# Cosplay

- Term: General term
- Date: 1983
- Canonical: https://www.lanternhall.org/lexicon/cosplay/

> Dressing as a specific character from fiction, games, comics or anime, often with elaborate handmade costumes and performance. A fixture of Gen Con, Dragon Con and every major fan gathering.

Dressing as a specific character from fiction, games, comics or anime, often with elaborate handmade costumes and performance. A fixture of Gen Con, Dragon Con and every major fan gathering.

**Origin:** The Japanese word kosupure, from costume play, was coined by Nobuyuki Takahashi in 1983; fan costuming itself dates to the first World Science Fiction Convention in 1939.

## Quick answers

**What does "Cosplay" mean?**
Dressing as a specific character from fiction, games, comics or anime, often with elaborate handmade costumes and performance. A fixture of Gen Con, Dragon Con and every major fan gathering.

**Where does the term "Cosplay" come from?**
The Japanese word kosupure, from costume play, was coined by Nobuyuki Takahashi in 1983; fan costuming itself dates to the first World Science Fiction Convention in 1939.

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From The Lantern Hall (https://www.lanternhall.org/), a museum of fantasy literature and roleplaying games.