vanessabertozzi.com mit COSPLAY @ the Murakami show in NYC back | next

©jonathan ringen 2005 I've become interested in fans of anime & Japanese culture. I decided to go to Anime Boston, the 3rd annual convention dedicated to anime. At the con, some fans do "cosplay," which comes from the words "costume" and "play." Originally a Japanese activity, cosplaying appeared in America around the mid 90s (email me if I'm wrong!). It involves making handmade costumes and dressing up as your favorite character. Most are anime characters, though some are from computer games, DDR (Dance Dance Revolution), or other characters from Japanese pop culture. In America you can also find people cosplaying Start Trek, Harry Potter, etc. In particular, I wanted to document how photography plays a pivotal role in cosplay.