The authoritative guide to cosplay written by a legend in the community, and packed with step-by-step advice and fascinating investigations into every aspect of the art. Cosplay—a portmanteau combining "costume" and "play"—has become one of the hottest trends in fandom . . . and Yaya Han is its shining superstar. In this guide to cosplaying, Han narrates her 20-year journey from newbie fan to entrepreneur with a household name in geekdom, revealing her self-taught methods for embodying a character and her experiences in the community. Each chapter is information-packed as she covers everything from the history of cosplay, to using nontraditional materials for costumes, to transforming your hobby into a career—all enhanced with expert advice. Illustrated throughout and easy to use, this practical manual also delights with fascinating stories from the past decades' global cosplay boom. It's the perfect gift for anyone interested in learning (or improving their skills in) the art of cosplay.

If you think only Hollywood and Broadway costume designers can do spectacular, think again! A gallery of stunning and inspiring cosplay photography. 1000 Incredible Costume and Cosplay Ideas provides a broad and detailed glimpse into the ingenious artistry and attention to detail behind some of the most fabulous costumes you’ll find anywhere . . . and most of them are designed by just regular folks who have a passion for the character they’re looking to emulate. From clothing to makeup to accessories, these costumes are like nothing you’ve seen before. Featuring costumes from popular convention-goers to professional craftsmen, this stunning, photo-filled book by Joey Marsocci and Allison DeBlasio of Dr. Grymm Laboratories and Yaya Han walks you through scads of favorite characters as imagined and created by fans. Use it as inspiration for your next costume creation!

Filled with striking images of costume play from around the world, this definitive look at the global phenomenon known as "cosplay" examines its evolution from the fringes of society to the spotlight of modern culture. For over 100 years, men and women around the world have been dressing up as their favorite characters from movies, games, comics, TV, and books. Beginning as a curiosity and hobby for social outcasts, it's now a global phenomenon, fuelled by the Internet and an explosion in geek fandom. This in-depth look at the world of cosplay includes interviews with stars like Yaya Han, Crystal Graziano, and Spiral Cats, offers insights into cosplay's history and current landscape, and explains its creative processes, like how Megan Marie built the perfect Wonder Woman costume. Cosplay World features over 200 compelling photographs, showcasing everything from campy 1970s costumes to cutting-edge suits engineered in workshops and built using space-age materials. The result is both a celebration of and an informed look at a popular means of self-expression that continues to fascinate.

"Cosplay in America V2 takes a reader on a visual journey through the culture of cosplay in the United States. Photographer Ejen Chuang spent three years visiting twenty cities to gather images for this book combining portraits of cosplayers taken at fandom conventions with documentary photographers of people making costumes at home and gathering at events. Along the way, cosplayers talk about their experience in cosplay. Featuring essays from Liz Ohanesian and Dr. Andrea Letamendi"--Publisher's website.

Meet the spectacular cosplayers of New York's annual Comic Con. Heroes & Villains is a photographic journey into the heart of contemporary pop culture that is New York's annual Comic Con. Photographer Andrew Boyle captures more than 200 cosplayers from NYCC in a series of stunning photographs and interviews, celebrating the incredible world of expression, talent, inclusivity, creativity and fandom that is the cosplay community.

Anime/manga (Japanese animation and comics) have been increasing in popularity worldwide for decades. But despite being a global phenomenon, there’s been surprisingly little psychological research formally studying its devoted fanbase. In this book we aim to do just that with an overview of nearly a decade of research by fan psychologists. Otaku and cosplayers, genre preferences, hentai, parasocial connections, motivation, personality, fanship and fandom, stigma, and well-being – this book looks at all of these topics through a psychological lens. Many of these findings are being presented for the first time, without the jargon and messy statistical analyses, but in plain language so it’s accessible to all readers – fans and curious observers alike!

Hong Kong films tore up kung fu stereotypes in the 80s/90s. Here's the definitive tome on stunt hazards, pistol ballets, snarky gangsters and toothsome molls, hopping vampires, and Hong Kong noir. Start with John, Jacky and Michelle -- evolve to Johnnie To, Ringo Lam, the fantastic world of Tsui Hark, and the auteurdrome of Wong Kar-wai. How and why did films from Hong Kong--a British Crown Colony and map-speck--become so popular? It started in the 50s, when Chinese tycoons named Shaw decided to produce their own films as they felt quality was lacking. The Shaw Brothers owned cinemas in Southeast Asia, but creative freedom was lacking in those territories. The Shaws built their studios in Hong Kong and were soon cranking out high-quality features for distribution across much of Asia -- and Chinatowns worldwide. When the Shaws dropped almost all their film production to feed nouveau riche Hong Kongers via their TVB television channel, Hong Kong experienced a sudden wave of new filmmakers. Golden Harvest became the de facto number one studio with a cadre of filmmakers led by Sammo Hung. The most famous was Jackie Chan, who rocketed to stardom and created his own stunt team. In film after film, Jackie and Sammo co-starred in and/or competed for audience thrills with films that showcased their martial prowess and respective senses of humor. More Sex, Better Zen, Faster Bullets explicates, amplifies, and just plain rips across genres and filmmakers in one of the world's most storied film industries. Become an afflictionado. More Sex, Better Zen, Faster Bullets contains the best bits of Sex and Zen & A Bullet in the Head (1996) and Hollywood East (2000)--the two best known tomes on Hong Kong films of the twentieth century. Neither has ever been released in digital format, so author Stefan Hammond crashed together the two books and added more insight...and more film reviews. The result is the most comprehensive encyclopedia of Hong Kong film available anywhere.

The Cosplay Handbook is full of techniques, and tips for everyone interested in cosplay! Learn how to create your own patterns, costumes, props, photoshoots, and more.

Foamsmith 2 empowers you to create impressive, light-weight, durable foam weapon props.--back cover.

This look at the colorful and complex history of cosplay and fandom fashion examines the relationship between franchises and the cosplayers they inspire and the technology that helps bring the details of costumes to life.