Short for “costume play,” this term refers to the practice of anime fans dressing up as their favorite anime characters and acting out either scenes from the anime or original situations involving the characters. A staple feature of anime conventions on both sides of the Pacific.
"costume player". Refers to fans who like to dress up as their favorite characters when they attend conventions. Quite often there are contests or organized cosplay shows at such conventions.
costume play. Like masquerades in comic and science fiction, anime, manga, and music fans dress as their favourite characters or musicians.
Literally "Costume Play." Dressing up and pretending to be a fictional character (usually a comic book, anime, or manga character).
The assimilation of the words "costume" and "play". Costume play is basically a dress up game/hobby. Fans usually buy or make costumes to recreate the likeness of their idols and parade around in the streets, at concerts and conventions. They are often found posing for the camera, making silly faces, dramatic poses and of course, the ubiquitous V(ictory) sign. Cosplay didn't originate and isn't limited to visual kei, for example, many cosplayers dress up like their favorite anime/manga/videogame characters. Check the links section of the site for some cosplay resources.
(short for 'Costume Play') The practise of dressing up as one's favourite anime or manga character. A popular event at anime conventions.
Originated in Japan, it is essentially play-acting in costumes.
Dressing up as anime and manga characters. Cosplay competitions held at conventions allow fans (known as 'cosplayers') dress up as their favourite characters, pose for pictures and win prizes. Hardcore fans can treat cosplay very seriously, sometimes spending months making their costumes. In Japan Cosplay Cafés - where the staff (and occasionally the visitors) dress up as anime and manga characters - are quite popular too, and many merchandise companies have twigged that making replica costumes and accessories for cosplayers is a useful source of extra income. Pronounced 'coz-play'
A "Costume Play", a sort of amature theater in which fans dress up as favorite characters and enact scenes from anime, usually at conventions. This is an Americanization of a Japanization of "Costume Play"; that phrase was adopted by the Japanese and shortened into "Cosu-purei", which has been readopted into English as Cosplay (both versions have the same meaning).
'Costume Play' or 'Cosu-purei'. Amateur theatre, at conventions, in which fans dress up as their favourite characters and enact scenes from the anime.
Abbreviated word for 'costume play' that involves fans dressing up as their favorite character.
English words "costume" and "play", is a Japanese subculture centered on dressing as characters from manga, anime, tokusatsu, and video games, and, less commonly, Japanese live action television shows, fantasy movies, or Japanese pop music bands. However, in some circles, "cosplay" has been expanded to mean simply wearing a costume.