Editing Cosplay (section)

==Cosplay by country or region==

===Cosplay in Japan===
[[File:Visual kei 1.jpg|thumb|The ''Jingūbashi'' ([[Jingu Bridge]]) which passes over the [[Yamanote Line]] south of [[Harajuku Station]], [[Tokyo]], at the [[Meiji Shrine]] gate is a famous gathering place for cosplayers. Pictured, a group of people dressed as [[visual kei]] style musicians in 2006.]]
[[File:20190217TokyoBigSiteItashaEria.jpg|thumb|Women cosplaying as [[Girls und Panzer]] in the [[itasha]] exhibition area of the fanzine sale at [[Tokyo Big Sight]]]]
Cosplayers in Japan used to refer to themselves as {{Nihongo|''reiyā''|レイヤー||}}, pronounced "layer". Currently in Japan, cosplayers are more commonly called {{Nihongo|''kosupure''|コスプレ||}}, pronounced "ko-su-pray", as ''reiyā'' is more often used to describe layers (i.e. hair, clothes, etc.).<ref name="Japanese Dictionary"/> Words like cute (''kawaii'' (可愛い)) and cool (''kakko ī'' (かっこ いい)) were often used to describe these changes,{{explain|reason=what "changes"?|date=January 2021}} expressions that were tied with notions of femininity and masculinity.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Skov|first1=Lisa|title=Women, Media and Consumption in Japan|last2=Moeran|first2=Brian|publisher=University of Hawai'i Press|year=1995|location=Honolulu|pages=220–54}}</ref> Those who photograph players are called ''cameko'', short for ''camera kozō'' or ''camera boy''. Originally, the cameko gave prints of their photos to players as gifts. Increased interest in cosplay events, both on the part of photographers and cosplayers willing to model for them, has led to formalization of procedures at events such as Comiket. Photography takes place within a designated area removed from the exhibit hall. In Japan, costumes are generally not welcome outside of conventions or other designated areas.<ref name="Kincaid">{{cite web |last=Kincaid |first=Chris |date=16 October 2016 |title=The History of Cosplay |url=http://www.japanpowered.com/otaku-culture/the-history-of-cosplay |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413071320/http://www.japanpowered.com/otaku-culture/the-history-of-cosplay |archive-date=13 April 2017 |access-date=12 April 2017 |work=Japan Powered}}</ref><ref name="Winge">{{cite book |last=Winge |first=Theresa |title=Emerging Worlds of Anime and Manga |publisher=University of Minnesota Press |year=2006 |isbn=9780816649457 |editor-last=Lunning |editor-first=Frenchy |volume=1 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/mechademia1emerg0000unse/page/65 65–76] |chapter=Costuming the Imagination |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/mechademia1emerg0000unse/page/65 |chapter-url-access=registration}}</ref>

Since 1998, Tokyo's [[Akihabara]] district contains a number of [[cosplay restaurant]]s, catering to devoted anime and cosplay fans, where the waitresses at such cafés dress as video game or anime characters; [[maid café]]s are particularly popular. In Japan, Tokyo's [[Harajuku]] district is the favorite informal gathering place to engage in cosplay in public. Events in Akihabara also draw many cosplayers.

{{Nihongo|''Ishoku-hada''|異色肌||}} is a form of Japanese cosplay where the players use [[body paint]] to make their skin color match that of the character they are playing. This allows them to represent [[anime]] or video game characters with non-human skin colors.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ashcraft|first1=Brian|title=Body Paint Makes For Colorful Japanese Fashion|url=https://kotaku.com/body-paint-makes-for-colorful-japanese-fashion-1796510000|access-date=27 December 2017|work=Kotaku|archive-date=24 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024050857/https://kotaku.com/body-paint-makes-for-colorful-japanese-fashion-1796510000|url-status=live}}</ref>

A 2014 survey for the Comic Market convention in Japan noted that approximately 75% of cosplayers attending the event are female.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.comiket.co.jp/info-a/WhatIsEng201401.pdf|title=What is Comic Market? A presentation by the Comic Market Committee January, 2008|website=comiket.co.jp|access-date=21 May 2019|archive-date=28 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328063710/https://www.comiket.co.jp/info-a/WhatIsEng201401.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Cosplay in other Asian countries===
[[File:Raiden Ei and Yae Miko cosplayers.jpg|thumb|261px|''[[Yuri (genre)|Yuri]]'' cosplay of [[Raiden Shogun|Raiden Ei]] and [[List of Genshin Impact characters#Yae Miko|Yae Miko]] from ''[[Genshin Impact]]'' at 2nd [[Nanjing]] Shuijing Guochao Games Carnival, 2023]]
Cosplay is common in many East Asian countries. For example, it is a major part of the [[Comic World]] conventions taking place regularly in South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://artanddeal.in/cms/?p=854|title=Art & Deal Magazine " Photo Essay|date=17 January 2013 |access-date=20 October 2014|archive-date=21 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721035251/http://artanddeal.in/cms/?p=854|url-status=live}}</ref> Historically, the practice of dressing up as characters from works of fiction can be traced as far as the 17th century late [[Ming dynasty]] China.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gordsellar.com/2015/05/20/late-ming-cosplay/ |title=The Cosplayers of the Late Ming Dynasty |publisher=Gordsellar.com |date=20 May 2015 |access-date=4 June 2015 |archive-date=19 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419162120/https://www.gordsellar.com/2015/05/20/late-ming-cosplay/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Cosplay in Western countries===
[[File:MCM 2013 - Willy Wonka & Mad Hatter (8978291669).jpg|thumb|[[Willy Wonka]] (from [[Tim Burton]]'s ''[[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (film)|Charlie and the Chocolate Factory]]'') and the [[Hatter (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)|Mad Hatter]] (from Burton's ''[[Alice in Wonderland (2010 film)|Alice in Wonderland]]'') at the 2013 London Comic Con. The two film characters are portrayed by [[Johnny Depp]].]]
Western cosplay's origins are based primarily in science fiction and fantasy [[fandom]]s. It is also more common for Western cosplayers to recreate characters from live-action series than it is for Japanese cosplayers. Western costumers also include subcultures of hobbyists who participate in [[Renaissance faire]]s, [[live action role-playing game]]s, and [[historical reenactment]]s. Competition at science fiction conventions typically include the masquerade (where costumes are presented on stage and judged formally) and hall costumes<ref>{{cite web |url=https://animesho.com/product-category/apparel-cosplay/cosplay/ |title=Costumes from Asia |date=October 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031211813/https://animesho.com/product-category/apparel-cosplay/cosplay/ |archive-date=31 October 2016 }}{{cite web|url=http://1994.worldcon.org/depts/masquerade/info.html |title=ConAdian Masquerade rules |date=September 1994 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054747/http://1994.worldcon.org/depts/masquerade/info.html |archive-date=21 September 2013 }}</ref>

The increasing popularity of Japanese animation outside of Asia during the late 2000s led to an increase in American and other Western cosplayers who portray manga and anime characters. Anime conventions have become more numerous in the West in the previous decade, now competing with science fiction, comic book and historical conferences in attendance. At these gatherings, cosplayers, like their Japanese counterparts, meet to show off their work, be photographed, and compete in costume contests.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cosplaynewsnetwork.com/comic-con-cosplay/|title=Comic Con Cosplay {{!}} Why We Go To NYCC|date=26 September 2018|work=Cosplay News Network|access-date=10 October 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=15 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115183837/https://cosplaynewsnetwork.com/comic-con-cosplay/|url-status=live}}</ref> Convention attendees also just as often dress up as Western comic book or animated characters, or as characters from movies and video games.

Differences in taste still exist across cultures: some costumes that are worn without hesitation by Japanese cosplayers tend to be avoided by Western cosplayers, such as outfits that [[Nazi chic#Asia|evoke Nazi uniforms]]. Some Western cosplayers have also encountered questions of legitimacy when playing characters of canonically different racial backgrounds,<ref>{{cite web|title = Questions of Race and Cosplay|url = http://cosplay.kotaku.com/of-race-relations-doctor-who-and-cosplay-1569687290/1569955690|website = Kotaku Cosplay|access-date = 22 October 2015|language = en-US|archive-date = 22 December 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151222114036/http://cosplay.kotaku.com/of-race-relations-doctor-who-and-cosplay-1569687290/1569955690|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = The Controversy of Skin Color in Cosplay: Racism or Not?|url = http://du.uloop.com/news/view.php/58865/opinion-controversial-cosplayers-are-not-racist|website = Uloop|access-date = 22 October 2015|archive-date = 7 April 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210407232911/https://du.uloop.com/news/view.php/58865/opinion-controversial-cosplayers-are-not-racist|url-status = live}}</ref> and people can be insensitive to cosplayers playing as characters who are canonically of other skin color.<ref>{{cite web |author=T |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comicsandcosplay/columns/cosplaydossier/14782-Ghostbusters-Cosplay-is-Great-Because-its-Normal |title=Ghostbusters Cosplay is Great Because its Normal &#124; Cosplay Dossier &#124; The Escapist |website=Escapistmagazine.com |date=13 October 2015 |access-date=6 February 2016 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207002325/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comicsandcosplay/columns/cosplaydossier/14782-Ghostbusters-Cosplay-is-Great-Because-its-Normal |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comicsandcosplay/columns/cosplaydossier/15050-Five-Ways-of-Taking-The-Hurt-Out-of-Online-Cosplay-Haters |title=Five Ways of Taking The Hurt Out of Online Cosplay Haters &#124; Cosplay Dossier &#124; The Escapist |website=Escapistmagazine.com |date=24 November 2015 |access-date=6 February 2016 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207000727/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comicsandcosplay/columns/cosplaydossier/15050-Five-Ways-of-Taking-The-Hurt-Out-of-Online-Cosplay-Haters |url-status=dead }}</ref> Western cosplayers of anime characters may also be subjected to particular mockery.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comicsandcosplay/columns/cosplaydossier/14365-Understanding-Anime-Cosplay |title=Understanding Anime Cosplay &#124; Cosplay Dossier &#124; The Escapist |website=Escapistmagazine.com |date=28 July 2015 |access-date=6 February 2016 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207004312/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comicsandcosplay/columns/cosplaydossier/14365-Understanding-Anime-Cosplay |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In contrast to Japan, the wearing of costumes in public is more accepted in the UK, Ireland, US, Canada and other western countries. These countries have a longer tradition of [[Halloween]] costumes, fan costuming and other such activities. As a result, for example, costumed convention attendees can often be seen at local restaurants and eateries, beyond the boundaries of the convention or event.<ref name="Kincaid" /><ref name="Winge" />