Cosplayers of AnimeNYC 2018

Photos by Young Jeohn
Tag yourselves on our Instagram
@otakusandgeeks

This is only AnimeNYC’s second event and yet it feels different from last year. As far as cosplayers go, it seems the winds are changing as the pioneers and the seasoned players move on to be the teachers and instructors (at panels and events) while the newer cosplayers (which seem to be most people) try their hand and show their creations.

Something we’ve noticed gaining widespread acceptance is the rise of organized group photos, which go something like this:

Are you cosplaying Sailor Moon? Meet other players at 2pm at XYZ location and take photos together!

And once everyone is gathered, the instructions are: “Everyone ready with a pose? 3! 2! 1! Go! Ok, get ready with pose #2, and…”

It builds on a feeling of community and inclusion for newer players who aren’t used to having photos taken of them.

In several instances, group teams came and took over an area to prepare themselves. It very much looked like a theater production with makeup, hair, props and even a manager.

Comment

Young Jeohn

Adding creative flair to Otakus & Geeks with his videos, photos and written musings. Having lived abroad with extensive travel experience from Scandinavian ice castles to the fashionable Harajuku district in Tokyo, he carries knowledge from old-skool anime days and enjoys eating with chopsticks (with expert precision), talking shop with companies large and small and other questionable activities he can't talk about in public. His website lives at http://www.YoungFromNewYork.com