Assignment 2 - Outline
By Karen Wang
19 April 2013
Website Title: CosPlayGround
CosPlayGround will be a website where high school and college students can learn how to plan and budget their next cosplay project. In addition, to distinguish it from social network or business-focused cosplay sites out there, CosPlayGround will explore the historical, sociological, and political aspects of cosplay culture.
Motivations: To some, cosplaying may seem like a foreign or isolated hobby that only people who watch lots of anime and read lots of manga like to do. I argue that anyone, regardless of how much anime they do or do not watch, can enjoy cosplay. To accomplish this, I will introduce my readers to why people cosplay, what makes cosplay unique from other types of fan culture and costumed events, and cool cosplays that people have created in the past.
Two of the downsides to cosplaying, are that it can be expensive and time-consuming. This means that many people interested in cosplay, such as high school or college students, might not do it because they don’t have enough money or because they think it will be too complicated. First, I hope to reduce the learning curve by giving a rundown of the steps involved in constructing a cosplay and planning an anime convention trip. Second, I will provide links to useful sites and tutorials and online vendors that sell cosplay supplies for cheap. I will also include tips on how to navigate Chinese and Japanese online stores. Most importantly, instead of being too specific, I aim to give general advice and information that can last throughout the years.
Target Audience: My website is intended mainly for high school and college students in the US who fall under either of these categories:
1. People who are new to cosplay and want to learn more about what it is and how to get access to resources, tutorials, and
conventions nearby.
2. People who have cosplayed before and want to improve on their next cosplay project.
3. People who want an overview of the kinds of academic and sociological discussions about cosplay.
An outline of my website’s structure is as follows:
1. What is cosplay?
- Origins of cosplay - history, established genres of cosplay
- Differences between cosplay and Halloween costumes, cosplay masquerades vs. plays, etc.
- Cosplay as a sub-component of the otaku (anime fan) culture; discussion of the differences between North American and
Japanese cosplay culture
- Photography & fan culture - discussion on the artistic and sociological aspects of cosplay, the relationship between fans
and cosplayers, cool cosplay photography, etc.
-Interview with a cosplayer
2. How-to’s
- Cosplay etiquette - Newbies to the cosplay scene should be aware of cosplay etiquette rules, such as what kinds of
costumes are appropriate and how to ask for photographs at a convention.
- Planning a cosplay project - general advice, discuss the various expenses related to cosplay and how to minimize them
- Wigs & contact lenses - (these specific sections will discuss where to buy, how to make/buy them, tutorial links)
- Costumes & footwear
- Makeup & props
- An example cosplay budget
3. Find a community
- Conventions & gatherings - list of anime conventions throughout the US, well-known as well as lesser-known ones
- Online forums - list of popular forums that go more in depth on the specifics of cosplay
- Cosplay sites - links to individual cosplayers’ sites, Youtube channels, etc
Every year over Memorial Day weekend, my friends and I attend FanimeCon, an anime convention held at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. With over 20,000 attendees from all over the world, FanimeCon is an event where fans let out their inner geeks and celebrate their shared love of anime and manga. Someone casually passing by the Convention Center over Memorial Day weekend would be surprised to see Transformers robots, Sailor Moon soldiers, and Pokemon monsters frolicking about the pavilion and taking pictures with fans. The awesome thing is, the people behind these costumes are just fans! From middle school students to married couples, cosplayers come in all ages, sizes, and occupations. My website is targeted towards high school and college students, but I think cosplay is great for everyone!
19 April 2013
Website Title: CosPlayGround
CosPlayGround will be a website where high school and college students can learn how to plan and budget their next cosplay project. In addition, to distinguish it from social network or business-focused cosplay sites out there, CosPlayGround will explore the historical, sociological, and political aspects of cosplay culture.
Motivations: To some, cosplaying may seem like a foreign or isolated hobby that only people who watch lots of anime and read lots of manga like to do. I argue that anyone, regardless of how much anime they do or do not watch, can enjoy cosplay. To accomplish this, I will introduce my readers to why people cosplay, what makes cosplay unique from other types of fan culture and costumed events, and cool cosplays that people have created in the past.
Two of the downsides to cosplaying, are that it can be expensive and time-consuming. This means that many people interested in cosplay, such as high school or college students, might not do it because they don’t have enough money or because they think it will be too complicated. First, I hope to reduce the learning curve by giving a rundown of the steps involved in constructing a cosplay and planning an anime convention trip. Second, I will provide links to useful sites and tutorials and online vendors that sell cosplay supplies for cheap. I will also include tips on how to navigate Chinese and Japanese online stores. Most importantly, instead of being too specific, I aim to give general advice and information that can last throughout the years.
Target Audience: My website is intended mainly for high school and college students in the US who fall under either of these categories:
1. People who are new to cosplay and want to learn more about what it is and how to get access to resources, tutorials, and
conventions nearby.
2. People who have cosplayed before and want to improve on their next cosplay project.
3. People who want an overview of the kinds of academic and sociological discussions about cosplay.
An outline of my website’s structure is as follows:
1. What is cosplay?
- Origins of cosplay - history, established genres of cosplay
- Differences between cosplay and Halloween costumes, cosplay masquerades vs. plays, etc.
- Cosplay as a sub-component of the otaku (anime fan) culture; discussion of the differences between North American and
Japanese cosplay culture
- Photography & fan culture - discussion on the artistic and sociological aspects of cosplay, the relationship between fans
and cosplayers, cool cosplay photography, etc.
-Interview with a cosplayer
2. How-to’s
- Cosplay etiquette - Newbies to the cosplay scene should be aware of cosplay etiquette rules, such as what kinds of
costumes are appropriate and how to ask for photographs at a convention.
- Planning a cosplay project - general advice, discuss the various expenses related to cosplay and how to minimize them
- Wigs & contact lenses - (these specific sections will discuss where to buy, how to make/buy them, tutorial links)
- Costumes & footwear
- Makeup & props
- An example cosplay budget
3. Find a community
- Conventions & gatherings - list of anime conventions throughout the US, well-known as well as lesser-known ones
- Online forums - list of popular forums that go more in depth on the specifics of cosplay
- Cosplay sites - links to individual cosplayers’ sites, Youtube channels, etc
Every year over Memorial Day weekend, my friends and I attend FanimeCon, an anime convention held at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. With over 20,000 attendees from all over the world, FanimeCon is an event where fans let out their inner geeks and celebrate their shared love of anime and manga. Someone casually passing by the Convention Center over Memorial Day weekend would be surprised to see Transformers robots, Sailor Moon soldiers, and Pokemon monsters frolicking about the pavilion and taking pictures with fans. The awesome thing is, the people behind these costumes are just fans! From middle school students to married couples, cosplayers come in all ages, sizes, and occupations. My website is targeted towards high school and college students, but I think cosplay is great for everyone!