What is Cosplay?

According to dictionary.com, cosplay is the art or practice of wearing costumes to portray characters from fiction, especially from manga, animation, and science fiction.

When Nicholas becomes a member of the Anime/Cosplay Club at his high school, he learns that people have been cosplaying for years, even if he hasn't heard of it. When he starts performing in skits based on various cartoons, he learns that not only must the skit be accurate, but the costumes are accurate as well.

Also, Nicholas learns that many of the cartoons he watches on TV contain missing parents, as most Japanese children lost their parents during world war II. he also discovers that not everyone in the school is into anime, so he takes great pains in hiding his interests from the other students.

The story is mostly about him learning about the different subcultures of Japan, which include cosplay. He also learns to love anime and mangas, both of which seem off limits to non-Japanese people. As he describes his fascination with cosplaying, he learns about himself in the process.

Yet here's another part of the story:

When Nicholas was younger, a few people tried (and failed) to get him interested in Pokemon. (He also refuses to watch the TV show and movies based on the game.) when he voices his objections to his classmates, they scolded him for not being interested in Pokemon and claimed that his parents are beating him because he didn't like Pokemon. (The same thing happened when he expressed his disgust for Harry Potter, but that's another story.)

As I end this blog post, I know that Nicholas will be able to survive in his new school, even if it is resorting to joining a Japanese group.

Cosplay, the Novel

Oddly enough, I'm going for a double hitter this month, which means TWO stories will be featured on this blog. The first story is called "Cosplay! The Novel", where a boy ignores his own heritage and embraces Japanese subculture.

This story might also be interpreted as a warning against cultural appropriation.

To start, Nicholas Blue Prater (yes, his middle name is Blue; don't ask!) moves with his family from Owasso, Oklahoma to Pacific Grove, California in 2003. As he battles the worst of all evils (often called high school), he discovers anime and cosplay via a sympathetic classmate.

That's when most of the trouble begins.

As Nicholas and his new friends explore Japan's many subcultures and attend many anime conventions and festivals, Nicholas unknowingly turns his back on his own heritage (much to his family's chagrin). As well, Nicholas also embraces his inner nerd and discovers role-playing, which makes him a target for the student council (which frowns upon role-playing and anything not having to do with being part of high school).

As he goes about his year in high school, Nicholas discovers the dark side of anime and wonders what his friends are watching on TV. He also discovers that one of his ancestors committed a grievous crime, one that history ignored and tried to bury. He must face his worst fears when his family confronts him about his many interests.

OK, so I haven't finished writing the story, but that's why I have this blog; to help me finish the story. Unfortunately, I don't see this story having a sequel in the near future, but that's for a later post.

Let's get this month started!