[Carmeleyes23]

I was wondering how everyone chose who they wanted to cosplay as? I think for myself it's about finding a character i can identify with. No i'm not a super smart high school girl who's studying to be a marine biologist with 4 friends who i transform with into a skimpily dressed vigilante. Though i looooooovvvvvveeeee the series. This year i'm also going as Tsunade i think i can identify with her on a closer level. What do you go for when deciding on a character?

[TheMagicWithin]

I generally choose someone I can relate to or I really like, although I've learned to pick also based on what the character wears.

For example when I first startedcosplaying I wanted to just cosplay my favorite, which is nice, but I didn't like the clothes. Luckily I ended up chosing based on who I like AND what they wear.

I actually chose Aeris not because of the character, but because of her outfit in advent children. I really liked it and wanted to wear it. Now I chose Ino because we were going as a group, and it helped that I liked her outfit even then I had never cared one way or another about her.

This year I chose Kaoru because I just love the character, and the cosplay should be pretty comfy as long as I make it right. I chose Rikku (ffx version) because I love her character and her outfit is really cute

[Carmeleyes23]

Awesome...i hope i get to see your finished product

[this_chick25]

I do it out of love for the character, love of the character design, the quirkiness or obscurity of the cosplay (sometimes it's fun to be the only one of a character that a lot of people recognize, but no one has thought to do for whatever reason), or any combo of the three. I have designed some really out-there cosplay concepts that I am still working on how to execute, and I have so many beloved cosplays on the back burner...

[Carmeleyes23]

this_chick25, on Sep 18 2007, 06:02 PM, said:

I do it out of love for the character, love of the character design, the quirkiness or obscurity of the cosplay (sometimes it's fun to be the only one of a character that a lot of people recognize, but no one has thought to do for whatever reason), or any combo of the three. I have designed some really out-there cosplay concepts that I am still working on how to execute, and I have so many beloved cosplays on the back burner...

Wow...thats what i'm talking about. Taking it to the edge. Doing something new.

[rei-chan]

I like cosplaying as characters I can relate to (being in personality and/or appearance), which most of the time ARE my favorite characters just because of that factor, and if I like their character design/costume the percentage of me cosplaying that character is even higher XD Occasionally I'll dress as a character just to fit with my friend (the same series/pairing or whatever) but I'll still base my decision on whether or not I think I would feel comfortable being that character. If you can relate to a character it's much easier cosplaying them, and more fun XD At least, I think so~

[Fairy Godmoose]

The factors I take into account are:
1. How much I like the character. For example, I would never cosplay as Sakura from Naruto or Ukyo from Samurai 7.
2. How difficult the costume would be to make. For example, while Haydee from Gankutsuou is full of win, her dress pattern is ridiculously complicated.
3. Whether or not I can act like the character. While this is definitely not a requirement, it would be a little OOC if I cosplayed as Lulu from Final Fantasy X and skipped around ACen while giggling crazily.

[Carmeleyes23]

Fairy Godmoose, on Sep 18 2007, 08:19 PM, said:

The factors I take into account are:
1. How much I like the character. For example, I would never cosplay as Sakura from Naruto or Ukyo from Samurai 7.
2. How difficult the costume would be to make. For example, while Haydee from Gankutsuou is full of win, her dress pattern is ridiculously complicated.
3. Whether or not I can act like the character. While this is definitely not a requirement, it would be a little OOC if I cosplayed as Lulu from Final Fantasy X and skipped around ACen while giggling crazily.

LOL..i can totaly relate to your reasoning...I dont think i've ever skipped... let alone giggled. So what character are you going for this year

[Femme Fatale]

To decide on what character I should cosplay, I watch anime and try to read the character like a book. If this person is to my liking then "ding" my choice is made. I also check out this website for female cosplayers which lists anime series and show pics of the lovely ladies who cosplay them at anime conventions. They also tell you who's the most popular chatacter of that anime that is cosplayed the most.

[omni]

It is the outfit or sometimes the hair or a prop that makes me choose the character to cosplay. Nothing deep like I can relate to their character or they remind me of myself.

I am shallow and just do it because I want to wear the clothes.

[R1KKu]

Some factors I go with when picking a character to cosplay..

-Detail. Is there alot of detail that I can get lost in or just the right amount that wont give me a headache?
-Do I relate to the character in any way?
-Will I run across any trouble with certain pieces like armor or a gigantic wig?
-Will the costume look ok on me, is it modest enough?
-Do I like the design of the costume or do I think the character needs fashion advice?
-Obscurity. Is it a costume that no one else will do and recognize?
-How much I like the character's background story and personality.

[NonokeCute-zie]

I think about a character/person I like.
Then I look at their outift(s). If they have more than one, I'll try and find one that's not too simple, but something that's do-able. Just cause I don't like half done cosplay x.x;
It helps if I look a bit like them too xD

[bondkira]

I choose the characters by of course, love towards the characters lol
I also tend to like to cosplay as characters that people don't really cosplay as. Like those 'minor' characters. For example, I want to cosplay as Azure Dragon from The Devil Kings but I'm pretty sure that most of the people don't know the game (it's little sad tho...), but I still want to do it because I love the character and hopefully someone will notice who I am cosplaying as lol

[TekoMuto]

namely if the chara looks like me and has a similar personality are two of my main things to look for. also if they're really creepy or fun areother factors

[Fairy Godmoose]

Carmeleyes23, on Sep 19 2007, 01:53 AM, said:

LOL..i can totaly relate to your reasoning...I dont think i've ever skipped... let alone giggled. So what character are you going for this year

I'm planning to cosplay as Honey from Ouran. Spiking the wig might be a little difficult, but the suit and pants will be easy to find, or even sew, and I've already got his stuffed bunny.

[KnitChick]

Well I try to choose characters I identify with, or like, and then I think about the difficulty of the costume.

My first costume? Hermione from the Harry Potter series. Mostly a bought costume but I made the robe (adapted a graduation gown), and I chose to specifically cosplay Hermione because I really identify with her.

My second, and first entirely handmade? Dani from Danny Phantom. Actually when I saw that episode I was like, wow a girl version of Danny and I love her costume and hey, I could make that! Then I went looking for cons on Cosplay.com and found Acen....the rest is history

My next costume, and first anime costume, will be Rukia Kuchiki. Again, I kind of identified with the character (I would so totally knock Ichigo out like she did in an early episode That was total win!), and the costume is simple enough I think I could manage it.

Other planned costumes are Danny Phantom (gotta do Danny too ), Vlad Plasmius (mostly because I love his hairdo and his costume has a cape!), maybe Wonder Woman (always loved her as a kid)....I'll probably think of more later

[Carmeleyes23]

YES!!!! I love that. The details that make you FEEL the character. Now thats something I can get into....I was thinking Supergirl...i mean come on, how cool would that be

[ai_no_kaku]

For me... I start with a character that I really like, then ask myself if I could pull it off. If the answer is yes, then I start planning. I usually like to choose characters that I can identify with... or that I look some what like. I especially like doing something that I can have a lot of fun with.

My first cosplay was actually my MKR Mokona-Girl. I did it for a cosplay birthday/halloween party. The original version looked NOTHING like the one done a few months later for ACen 06. I redid Mokona-Girl for 08 and I have to admit... 08's version is deffinately my fave. And there is nothing more fun than being hyperactive and running around all day while saying "Puu!" in various different ways. I'm serious. You should try it!

[akaikurama]

I'm gonna try my hand at cosplay next year. My only issue is my real hair is down to my butt long, so wigs are gonna be a little difficult, but I found a girl in a video game that has the same color hair and the same length with a not so difficult outfit. So I'm gonna try it for the next con.

[Carmeleyes23]

Puu you say? I might try that....
So wow down to your butt huh...shouldn't have said those in the same message. Well it must be very long and strong...Whoops again. Hey what about that little girl from Resident Evil?

[firegirl26]

lets see i saw puni puni poemy and thought i want to be her

[SFShinigami]

1.) How much the character is cosplayed by others
2.) Difficulty of the cosplay, in other words, involves more than garbage picking at goodwill
3.) Recognizability
4.) Can I pull it off
5.) Opinion of the character

I refuse to cosplay things that are overdone, first and foremost being Naruto. I don't hate Naruto cosplays but its just so overdone. That being said Bleach is done quite alot too but fortunately nobody does Mayuri . It helps that Mayuri lets me wear a mask so i dont have to shave off my facial hair =x

[Carmeleyes23]

What's old for some..is new for others

[kintewah]

Hmm.. well, I pick characters I generally like.

Cooking mama for example, is realistic and isn't offending to anyone. Plus she's kawaii and rarely cosplayed as, so people want your pic a lot!

Or, Jessie from Team Rocket. She's a strong person, now isn't she? Not exactly a role model, but an interesting person.



And then there's the "Z" from those sleep number commercials or whatever... but alas, that is a completely different reason....

[Animexcel]

For some reason, emo characters intrigue me. :x
Tsukasa from .hack and Cloud from FF7AC.. aside from that, I cosplayed Keitaro(Love Hina) and Kyon(The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

[Mock-Kappa]

The main factors in how I choose after how much I like or know of a character.
1. How much of a budget/ time I can spare or use to make said cosplay and any props.
2. The chances of me having to shave my mustache off. Which I rather not do. long story.
3. Can I a mix and match items from other costumes to save on money.
4. Are there places I could find recources to help in being as close to the character design.
5. What can I make on my own and who could I ask to help with something items.
6. Popular vs. Obscure, sometimes it's better not to go with the current flow.

[Femme Fatale]

Another decision on cosplaying is how many times you want to do various characters. Some people do two, three or sometimes five. Do you do two one day and two the next? One one day or two the next day? The choices are endless.

[Carmeleyes23]

So can you in 3 days Cosplay as 3 completly different characters. Meaning their personalitys aren't anything alike. Or do you generally want to stay with char.'s who's personalitys are somewhat similar?

[SFShinigami]

i prefer to stick with one character an entire day, or maybe more than one day, if I don't it doesn't feel like i gave it enough attention based on how much work i put in. That also affects which day I wore it, something I wear on a friday isn't going to be as important to me as something I wear all saturday, and sunday is probably about the same as friday, if not less important to me.

[Super_Vegeta17]

I usually select characters I some what resemble in appearance or attitude.