Bold young Thais are eagerly mutating into cartoon characters, creepy creatures, sexy superheroes and other imaginative beings while primping, preening and exposing themselves in public to gawking pedestrians and fans.
A young man covers his head with a fake, cardboard TV and pretends to be a living robot while wandering in front of MBK shopping mall hoping for positive attention. A group of girls in fluffy white aprons and red dresses display themselves in a doll-like chorus line, while grinning spectators watch in awe.
Some dye their hair a luminous color, or wear a wig in lime green or bright purple. Many Thai cosplayers opt for a sweetly cute appearance – or as sexy as their inhibitions allow – but others enjoy becoming scary monsters.
They combine moody gothic and aggressive punk styles, complete with dog chain necklaces and studded black jackets. Others apply thick makeup for a vampire or zombie look.
A handful of young men express their morbid urges by wearing military camouflage or a gas mask, sometimes brandishing plastic assault rifles. Thrill-seeking girls also wield weapons, such as a long plastic sword or an amusingly gigantic toy chainsaw.
Wherever these “cosplay” fans gather in Bangkok and elsewhere in Thailand, they strut, flaunt and love to be endlessly photographed while silently standing in classic, retro-Hollywood publicity portrait poses.
Cosplay began in Japan and is an English-language scrunching of the words “costume” and “playing.” Purists prefer to look like the famous fictional characters in Japanese “manga” comic books, pulp novels and science-fiction tales. But cosplay has evolved.
Traditional cosplay trends from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and other foreign countries now share the stage with Thailand’s unique creations. Today, it can also include copying the theatrical look of any popular cartoon character, video game character or celebrity, or cosplayers may invent their own vivid identities.
The cliché “good, clean fun” best describes most of Bangkok’s public cosplay activity in the street and at contests scheduled throughout the year at various venues.
You can become a mix of various humans or beasts, while juxtaposing bizarrely baroque and silly surreal fashion concepts.
Parents, who may initially worry about their spawn warping into a schizoid cosplay teen, often succumb to the fun and end up helping to pay for the clothes and other items involved, which can cost thousands of baht for a stunning, convincing visual persona. Dr. Chantima Ongkosit, a psychiatrist and chairman of Bangkok’s Manarom Hospital, said in a 2007 interview that cosplaying can be healthy for youngsters because it can strengthen their autonomy, allow them to express their imagination and explore their individuality. Pretending and role-playing can relieve stress while permitting youth to rebel in a nonviolent way. Cosplay events also allow enthusiasts to meet others who share their creative hobby.
One of the best places to see cosplay activity is in front of MBK shopping mall, where 100 or more teenagers and young adults occasionally vogue. At scheduled times, live bands play on an outdoor stage in front of MBK while vendors at makeshift stalls sell food and cosplay accessories, stickers and souvenirs. Japanese companies, including study-in-Japan programs, sponsor these and other cosplay gatherings and contests which are staged at Siam Paragon, CentralWorld and elsewhere.
Information about the Thai cosplay scene including more pictures, locations and events, is available at the following links:
The Bangkok Cosplay Community (Thai language)
Cosplay events in Bangkok (Thai language)
Cosmode Thailand: Costume Mode magazine
COSCOM Thailand Cosplay & Comic
https://www.facebook.com/CoscomTH
Cosplay events in Southeast Asia
Finally, WorldCosplay.net is the closest thing to a cosplay authority, and the Tokyo-based organization maintains a list of traditional cosplay characters’
names, and how they should appear.
