He cosplay is a cultural phenomenon where it is about imitating the gestures and behaviors of a character, wearing a costume, generally homemade, identical to the one worn by the person you want to imitate, possibly accompanied by the same accessories, such as weapons, rings, scepters and the rest.
Newspaper of Huila, Neiva
By: Alejandro Polanco
Characterizations, costumes, accessories, makeup, creativity, design and a lot of imagination are the factors that make up the Cosplay world, a term that comes from the abbreviation of the English words “costume” and “play”, which would be like “costume game”. ”.
It all started in the 1970s at annual comic book fairs, attendees initially wearing clothing with images from their favorite sci-fi movies and shows. However, fans didn’t start dressing up as their favorite movie and TV characters until the early 1980s, when franchises like Star Wars debuted. In this way the first group of otakus was created.
The 90s saw the growth of this culture in Latin America when cable television began to broadcast anime series such as Los Caballeros del Zodiaco, Ranma 1 and 2, Dragon Ball, Supercampeones, and Sailor. These countries included Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Ecuador.
This representative character fashion brings together an entire community, thus forming a worldwide subculture around role-playing games. To learn more about this issue, the Diario del Huila interviewed a 31-year-old Neivano, Nicolás Prado Orozco, known as Nikolap, a nickname he gave himself, and by which he is recognized in the departmental capital.
How did cosplay come into your life?
“It came into my life in 2015 when I was encouraged to participate in a costume contest inspired by a video game which I liked and wanted to imitate the main character of said game and seeing that I could not find it, because the costume as such decided to design it by myself. my account and take the cuts to a dressmaker to make it for me”.
Why cosplay?
“I must clarify that at first I had no idea what I was, I only participated in a costume contest and my taste for cinema prompted me on one occasion when I went to see a movie characterized as the character, but I did it for fun without any intention, only when they made me realize that what I was doing was cosplay, a world event and in which many people participated, I understood it and since then I have been passionate about it”.
How does cosplay work in Huila?
“Really, it still seeks to position itself several times, government entities have invited us and promote events where we seek not only to show the striking and particular features of the suits, but also the work and above all the talent that is behind each perfectly elaborated suit. The idea is Being able to show that young people through this style of format can boost their skills in design, clothing, production and other attitudes that allow them to stand out in society”.
What do you expect from cosplay?
“Beyond a passion I would really like to do it professionally, my dream is in the near future to participate in productions or create great works (costumes) for large-scale films. As well as being a motivator for young people so that they can exploit their abilities and, above all, being recognized that my story serves many, that this allows me to create a business and why not provide jobs, that it has always been my banner to be able to help through what that is loved”.
It may interest you: This is the situation of the dengue outbreak in Huila
What is the message or invitation that you would like to leave to the readers of Diario del Huila?
“More than an invitation, it is an exhortation to believe in the new cultural expressions that although cosplay is not something that has mass acceptance in the department, they are new art formats that just want, like many other activities, to keep young people away from realities. adverse with the sole and ultimate purpose of exploiting creativity as well as the hard work that this requires, being the engine of effort and improvement, I thank the people who know me and follow me on my social networks as well as the opportunity to show a different and innovative way of breaking through in this universe”
Far from being fans to the extreme, as the ignorant people on the subject call them, these cosplay fans and managers are usually educated, studious and very creative people. Young people who fit perfectly in any environment, but who found in these new cultural expressions a space to socialize with people eager for knowledge and skill.