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Department of Psycology of CUHK

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Cosplays
Changing into heroes and heroines

By Germaine Choi

Some comicbook and cartoon lovers love to imitate the cartoon characters they admire.

Cosplays are a vehicle to do this. Cosplays originated in Japan for the promotion of cartoons and comics in exhibitions.

Enthusiasts wear make-up and costumes to imitate the characters.

Cosplays first came to Hong Kong in 1996 through the Dojinshi fair. Donjinshi means “people of common interest”.

Comic World, a convention run by cosplay fans, was imported into Hong Kong from Japan. It has made cosplay a regular activity in Hong Kong since 1998.

Mr. Hofuzz Ho, a cosplay enthusiast and university student, developed this hobby in July 2000.

He said, “Many people think that cosplayers are strange and crazy.”

But he said many news reports depict a negative image of cosplays.

“One newspaper even posted a photo of a cosplay in a pornography section,” said he.

Mr. Ho said that some people may think that cosplays are strange and weird.

However, Prof. Chan Tin-cheung of the Department of Psychology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong said that a cosplay was a form of psychological therapy.

Said Prof. Chan: “A cosplay is a form of performing art. It enhances cosplayers’ flexibility in thinking because they must understand the characters thoroughly before they act.

“It is a chance to escape from reality and release pressure.”

Although cosplays are healthful in nature, they are time-consuming and expensive.

Miss Surlent Chu, a Form 5 student,  is another cosplay enthusiast.

She said that some cosplayers conceal their interests from their parents.

“My mum often blames me for spending too much on cosplay photos,” she said.

Said Mr. Ho: “Some cosplayers stay up all night making costumes.

“Many of us make the costumes in Shenzhen because prices are lower.”

Despite its short history, Mr. Ho feels positive about its future development.

“The standard of cosplayers in Hong Kong is very close to that of Japan now,” he said.

In view of the rising popularity of cosplay, the demand for the costumes has gone up. In September 2000, Mr. Laurant Lam set up the only shop renting costumes in Hong Kong.

“Most of my customers are girls around 16 to 22,” said he.

According to Mr. Lam, such shops are common in Japan and Taiwan. But it is merely the beginning in Hong Kong.

Last November, Mr. Lam and YES! Magazine jointly organised a cosplay competition.

He thinks that such competitions  may help the promotion of cosplay.

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Courtesy of Surlent Chu

Mimicking comic characters is a passtime for teenagers.

Courtesy of Surlent Chu

Aside from costumes, makeup is also important in a cosplay.