Cosplay 'dramas': What's the big deal? (Part I)

First of all, you might want read these few articles in which I share their sentiments on some issues that they have with cosplaying. And they make a better point than I could too on other aspect that I've missed in this entry; check them out:

Cosplaying and Fame – Are You a Model or Hobbyist?

The In-Voice: The Last of Cosplayers

What's this Cosplay deal?

Emahgerd cosplay dramaaaaaaaaa

Sooooo this whole post might come of as slightly weird, coming from someone who has only been immersed in the whole 'scene' for a rather brief period, and who's not as involved as some of the rest in the community. But even in the short while I'm being involved, there's a few issues I have with the aspect of the cosplay community that I figured I'd put out a couple of my 5 cents on the subject.

...OK. Maybe more than 5 cents... Hence why I decided that it's best if I split it into two parts. So here's the second part of the entry for you to read later.


Now where do we start when it comes to what most have issues with cosplaying...? Ah yes, of course - the drama. It all boils down to drama, isn't it - which is why I decided to address this on the aspect of cosplay 'scene' over here which I have great dissatisfaction.

Ask any people who are even slightly familiar with the scene - specifically, the events (it's always the events) - and you could hear them preparing their popcorns over the drama that will surely ensue. Seriously, it's like you can't separate cosplaying with drama now. So what's going on?

Someone once told me that you need some drama to make a good story, and that you don't want too much drama in your own life... but anyway.

Dramaaaaaa

First off all, I believe you could find drama anywhere - but it's the nature of the people of the cosplaying and ACG scene that have amplified it beyond what it is. See, in the scene here we have various tight knitted circles which are closely tied to each other - so say you have irked someone in this one circle, for example - you can bet your ten ringgit that words on it will reach to the other circle of people... sometimes people who're even remotely familiar with who you are (thank you Mark Zuckerberg!).

And when you look at these... 'dramas', they are sometimes so trivial and silly that you wonder why the hell they blow it out of proportion (hence why I shall refer to them as 'dramas' from this point onward). They make good laughing material, sure, but you can't help thinking how silly and childish they are to make a big deal out of something really small. I can't really tell any significant 'dramas' that has happened recently (nor do I intend on joining the whole bashing-bandwagon), but I have my own view on just why these 'dramas' happen in the first place.

From what I see, it all boils down to these few points, which not many have gotten around to adress some of it (especially the ones who're guilty of it, of course). So what are they?

Inadequate self confidence

They might feel that their own work is inferior, or maybe they just feel like their so-called pride is challenged when looking at others who they view as being better than they are. Well, jealousy is one thing - but when it come to the point of finding faults and attacking the other person to death, then the fault is in you, man.

There's always gonna be that guy...

Lets face it - you need to be somewhat thick skinned if you feel like picking up this hobby - everyone's a critic in the scene (even more so in our good 'ol Malaysia, where we always like to pull down others), so remember that. Supposing you're not jumping into the bandwagon (cosplaying is cool because everyone is doing it! says some), we'd have to learn to accept the fact and build up on your confidence instead of trying to start some fight with others just because you feel insecure of yourself. And this apply to those who shows a high hostility towards cosplay that they don't like either - but God knows why is it that they get so worked up over someone else works...

Honestly. If you feel that the hobby is not for you, well there's always plenty of other activities for you to fill your time! Simple as that man. No need to agonize yourself over something just because you want to fit in or whatever. Unless of course for you cosplaying is for...

Fame chasing

This is a personal pet peeve that I have with the whole 'scene', where there's just this desire to chase fame. You might see this reflected by people jumping on bandwagon (it's nice to see a certain series get recognition, but when you see truckload of them you have to start and question their real intention of choosing that series...), picking certain characters with... ahem, revealing assets... and being very specific in the company of people they stick with.

I don't know about the rest, but I'd put cosplayers on the same level as other artists (painting, sculpture, music), rather than being that of a model. Well there you go, I guess you could say cosplaying is something of a lost art now.

And then there's this trend of inviting all those 'celebrities cosplayers'... which to be honest I don't really get the whole trend and the reaction given to such thing. Sure, I appreciate their effort in being good at what they do, but to see all the craze and hype by other fans is just... I don't know. I don't get it. Could this contribute further to the whole fame chasing thing?

OK, so this might be more of a social thing (sense of belonging and all that), and since I'm leaning more towards introvert, so maybe I'm missing something here. And I'll be honest to say that I'm not keeping in touch with all those well know cosplayers and the sort, so... yeah, my loss you could say. But as for the point about the company of people, we have this next factor:

Attention seeking

Kinda goes well with the last two points.

You get some people who dip into the whole thing because they feel like they're gonna get some attention from some people. And maybe they get it in their first attempt. OK, that feels good!, they say. But here's the thing: no matter who you are, people are going to lost interest eventually.

So maybe they feel people don't look at them anymore, despite their attempt to play 'catch up' or whatever by (this is purely a guess) jumping into the bandwagon of the most well known series at that time. Or pulling off costumes which are more and more revealing. And at the same time, there's the whole usual attention seeking stuff online like self harm, threats, or just general whining. The 'dramas'.

In which I'd say, pull your self together and grow up, dude! The sooner you stop trying to chase the whole attention seeking business, the better off you are... But I wonder, if it'd be refreshing if someone were to be clear about their whole attention seeking business rather than actual interest for the hobby when they start to pull all of those 'dramas' to, well, attract attention...

Can't accept the fact that people change

Because Scorpions, awww yeahhhhhhh

People are gonna change, and that includes your friends which you might have made during your involvement in the series.

I've seen several case of people stirring up 'dramas' just because they couldn't keep up or understand the other side which have conflicting ideas or values. They find the initial spark shared on the hobby quickly replaced with a toxic relationship, where both side can't stand whatever it is that the others are doing.

Thanks for all the friendship, keep the change!

We have to accept that just because we share the same hobby and interest doesn't mean we are compatible when it comes to other things. Learn to respect each others and draw your own boundary on that. And if we can't, just move on man. Don't kick up a storm over it. We're humans, and not all of us are compatible with each other, even on the same subject.

I've seen how some people digging up all the previous points that they couldn't stand with the others when they break off. It's like breaking up with your boyfriend/girlfriend.... only worse, because there's a whole group of people who feed on all those tell-all. So is the ever drama hungry people encouraging this kind of behaviour, to 'reveal' all the faults of once-acquaintance? It does seems so...

The abundance of young 'uns

Something which I see being complained by those who have been in the scene for a long time, but it does seem to me you can pinpoint majority of the 'drama' as being, well, young people just being young people.

Perhaps with the much more easier accessability to cosplay, and not to mention pretty much a lot of people dabbling into cosplay which made them even more eager to join in the crowd. And when you add the whole attention seeking business and their eagerness and hot blooded, it's pretty easy for them to go defensive or sensitive or whatever it is that they feel when they feel that they're being attacked.

Which is why perhaps I see the ones who've been in the whole thing for quite a while have a relaxed stance on being 'attacked'... although unfortunately they're as likely to cause 'dramas' as their younger counterpart.


And with that, let's jump to the second part of the entry to try and continue looking at just why we have all these 'dramas' in the scene, mm?