Presentation[edit]

The four voice actresses of the Japanese manga/media franchise Milky Holmes reenacting the famous cover of
the Beatles album Abbey Road (1969) during their London visit in 2010

In 2011, four cosplayers imitate the above scene (a meme) during the Manga convention Paris Manga 2012 at
a zebra crossing in Paris

Cosplay may be presented in a number of ways and places. A subset of cosplay culture is centered
on sex appeal, with cosplayers specifically choosing characters known for their attractiveness or
revealing costumes. However, wearing a revealing costume can be a sensitive issue while
appearing in public.[56][57][58] People appearing naked at American science fiction fandom conventions
during the 1970s were so common, a "no costume is no costume" rule was introduced. [59] Some
conventions throughout the United States, such as Phoenix Comicon[60] (now known as Phoenix Fan
Fusion) and Penny Arcade Expo,[61] have also issued rules upon which they reserve the right to ask
attendees to leave or change their costumes if deemed to be inappropriate to a family-friendly
environment or something of a similar nature.
Conventions[edit]

A crowd including many cosplayers at Comiket 84 in 2013

The most popular form of presenting a cosplay publicly is by wearing it to a fan convention. Multiple
conventions dedicated to anime and manga, comics, TV shows, video games, science fiction, and
fantasy may be found all around the world. Cosplay-centered conventions include Cosplay Mania in
the Philippines and EOY Cosplay Festival in Singapore.
The single largest event featuring cosplay is the semiannual doujinshi market, Comic Market
(Comiket), held in Japan during summer and winter. Comiket attracts hundreds of thousands of
manga and anime fans, where thousands of cosplayers congregate on the roof of the exhibition
center. In North America, the highest-attended fan conventions featuring cosplayers are the San
Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic Con held in the United States, and the anime-specific Anime
North in Toronto, Otakon held in Baltimore MD and Anime Expo held in Los Angeles. Europe's
largest event is Japan Expo held in Paris, while the London MCM Expo and the London Super
Comic Convention are the most notable in the UK. Supanova Pop Culture Expo is Australia's biggest
event.
Star Trek conventions have featured cosplay for many decades. These include Destination Star
Trek, a UK convention, and Star Trek Las Vegas, a US convention.
In different comic fairs, "Thematic Areas" are set up where cosplayers can take photos in an
environment that follows that of the game or animation product from which they are taken.
Sometimes the cosplayers are part of the area, playing the role of staff with the task of entertaining
the other visitors. Some examples are the thematic areas dedicated to Star Wars or to Fallout. The
areas are set up by not for profit associations of fans, but in some major fairs it is possible to visit
areas set up directly by the developers of the video games or the producers of the anime.
Photography[edit]

Professional photographers working with Mileena cosplayer for a chroma key studio photoshoot at Space City
Con 2014 in the United States

The appearance of cosplayers at public events makes them a popular draw for photographers. [62] As
this became apparent in the late 1980s, a new variant of cosplay developed in which cosplayers
attended events mainly for the purpose of modeling their characters for still photography rather than
engaging in continuous role play. Rules of etiquette were developed to minimize awkward situations
involving boundaries. Cosplayers pose for photographers and photographers do not press them for
personal contact information or private sessions, follow them out of the area, or take photos without
permission. The rules allow the collaborative relationship between photographers and cosplayers to
continue with the least inconvenience to each other. [63]
Some cosplayers choose to have a professional photographer take high quality images of them in
their costumes posing as the character. Cosplayers and photographers frequently exhibit their work
online and sometimes sell their images.[62]