There is a special "Cosplay Village" at Gamescom in Cologne. This is where people come together to transform themselves for a few hours and immerse themselves in a completely different world. When I ask, the mostly female fans tell me that their circle of friends accepts them for who they are. They have not experienced any exclusion. The situation is somewhat different for men. The cosplay scene in particular, with its extremely wide range of characters, is actually gender-neutral. Nevertheless, the majority of male cosplayers seem to hide a little.
Where does cosplay come from?
In Japan, the portrayal of characters from the anime scene began in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Fans are now not only imitating characters from comic books. Film and series characters are also impersonated, as are the heroes from video games and anime. (In case anyone is wondering about the difference between anime and manga: manga are the comic books, anime are the film adaptations of them). Nowadays, there are many events around the world where cosplayers can live out their passion to the full.
This passion is much more elaborate than most outsiders think. If you identify with a character, you first have to find the right costume. These are available to buy for the most well-known characters, but cosplayers love to add a personal touch. Parts of the finished outfit are sometimes re-tailored. Some talented fans even sew their own complete costumes. Some also work with a 3D printer to create matching accessories such as horns.
Most costumes include a matching wig and props. What would a magician be without his magic wand? To fully immerse themselves in the role, a lot of time and money is also invested in suitable make-up. Wearing colored contact lenses is also quite common. In the end, the metamorphosis is complete: You almost think you're standing in front of Zelda, Sailor Moon or Frodo.
Cosplay events are like a family reunion.
Anyone who is active in the scene can confirm it: Cosplay brings people together. Friendships grow over the years, people exchange ideas and talk about what's new in the community. No one stays alone here for long. This is perhaps also due to the stamp that society still puts on cosplayers: Some people see them as peculiar, quirky and nerdy. This makes the scene all the more warm-hearted. Even if the stereotypes are slowly being dismantled, it will still take some time before the largely arch-conservative critics accept the "unicorns" in their world.
To be successful at cosplay, you need to have a few skills. This is where the talented seamstress meets the gifted make-up artist and the technology freak with his 3D printer meets organizational talent. This is also important if you don't want to miss any of the numerous events. The biggest in the German-speaking world include: Dokomi, Animagic, Connichi, Gamescom and Cosday in Germany. Vienna Comic Con (Austria) and Japanimanga Night (Switzerland). Of course, this is just a short excerpt.
What do the participants do anyway?
Cosplay is about seeing and being seen. People get to know each other and make friends and contacts. Time and again, the most elaborate costumes are photographed and then shared on social media. There are also regular competitions where prizes are awarded for the most authentic look. In Japan, the "World Cosplay Summit" is held regularly in Nagoya. You could call it the "World Cup of the cosplay scene". In this way, the sometimes months-long work on the elaborate outfits is at least somewhat rewarded. Some people in the scene have turned their passion into a profession and share their lives with others on social media. They are able to earn a living through advertising revenue. However, the majority of cosplayers do it for fun. They live out their hobby and literally slip into a different skin for an afternoon.
What is surprising is that the participants feel so much at one with their character that they even adopt their character's behavioral characteristics. They suddenly speak with a different tone of voice, their gestures change and a rather shy visitor becomes a two-meter tall avenger bursting with testosterone and incredible self-confidence. The love for "their" character even gets under the skin of some: some cosplayers have a matching tattoo for the character they identify with the most.
I have found the community to be very open-minded, friendly and helpful. People support each other and even newcomers to the scene are greeted with a smile. Many people could learn a thing or two from this mentality.
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References:
https://cosplayhero.de/blog-us/der-grosse-cosplay-convention-kalender-dein-guide-fuer-2025
Interviews with cosplayers at GamesCom in Cologne (August 2025)
https://www.evelyncosplay.de/cosplay-history-wie-hat-cosplay-angefangen-und-wie-war-es-fruher/
https://wcc.worldcosplaysummit.jp/en/
Fotscredits: Ingrid Müller
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