Cosplay (costume play), is a way of expression in which participants use costumes and accessories to represent their favorite characters, usually from manga, anime or video games. Cosplay has followers all over the world and Latin America is not the exception.

The passion of its followers (Cosplayers) is reflected not only in their elaborate costumes, but also in their interest in promoting Cosplay and to share their own adventures through personal blogs, Facebook, Flickr and Twitter.

Cosplay goes beyond dressing up in a costume. In the website Imperio Anime [es] from Costa Rica, Miroku explains what Cosplay is [es] and what it entails, clarifying:

Aunque no todo es vestirse; no. No se puede olvidar la parte ‘play’ de CosPLAY.

Gran parte de todo esto es pretender ser ese personaje al que se esté interpretando. Esto también es muy importante, además de divertido. Aunque solamente sea para una foto, o durante todo el evento o fiesta, o incluso para alguna dramatización; sin olvidar lo entretenido que puede resultar.

But it's not just about dressing up; no. We cannot forget the “play” part of CosPLAY.

A big part of all this is to pretend to be the character that is being performed. This also is very important, besides being fun. Even if it is just for a photo, or during all the event or party, or even for just a dramatization; without forgetting how fun it can be.

The blog Cosplay Ecuador Elite [es] promotes Cosplay and interviews cosplayers from all over the world. The author has interviewed cosplayers from Italy, France, Mexico, Argentina, Panama, Peru and Chile, among others. In these interviews one can learn more about the concept, the work involved, the motivation of the cosplayers, their family's support and how complicated it becomes to store all those cosplays (costumes) when the collection is increasing.

The blogs and websites dedicated to Cosplay also approach some issues within the community.

In Costa Rica, Crys from the blog Cosplay de Costa Rica [es], wrote last year about the lack of humility that sometimes is shown by some cosplayers:

Ser un cosplayer de calidad, es un trabajo duro y que requiere mucho esfuerzo, nadie lo puede negar, pero últimamente algunos de estos cosplayer han tomado el titulo de *superiores* a otros cosplayer que no son tan buenos o si lo son pero simplemente quieren tratar de hacerse los importantes ante todos.

Being a quality cosplayer, is hard work and it requires a lot of effort, nobody can deny it, but lately there are some cosplayers that have assumed the title of “superiors” to other cosplayers who are not as good or they may be, but simply they want to make themselves more important than everybody else.

However the author clarifies that:

Hay muchos (por dicha son más) que son totalmente diferente; siempre se les ve escribiendo en los foros procurando hacer más emocionante el tiempo de espera de los aficionados que lo leen y anhelan con ansias los eventos, nunca niegan nada a nadie y lo mejor saben dar cumplidos a los otros participantes para así motivarlos más; creo que esa es la actitud que se debe tener ante las personas, que de cierta forma admiran el trabajo que los cosplayer realizan y mostrarce siempre agradecido ante ellos…

Nada Cuesta un Simple Gracias!! o sonreir ante los demas…

There are many (fortunately they are the majority) that are totally different; they are always writing in the forums trying to make the expectation of their followers more exciting and they wait anxiously for the events, they never deny anything to anybody and the best part is that they know to give compliments to other participants in order to motivate them; I think that is the right attitude that must be shown to other people, to those that in some way admire the work that the cosplayers do and always showing gratitude to them…

It is not that hard to give just a Simple Thank You!! or to smile at others…

Through their blogs, some cosplayers share the techniques used to make their costumes. In the blog Panama Cosplay Tutorials [es], the author explains in his posts how he accomplishes some elements in his cosplays. The last entry was for “Dr. Stein from Soul Eater” [es], where it is easy to appreciate the ingenuity used by cosplayers to get the effects that they are looking for. For example, Kohaku (nickname of the blog's author) explains how he built the head of the screw that this character uses:

Para la cabeza del tornillo yo use un plato de corn flakes de mi casa XD porque se ajustaba al tamaño de mi cabeza, les recomiendo que usen algo que no los haga verse desproporcionados, pueden sacarlos de una lamina de cielo raso o foam como les parezca.

For the head of the screw I used a cereal bowl [as a template] from my house XD because the size fit my head, I recommend you use something that doesn't make you look disproportionate, you can build it from a drop ceiling tile or foam, whichever works for you.

Also from Panama, the blogs Konekotan [es] and Alatariel's Cosplay [es] [en] write about Cosplay and publish photos, videos, tips and events.

The blogs Bolivia Cosplay [es] and Myo Blog [es] also share photos that show Cosplay activities and events in Bolivia.