Cosplay is now an integral part of anime conventions in the United States, which have exploded in popularity in the past ten years (from 2000). Anime Boston, held in the Hynes Convention Center, tops out at around 15,000 attendees each year, and as of 2008 was 7th in the country for attendance records. While they still don’t come close to the size of the largest conventions, they are proof that anime, manga, and cosplay are now hugely popular in the United States. Young people hoping to win a costume award at one of these conventions spend just as much time crafting their costumes to perfection as the youth in Japan. Conventions also come complete with hall costume contests, masquerades (plays in which cosplayers act out skits or dances), and other cosplay themed events like dating games and costume creation workshops which help cosplayers to hone specific construction skills.

     The simple answer one could give is, of course, the internet, but there is actually a lot more to it than that!

     I believe that the growth of cosplay in the United States started with the growing popularity of Anime (Japanese Animation) and manga (Japanese comics and graphic novels). Anime and Manga have grown in popularity exponentially in the United States since the 1990's when they were considered somewhat of a niche interest. If you wanted to buy anime or manga in the United States in the early 1990's it usually meant going to a city to find a small store (or small section in a comic book or gaming shop) that only carried a few titles. These titles were usually expensive and thus it was difficult for people to get into the medium when they could not afford it and when not much information was available to make informed decisions before buying a new title. Also, translations were often very poor, and people would often leave the medium before giving it a real chance. While companies that imported anime often made efforts to effectively translate, there often wasn't enough funding for them to spend a lot of time on a title. An example of very poor translation and altered plot for Western audiences was Sailor Moon, which lost much of its original content when sent to the US in the mid 1990's.

     In 1997 a major television network known as Cartoon Network began airing a block of television programming known as Toonami. Toonami was a place where they aired many Anime television shows and this is where a lot of the current generation of anime fans first saw Anime. Series like Cowboy Beebop, Outlaw Star, Tenchi Muyo, Gundam Wing, and Dragon Ball Z were among the first they aired with English Voice Dubbing (also known as voice-over, and used rather than subtitles to be read at the bottom of the screen). Cowboy Beebop, in particular, made anime extremely popular and soon companies began seeking out more anime series and films to import to the US. A nice consequence of this was that more time was being put into translation, voice acting and accurate sub-title placement so that films and shows were coming to the US truer to their original form. As Anime gained popularity, so did Anime Conventions. Anime Boston, which I have attended many times and got me interested in cosplay in the first place, started out as a very small convention and has now grown to over 16,000 attendees each year. They host tons of wonderful events like the Masquerade, Karaoke Contest, Anime Music Video Contest, Costume Contests and other anime-themed events.

      "Anime Boston 2003 was held at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel on the weekend of April 18th through 20th, 2003. It was the result of eighteen months of planning by The New England Anime Society, Inc., a non-profit organization founded with the purpose of staging Boston's first all-anime convention. (they had 4,110 people attend their first year).  The first plans for Anime Boston came along in October 2001. At that time, there was a clear need for some sort of anime event in the Boston area, but nobody had taken the initiative to hold one. There had been a couple small conventions in New England, but anime fans still had to travel to Maryland to find a convention with more than a few hundred people. Adam Ferraro and Patrick Delahanty started working together to gather a team to make it happen in The Hub." - (from their website. www.animeboston.com)

     As anime conventions grew, so did the interest in other anime-related subculture aspects like cosplay, music from anime, and Japanese video games inspired by Anime. Consumption of anime and anime-related products grew exponentially and I have read in many unofficial reports that the US now accounts for a substantial chunk of profits for companies back in Japan producing anime. Books like Fruits and Fresh Fruits which showcase fashion photography (as well as some cosplay photography) from Japan are now hugely successful in the United States, as are many books that are cosplay related.

  

Anime Conventions are something that most US cosplayers look forward to every year. It often forms the basis of costuming plans and adventures, and the source of social networks abound. Indeed, I got most of my interviews at cosplay conventions, and many of the cosplayers I interviewed agreed that conventions are often the main reason that they cosplay. Also, conventions in the US are "fun!" Participants all over the US describe them as fun, laid back events where they can see panels, compete in costume events, and hang out with friends who love anime, manga and, of course, cosplay.

Conventions vary a lot in the United States (mostly due to size and region) but there are a few things that have become "staple" fare to expect when you attend an event in the US.

 First - The Masquerade: a variety show that combines elements of costuming, writing and performing to allow cosplayers an outlet to express themselves as their characters. This event design originally came from science fiction conventions, which had been using masquerades as both competition and performance fun since the 1980's. Often there is a competition element to it that is divided into categories based on Novice to Mastery level experience. The Masquerade usually consists of short skits written by participants, costume parades and/or walk-ons where cosplayers showcase their creations. The Masquerade is a fun and wonderful event to see. It's great to see cosplayers put so much effort and passion into their costumes and skits, and to see how much fun the audience has as well! At Anime Boston the Masquerade Event room packs to overflowing each year as the Masquerade is by and far the most popular event.
 
Second - The Costume Contest: It encourages cosplayers to reach for the stars and make the best costume they can, but it also allows other cosplayers to really enjoy each others creations and get advice on their own projects in progress. Costume contests are sometimes not just a part of the masquerade, but also a "hall costume contest" that takes place informally throughout the day at scheduled times. Winners are often announced after the Masquerade during the award ceremonies (depending on the convention).

 Third - The Dealers Room: This is the room where Japan-related or Anime/Manga-related goods are sold by vendors from around the US and sometimes from Japan as well. Common booths include Manga and Anime DVD sales, custom art, figures, video games and other character-based goods. Another extremely popular purchase of con-goers are Japanese snacks and candies like Pocky, a chocolate covered biscuit snack that has become staple anime convention fare.

 Fourth - The Artists Alley: The artists alley showcases professional and amateur artists in galleries and booths which allow them to both display and sell their works. Many web-comic artists and comic artists have gained a lot of exposure through these events.
 
 Fifth - Panels: Industry Panels and Fan Panels form the backbone of most anime conventions schedules. They are discussion or presentation-based time slots in which the industry, fans and attendees can talk about anything that's anime, manga or cosplay related. Topics can range from a discussion of characters in a series to costume design tips to the use of genres and themes (like science fiction or steampunk) in Anime and Manga.

 Sixth: Anime Viewing Rooms/Theaters: because what anime convention would be complete without the watching of anime!?!

     Anime Music Video contests have become a staple part of anime conventions. The idea of putting clips together to create a music video seemed like a natural result of all the youtube and other video interaction going on through the internet, but what a lot of people don't know is that Anime Music Videos are quite the source of controversy! Without any copyright permission to use the clips or songs often used to set the soundtrack of an AMV, creators struggle to keep the medium of expression alive with the argument that since videos are produced for fun, foster development of interest in anime, and are non-profit, that they should be allowed to endure. International opinions differ on this matter in many ways, but hopefully Anime Music Videos are here to stay for a while! I really enjoy watching the new and innovative creations people have made!
     There are many different kinds of Anime Music Videos. Some reflect an aspect of plot or character development from the anime, while others invent new mini plots or stories to be told by arranging the clips in creative ways and with soundtracks that do not fit the original creation's tone or theme. Below I have included a playlist with some of my favorite AMVs. Please enjoy and support the creators of each video by commenting and favoriting! (If you are the creator of any of the below videos please note that I have included them for informational, non-profit purposes and that I wish to support the medium by broadcasting this youtube playlist here on my site.
 If you would like your video removed then please email me.)

     In my thesis I argue, and furthermore personally believe, that any subcultural movement should be valued in its own right, and comparison to the "original" subcultural movement is sometimes done in unethical ways without consideration to those who value their cosplay efforts and expression. Many people have said that American cosplay is not "real" or that it is "poorly done" This kind of comparison is unethical, and therefore I have chosen not to use research from sources that make value judgments on cosplay. Academic Research should not place value judgments within published academic analysis or thesis text, and anthropologists make efforts to be as objective as possible. Although it is difficult to be 100% objective, and it is often okay to allow your passion for a subject to fuel your research, efforts must be made to follow pre-established codes of ethics within one's discipline. (I follow the American Anthropological Association Code of Ethics as closely as possible at all times.)

     Please stay tuned as I upload more of my thesis.