Cosplay is a performance art in which participants dress up in costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character from anime, video games, television, film, or other media. The term "cosplay" is a portmanteau of the English words "costume" and "play" and was coined by Nobuyuki Takahashi of Studio Hard after he attended the 1984 World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) in Los Angeles and saw costumed fans.
Cosplayers may also go beyond copying their characters outfits and may even role-play as characters, copying their mannerisms and gestures. The "play" part of cosplay comes in when actions or dialogues are included to mimic the character even further past the visual aspect. Cosplay models, also known as cosplay idols, cosplay costumes for anime, manga, or video game companies. Good cosplayers are viewed as fictional characters in the flesh, in much the same way that film actors come to be identified in the public mind with specific roles. Cosplayers have modeled for print magazines like Cosmode, and a successful cosplay model can become the brand ambassador for companies like Cospa.
