Halloween: Costume or Cosplay?

Halloween has come and gone once again. It is said to be many's favorite "holiday" (if it could be called that) as it gives people a reason to dress up. I've personally never been one to dress up for Halloween or in general but this year, I decided to go for it.

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20th Century Boys is one of my favorite manga of all time so I figured it would be pretty awesome to try my hand at the enigmatic antagonist, Tomodachi. Granted, no one had a clue who or what I possibly was but it was enjoyable nonetheless as it was found to be rather unnerving. This leads me to wonder what Halloween has become in terms of what people dress up as. With the advent of anime, manga, and the otaku culture in America, there are sightings of characters from various series, well-known and obscure, alongside the typical scary creatures, girls in revealing wear, and funny personified concepts.

In Japan, Halloween has only recently been celebrated with the pumpkins, monsters, and all that jazz. However, there are many occasions in which the Japanese transform themselves. Harajuku's world-renown bridge that houses the goth-lolitas during the weekend and Akihabara, the otaku mecca of Tokyo, where you'll see many a maids and others cosplaying for the fun of it. Of course, conventions like the gigantic Comiket (spanning over three days fulfilling the needs of doujin fans everywhere), Tokyo Game Show, and smaller more personal get-togethers. With the likes of these making its way over stateside, has Halloween lost its special touch? Perhaps not. One shouldn't be so surprised if they take notice of a costume with a decidedly wacky Japanese flair.

I tried to go for the Jacob's Ladder effect here.