When you talk about anime, you’re talking about an entertainment genre with a diverse and loyal fanbase. In fact, its fanbase is as diverse as the variety of anime available. Similarly, cosplaying has the engaging support that anime does. Moreover, the fate of these two fandoms are intrinsically intertwined. I do not know when it exactly happened, but anime and cosplaying have developed a symbiotic relationship that benefits them both. Though anime came first, the relationship of these two cultural phenomena will now forever remain linked.
From this:
To this:
The engagement goes back and forth. You don’t know the anime? The cosplay will introduce you to it. You don’t know the cosplay? Look up the anime to find out more about it.
It’s no wonder why the Anime and Cosplay Expo has had success in gathering these two fandoms together. Now on its fourth year, the event presents a veritable Mecca for anime and cosplay enthusiasts to flock. And when you look around, that is what you will see.
From the inanimate…
To the animated…
you will find that this is holy ground for both anime and cosplay enthusiasts. It’s a beautiful sight to behold with fans being themselves in the best possible way.
Indeed, the event provides a venue for fans to express who they are, and to show their love for these characters and stories. You don’t even have to be a fan of a particular anime. You don’t have to cosplay a particular character. All are welcome. All are engaged. All form part of this massive community that was once a niche population. And the community is still growing.
The community is lively and amorphous. What shape does it take? That would depend on who you ask, and which anime world you explore. For the most part, each world is a different entity all on its own in this diverse community. Because of that, every fan expresses their love of anime and cosplay in a plethora of ways.
However, the Anime and Cosplay Expo is not just all about eye candy, either. There is a lot of interaction among the community here. These interactions are key to better awareness of these two cultural genres. The anime creates awareness. The cosplay creates awareness. Some of these interactions during the event were initiated by the event’s cosplaying hosts themselves.
Without a doubt, the Anime and Cosplay Expo is one of those events where you are free to express your love of anime and cosplaying within the limits of your heart’s desire. This is a cultural revolution that literally has its own language to speak of. And the language is very inclusive in nature.
As long as these two fandoms feed off of each other, this community will continue to grow exponentially. The Anime and Cosplay Expo is also the perfect breeding ground for the continued growth of this once niche subculture. For now, anime and cosplay will continue to enhance each other’s fandom to the benefit of both. It gives you something to look forward to in similar events and the next installment of this yearly gathering. Surely, we’ll be seeing much more of these two fandoms in the years to come.
