# Cosplay and social anxiety



## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

I figured this would be a good spot for this thread.

I'm not sure that there are any fellow cosplayers on this forum, but I figured it would be a good topic. I love cosplaying. It gives me a chance to be creative and showcase my work proudly. It also allows me to portray my favorite characters/characters I am passionate about. When people cosplay, they generally do it at conventions and large public gatherings - not an ideal place for someone with SA.

Normally, when I am in public, my adrenaline is always pumping, heart beating fast, and I feel like everyone is staring at me, ready to start a fight. And 'I'M' always ready to get into a fight also. If a stranger decides to randomly compliment me, despite the friendly approach, I usually ignore them - which invokes a negative sometimes GODKNOWSWHY violent reaction from them! (I live in Brooklyn, go figure) Then, sometimes I DO reply, and I end up being the nasty one. My favorite one: 
-_points at my lip rings_- "did that hurt?" (I heard this A BILLION TIMES). 
I usually reply in a very snark manner saying things like "Oh, I don't know, how would you feel if metal was shoved through your mouth", or "First tell me if the ocean is wet".

When I'm in a convention, and only when I'm at conventions, my SA seems to curb a little. I don't know if it's because people are kind and appreciative of my craftsmanship (not asking dumb questions), treating me like a celebrity, or simply that I am surrounded by nerds, social outcasts, and probably even other people with SA. Cosplaying, I guess you could say, is somewhat of a relief for me, and it allows me to walk around in public feeling confident! I was even brave enough to do an -accurate- Cammy cosplay (yeah, I treaded those waters):blush

Convention visits while dressed up aren't always perfect though. The "relief" I guess you could say, is temporary. After a few hours, I become overwhelmed. I get snappy at people that want pictures, I try to find non-crowded corners to hide in, and on one occasion, I actually burst into tears because I couldn't find a secluded area to escape to. Get this. While I was crying, people were _STILL ASKING ME FOR PHOTOS!!_ The nerve of New Yorkers, I tell ya.
[I was dressed as Samus, perhaps people thought I was portraying her cowardice personality in Other M (((still raging over that game)))]

This year at Comic con, I plan to only dress up two of the three days, and not stay as long. Hopefully that should prevent mishaps and bad episodes.

Anyone else have experiences cosplaying where SA either ruined your experience, or rather granted you a moment to shine out of it?


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## Glacial (Jun 16, 2010)

I went for the first time last summer. We went as L and Lyte from Death Note. I would say SA is not as strong in these types of environments because you are, in a sense, assuming an alternate role. Also, everyone else at these types of events are usually dressed really outrageous...there is no "norm."


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## mezzoforte (May 16, 2010)

Lol, I'm the same way. My SA decreases like 50% at cons.
But I still get a little nervous when people want to take my photo.


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## oreily85 (Dec 5, 2010)

Zadra said:


> Then, sometimes I DO reply, and I end up being the nasty one. My favorite one:
> -_points at my lip rings_- "did that hurt?" (I heard this A BILLION TIMES).
> I usually reply in a very snark manner saying things like "Oh, I don't know, how would you feel if metal was shoved through your mouth", or "First tell me if the ocean is wet".


Why do you be mean? YOU may have heard the question a billion times, but its the first time this particular person has asked it. Its human nature to wonder such things! 

Its not hard to say "Yep, sure did!" or "Nah, not like you would expect"

Sorry if Im appearing nasty, I dont intend to be. Its just that I imagined being the person who asked and getting that reaction.


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## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

Quite frankly, you wouldn't understand. My outlook on public and society is crude and negative. When people ask me something like that, it angers me to be bombarded with such ignorance (in that, asking a question which they already know the answer to) its a defense mechanism that I adhere to my personality to let people know that I am NOT interested in interacting with them. 

It was probably easy for you to imagine being the one asking the question, but not so much being in my place. Having thousands of ugly mouths repeating that same ignorantly scripted line. They know the answer, what they are really trying to do, is strike up a conversation because they find me compelling, and my lip rings are the easiest way. I shun it, and I do not want it.

Plus, I can't help being mean to people. No one believes me when I say I can't help it, because I really can't. I even come off mean when I'm not trying to be.


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## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

mezzoforte said:


> Lol, I'm the same way. My SA decreases like 50% at cons.
> But I still get a little nervous when people want to take my photo.


I get nervous because I feel like I have to come up with a cool pose in like .5 seconds. And sometimes posing for one camera results in being surrounded by 6 others. Meaning if you are trying to hold a difficult pose (ie: kicking in the air) you have to hold it. Otherwise people are going to snap pictures of you letting your leg down, most likely with a stupid face. Then the pictures will end up online somewhere. I've found some really crummy candids of myself :afr


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## LALoner (Dec 3, 2008)

Cosplay is fine by me.


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## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

It depends. It depends.... Don't make me post cosplay failures :lol

But hell when it's done right, even I question my sexual orientation....


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## MindOverMood (Dec 12, 2009)

Sign me up for one of these cosplays

















































Sorry for all the pics, but I did it for the guys and maybe some of the girls:teeth


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## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

Sorry, these are going to be huge, but they deserve to be viewed in detail

This is my all time favorite cosplay, as well as my LIFE envy:


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## LALoner (Dec 3, 2008)

To all cosplayers, Olivia Munn is your God, worship her and despair.


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## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

Eh, I prefer pixel ninja (samus I posted) and Omi Gibson


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## AussiePea (Mar 27, 2007)

Holy crap, that samus outfit is incredible.

As for the being mean thing, problem is, it's going to be increasingly difficult to make friends if you shun every person who tries to make conversation with you, though this may not be a concern to you at all so I dunno.


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## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

Ospi said:


> Holy crap, that samus outfit is incredible.
> 
> As for the being mean thing, problem is, it's going to be increasingly difficult to make friends if you shun every person who tries to make conversation with you, though this may not be a concern to you at all so I dunno.


It isn't really a concern to me. Unlike a lot of people on this forum that want to make friends, I actually don't. I'm content with the few close ones I have, and have no problem shunning others away. I am so picky with my friends, you wouldn't even believe it. The way I see it, large social lives will always lead to drama, stupid high school level love triangles, and distrust. I do however want to change my outlook on society and negative reactions to other people. I live very uncomfortably because of it.


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## Saekon (Jan 13, 2010)

Ospi said:


> Holy crap, that samus outfit is incredible.


Agreed! Cosplayer's not too bad either to be honest.


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## Glacial (Jun 16, 2010)

I do not know about a lot of animes, but Death Note is an absolute masterpiece. Last summer I went as Light from DN...I was dressed just as the character above.


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## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

No offense, I'm not to crazy about deathnote cosplayers. They tend to weeaboo out cons with "free hug" signs and giving the anime demograph a bad image.


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## Glacial (Jun 16, 2010)

It's just that it was my favorite and first series to watch...it's like I couldn't stop watch...the suspense and plot was epic.


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## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

Do you watch anything else besides deathnote? Bleach? Naruto? You do know American programming (cartoon network) has destroyed the image of J-Anime. Only the American cliches are well known, well loved, and popular. Thats why when Tatsunoko vs Capcom came out, no one knew who anyone on the Tatsunoko side was. That was Japan kicking America in the face.

Name him without google:


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## Cheesecake (Feb 2, 2007)

I can't. But he looks like a badass.


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## Crystalline (Dec 1, 2008)

Zadra said:


> Name him without google:


Karas. Good production.

I am not exactly a congoer or cosplayer (I admit some fans tend to freak me out), but I used to watch the more thought-provoking anime or ones with high production values. Studied animation under a guy who used to work for Toei here in Manila. Fun times.

The last one I liked was 5 cm Per Second.


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## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

Crystalline said:


> Karas. Good production.


Brownie points


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## Kuyaz (Aug 2, 2009)

Hm, Legend of Zelda cosplay is nice. Ganondorf seems pretty cool. I've heard he's one of the hardest character costume to get down.










Zadra, did you already choose your character? Have you thought of the Zero suit version of Samus;


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## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

Kuyaz said:


> Zadra, did you already choose your character? Have you thought of the Zero suit version of Samus;


Hah, you kiddin bro?
Check me

BTW, that girl, ugh. I'm not hatin, though I know of her on coscom. She cosplays in the name of Super smash bros. NOT Metroid. I hate when girls do that. I want to beat them. All her pictures: zero suit samus brawl pose:










I hate that generic brawl pose. Pfffffff


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## Kuyaz (Aug 2, 2009)

Zadra said:


> Hah, you kiddin bro?
> Check me
> 
> BTW, that girl, ugh. I'm not hatin, though I know of her on coscom. She cosplays in the name of Super smash bros. NOT Metroid. I hate when girls do that. I want to beat them. All her pictures: zero suit samus brawl pose:
> ...


Hah ha. She got a lot of attention from brawlers after doing a series of the game, "There will be Brawl" I think it was called. I've watched all of it, was disappointed with Ganondorf dying at the end and pondering over why the hell Kirby was made evil. Otherwise it was good.

http://therewillbebrawl.com/episodes.php

But yeah, what's wrong with smash bros? I don't think there's a difference between the two Zamus', they're pretty much the same character.

Lovely pictures by the way.


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## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

I started watching that series. I stopped after a few episodes. It was entertaining though. I can tell they had a better budget as they went along. I loved that King Dedede. I couldn't stop staring at his mouth.

Nothings wrong with smash. I play it quite competitively actually. I just feel like brawl exposed Samus to a new demograph that was completely uncalled for. I liked it better when people still thought she was a robot guy. Then when I wear my zero suit (ZERO MISSION, thankyouverymuch) no one will know who the heck I am. Hah. I did the justin bailey version, too. Now THAT was a real kicker.

Thanks also


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## Kuyaz (Aug 2, 2009)

Zadra said:


> I started watching that series. I stopped after a few episodes. It was entertaining though. I can tell they had a better budget as they went along. I loved that King Dedede. I couldn't stop staring at his mouth.


They had a better budget until they started making the animation, from there onwards it went downhill. The dark humor is what really got me to stick with it, that and Ganondorf's epicness..es.



> Nothings wrong with smash. I play it quite competitively actually. I just feel like brawl exposed Samus to a new demograph that was completely uncalled for. I liked it better when people still thought she was a robot guy. Then when I wear my zero suit (ZERO MISSION, thankyouverymuch) no one will know who the heck I am. Hah. I did the justin bailey version, too. Now THAT was a real kicker.
> 
> Thanks also


Ah, I see what you mean, if that's the case I feel the exact same way for Ganondorf in smash. Some characters really get ****ed over in things like these. How did you get the Justin Bailey's version of Samus down, that seems hard; the most you see of her is just an 8bit sprite.

You play the game competitively, that's nice. Do you go far enough to travel to tournaments? You must've heard of Ray Kalm, no?


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## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

Kuyaz said:


> Ah, I see what you mean, if that's the case I feel the exact same way for Ganondorf in smash. Some characters really get ****ed over in things like these. How did you get the Justin Bailey's version of Samus down, that seems hard; the most you see of her is just an 8bit sprite.


Easy. Like this:









As far as tourneys.... yeah. Haven't heard of the guy you mentioned. Have you however heard of the deadly alliance based in NYC? Wes? Dire? PC Chris(retired I believe) I game with them quite often. Training mostly. I'm pretty good, close to them, but no dice in joining officially. I'm workin on it though. Wes plays a wicked nice power suit Samus, he's training me. I main power suit and second zero suit. I've also mastered the mid-game switch


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## Kuyaz (Aug 2, 2009)

Zadra said:


> Easy. Like this:


Ah. Okay.



> As far as tourneys.... yeah. Haven't heard of the guy you mentioned. Have you however heard of the deadly alliance based in NYC? Wes? Dire? PC Chris(retired I believe) I game with them quite often. Training mostly. I'm pretty good, close to them, but no dice in joining officially. I'm workin on it though. Wes plays a wicked nice power suit Samus, he's training me. I main power suit and second zero suit. I've also mastered the mid-game switch


Yep, I've heard of some of them (that). I hope you're good. Eh, anyone's challenge for the dorf since he's the worst character in the game. Do you get into the technical stuff like match-up ratios and such? The guy I mentioned is myself, boy I thought I'd get some more recognition as the best non-active dorf -.-.

I've heard of Wes. I think there was this one Zamus whom I can't recall.. darn, starts with a S.. he/she is quite good. Sally? And nice, the switch is hard to get down, let alone during a match.


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## AussiePea (Mar 27, 2007)

This girls costumes are so awesome:


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## gilberto (Oct 26, 2006)

Anyone going to Fanime 2011 @ San Jose, Cali ?


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## MindOverMood (Dec 12, 2009)

Zadra said:


> Easy. Like this:


Quoted, just because..


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## Zadra (Jan 14, 2011)

@ Ospi, I know right? Ugh so envious of her talent. She told me about her gravity suit before she uploaded pictures. I **** myself.


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