[Haywood]

Hi, uh, this will be my first time attending Acen. I'm going to be dressed as the Ox King from DBZ and, well here's my question. About how many people are going to be dressed up would you say? I'm feeling really nervous about showing up in costume for some reason. I had a nightmare last night about showing up and there only being a handful of people in costume, including me, and I just ended up running away down the street in shame. haha. It was pretty intense. This probably sounds totally lame to most of you, but I'm just wondering if I have the guts to go dressed up. I don't want to feel like a goon. Thanks

[Friedrich Silverberg]

Haywood, on May 10 2008, 12:13 PM, said:

Hi, uh, this will be my first time attending Acen. I'm going to be dressed as the Ox King from DBZ and, well here's my question. About how many people are going to be dressed up would you say? I'm feeling really nervous about showing up in costume for some reason. I had a nightmare last night about showing up and there only being a handful of people in costume, including me, and I just ended up running away down the street in shame. haha. It was pretty intense. This probably sounds totally lame to most of you, but I'm just wondering if I have the guts to go dressed up. I don't want to feel like a goon. Thanks

While it's going to be my first year cosplaying too, this is definitely not my first con. I've never been to acen, but you won't have to worry...there will be a good number of cosplayers to keep you company, a very good number.

[akaikurama]

Well I've been attending ACEN for quite a number of years now....and there are a lot of cosplayers....some have a cos for each day some change every couple of hours because they like to do quite a few cos.....

I second the fact that you shouldn't worry about wear a cos....

I'm going to be cosplaying....and this thread you posted in is the cosplay thread so as you look around there are many cosplay group gatherings....

[Maggie]

This is my first year at ACEN too, I've been to other cons before but this is the biggest one as of yet, and this is my most ambitious cosplay ever... and it's probably not going to be as good as some people that do this for multiple cons every year and have tons of experience... but so what?

To me, the point is to have fun, you should feel accomplished about what YOU did without comparing yourself to anyone else, since only you know what you are capable of.

This is an analogy I guess. Let's just say that I feel accomplished if I can jog even one or two miles on a gym track, and I don't compare myself to Olympic athletes and put myself down for not running 10+ miles straight without stopping (ack! I want to eat cake thinking about it), because I really give it my all in respect to my experience and what I had to work with. Sure I know there's thousands, maybe millions of better runners in this 6 billion population planet, but if I obsess about that I stop doing these things for myself, I start doing it for those people, as if I had something to prove. Anytime we let other people's standards and disapproval affect us we lose our intentions of just having a good time and goofing off and cosplaying, it becomes way too serious and meshed with self-esteem issues etc.

So to follow my analogy, I have been in a position at cons where my costume was EPIC FAIL! compared to some people's amazing costumes. I have gotten the very occasional disapproving look from the extremely talented cosplayers, or worse when cosplayer photographers will photograph anything (even random stuff like the floor and tables) as they walk by me just so they don't have to ask for a photograph of my cosplay... that happened at Anime Reactor 2003, my first convention and my first attempt at cosplay (I have improved greatly since then). All photographic evidence of that day is gone except for an unfortunate pic on www.fansview.com that remains.

But please just have fun If you see me say hi, I'll be Warrior Paine from FFX-2. I'll kick someone's butt hardcore if they make you feel bad about your cosplay. That's so mean-spirited in the end, the kind of attitude that ruins cons and cosplay and the whole fun of it and makes it into something way more competitive and over-analyzed.!! ^____^

[Disco_Raptor]

OMGoodness don't be worried about how many people are going to be cosplaying! Not only is there going to be probably more cosplayers than people in normal clothing, if you enjoy it, then do it!

Me, I'm gonna be in like 5 or 6 outfits all weekend! The 4 in my sig, and then my Gunner and maybe Thief Yuna from previous cons.

[jackspicer]

Don't be worried, just have fun

[kintewah]

This is my first time at ACen, but I went to AX07 and gathered that about 40% of people cosplay. Which you know, happens to be a lot of people. And you might go to a panel or so and discover that there's only one person not in cosplay. And if you're the only one in cosplay at a panel, you'll probably be asked questions and for pictures and stuff like that, because you're the one cosplayer in the room.
Sometimes you'll be in areas of high cosplayer density, sometimes you won't.

It's fun either way. Just enjoy your cosplay. Enjoy the stares, glomps, random shouts from people passing by, and fans. (someone once shouted "MAMA-SAN!!" as I was walking by...)


i recommend you watch this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CH-k52mrAY...feature=related
it does a really good job displaying the cosplayers and it shows the point of view from a regular cosplayer + group.
I didn't make it, but it's very good. I'll upload some videos from AX07.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uk_0cqFDBA...feature=related is good too)

[Flame_Alchemist2002]

Maggie, on May 10 2008, 11:53 AM, said:

This is my first year at ACEN too, I've been to other cons before but this is the biggest one as of yet, and this is my most ambitious cosplay ever... and it's probably not going to be as good as some people that do this for multiple cons every year and have tons of experience... but so what?

To me, the point is to have fun, you should feel accomplished about what YOU did without comparing yourself to anyone else, since only you know what you are capable of.

This is an analogy I guess. Let's just say that I feel accomplished if I can jog even one or two miles on a gym track, and I don't compare myself to Olympic athletes and put myself down for not running 10+ miles straight without stopping (ack! I want to eat cake thinking about it), because I really give it my all in respect to my experience and what I had to work with. Sure I know there's thousands, maybe millions of better runners in this 6 billion population planet, but if I obsess about that I stop doing these things for myself, I start doing it for those people, as if I had something to prove. Anytime we let other people's standards and disapproval affect us we lose our intentions of just having a good time and goofing off and cosplaying, it becomes way too serious and meshed with self-esteem issues etc.

So to follow my analogy, I have been in a position at cons where my costume was EPIC FAIL! compared to some people's amazing costumes. I have gotten the very occasional disapproving look from the extremely talented cosplayers, or worse when cosplayer photographers will photograph anything (even random stuff like the floor and tables) as they walk by me just so they don't have to ask for a photograph of my cosplay... that happened at Anime Reactor 2003, my first convention and my first attempt at cosplay (I have improved greatly since then). All photographic evidence of that day is gone except for an unfortunate pic on www.fansview.com that remains.

But please just have fun If you see me say hi, I'll be Warrior Paine from FFX-2. I'll kick someone's butt hardcore if they make you feel bad about your cosplay. That's so mean-spirited in the end, the kind of attitude that ruins cons and cosplay and the whole fun of it and makes it into something way more competitive and over-analyzed.!! ^____^

yea, this is my 2nd time cosplaying but my first TIME at ACen D: the one thing that made me angry from the other con i went to last august is the fact that mostly everybody bought their costumes online and only about a handful made their costumes, inluding me. i hated it when people were so edgy on handmade costumes....not everybody has the money to buy them i think making them is the best way to go (even for a first time....my costumes look like them but still not the best quality but ohwell) making them is showing the love for that anime and the time and dedication and the insanity of losing the hot glue gun P:

[Yumei]

There gonna be lots of people in costumes So you don't have to be worried or nevous, all you have to do is show up and have tons of fun!
I'd be more nervous in regular cloths than in costume cause in costume I can lossen and have fun and if I come off as odd oh well I was in costume and if they saw me later they probably wouldn't even know I was the odd one.
but of couse you can't help but have a few jitters when meeting new people

[CrimsonAnime]

This is my first time too and I was scared about NOT showing up in cosplay.
There are SO many people dressing up it's crazy. Trust me. You won't have any problem fitting in.
And you may even get picture requests I know I'll be one. I'm trying to get pictures of anyone who has a cosplay for something that I've seen or at least know of.

[Haywood]

CrimsonAnime, on May 10 2008, 12:28 PM, said:

This is my first time too and I was scared about NOT showing up in cosplay.
There are SO many people dressing up it's crazy. Trust me. You won't have any problem fitting in.
And you may even get picture requests I know I'll be one. I'm trying to get pictures of anyone who has a cosplay for something that I've seen or at least know of.

Well this is refreshing haha. I don't know why I'm spazzing out, but it's good to know there will be a bunch of people cosplayin. I think I just need to chill out and have fun like yall said. Thanks for the encouragement guys. Hope to see ya there!

[Tofu]

Haywood, on May 10 2008, 12:13 PM, said:

Hi, uh, this will be my first time attending Acen. I'm going to be dressed as the Ox King from DBZ and, well here's my question. About how many people are going to be dressed up would you say? I'm feeling really nervous about showing up in costume for some reason. I had a nightmare last night about showing up and there only being a handful of people in costume, including me, and I just ended up running away down the street in shame. haha. It was pretty intense. This probably sounds totally lame to most of you, but I'm just wondering if I have the guts to go dressed up. I don't want to feel like a goon. Thanks

Don't worry, dear! There's going to be plenty of cosplayers there (and when I say plenty, I mean PLENTY XD). If it'll make you feel any better, you should come to the DBZ photoshoot on Saturday! I'm going to be there as Goku. It's all about having fun. So as long as you're having fun cosplaying, nothing else will matter.

[richan]

This will be my first year cosplaying and at a anime convention. I'[m kind of nervous too, since my costume isn't exactly le crème de la crème. It is VERY amateur. I don't usually make or sew costumes. I'll be going as Ritsu from Fruist Basket. NEWBIES UNITE!!!!! XD

[KusanagiRobin]

(raises hand) First time cosplaying as well if you don't count Halloween last year. Also, my Sakura cosplay in particular was entirely handmade, my first handmade costume, and I'm a little nervous (don't want the whole darn thing to fall apart, plus it's a LITTLE on the skimpy side). then again, all I have to think about is the SnJ Naruto I saw last year (it was awesome and it was nothing but a bikini and cotton balls) and I smile and am reassured. So you be reassured as well.

Honestly, I thought it was the other way around: dress normally at a convention and YOU'RE weird.

[richan]

KusanagiRobin, on May 10 2008, 07:23 PM, said:

(raises hand) First time cosplaying as well if you don't count Halloween last year. Also, my Sakura cosplay in particular was entirely handmade, my first handmade costume, and I'm a little nervous (don't want the whole darn thing to fall apart, plus it's a LITTLE on the skimpy side). then again, all I have to think about is the SnJ Naruto I saw last year (it was awesome and it was nothing but a bikini and cotton balls) and I smile and am reassured. So you be reassured as well.

Honestly, I thought it was the other way around: dress normally at a convention and YOU'RE weird.

Haha! I'm in almost the same situation. My only experience with cosplay was at Halloween, but people thought I was dressed up as Mulan (instead of Ritsu).....I also hope my cosplay stands up to the convention also and it is my first costume, completely handmade. And, yeah, I agree that it would be wierder if you showed up not in costume. I would feel awkward.