Ahh My Eyes!!

Ok I was looking at cosplay pictures and I came across this. This is probably the funniest thing I eve seen. This guy makes a valid point. This is probably the reason I won't cosplay. I know the Japanese have more access to anime related props and costumes, but sometimes you have to look in the mirror and ask yourself how dumb do I look.

Not to mention the age difference of the people in those pics...

In my opinion, westerners that try to look Asian always look goofy as hell. From kimono to traditional Chinese garments, it just looks so off!!

Yeah... that wasn't the best display of Cosplay I have seen from Americans.
It's not about nationality but overall attractiveness both physically and clothing wise. The Japanese Tifa, Yuna, and Riku looked really nice(especially Tifa). I also liked Kadaj's cosplay clothing.

But, the conventions I have been to, I have seen a few good Americans in Cosplay (but they were women).

...wow the american yuna was awful

LOL Well.......... Sometimes its good but Sometimes its BAD......

Well it doesn't go for me Sence I'm Canadian!

If you really look like them thats one thing but that was just sad.

Absolutely. Not only Americans, but the Europeans too. They look simply pathetic when cosplaying. Some times like In-the-rain just said, sometime it's sad looking at them.

Yeah the guy who putting the pictures up for the Americans said he felt so sorry for using them 'cause they looked so bad and pathetic. I mean if you're going to cosplay at least go all out like the Japanese.

Whoa! Damn! Those are some REALLY BAD cosplaying...

The issue first of all comes from the racial traits, given that the anime characters are based from asian people, a Westerner that tries to look asian and DOES NOT DO IT FLAWLESS will look....bad. (hehehe, I'm lucky that's not my case, since I'm mixed blood ^^)

Anyways, I find it rather surprising as well that many of those people did not take into consideration their physical aspect, I mean, the western rei cosplayer, I mean...isn't just COMPLETELY emphasized in neon genesis evangelion that the females are slim and highly attractive? Nope, no consideration about that at all -_-

I'm not against people cosplaying or anything, although I myself don't do it, I can see when someone does a really good job at it. So if you want to cosplay, at least make a damn GOOD job about it, otherwise you look simply...ridiculous.

Maybe they don't have mirrors? There are however arguably a lot of great cosplays done by westerners but only if their doing the ff:
1 not cosplaying an asian character
2 not showing their face ie mecha or a full body suit

The characters in anime and manga look so beautiful but when I look at the cosplay people, my impression on that character somehow change. They totally ruin the image and the way they pose the character, it's just different. I don't know how I will look if I cosplay my favorite character, maybe I will just ruin it.

Here's my thoughts on that: I rarely find people at conventions who are able to cosplay right, without making complete fools of themselves. There are few people who I can find that have done acceptable cosplay, and I take shots of them, and post them on flickr. Some have gone to the absolute obscene. One attendee at Anime Expo 07 cosplayed with a live MP3 player and was acting all partyish, and it really got the attention of all the people waiting down in the registration lines where I was working. Loud, happy hardcore hits.

There are a few people that were decent. I saw one who was able to pull off Haruhi's gothic attire and the guitar, and a couple of Sonic Team characters were posing as Knuckles and Shadow. Otherwise, I would commend those folks for being courageous enough to do an attempts at cosplay, even though some might raise a few eyebrows from me.

One attendee on the last day even took a photo with me, because I'm a fan of the Yomiuri Giants, and she took a photo of me because I was wearing a cap with Giabbit's mug on it. And I'm working with the convention staff, and I was put in the cosplay mix. It's insane, APers. Once again, insane.

Haha I'm American but I never tried to cosplay. . . I did dress up like a J-Rocker once though and it was sweet! You could have swore that I was at least part asian. ^_~ For having no asian blood, I think I could pass off as an asian, well . . . from the back anyway! I have long, straight and dark enough hair to be an asian. My eyes aren't extremely big, (but of course they're bigger than asian eyes although I have to say out of all the asians I've seen I'd say that the Japanese have the biggest asian eyes) and I'm not all that tall or wide for that matter. I suppose you would be able to tell I'm a westerner by the way I move or act I suppose. Am trying to get better at it but every day I face the fact that . . . I shall never be asian. *crys* T_T

I never tried to cosplay though . . . asians seem to do it the best. (They're even good at portraying characters based on westerners. . . WTH?!?!?)

I always wanted to go to a convention because I wanted to see if anyone was actually GOOD at cosplaying and then maybe I would get my picture with them. I remember seeing someone online that was a westerner dressed up like Riku(KH) and they seemed to pull it off nicely but . . . still not the best . . .

Like I always say we (American, European, etc.) invent it . . . the asians perfect it. ^_~

I've been to a few conventions in the past and despite seeing some very nice costumes, the cosplayers themselves weren't able to pull off the physique and overall figure of the character. Despite what would have been a nice costume, the whole look was downgraded. Twice as much time should be spent working the body to match the figure than the costume, so that even if the clothing isn't as good as you wanted it to be then atleast people can still look at you and pull a Paris ("That's hot").

I'd have to agree that for the most part that asians are able to really pull off cosplaying and look immensely good doing so. I'd chaulk it up far more to the Japanese over the rest. There are, though, exceptions, however, for westerners the individuals who could pull off a character aren't the type to actually do it or don't like anime at all.

Though most may not look good at all, they're doing it for fandom and that much can be at the very least respected, even if its completely and absolutely overboard and crazy. Then again...

In this technological age, it's often best to second guess yourself and not be so impulsive and giving it...you don't know whose around the corner or in the distance with a camera recording or taking photos and the next thing you know, pictures of you are on Youtube and Google as examples of how bad cosplaying can get sometimes.

At least if you're gonna cosplay then pick a character that has a SOMEWHAT SIMILAR body shape, because that american rei is gross.