Cosplay is variously said to have started in Japan in the 1930s, when there was a fad for dressing up as train conductors; or in the US at 1970s Star Trek conventions. It is undeniably Japan, however, that now leads the world in terms of cosplay. The activity has spawned an industry for publishing, marketing, costuming and conventions. The Associated Press estimates there are 50,000 cosplayers in Japan, but they are everywhere, often connected on the Internet.
An informal poll of magazine owners and event organizers at the Taipei cosplayer convention suggested around 4,000 core cosplayers are presently active in Taiwan. Most said the activity was becoming popular, partly because Japanese pop products are fashionable with the teen market.
In the main hall of the NTU gymnasium there were about 150 stalls and display areas selling obscure student comics, mainstream publishing houses, sticker and novelty item retailers.
Winnie from Taiwan and Yakata from Japan were manning Gravitational's stand. "We make computer montages of characters to make posters and calendars and stuff. It's like this five times or more a year. I've been doing this for eight years," Winnie said. "The cosplayers? They're very shiny and good for business."
Future cosplay events:
Feb. 28 and Feb. 29: 10am to 4pm, at Xinyi Primary School (
March 13: Taipei Main Station, Underground plaza 12.
http://www.comicworld.com.tw
May 1 and May 2
Taipei World Trade Center (
Exhibition Hall 2 (02) 2731 0117 www.f-2.com.tw
RSS