just feel alive: a cosplay photobook
DESCRIPTION
A cosplay photobook depicting my cosplays with an introduction and commentary on each piece. All photographs by Elizabeth Gross Photography.TRANSCRIPT
J U S T F E E L A L I V Ea c o s p l a y p h o t o b o o k
J U S T F E E L A L I V Ea c o s p l a y p h o t o b o o k
C O S P L A YCosplay, short for “costume play” is a type of performance art in
which part ic ipants don costumes and accessor ies to represent a
specif ic character or idea, and fans typical ly dress up as Japanese
anime and manga characters. However cosplay goes beyond
just dressing up and encompasses the act of making a costume
fai thful to the character. One becomes the character, adopt ing the
personal i ty and manner isms of that character. There is an energy
among cosplayers, an intense and intoxicat ing passion for anime
and manga that is channeled by the costume as the character
comes to l i fe. Cosplay is an art , an exper ience, and a feel ing. An
addict ing adrenal ine rush of energy being surrounded by fr iends
who love and care for the ser ies and craft , and an intense,
exhi l ierat ing convent ion culture. Cosplay is the feel ing of being al ive.
Fly, sway, go al l the way
I ’m in the same fate
with you
I feel your beat
al l around
Wandering in the
ever last ing way
E D W A R D E L R I C / F U L L M E T A L A L C H E M I S TI ’m always f i l led with an intense sense of nostalgia when I watch the ser ies,
remembering when I was 14 and new to anime. Edward and the emotional ,
act ion-f i l led drama that is FMA were what compel led me to cosplay, and I ’ve
never had a series resonate as deeply nor been as fanatical as with Ful lmetal.
Forever. . .
Tears fa l l , vanish
into the night
I f I ’m a s inner. . .
Chivalry, show me
the way to go
Hetal ia combines my love of history
and shounen-ai in one humorous and
intel l igent package. History class
was never the same again. I fe l l in
love instant ly when I discovered the
character Norway, and reconnected
with my Norwegian her i tage. Hetal ia is
fun because of the overwhelming sense
of community I feel within the fandom.
N O R W A Y ( U N I F O R M ) /A X I S P O W E R S H E T A L I A
Rise,
high,
just feel
a l ive
Say a prayer
for you today
I st i l l bel ieve
in your love
This cosplay was created on a whim for drag prom.
I never real ly intended to grow that attached to the
character, but real ized I ’m attracted to the ornate
Victor ian elegance of the ser ies’ artwork and the
chal lenge in translat ing that to a cosplay. Ciel is
always a lot of work, with al l the accessories and fancy
clothes, but i t ’s a chance to be an ar istocrat for a day.
C I E L P H A N T O M H I V E ( F O R M A L ) / K U R O S H I T S U J I ( B L A C K B U T L E R )
“Ciel in Wonderland” was the f i rst t ime
I ’d ever cosplayed a character in more
than one costume. The Wonderland
OVAs are a f r i l ly, but boyish, take on
Al ice. There’s a certain innocence in
this costume that you don’t f ind in Ciel ’s
other, more formal pieces. I don’t know
what i t says about me that I ’m always
playing teenage boys, but I suppose I ’m
paradoxical ly attracted to their strength
but t ragic vulnerabi l i ty, l ike we see in Ciel .
“ C I E L I N W O N D E R L A N D ” /K U R O S H I T S U J I ( B L A C K B U T L E R )
Trace the shadow of t ruth into the dark
Forever. . . Tears fa l l , vanish into the night
S H I O N / N O . 6Usual ly I th ink long and hard about my cosplays, but i t was nice to
pick Shion just because I wanted to cosplay. I was attracted to
the ser ies by the natural–and obvious–romance between Shion
and Nezumi, which isn’t presented as some fanservice ploy.
I f I ’m a s inner. . . Chivalry, show me the way to go
Wandering my
crying soul
Only you can
wipe away
my tears
Forever. . .
Tears fa l l , vanish
into the l ight. . .
N O R W A Y ( V I K I N G ) / A X I S P O W E R S H E T A L I AViking Norway was the f i rst cosplay I sewed ent i re ly on my own,
the f i rst I real ly put my heart in soul into costruct ing. With Hetal ia,
there’s so much freedom you have with which era and costume for
each character, the emphasis real ly is on history and not just costume.
C R E D I T SAl l photographs taken by El izabeth Gross /
El izabeth Gross Photography.
Song used is “Over Night” by Aya from Le
Cheval ier D’Eon
Book designed by Mel issa Frennea. Typeset
in 11pt Helvet ica Neue and 18pt Steel f ish