Cosplay is a mainstay of the modern fan convention. In popular culture, it is practically a synonym for "fan convention."
Eye-popping, physics-defying costumes thrill and amaze fans of Japanese video games, anime and manga by bringing their favorite characters to life, and is itself the ultimate expression of fandom, according to Yaya Han, an Atlanta-based cosplayer who has had a high profile in the cosplay comunity for the last 12 years.
To me it's an unlimited creative outlet," Han said. "Before I was a cosplayer, I was a fan artist. I would draw my favorite characters and sell the pieces at art auctions."
"But once I discovered cosplay, it was like, 'I don't have to draw my favorite characters, I can become my favorite characters.'"
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