[Femme Fatale]

The year 2007 was my first time experiencing cosplaying and going to an anime con. I had a great time. 2011 will be year #4 at Acen. My sis has been going to Acen when it first started. Yesterday we talked about upping our ante by going to Anime Expo and the San Diego Comic-con next year. So in addition to Acen, and Youmacon and C2E2, we'll be working the con-going circuit like crazy. And thats good. But then today I thought to myself, when will the "good" come to an end. When will you know when its time to hang up the wig, sword, shield, gun, staff forever? We all started this grand journey whether it was in our teens, 20s, 30s and so on. Sooner or later you'll be thinking about "moving on" to better things in your life. When I told my sis about creating this topic, she said she'll stop when she's in her 40s. That'll be the route I'll probably take too. So fellow Acener's, when will it be your time?

[Voxx]

Till I die. I want to go to many different cons and it seems every year I want to do more and more cosplays so I have all the time in the world to keep on doing them! As I get older I will definitely keep my choices modest..I wouldnt want to walk around as a 40 yr old Faye Valentine (that's why I'm doing it now! lol) In my old age I would definitely go as Sophie from Howls Moving Castle

[Isamu]

I will stop con-going when I die, that seems as good a time as any.

[Kitsu-chan]

At ACen 2048 when I die happy with a drink in hand & cigar in my mouth. I'd be about 65 so that seems like a good age.

[Haggisstew]

I'm going to be cosplaying in the after life!

[KirbyFanOne]

You never know when it ends. You could die tomorrow, you could live until 90. All I can say is you should enjoy cosplaying and conventions for as long as you can or want. No one forces you to go or stay home but you.

By the way, when I become an old fart, I'll finally be able to cosplay Yosho, so you have that to look forward to.

[TaiyakiOni]

I don't think the cosplaying will stop, but the costume choices will surely change.

No one wants to see an old man wearing a dress after all xD

[HaruHE]

I've already decided to hang up the dresses, leotards, and boots I choose for costumes when I turn approximately 30-32, as mentioned above there's just a time where you've got to stop, no matter how much you enjoy doing it. It's been a thrill for me though each and every year to step back across the line into the world of a female, and all of you have helped me enjoy it, so I'd like to take this moment to give thanks to you all from the bottom of my heart.

[Tiamat97]

i probably wont stop going to cons or stop cosplaying, either that or when i cant afford to go anymore is when ill stop

[CrimsonAnime]

I would love to say "when I die" because I love how much fun cons are and since there are always cons going on I will always have so much to experience. But in reality - I'd probably stop once I have kids...if I couldn't get them into the cosplaying world. If I could - I would wait until they were older and I "cramped their style" then I'd probably stop. Not that I'd want to - but the whole passing the torch thing. Then, after I've raised said kids well, worked til I'm retired and done everything else I've wanted - I'll start up again I think...as a retirement practice. yeah..that sounds smart.

But the good thing is...for me...all of this is at least 10 -20 years from now.

[KusanagiRobin]

I'll admit, when I first read the thread title I was like "Perish the thought!", but then I thought...well, I never really considered when I'd stop going to cons. In fact, I might go to more once I get my life a little more settled (i.e., more moolah). I first got into it when I was but 18-19 (the cons, I mean, not anime in general), but then again most anime always seemed to have a more "adult" vibe anyway.

As for cosplay itself, my costumes always seem to be on the modest side anyway. I guess I'll quit when I run out of ideas!

[sweetbeanpaste]

I'd like to think that conventions and cosplay is something I'll take with me for the rest of my life. I have this fantasy in my mind of my two future sons and i cosplaying as young edward and alphonse elric and their mom.

[obakasan]

Only time will tell.

[Millions_Knives]

terms:
court order
death
incarceration
dismemberment
lack of challenging material
lack of challenging opponents
lack of resources
but will always make things
even in death (T_C and Teko have instructions)

[Scott]

I can't see any reason to stop doing something you enjoy until you are physically unable to do it anymore.

As for me, I'm kind of older now, so I'd rather get a room to myself and avoid the inconvenient extras that come along with the "college style" method of attending anime conventions. The only problem now is cost.

With any interests, if a person feels burnt out they should just take some time off and see if they miss it. I have not attended ACEN consecutively, but I don't want to completely stop going for the rest of my life either...

[Gwydion]

A bit sadly for me, that's really up to my sister. We always attend cons together, and while I have on occasion gone with someone aside from her, generally it's just the two of us. I have attempted con-going by myself, but it honestly wasn't a lot of fun. It's being there with her, having goofy sister hang out time, that I enjoy most. Being at the con only makes the experience better, of course, but it's just not the same without her.

As she wants to have kids in the near future, that may be the end of it, at least for a while. But one thing I don't plan on giving up is cosplaying. There's always Halloween, and luckily even my non-anime loving friends love the holiday as much as I do. And besides, once she does have kids, she wants me to make their Halloween costumes, so it's not a total loss. ^_~

[GITS SAC Motoko]

I don't really want to think about it, but if I had to pick a time, I'd say never. I really really like the con life. ACEN 2010 was my first ACEN and first Big Con (I wouldnt call Reactor a con, XD!) and I loved it. Cosplaying, meeting people, and being with people that share one of my big interests. Going to cons really helps me get out of my shell and just talk to people. For me, going to cons is like that "me time" people like having. It's just all the stuff I like with people that love the stuff I like, and I love it.

[Mr. Robot]

Well, realistically, at some point I will probably stop going to conventions. I already missed two this year due to finances, and I'm only going to get older, graduate, get a job, get married, etc. Its not like I will ever intend to, nor will I necessarily ever stop completely, but I'm prepared for the possibility that I may only end up going to a con or two once every several years, and that's fine because it that won't happen unless I don't mind that it does. If I had to guess a time frame for that, I'd say probably late 20's, early 30's. Obviously, there are notable events that could prevent this. If my future wife is a die-hard, I'm going to be continuing the JAFAX/Youmacon/Ohaycon/Acen/Whatever else cycle for a good long time. If she isn't a geek like me, not so much. If my kids decide they want to go to conventions one day, that obviously changes things too, since they'll need me to take them there, get them a hotel room, and make sure they don't get into any non-age-appropriate trouble that would I know exists at conventions from experience.

As far as cosplaying goes, as long as I go to conventions, I will certainly keep that up, but as I grow older, I'm pretty much set that I'll retire to casual/closet stuff. Something that I could at least go out in public with and look at least halfway normal even if still a little out of place, such as some kind of suit or combat gear from an FPS or something. Exceptions to that might be if I have lots of resources available to me some day and I can engineer something elaborate like an aluminum-crafted Gundam or something, but the days of elaborately sewn uniforms and costumes, and the crazy colored and styled wigs, and the crazy boots and shoes will definitely be over. Best to go all out on the crazy stuff while I'm still young, because past 30, that can start becoming kind of creepy unless the average age at conventions increases dramatically, and even then, at that point, I think I'd stop anyway. I would, however, like to cosplay master Roshi some day if I should end up at a convention when I'm REALLY old.

This post has been edited by Mr. Robot: 11 July 2010 - 11:39 AM

[Kasin]

hmm...sooner then i want, I see maybe kollisocon, and acen, but then kasin may be gone for good...

[AlliedHeather5]

Im going to be cosplaying until i cant walk anymore
then i will be sitting in a rocking chair making my grandson a link cosplay

[Berry-Kitsune]

I actually quit two years ago due to personal reasons and have started again. I missed it too much, and with debating on a costume design career well...cosplay fits hand in hand so I don't think I can quit again. Those two years felt like a million XD

[kitsune red]

I find it very interesting to hear so many think they will quit at 30 or 40 being myself older than that. I guess it is like the question when will I be old. It seams to me the answer is when will I feel old. I don't until someone else refers to my age or I look in the mirror or my body complains about a new pain or such.

I have been going to Cons for over 3 decades first it was science fiction and lately it is anime. I go because I enjoy going. I am now on staff for ACEN because I buy all the manga & anime I want from sources or perhaps Japan and Hong Kong and find working a con is more fun(so maybe I should head examined).

At this point in my life I am considering cos-play. O, I am not thinking of being Sailor Moon or running about in 2 band aids and a thong. But I finally have to courage or whatever not to be uneasy about dressing up and walking around a Con like that. Something I did not have years ago at Windy con when I had a Gyenna(as in the Wandor series by Rolin Green) costume that never saw the outside of my room.

I guess it is how you feel about youself, we are living longer, healther lives and while I can't turn back time and my tardis is on indefinite leave I can do as I chose as long as I do not harm others.

[Evangelion_Unit_01]

I would say never....i was 15 when i first started going to cons as well as cosplay. I am now about to be 24 and i still see no end. Someday when i have kids i will start them in on the cosplay and anime con culture. Anime and Manga are pretty much my life!! I love the people, I love the vendors, VA's, Panels, AMV showings, as well as artist alley. It's an entirely different experience from anything (Cons and the Anime culture) I wouldn't give that up for anything.

Acen is the SH*T!! I love all of you =)

[Demon Slayer]

I already found myself asking this question. Earlier this year, for personal reasons, I really lost interest in anime/manga. I just don't have the cash/time to keep up with new series, and I do all my stuff in binges, watching a series a day when I'm bored or have nothing doing in college. I keep finding that the one thing that keeps bringing me back to ACen is the cosplay. I would like to say "death before the sewing machine stops!" but I know that's not very realistic or accurate. I imagine that as I get older, the costumes will slow down and I'll just recycle what I have until a time comes when I just don't cosplay any more, whenever that may be. Then again, there are plenty of older (read: not teenager) folks at ACen, so who knows. But like anything, I think your interests will slowly wane or there will be something else that comes up. That's just the fact of life. It also depends on the people I go with - going solo is just not as much fun as a group.

[S1NN3R]

I never say never. IF I stop it will most likely be do to the cosplay making/prep work becoming more of a hinderince than enjoyable. As for recycling past costumes, I do that anyway... Why only wear it once or twice. Plus the closet looks very different than most out there

[Evangelion_Unit_01]

S1NN3R, on 22 August 2010 - 03:54 AM, said:

I never say never. IF I stop it will most likely be do to the cosplay making/prep work becoming more of a hinderince than enjoyable. As for recycling past costumes, I do that anyway... Why only wear it once or twice. Plus the closet looks very different than most out there

I agree! Why would you only where a cosplay once or twice....After all the hard work why not keep it for an extended period of time =) Sh*t i have been wearing one of mine since Acen 2007 as well as other cons. It's still fun =)

[Dex_Link]

ACen 2011 will be my third. And everytime I've gone, its been in costume. But this coming ACen, I will be 25 years old and, even tho I will be cosplaying (as Link from LoZ), this may be the last time I do it. I feel as tho I'm getting too old... I don't know if I'm just thinking negatively (I've been doing that ALOT lately).
I honestly don't know if I would go to a con either, especially if I wasn't cosplaying. I've got buddies who've been going to ACen since around 2004, but they never cosplayed until my first year of going in 2009 -- they said that they have to keep cosplaying, because it sets the bar too high for having a good time.
After years and years and years of wanting to learn armoursmithing, I finally have over the past few years, and that opens a whole new world of opportunities I suppose...
I guess we'll wait and see till after this coming year, huh?

[Krystal]

Sadly, I may have to when I get out of law school and join a firm.


No one wants their divorce attorney wearing a maid costume.

[Jeff]

I'm entering a career in game development. I'll be going to gaming cons for the rest of my life, and I intend to keep attending anime cons.

[S1NN3R]

Krystal, on 02 September 2010 - 06:23 PM, said:

Sadly, I may have to when I get out of law school and join a firm.


No one wants their divorce attorney wearing a maid costume.

I would hire you on the spot! " Please draw your attention to exhibit C"