Cosplay and the Dressing of Identity
Published on 1. September 2024
Book
Hardback
232 pages
978-1-78914-929-6 (ISBN)
Description
Cosplay, born from the fusion of 'costume' and 'play', transcends mere dress-up by transforming enthusiasts of TV shows, movies, books or video games into living embodiments of their cherished characters. This book is a close exploration of the vibrant world of cosplay, showing what makes it so captivating for so many.
The book frames cosplay as an enactment and embodiment of mythology, revealing its inherent complexity, and providing valuable insight into cosplayers' experiences. Exploring cosplay performances, the skills involved and its community, the book shows how cosplayers build a strong connection to the characters and stories they treasure, and ultimately how they are constructing their own identities.
The book frames cosplay as an enactment and embodiment of mythology, revealing its inherent complexity, and providing valuable insight into cosplayers' experiences. Exploring cosplay performances, the skills involved and its community, the book shows how cosplayers build a strong connection to the characters and stories they treasure, and ultimately how they are constructing their own identities.
Reviews / Votes
The artistic and expressive value of fan practices has been increasingly analysed, and Cosplay and the Dressing of Identity is a highly relevant contribution to this growing field of fandom and media studies. This book offers a compelling account about fan costuming and what this hobby offers fans in terms of identity. Vivian Asimos looks at cosplay as an art form, showing a deep understanding and appreciation for using characters and bodies as a medium for self-expression, and gains deeper insights into the practice through her qualitative research and dialogue with other fans. This is a book about how we each use bodies, fashion and characters to tell our own, unique stories in today's media culture. * Nicolle Lamerichs, Senior Lecturer in Creative Business, HU University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, cosplay scholar and author of Productive Fandom *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
43 illustrations, 17 in colour
Dimensions
Height: 217 mm
Width: 146 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
422 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78914-929-6 (9781789149296)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Vivian Asimos lives in Salisbury, UK, and is the author of Digital Monsters (2020) and Digital Mythology and the Internet's Monster: The Slender Man (2021). She explores nerd culture and fandom in her podcast I'm A Fan of That!.
Content
Introduction: What is Cosplay?
1 Myth, Pop Culture and Cosplay
2 The Art of Dressing
3 Cosplay and the Art of Performance
4 Cosplaying in Place
5 Cosplay's Community
6 Skill and Cosplay
7 Cosplay, Gender and Sexuality
8 The Transformative Art of Cosplay
References
Select Bibliography
Acknowledgements
Index
1 Myth, Pop Culture and Cosplay
2 The Art of Dressing
3 Cosplay and the Art of Performance
4 Cosplaying in Place
5 Cosplay's Community
6 Skill and Cosplay
7 Cosplay, Gender and Sexuality
8 The Transformative Art of Cosplay
References
Select Bibliography
Acknowledgements
Index