What is Cosplay?
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, cosplay is "the activity or practice of dressing up as a character from a work of fiction (such as a comic book, video game, or television show) In cosplay, a good costume is as much about creativity with materials and construction as it is about the outcome." People who cosplay can either make their own costume or commission a costume from a creator. Cosplay costumes can be constructed to be true to the original design of the character they are cosplaying as or be modified, usually on a recognizable theme. Cosplay can also be gender-bent, where the original costume and character are of one gender and the cosplayer chooses to "bend" their cosplay to suit a different gender.
Featured Program
Learn how to participate in Cosplay on Display 2023!
The Cosplay on Display program was started in 2022 as a sister program to the Graphic Novel Making Contest and celebrates the creative design and fashion that is cosplay.
View Past Entries: Submissions are available online through Biblioboard.
Find San Jose Public Library staff out in the wild at Fanime during the Memorial Weekend and learn about our summer programming.
Have questions or curiosities about Cosplay on Display? Email an SJPL staff member at graphicnovels@sjlibrary.org