Vkei/Jrock Cosplay

[auroradesu 8]

I didn't really see a topic on this so I thought I would put it out there.  During my years of con going I've seen the amount of cosplayers in the music genre decrease in large numbers every year.  Many times I feel like I might be the only one cosplaying until I see a random Ruki or random Miyavi or in recent years at ACEN a handful of LMC thanks to their attendance.  When I first got into vkei and cosplayer there was so much variety in the bands I saw people dressing as, along with the amount of people dressing up.  For a few years at ACEN I took over running the photoshoot meet ups for us but within a few years the turn out was a handful.

 

Do people still participate in vkei cosplay these days or is it only a handful of us across the nation?  For people that don't cosplay how do you feel when you see other people dressing as these band men?  Any cosplayers that are out there I'd love to see your costumes!  Once I dig up pictures I'll edit my post and put them.

[Biopanda 2675]

I did a terrible indie Mao(from SID) cosplay back at ACen in 2005 or 2006, but I'm not going to post pics because it was pretty bad and embarrassing XD I've been wanting to cosplay again at some point, but just haven't gotten around to it. Not having any cons within a 10 hour drive doesn't really help much either...

[Mike 17]

In the 5 years I've been to ACen, I don't recall ever seeing any JRock/VK cosplayers. I'm sure there were some, but none that ever really caught my eye. It's surprising but then again, not at all. Almost every person I know who watches anime/attends conventions never really go past the opening themes in the animes they watch. Not everyone is like this, but anime was the bridge that led me to JRock/VK. I'm just surprised that it's not at least slightly gaining more popularity. Ugh and this year's ACen was terrible in regards to JRock/VK merchandise. Literally crying because everywhere I looked it was just KPop.

 

I've always considered doing a VK cosplay for ACen, but everything else overshadows it completely and I end up not doing it. Probably the closest thing I've ever done to VK was this:

 

 

Serious fail, but fun nonetheless. 

[TheBistroButcher666 228]

I don't cosplay but I always appreciate good cosplay though. I really dig detail and accurate stuff, whether it's VK, anime, comic books, League of Legends or Game of Thrones. Always cool to see just how detailed people will get.

 

One year I had thought about doing a Kon (La'Mule) cosplay because it wouldn't have been so hard. Just getting a wig and making the net I guess would have been hard.

 

[Gizorz 24]

I don't like cosplay and I think it's especially silly to cosplay a real person as opposed to a character. I'd much rather see someone do their own style than directly copy someone elses, but people should do whatever they want. I don't attend cons either, maybe that has to do with it.

[AlienX 1]

I did a bit when I was 16, but it was just a phase. I don't have a problem with silly teenagers having fun, but in my opinion cosplaying vk after the tumultous teenage years comes off really embarrassing. Donning a few fashionable clothes, like a sleeveless hoodie from SEX POT is okay though. 

 

I might've misinterpreted your original post though. Are you talking about people who cosplay only for specific events or those who walk around the city like Kyo from OBSCURE?

[TheBistroButcher666 228]

Cosplaying as VK bandmen probably has to do with the fact that most VK fans normally were anime fans first. So it doesn't surprise me if the cosplay culture from anime fandom spills over with VK fans. 

[Ikna 1225]

I don't do cosplay (yet... I am planning getting into it) but i admire them. And I really like to see visual kei cosplays. The more "extreme" or visual bads honestly are just inviting to let people cosplay them, especially when their costumes are detailed, complex or fantasy inspired (Sphire-Croid era Rentrer en Soi, anyone?).

I don't think cosplaying as a real person is any more "embarassing" than people cosplaying as actors, movie figures or fictional charcters in general. Adult people too jsut want to have fun sometimes. I am 21 years now and I wish I could go back in time and dress up in a certain way. I don't think this makes me childish or stupid.

Of course people who create their own styles and costumes are even more awesome.
On the con thing: I am living in Austria and we basically have no real "scene" here. We also only have one big manga convention. But by looking how vk's popularity today is it makes sense that there aren't that many cosplayers. At least here in europe visual kei has become "out", in the sense that it isn't as popular as maybe 6 or 7 years ago.

[Gizorz 24]

@Ikna if that was in reply to me, I don't think cosplaying is emberassing, childish or stupid. I just personally find it silly, for me, but I don't judge people who do it.

[hyura 465]

I don't want to discuss the sense or nonsense of cosplaying bands here, but I made my first visual kei cosplay about 8 years ago and still enjoy it. It's a fun hobby, especially if you have a group. (btw! Since Ikna mentioned Austrias cosplay scene: half of my dir en grey group is actually from Austria and they are awesome. So naturally I thought things would be much better there... turns out I'm wrong. depressing.)

Maybe somebody likes to look at some of my costumes. They are far from perfect, but made with lots of love.

 

Shinya from Dir en grey
 

 

Hisui from Madeth gray'll

 

 

Toshiya from Dir en grey

 

Rame from Vidoll

   

[Number Girl 48]

Hyura, those are really awesome pics! The Shinya and Rame ones are stunning.

 

I don't cosplay, but I honestly envy people who have the talent and patience to cosplay well. I only have one friend-of-a-friend/acquaintance who occasionally does J-Rock cosplay. He's been Reita from the Gazette (which looked pretty good) and I've been told he also wants to do a Miyavi cosplay in the future. My other friends are more into anime/video game cosplaying. 

[TheBistroButcher666 228]

I don't think it's childish, especially since Ikna makes a good point that people cosplay actors. That doesn't seem any different than cosplaying a VK bandmen. VK bandmen often times are portraying a character anyway and that's what actors do right? So again I don't think it's weird or silly at all. 

 

Plus it's a good way at a convention to show people, hey I like VK! Come and talk to me about your favourite artists! At least that's another way to look at VK cosplay. A good way to show you like this stuff and hopefully able to meet other fans. 

 

I don't go to the local anime convention we have here in Seattle, so I can't really comment on the state of the "VK scene" in Seattle. Though one year I remember the Jrock panel room had folks ranging from Toshiya cosplay, boring old jeans and a Tshirt (me) and Naruto cosplay. So I wouldn't go so far as to say your local VK/Jrock scene is dead because of low number of cosplayers, there could be number of fans but they're just blending in with the crowd and you don't know it.

 

There used to be a successful Jrock Seattle group that met up monthly but that kinda fell apart. Yet during that time I made the coolest and bestest friends and it was a great way to meet other fans. If you want to meet other fans in your area, why not try hosting a monthly or bi-monthly meet up and see who comes. Maybe you'll meet more people that you didn't know that could be fans.

 

Also it's rad when people come up with their own VK inspired style but it sucks when they're jerks about it.

[hyura 465]

There used to be a successful Jrock Seattle group that met up monthly but that kinda fell apart. Yet during that time I made the coolest and bestest friends and it was a great way to meet other fans. If you want to meet other fans in your area, why not try hosting a monthly or bi-monthly meet up and see who comes. Maybe you'll meet more people that you didn't know that could be fans.

 

There was something like that in my city, too and it was so great. Now somehow most people either became dickhead elitists or moved on to something else. The small VK related meetups on bigger conventions in germany often just boil down to judging everybodies looks. It's really sad but I think I didn't have a jmusic-related conversation with a stranger in about 3 or 4 years. Your comment really makes me wanna go back in time. : (

 

Hyura, those are really awesome pics! The Shinya and Rame ones are stunning.

 

Thank you very much //∇//); I hope I can do another Shinya one in the future~

[TheBistroButcher666 228]

There was something like that in my city, too and it was so great. Now somehow most people either became dickhead elitists or moved on to something else. The small VK related meetups on bigger conventions in germany often just boil down to judging everybodies looks. It's really sad but I think I didn't have a jmusic-related conversation with a stranger in about 3 or 4 years. Your comment really makes me wanna go back in time. : (

Most of us moved on with our lives and it's why the group split up. We still like Japanese music, keep in touch and regularly hang out but our interests have diminished as other new things have come into our lives that take precedence. I guess part of growing up and turning into an old person.

 

Also about people judging, that was the impression I had when I met some Mana fans a few years ago at a convention. I don't care about fashion or having a style but definitely felt some unwelcoming vibes from the Lolitas when I showed up in my boring old jeans and a metal T-shirt. I don't care if other people like fashion, I think it's cool but I don't like it when they look down on us fashionless nerds :C

 

Oh and your cosplay is really good! Work had the images blocked but now I can finally view them, your Hisui cosplay is soooo awesome :U

[hyura 465]

Also about people judging, that was the impression I had when I met some Mana fans a few years ago at a convention. I don't care about fashion or having a style but definitely felt some unwelcoming vibes from the Lolitas when I showed up in my boring old jeans and a metal T-shirt. I don't care if other people like fashion, I think it's cool but I don't like it when they look down on us fashionless nerds :C

 

Yes, exactly that kind of behavior!

I just can't understand this at all. I mean. Liking something very far from the mainstream makes it already hard to find people who share that interest with you. So. If you start judging those peoples looks before talking to them, doesn't it make finding friends extremely hard?

Also. Many people I know who are into 'darker' music genres didn't really fit in(and didn't want to either) with the popular mainstream kids in high school. Then why become just like them?

 

Also thank you very much for your compliment! ;O;

Whenever I wear Hisui nobody knows him. So this might even be the first time. thank you. <3

[Gaz 1097]

I don't want to discuss the sense or nonsense of cosplaying bands here, but I made my first visual kei cosplay about 8 years ago and still enjoy it. It's a fun hobby, especially if you have a group. (btw! Since Ikna mentioned Austrias cosplay scene: half of my dir en grey group is actually from Austria and they are awesome. So naturally I thought things would be much better there... turns out I'm wrong. depressing.)

Maybe somebody likes to look at some of my costumes. They are far from perfect, but made with lots of love.

 

Shinya from Dir en grey

 

 

Hisui from Madeth Gray'll

 

 

Toshiya from Dir en grey

 

Rame from Vidoll

   

holy cow! how did i missed all these pictures? T__T love every single cosplay, you are just fantastic! marry me pls

[hyura 465]

holy cow! how did i missed all these pictures? T__T love every single cosplay, you are just fantastic! marry me pls

 

Thank you! ;O;

I'm very happy you like them.

I'm already engaged D:

[Gaz 1097]

Thank you! ;O;

I'm very happy you like them.

I'm already engaged D:

DDDDD: it's the biggest loss in vk world ever TT__TT

[digi 192]

I've did a shitty low-budget taiheyou belt cosplay before....but we wont discuss that :'D

[lichtlune 915]

I don't want to discuss the sense or nonsense of cosplaying bands here, but I made my first visual kei cosplay about 8 years ago and still enjoy it. It's a fun hobby, especially if you have a group. (btw! Since Ikna mentioned Austrias cosplay scene: half of my dir en grey group is actually from Austria and they are awesome. So naturally I thought things would be much better there... turns out I'm wrong. depressing.)

Maybe somebody likes to look at some of my costumes. They are far from perfect, but made with lots of love.

 

Shinya from Dir en grey

 

 

Hisui from Madeth Gray'll

 

 

Toshiya from Dir en grey

 

Rame from Vidoll

   

holy hell you're beautiful!