How to pick a character to cosplay as????....

[leslie]

Hey guys,

Ok so here's a question for everyone...how do you pick a character to cosplay as??? Do you choose a character that you really like or who you would look good as or what??? Should I buy a cosplay costume or try and make it or what??? I have no clue how to pick and I'm totally stuck! I have never cosplayed before and I would really, really like to cosplay, but I have absolutely no ideas...there are so many characters to choose from and I am totally lost :(

If anyone has any ideas, suggestions, tips or anything lay them on me because everyone I'm going to fanime with has at least one cosplay costume and I have none. Help please!

[Vensy]

I suggest you pick a character you like. =3 That's what I do... I don't like it when people ask me, "What character do I look like? So I can cosplay them..." Cuz I like the idea of choosing a character to cosplay that you like.. =3

For a first cosplay I'd say try to pick something more on the simple side. If you have experience with sewing and whatnot then you can make it, but if you're not.. then either buy a premade cosplay online, OR.. if it's a simple enough cosplay you can go to a clothing store and buy the parts to put it together. =]

[Rodney_Pheonix]

Vensy covered most of it, really just try for something simple (a term that's in the eye of the beholder mind you) and a character you like.

[leslie]

Thank you both for the advice! That really helps a lot because I had no idea how I should pick a character or costume. I'm thinking I might buy the costume or clothing pieces this time and maybe next time I can make my costume like so many other people do. :D

I'm excited now that I have an idea of what I'm going to do! Thanks guys! ;D

[Nina Star 9]

Basically what was said. I like to choose cosplays of chracters that I like/from something I like (or love the costume of too much that I don't care anymore if I love the character or not) that are within my skill level for making them. Even if I fell in love with a character/costume combination, if it had, say, tons of metal armor, I wouldn't attempt it, since that's too far out of my skill range. As an example, this year I'm planning on cosplaying a character who has very little personality, but I love the game she's from and her costume. I was planning a cosplay (that has since been abandoned) of a character that I haven't really thought about since I was a kid and don't remember what she was like or what her show was like, but I loved her costume (and loved the show when I was about 10, but not anymore).

You should also keep in mind the popularity of the costume and how much attention you will be recieving in it (since some cosplays aren't well known, like mine from last year, but are cute enough and/or revealing enough that you will still get lots of compliments and photographs). Do what you love, yes, but if you really don't want a ton of attention, wear something less popular and/or less revealing. It's probably best to have a less popular costume or even just regular clothes to wear during down time so that you aren't being mobbed for pictures all weekend, especially if it's your first time cosplaying, since you might get tired quickly. I have been doing pretty obscure cosplays for a long time, so I recently decided to do things that I love that will get me a little more attention, since I'm a bit tired of not having anyone recognize me for all my hard work. It all just depends on your prioities and what you like. I wouldn't do a cosplay you didn't like just for attention, and I wouldn't -not- do a cosplay you love just because no one will know it, but it is something to keep in mind.


When deciding between cosplays to narrow down the choices, I make pro/con lists. I think I detailed it in another thread, so I'll find a link for you.


I hope that helps! <3

[leslie]

Basically what was said. I like to choose cosplays of chracters that I like/from something I like (or love the costume of too much that I don't care anymore if I love the character or not) that are within my skill level for making them. Even if I fell in love with a character/costume combination, if it had, say, tons of metal armor, I wouldn't attempt it, since that's too far out of my skill range. As an example, this year I'm planning on cosplaying a character who has very little personality, but I love the game she's from and her costume. I was planning a cosplay (that has since been abandoned) of a character that I haven't really thought about since I was a kid and don't remember what she was like or what her show was like, but I loved her costume (and loved the show when I was about 10, but not anymore).

You should also keep in mind the popularity of the costume and how much attention you will be recieving in it (since some cosplays aren't well known, like mine from last year, but are cute enough and/or revealing enough that you will still get lots of compliments and photographs). Do what you love, yes, but if you really don't want a ton of attention, wear something less popular and/or less revealing. It's probably best to have a less popular costume or even just regular clothes to wear during down time so that you aren't being mobbed for pictures all weekend, especially if it's your first time cosplaying, since you might get tired quickly. I have been doing pretty obscure cosplays for a long time, so I recently decided to do things that I love that will get me a little more attention, since I'm a bit tired of not having anyone recognize me for all my hard work. It all just depends on your prioities and what you like. I wouldn't do a cosplay you didn't like just for attention, and I wouldn't -not- do a cosplay you love just because no one will know it, but it is something to keep in mind.


When deciding between cosplays to narrow down the choices, I make pro/con lists. I think I detailed it in another thread, so I'll find a link for you.


I hope that helps! <3

Yes, that most definitely helps me! I didn't think of how popular certain costumes would be and the attention I could get from them...this is my first big anime convention so yeah that might wear me down a bit. I think I have an idea for a character I want to cosplay as since I love her outfit and her character as well. I don't think it is too popular of an anime so I don't think I would get too much attention at all.

Thanks for the great advice especially since I'm new to cosplaying and haven't been to too many conventions, but hopefully that will change :D

[RaddaX2]

1.  Choose within your reasonable body proportions (This)
2.  Choose within your level of skill (No throwing in globs of hair cement and thinking its "anime")
3.  Know what you're cosplaying.  It gives you reference for when you pose for pictures.  (optional/debatable)

[Rodney_Pheonix]

Also, you should have fun while cosplaying.


If you aren't having fun something's wrong.


On a semi-unrelated note I just realized Jabba the hutt is a rip off of concept of Leto II the God Emperor of Deune...

[Nina Star 9]

Also, you should have fun while cosplaying.


If you aren't having fun something's wrong.


On a semi-unrelated note I just realized Jabba the hutt is a rip off of concept of Leto II the God Emperor of Deune...

This. x1000.

If you don't have fun, then don't do it. It's pretty simple.

For me, it's starting to not be fun anymore with cosplays so obscure that I'd be incredibly lucky to have 1 person the entire con recognize me, and sometimes have no photo requests, so I'm doing things that will get a little more attention (even if they are somewhat obscure things like Jet Set Radio!). If it would not be fun to squeeze yourself into a skimpy little cosplay and maybe get the wrong kind of attention, then don't do it. If it wouldn't be fun to get mobbed for pics, then don't do something you will get mobbed in. If you do something that you don't love, then it likely won't be fun (some people can have fun with this, but I don't think I would). If your shoes hurt too much, it won't be fun. If your cosplay is -really- delicate and might break, then you'll be too focused on not breaking your costume to have a lot of fun.

I woul personally do something that you love that's within your skill and comfort level and is maybe somewhat known. You won't be mobbed all weekend, but you also won't get discouraged because no one is saying anything to you about your costume all wekend (I've gone entire weekends without a single comment on my cosplays before...I still love really obscure things, though ;P)



http://forums.fanime.com/index.php/topic,13183.0.html

There's that link I promised you.

[leslie]

1.  Choose within your reasonable body proportions (This)
2.  Choose within your level of skill (No throwing in globs of hair cement and thinking its "anime")
3.  Know what you're cosplaying.  It gives you reference for when you pose for pictures.  (optional/debatable)

Lol, no worries. I would never cosplay something I knew I could not pull off! I'm a realist in that sense ;D

[leslie]

Also, you should have fun while cosplaying.


If you aren't having fun something's wrong.


On a semi-unrelated note I just realized Jabba the hutt is a rip off of concept of Leto II the God Emperor of Deune...

This. x1000.

If you don't have fun, then don't do it. It's pretty simple.

For me, it's starting to not be fun anymore with cosplays so obscure that I'd be incredibly lucky to have 1 person the entire con recognize me, and sometimes have no photo requests, so I'm doing things that will get a little more attention (even if they are somewhat obscure things like Jet Set Radio!). If it would not be fun to squeeze yourself into a skimpy little cosplay and maybe get the wrong kind of attention, then don't do it. If it wouldn't be fun to get mobbed for pics, then don't do something you will get mobbed in. If you do something that you don't love, then it likely won't be fun (some people can have fun with this, but I don't think I would). If your shoes hurt too much, it won't be fun. If your cosplay is -really- delicate and might break, then you'll be too focused on not breaking your costume to have a lot of fun.

I woul personally do something that you love that's within your skill and comfort level and is maybe somewhat known. You won't be mobbed all weekend, but you also won't get discouraged because no one is saying anything to you about your costume all wekend (I've gone entire weekends without a single comment on my cosplays before...I still love really obscure things, though ;P)



http://forums.fanime.com/index.php/topic,13183.0.html

There's that link I promised you.

Yes thank you both for the most important concept of having fun while cosplaying! Since it is my first time cosplaying I want to have a good experience rather then having this be my first and last experience because of poor planning on my part. I want to be able to enjoy myself and thanks for reminding me of the comfort factor as well that's a biggie!  :D

The character I really want to cosplay as is from the anime series Kanon which is really girly I know, but I love it. The school uniform is simple and I can wear comfy shoes so I'm hoping I can find one online or an outfit that is similar to it. 

[Moogleborg]

Personally, I choose character that I not only like, but those who I think that I could easily look and act like as well. ^_^ It makes me feel more comfortable and natural. ^^

[Angelx624]

Personally, I choose character that I not only like, but those who I think that I could easily look and act like as well. ^_^ It makes me feel more comfortable and natural. ^^

I do the same. =) I cosplay characters I not only like, but I can act like them and know their personality. So when I pose for pictures, I know how to pose. :) If the character is sweet and innocent, I do cutesy/innocent poses. If the character is more on the mean/evil/jerk side, I pose differently. You get the idea. =)

Hope you have fun and find characters you wanna cosplay. ^_^ And if someone tells you, "Oh, that character is overdone!" Well, I just ignore those who say that. Who cares if they're cosplayed so much? If you love that character and want to cosplay them, then go for it! ^^ Heck, I've done popular/overdone characters and it didn't bother me. :) I kinda like the attention. >>;;

[leslie]

Personally, I choose character that I not only like, but those who I think that I could easily look and act like as well. ^_^ It makes me feel more comfortable and natural. ^^

I do the same. =) I cosplay characters I not only like, but I can act like them and know their personality. So when I pose for pictures, I know how to pose. :) If the character is sweet and innocent, I do cutesy/innocent poses. If the character is more on the mean/evil/jerk side, I pose differently. You get the idea. =)

Hope you have fun and find characters you wanna cosplay. ^_^ And if someone tells you, "Oh, that character is overdone!" Well, I just ignore those who say that. Who cares if they're cosplayed so much? If you love that character and want to cosplay them, then go for it! ^^ Heck, I've done popular/overdone characters and it didn't bother me. :) I kinda like the attention. >>;;

Thanks so much for the advice! I really like the idea of cosplaying as someone I really, really like, but I mean choosing a character I look like is cool too. Although I think I'll have to go with picking a character I really like vs. a charcter I look like because I do think I will enjoy it a bit more. I already have an idea for a character I can cosplay as so maybe I'll just do one character and then maybe next year I can get more into it and do a couple, I hope anyways! ;D

Btw, I like that you are going to cosplay as Konoka Konoe! I love Negima! I hope I get to see how your costume turns out. :D

[Angelx624]

Personally, I choose character that I not only like, but those who I think that I could easily look and act like as well. ^_^ It makes me feel more comfortable and natural. ^^

I do the same. =) I cosplay characters I not only like, but I can act like them and know their personality. So when I pose for pictures, I know how to pose. :) If the character is sweet and innocent, I do cutesy/innocent poses. If the character is more on the mean/evil/jerk side, I pose differently. You get the idea. =)

Hope you have fun and find characters you wanna cosplay. ^_^ And if someone tells you, "Oh, that character is overdone!" Well, I just ignore those who say that. Who cares if they're cosplayed so much? If you love that character and want to cosplay them, then go for it! ^^ Heck, I've done popular/overdone characters and it didn't bother me. :) I kinda like the attention. >>;;

Thanks so much for the advice! I really like the idea of cosplaying as someone I really, really like, but I mean choosing a character I look like is cool too. Although I think I'll have to go with picking a character I really like vs. a charcter I look like because I do think I will enjoy it a bit more. I already have an idea for a character I can cosplay as so maybe I'll just do one character and then maybe next year I can get more into it and do a couple, I hope anyways! ;D

Btw, I like that you are going to cosplay as Konoka Konoe! I love Negima! I hope I get to see how your costume turns out. :D

You're welcome!! ^_^ I prefer cosplaying characters I like, too. =P

And I have the costume, but not the wig yet. :)

[leslie]

You're welcome!! ^_^ I prefer cosplaying characters I like, too. =P

And I have the costume, but not the wig yet. :)

Sounds good so far! :D

I have another question for you, if you don't mind?...
I was actually wondering about this for a while, but do you make most of your cosplay costumes or do you buy them? I really am curious whether majority of people make or buy them especially when they are cosplaying multiple characters like yourself. I suppose how difficult the character's cosutme is, would be a major factor in deciding that along with many other decisions I am not familiar with yet? ???

Sorry if it seems like a silly question.

[Angelx624]

You're welcome!! ^_^ I prefer cosplaying characters I like, too. =P

And I have the costume, but not the wig yet. :)

Sounds good so far! :D

I have another question for you, if you don't mind?...
I was actually wondering about this for a while, but do you make most of your cosplay costumes or do you buy them? I really am curious whether majority of people make or buy them especially when they are cosplaying multiple characters like yourself. I suppose how difficult the character's cosutme is, would be a major factor in deciding that along with many other decisions I am not familiar with yet? ???

Sorry if it seems like a silly question.

Heh, as I have hardly any sewing experience(yet), I buy mine..... >w<;; I know a lot of people make theirs, but if I tried to make a costume right now, I'd fail miserably. D:

I plan to learn this summer and get more experience in sewing, so then I can make a simple costume. =3

[leslie]

Heh, as I have hardly any sewing experience(yet), I buy mine..... >w<;; I know a lot of people make theirs, but if I tried to make a costume right now, I'd fail miserably. D:

I plan to learn this summer and get more experience in sewing, so then I can make a simple costume. =3

Oh I see, well that makes sense. I can sew, but I'm not super skilled to the point of costume making so for my first time cosplaying I think buying a costume might be the easier route. :D

[Nina Star 9]

I make mine, except for pieces that cannot be easily made or I do not need to make. (I've seen some Ryth (Jet Set Radio Future) cosplayers make their socks and it tends to look terrible, so I bought mine, because it was easier and I knew where to get the perfect socks. I also used an old pair of headphones instead of making them from scratch.) I tend to modify things to make them as exact as possible, such as modifying an old pair of boots into "skates" for Ryth.

If you aren't confidient in your sewing or don't want to take the time to make your costume, then buy it or use found items, by all means. I personally enjoy making a costume as much as wearing it, so if I bought a costume, I would feel like I'm cheating myself out of the full experience (since I like to make it and then show off all my hard work), but if you can't sew or don't like to sew and still want to have a costume to wear (you place more importance on the wearing than on the making), then go ahead and buy a costume.

If you are new and are interested in making your costumes in the future and have some sewing experience, then I think you should buy some items, modify some items, and make some items. It won't be as difficult as making an entire costume from scratch and would take much less time, but likely wouldn't be as accurate. It would also probably be more enjoyable to wear something that you had some hand in making, and you can build up your skill level for future cosplays that you might make entirely yourself.

[HelloDolly]

I find a middle ground between what my favorite game is at the time, a character my face and body type match, what's within my/my friends sewing ability, and what is a somewhat recognizable franchise. I kind of ask myself: "If there's one single franchise that I'm able to display to the world that I like, what is it?" My cosplay last year was Bad Girl, who has a very American-looking face and has pretty long legs. No More Heroes was a rad game and she was one of my favorite characters, and I want the people I encounter to know that it's my favorite game!

Anyway that's just how I decide. I've done very few cosplays just because I'm so picky.