Friday, October 29, 2010

Halloween: A Legitimate Time for Cosplay?

This is how Halloween was celebrated at my university; the celebration gets bigger and bigger every year with both international and Japanese students, faculty and staff participating. Was Halloween the origin of cosplay? Or was it Star Trek conventions? Cross-dressers?











UPDATE: ANNOUNCEMENT!

Sophia University Institute of Comparative Culture presents a conference


COSPLAY: Media, Identity and Performance in Japan and Beyond


Saturday, November 13, 2010
14:00-18:00 (doors open at 13:30)
Sophia University Yotsuya Campus, Bldg 12, Rm 301


For information see:
http://icc.fla.sophia.ac.jp/2010/101113_Cosplay_Workshop_.htm

1 comment:

R. A. Stern said...

It's interesting to see, that although the event keeps growing, some things seem to be reoccurring themes at the KGU celebration. The character jump suits seem to be a particular favorite.

The KGU celebration is a good demonstration of the transfiguration of U.S. Halloween traditions intersecting Japanese style cosplay. The influences also seem to be a somewhat complimentary flow that is shared back in the states as well. Each year I see more and more costumes take on popular commercial characters, including an increasing assortment of anime inspired ones, instead of more classical ghosts and ghouls. For some cosplay fans Halloween has become yet another event to dress-up for, instead of the event to dress up for.

The term globalization doesn't quite capture what seem to be selective complimentary flows between groups, such as the US and Japan.