop, the pop-culture arm of Reed Exhibitions, has produced New York Comic Con since its 2006 launch; it is a for-profit show unaffiliated with San Diego's Comic-Con International.

Over which holiday weekend is Atlanta's Dragon Con held?

Dragon Con fills downtown Atlanta over Labor Day weekend; it began in 1987 as a project of a local gaming group.

In what year did Dragon Con start its downtown Atlanta parade of costumed participants?

Dragon Con's parade of costumed attendees first marched down Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta in 2002.

What colour are the twin-tails of Hatsune Miku, a perennial cosplay favourite?

Hatsune Miku, Crypton Future Media's virtual singer released in 2007, is drawn with long teal twin-tails, which is why teal wigs are a cosplay staple.

Which type of crossplay is far more common in most countries?

Female-to-male crossplay is far more common in most countries, helped by manga's androgynous bishōnen characters, who are easy for women to portray.

What does 'bishonen', the manga archetype that eases crossplay, literally mean?

Bishōnen literally means 'beautiful youth' or 'pretty boy', the androgynous manga archetype often likened to an elfin figure such as Peter Pan.

What do animegao kigurumi players wear to reproduce anime faces literally?

Animegao kigurumi performers wear a stylised full-head mask and a zentai bodysuit, reproducing the anime face literally; many are male cosplayers portraying female characters.

Anime Central, a major Midwest anime convention, is held just outside which city?

Anime Central (ACen), first held in 1998, meets in Rosemont beside Chicago's O'Hare airport, with cosplay contests and a masquerade on its schedule.

What is 'ishoku-hada'?

For blue, green or grey-skinned characters.

Which Tokyo bridge beside Harajuku Station became a famous cosplay gathering spot?

Jingubashi (Jingu Bridge), crossing the Yamanote Line tracks beside Harajuku Station, was famous as a Sunday gathering spot for cosplayers and Lolita-fashion fans.

Which Tokyo district is known for its cosplay restaurants and maid cafés?

In Akihabara's cosplay restaurants waitresses dress as characters from video games, anime or manga; maid cafés are particularly popular.

Which permanent Tokyo venue, opened in 2001, formalised the frilly-apron waitress style?

Earlier cafes were temporary tie-ins to a video game.

Which video game did the first temporary maid cafe promote, in August 1998?

The first temporary maid café opened in August 1998 at the Tokyo Character Collection to promote the dating sim Welcome to Pia Carrot 2, with staff dressed as its waitresses.

How much profit did Japanese cosplay costume manufacturers report in 2008?

Japanese cosplay costume makers reported profits of 35 billion yen in 2008; costumes are sold online and by dealers at conventions.

Which four criteria are common to cosplay contest judging?

Cosplay contests commonly judge accuracy, craftsmanship, presentation and audience impact, the criteria used by events such as the World Cosplay Summit.

For a contest award, cosplays usually must be what?

Contest awards usually require the cosplay to be self-made rather than bought; entrants may perform a skit or simply pose on stage.

Where are the finals of the European Cosplay Gathering held?

The European Cosplay Gathering holds its finals at Japan Expo in Paris, while the rival EuroCosplay championship finals take place at London's MCM Comic Con.

Which Swedish city hosts NarCon, home of the Nordic Cosplay Championship finals?

One of several international finals.

Which movement, started in 2013, campaigns against sexual harassment of cosplayers?

'Cosplay Is Not Consent' began in 2013, pushed by campaigners including Rochelle Keyhan, Erin Filson and Anna Kegler, to fight harassment of cosplayers at conventions.

Which city's Comic Con began posting large anti-harassment signs at its entrance in 2014?

Attendees were reminded to ask before taking photos.

Which cosplayer launched fabric and sewing-pattern lines with Jo-Ann and McCall's?

Yaya Han launched a fabric collection with Jo-Ann Stores and cosplay sewing patterns with McCall's, building a crafting brand around her costume work.

Where was Yaya Han born?

Yaya Han was born in Xi'an, China, moved to Germany as a child and later settled in Atlanta, Georgia.

What was Yaya Han's first cosplay?

Yaya Han's first cosplay was Kurama from YuYu Hakusho, worn to Anime Expo in 1999.

Which 2009 costume at San Diego Comic-Con made Jessica Nigri go viral?

Jessica Nigri's 'Sexy Pikachu' costume at San Diego Comic-Con in 2009 went viral online and launched her cosplay career.

Which video game heroine did cosplayer Jessica Nigri win an IGN contest to portray in 2012, becoming a Warner Bros. spokesmodel?

Juliet Starling of Lollipop Chainsaw, Suda51's game, came with an outfit so revealing that PAX East asked Nigri to leave.

Which company produced the 2018 documentary Becoming Jessica Nigri?

Rooster Teeth produced the 2018 documentary Becoming Jessica Nigri, directed by Mat Hames.

Where did Jessica Nigri grow up?

Jessica Nigri was born in Reno, Nevada, and grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand, before returning to the United States.

How much did professional cosplayer Enako say she made in two days at Comiket 2016?

Enako said she made 10 million yen in two days selling photo books and goods at Comiket in 2016, having earlier reported earning over a million yen a month.

Which reality show about cosplayers premiered on Syfy in 2013?

Heroes of Cosplay premiered on Syfy in August 2013, following nine cosplayers, including Yaya Han, to conventions and contests.

Which Syfy costume-competition show premiered in 2017?

Cosplay Melee premiered on Syfy in March 2017, pitting four cosplayers per episode against each other; the earlier Call to Cosplay ran on Myx TV from 2014.

Cosplay Mania, a convention devoted entirely to cosplay, is held in which country?

Cosplay Mania, staged in Metro Manila by Cosplay.ph since 2008, is the Philippines' flagship cosplay convention.

The 2007 documentary Animania followed four cosplayers preparing for which convention?

Canada's largest anime convention.

Which Star Wars costuming group is nicknamed 'Vader's Fist'?

The 501st Legion is made up entirely of volunteers, which is why it can turn up at events in Imperial numbers.

Who founded Vader's Fist, the Star Wars costuming group, in South Carolina in 1997?

It began as a GeoCities site called Detention Block 2551.

Why was the Rebel Legion founded in 2000?

It covers the light side of Star Wars.

Roughly what share of furries own a fursuit?

Cost is the main barrier.

Which furry convention met at Costa Mesa's Holiday Inn Bristol Plaza in 1989?

ConFurence 0, held at the Holiday Inn Bristol Plaza in Costa Mesa in January 1989, was the first furry convention and grew into the annual ConFurence series.

Where was the first widely publicised Star Trek convention held, in January 1972?

The January 1972 Star Trek convention at New York's Statler Hilton drew Gene Roddenberry, Isaac Asimov, two tons of NASA memorabilia and thousands of fans.

Who staged the first Renaissance fair, in her Laurel Canyon backyard in 1963?

Phyllis Patterson, a Los Angeles schoolteacher, staged the first Renaissance fair in her Laurel Canyon backyard in 1963 as a class activity; it grew into the Renaissance Pleasure Faire.

Which 1839 event at an Ayrshire castle marked historical reenactment's coming of age?

The Eglinton Tournament of 1839, a medieval joust staged by the 13th Earl of Eglinton at his Ayrshire castle, drew roughly 100,000 spectators on free tickets.

Which two historical fashion eras heavily influence Lolita fashion?

Lolita fashion draws heavily on Victorian and Rococo dress, with the manga The Rose of Versailles among its inspirations.

Which Malice Mizer musician founded the Gothic Lolita brand Moi-meme-Moitie in 1999?

Mana, guitarist of Malice Mizer, founded Moi-même-Moitié in 1999 and coined the styles Elegant Gothic Lolita and Elegant Gothic Aristocrat.

Which magazine, first published in 2001, was central to spreading the frilly Harajuku style?

The Gothic & Lolita Bible, launched in 2001, spread the frilly Harajuku look worldwide; Tokyopop published an English edition from 2008.

Chun-Li, a cosplay staple since the 1990s, first appeared in which Capcom game?

Chun-Li debuted in Street Fighter II in 1991 as the series' first playable female fighter; her blue qipao and spiked bracelets made her a cosplay fixture.

What is Wonder Festival, a Japanese event where cosplay is also common, mainly for?

Wonder Festival, organised by Kaiyodo, is a twice-yearly market for garage kits, amateur-made model kits of anime and game characters, with a large cosplay area alongside.

What material are those hobbyist model kits most commonly cast in?

Hobbyists began making movie-monster kits in the 1980s.

Why is EVA foam popular for cosplay armour?

EVA foam is easy to work, durable and comfortable to wear, which is why cosplayers prefer it for armour over traditional rigid plastic.

What is Worbla?

Made of thermoplastic resin and wood flour.

Anime Friends, one of Latin America's biggest anime and cosplay festivals, is held in which city?

Anime Friends has run in São Paulo since 2003, drawing cosplayers from across Brazil to its contests and stage shows.

Contact lenses that make the pupil look enlarged are worn by cosplayers to echo what feature of their characters?

The large eyes of anime characters and manga characters are the model; coloured lenses also match a character's eye colour.

What did a 1983 essay by Akio Nakamori popularise as a term for obsessive fans?

Akio Nakamori's 1983 column in the magazine Manga Burikko popularised 'otaku' as a label for obsessive fans.

By which decade had mass-media character costumes become popular for Halloween?

By the 1930s firms such as Ben Cooper were mass-producing Halloween costumes of licensed mass-media characters like Mickey Mouse.

What do Britons call the event Americans call a costume party?

A fancy dress party is the same thing in most other varieties of English: guests dressed as fictional, stock or historical characters.

Japan Expo, France's Japanese pop-culture fair, is held at which exhibition centre?

Japan Expo fills the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition centre, north of Paris, every July, with cosplay contests among its main attractions.

Who wrote and illustrated the manga Sailor Moon, a perennial cosplay favourite?

Naoko Takeuchi wrote and drew Sailor Moon (1991-97), developing it from her one-shot Codename: Sailor V.

Compared with Japan, Western cosplayers are more likely to portray characters from what?

Western cosplay grew out of science-fiction and fantasy fandom, so Western cosplayers more often portray characters from live-action television and films than Japanese cosplayers do.

Which Lucasfilm-recognised costuming club performs choreographed lightsaber duels?

Saber Guild, a Lucasfilm-recognised costuming club, stages choreographed lightsaber duels in Jedi and Sith costume at conventions and charity events.

In which country did protesters after the 2021 coup use cosplay to grab media attention?

Young protesters in Myanmar after the February 2021 coup marched in cosplay, wedding dresses and superhero outfits to draw media attention.

Which TV series' costumes have US protesters worn against bodily restrictions?

US protesters against abortion restrictions have worn the red cloaks and white bonnets of The Handmaid's Tale, Hulu's adaptation of Margaret Atwood's novel, since 2017.

Which Tokyo district's Otome Road anchors regular 'acosta!' cosplay events and a Halloween cosplay festival?

Ikebukuro's Otome Road, a strip of shops aimed at female fans, anchors a district that hosts regular 'acosta!' cosplay events and the Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Fest.

Dressing as fictional characters in China has been traced back to which dynasty?

Today cosplay is a big part of the regular Comic World conventions in South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

In which Washington city did a Mr. Skygack costume win first prize at a 1910 masquerade ball?

A Mr. Skygack costume took first prize at a 1910 masquerade ball in Tacoma, Washington, two years after the character's Cincinnati skating-rink appearance.

What do convention-goers call a costume worn around the venue rather than entered in a contest?

Worldcon tradition separates masquerade entries from hall costumes, worn around the convention; many conventions give hall-costume awards for standout outfits spotted on the floor.