# I need ideas for...heaven help me...a cosplay **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 22, 2005, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-for-heaven-help-me-a-cosplay/336781 "2005-12-22T10:20:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-for-heaven-help-me-a-cosplay/336781/21 "2005-12-25T08:00:11Z")
I was contemplating putting together a costume for [Cyan](http://discover-net.net/~jasonds/char/cyan/cyan.html) from Final Fantasy VI (III on the SNES). I look sort of like him, except younger. The only problem is his armor is done several different ways, depending on which of the various watercolor illustrations, in-game sprites, or cutscenes from the Anthology disc you look at. Also, it may not be the best choice for a first costume. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-for-heaven-help-me-a-cosplay/336781/22 "2005-12-25T12:45:38Z")
How 'bout a pair of Marduks from _Metropolis_? You can playfully attack anyone cosplaying as an android! 😃 Failing that, how 'bout…[Mugen and Jin](http://www.animevisions.net/Pictures/samuraic/17.jpg)? Icy, stoic super-swordsman and a scruffy, crazy super-swordsman. It’s the original odd couple…only with more whoring and needless manslaughter! ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-for-heaven-help-me-a-cosplay/336781/23 "2005-12-25T16:50:46Z")
> [@Go You Big Red Fire Engine](#): > > \ red hair (I mean RED),\ > [@](#): > > 1. Both characters have to be guys. Hence, we’re not going as Spike and Ed. Ranma-chan’s identifies as male, no matter what body she’s in. Does that count? 😛 But really, howsabout [Duo and Heero](http://www.geocities.com/ray_gundam_wing/images/duo_heero.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-for-heaven-help-me-a-cosplay/336781/24 "2005-12-25T18:09:33Z")
I second the Lina costume for Go You Big Red. [http://inverse.org/](http://inverse.org/) ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-for-heaven-help-me-a-cosplay/336781/25 "2005-12-25T18:22:17Z")
Okay, I’m guessing that “cosplay” combines the words “costume” and “play”. Why the Hell don’t people just say “I’m wearing a costume and going in character”? Is it one of those bits of superfluous jargon made up to establish who’s in the special club? Two guys? How about Gilgamesh and Enkidu? ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-for-heaven-help-me-a-cosplay/336781/26 "2005-12-25T18:24:40Z")
Wait a minute – does it have to be characters from one of those Japanese cartoons? If so, I’m no help at all. Sorry 'bout that. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-for-heaven-help-me-a-cosplay/336781/27 "2005-12-25T20:13:48Z")
It’s got to be one of those japanese cartoons. And the affectation is japanese in origin, as is the sport. You see, the japanese abbreviate things by taking syllables out of them. Thus, Pocket Monster becomes Poke Mon. Costume Roleplay becomes Cos Play. Of course it’s a little silly, but so is everything we do in life. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2005, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-for-heaven-help-me-a-cosplay/336781/28 "2005-12-26T05:29:19Z")
Perhaps some inspiration can be found in seeing what others have dressed up as. The photo pages are technically work-safe, but I wouldn’t want to have to explain them to my boss. Here are photos from the 2005 Tokyo Game Show. Most of them are female, but there are a bunch of male costumes in the mix. Part 1: [http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/photospecials/graph/050917cosplay/index.html](http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/photospecials/graph/050917cosplay/index.html) Part 2: [http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/photospecials/graph/050919cosplay/](http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/photospecials/graph/050919cosplay/) Plus the Mainichi News’ photo special on the World Cosplay Summit 2005 at Aichi. Again, mostly female with a few male contestants. [http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/photospecials/graph/wcs2005/](http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/photospecials/graph/wcs2005/) Again from the Mainichi, more photos from the World Cosplay Summit: [http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/photospecials/graph/0704cosplay/](http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/photospecials/graph/0704cosplay/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-for-heaven-help-me-a-cosplay/336781.md?page=1)