Why did I stop Cosplaying? I am finally done with this hobby.

I am Aira Fujiyuki, a cosplay blogger sharing my thoughts about my decision on quitting cosplay. Cosplay is a fun hobby but now, the community turns to a cyber warzone filled with creeps.

I admit that Cosplay is a wonderful form of art. The problem is that body standards are ruining the fun. Toxic community is an addition.

In this blog, I am sharing my reasons for quitting cosplay. Please be reminded that most of the things I write in this blog are proven with expert-backed research or thesis I found on Google scholar. 

Toxic Community

In my previous I blog, I already mentioned that the cosplay community is very toxic. It includes pedophiles, groomers, and other creepy people. It is disgusting in my own opinion. 

In the convention venues, losing an item because someone stole it is common in the community. People are committing real crimes in the community for their own advantages.

Lastly, online cosplay groups, especially Facebook ones, turn to online war simulation. Cosplayers are making a “call out post” on Facebook to shame their friends. Cancel culture is also a norm that most cosplayers got cancelled for their wrongdoings instead of forgiving each other. This toxicity in the cosplay community is proven by some expert-written theses.

These kinds of fans and cosplayers may meet at conventions, but interactions can also take place in public online spaces. In its worst form, contact with a wider fan community – or a wider society in general – can culminate in harassment and bullying. So-called ‘trolls’ or ‘haters’ offer harsh criticism on cosplayers’ portrayals and may engage in social media ‘flaming’ practices such as fat-shaming and other insults (Winge 2019, 153; Mountfort, PeirsonSmith and Geczy 2019, 65). Christina Obmann, m.p. (2021). Cosplay is for Everyone? Page 32

Financial Strain

Not just creeps but also the financial strain of this hobby. While cosplay by itself is cheap and affordable, there are some hidden costs in this activity. One of the big examples of it is the cost of transportation just to attend conventions. There are some instances that my expenses in cons exceed the cost of my cosplay.

Attending conventions can trigger my impulsiveness in my finances. Seeing the merchandise of my favorite characters in the cons can be a money shredder for me. Not only the cons but the impulse of buying cosplay materials too. Once I open my online shopping websites that sell cosplay-related stuff, it triggers my impulsive buying behavior.

Priorities

As you can see in my website’s cosplay category page, I did not upload a cosplay blog for too long before this article. The reason behind this is because my priority has shifted from cosplaying to other creative fields.

As I grow older, I am losing my interest in this hobby and becoming more invested in visual arts. Today, I am learning to draw from anatomy to rendering. Sometimes, our interests are shifting, I do not have a choice but to embrace it.

Beauty/Body Standards

Cosplay can be challenging due to the unrealistic beauty standards often perpetuated online. As a cosplayer who does not fit the traditional mold, I have faced criticism and pressure related to my appearance.

I am a boy cosplayer that does not have a muscular body, I decided to cosplay as “Casual” (Formal clothes instead of the costume with wig) Wanderer from Genshin Impact. I receive many compliments when I post it.

To illustrate the impact of beauty standards, consider this: if I were to cosplay a muscular character like Zoro from One Piece or any Jojo characters with my current physique, the reaction might highlight how deeply these standards affect the community. This underscores the need for greater acceptance and diversity within cosplay.

I dare you to answer this rhetorical question. If Aira Fujiyuki stops cosplaying the Wanderer and starts to cosplay as muscular character, what will be the cosplay body standard will react?

The standards are not limited to body shape but there’s research-proven evidence that cosplay norms are racist and sexist. According to the research, racism and sexism is common in cosplay because of marginalization.

“Studies on race and gender within cosplay and the geek community at large identify that geek culture is a White and male dominated space (Orme 404, 414). As a result of such, women, non-binary, Black, and other non-White geeks experience marginalization within this space.” - BRYAN JENKINS (2020). Popular Culture Studies Journal (Vol 7 No.1) Page 163

Conclusion

The author, Aira Fujiyuki, has quit cosplaying due to the toxicity of the community, financial strain, and beauty/body standards. The cosplay community is filled with creeps, who commit crimes for their own advantages. Online cosplay groups turn into online war simulations, leading to harassment and bullying. The author's priority is shifting from cosplaying to other creative fields, and they are learning to draw from anatomy to rendering. Cosplay can be challenging due to unrealistic beauty standards, and the author has faced criticism and pressure related to their appearance. While cosplay is cheap and affordable, there are hidden costs in attending conventions, such as the cost of transportation and buying cosplay materials. Additionally, attending conventions can trigger impulsive buying behavior, which can be a money-sharer for the author.