It’s a familiar question asked by bystanders at the park or tourists at the hotel lobby. Sometimes hotels will have a sign that says “Welcome Anime Central” or have a note to hotel guests that there is an anime con taking place. The “normal” people can’t help their curiosity. For the most part, they’re simply curious as to why the kids are dressing up in costumes. Often times, they will ask a random person from the motley horde, “Excuse me…can you please tell me what’s going on?”
I’ve been doing anime conventions and cosplay meet ups for 10+ years and I’ve encountered and witnessed different ways how cosplayers handle the question from the mundanes. I’ve seen it in done with care and tact and I’ve seen it done in ways that will make you facepalm.
When interacting with normal people asking what’s going on, at that point in time, you are representing the cosplay community. How you answer them will leave an overall impression.
Your answer can be short and sweet. I like to have passerby’s leave with the impression that we’re just like them, but have quirky and quixotic things we do on our free time. If they are an older passerby, I quickly mention that some of us sew and create our own costumes; older generations actually do appreciate that young people are taking up sewing.
It doesn’t have to be too difficult or too elaborate. There’s no need to go on a “cosplay is for everyone” soap box. These are just normal people just looking for a short and sweet answer. It’s important to be polite; if this is not your nature, then perhaps you won’t be the best person to answer. You don’t have to sound like you’ve had too many Japanese snacks and be on a sugar high; it’s best to represent your community in a dignified manner.
It’s also important to be sincere and humble. At one meet up, some cosplayer was asked and went on how she was “famous” in her community. (In my 10+ years, I never heard of her) Reality check – normal people really don’t care if you’re popular and they’re likely to forget. When you are asked, again, you are representing the community for that moment, it’s best to be humble and not to boast about anything personal.
So when approached by a passerby at a con or at a local cosplay picnic, acknowledge it’s nice they took the time to ask. There have been horror stories from cons and meet ups about normal people acting on on attendees based on negative assumptions. When you are asked kindly, it is your chance to educate and to teach; you don’t have to give a lecture, it can be short and sweet. By being a positive representative of the cosplay community, you are doing everyone a favor by giving a good name to cosplay.
– Scarlet
scarlet.rhapsody @ ymail.com