What are some occasions when a person would dress up in a costume? Events like Halloween or traditional festivals may come to your mind. Or maybe you are thinking of someone in a play or a movie, who gives a performance as a specific character. But have you ever heard of cosplay?

Cosplay is short for "costume play," and participants in this activity dress up as fictional characters for fun. Traditionally, these have been characters from video games, or fictional Japanese characters from anime TV shows and manga comic books. Characters from American science fiction and comic books have also gained in popularity in recent years.

But unlike acting in a play or movie, cosplay usually does not involve a formal performance. Instead, "cosplayers" interact with each other through role playing, often at conventions specifically geared towards this activity.

This blog is designed to help you learn more about cosplay, and the subculture that surrounds this activity. Click on the links on the right side of the page to learn more about this interesting phenomenon that is spreading through Japan, the US, and beyond!