It is not all Peaches and Cream.

Being the sad girl I am, I spend hours browsing through cosplay communities, looking at photos, looking for inspiration from well known, talented cosplayers. I have seen the beautiful side of cosplay and I have seen the ugly side of cosplay. I know every craft, hobbie, subculture, interest has their downsides like Goths being poseurs, artistic people and Lolitas being pretentious and anime fans being an obsessed otaku. It is the same with cosplay. I can see why many people who don't know what is cosplay, seeing cosplayers as vain, full of vanity and poseurs. Of course I can see where they are getting this from as I look at some cosplayers well known or not and they scream vain. Don't get me wrong, I think many cosplayers are extremely talented and really bring out their characters in photos. I really appreciate that.

I recall the release of the infamous Otacool 2 Cosplayers Worldwide book which Danny Choo and Kotobiyuki have done and how it caused so much scandal all over the internet. Every cosplay community I was on, people complained that the book was full of 'modelplay' not cosplay and questioned why was the book full of hot girls. The arguments were endless. I submitted some of my cosplay photos and I seriously think I must have been the only or one of the very few cosplayers who didn't complain about not being in the book. I know that many people who submitted were amazing and I wouldn't have a chance but I just thought sure why not, if I don't get in, there is always next time. I was actually happy for the people who got into the book as many of them deserved it. Cosplayers took this as blasphemy, giving out that their world has fallen because they weren't chosen to be in the book. I have seen horrible bitch-ness on cosplay blogs by cosplayers themselves saying stuff like, "this cosplayer only got into the book because eh Danny Choo thought she was cute" and "this girl only got in because she like photo manipulated her picture to look like an Ayanami Rei cosplay......" I have seen cosplayers who got into the book, actually respond to these blogs defending themselves. I just know that if any of these cosplayers who weren't chosen to be in Otacool 2 actually did get picked to be in the book they wouldn't be complaining. I sometimes feel I should of said this in some of the blogs but;

1. I don't know the person and I wouldn't randomly comment on somebody else's blog.
2. I avoid drama like the plague. I just stay well away from it. You are better off.

I came across a hatred site saying such mean things about a famous cosplayer who is extremely talented and is very pretty. This site was literally ripping the p*ss out of her. I mean god forbid if any of us got famous and we came across a site of one of us being mutilated. I guess that is what you get for being famous. Not everyone is going to like you and you must be prepared for that. People will always be criticized no matter how good they're at something. They will always be knocked but must be strong to get back up. It is the same with artists who write songs expressing their problems to the world and some people say they are just making it up to get attention. I sometimes feel weird and alittle scared uploading my cosplays and other photos on the World Wide Web, as I know everyone will know what I look like, there could be a day that I will be criticized and people will be talking about me. I sometimes feel, I'm I showing myself off to the world? Then again cosplay is something I really love and I feel if we have a talent in something we shouldn't hide it but show it off. We shouldn't care what people think as there will always be ignorant people out there.

In a way I don't understand people saying in their blogs, that many cosplayers kill to be famous. They just cosplay and upload their photos all over the internet because they think it will get them well known. We all strive to be successful no matter what it is. I really admire artists and cosplayers who have gotten wonderful achievements from their cosplays even if it is a bit of fame or big fame. Cosplay is a lot more then dressing up, it is art and impersonating. They worked hard for it, so they deserve it. It makes me happy to come across talented cosplayers who have achieved little or more of a profession from it and have been asked to attend as guests to many different anime cons. I really think that it is wonderful as it gives people hope to achieve their dreams. Many are ambitious and believe they will accomplish something from this rewarding hobbie. Of course to many, cosplay is for fun because it is and just seen as dressing up at anime cons or just uploading some photos of yourself on the internet. It is seen nothing more then that and that is fine as you can believe what you want. Cosplay has made me an ambitious person as I want to experiment, do many exciting photoshoots and meet interesting people. I feel hobbies are really important as they give a person self worth and self satisfaction. Without hobbies life would be dull and boring. I have tried many different things such as singing, dancing, playing an instrument and they didn't work out. I either didn't have the talent or had no motivation to carry on but with cosplay I have such great motivation to become really good and will hopefully achieve something. I see cosplay like playing an instrument and it is a way how I express myself. I am no longer going to wait for something to happen, I will make it happen.

I love the internet as I have seen elements of the anime/ manga world which fascinates me, have come across so many inspirations and motivation, yet I hate it because I have seen the ugly side of humans, the drama and hatred just over hobbies we enjoy. I can't wait to get my hands on Otacool 2 Cosplayers Worldwide and learn from these talented people.

Keep up the good work and please don't stop. You are motivating many.

Listening to: Nine Inch Nails - Everyday is Exactly the Same