Exactly what I did for my first cosplay, though I will never admit it in person. I just didn't want to do this scary thing by myself, so I joined a group and said I'd do whoever. It was a popular character that I only knew through youtube and what others said.
Still, I had fun and now I cosplay whoever the hell I want.

I don't mind if they're cosplaying a character they don't know because the whole group is doing it...then it's usually fine, since everyone is excited about it and maybe they really like the character's design or are a good fit.

It can be a bit of a bummer if you see someone from a series and say a catch phrase or whatever that anyone who is familiar with it would have understood, only for the person cosplaying it to be dumbfounded.

>>1923335
THIS 100 TIMES OVER

A friends first cosplay was Rikku about two years ago without ever playing a Final Fantasy. I looked past the no wig, flip flops, etc... it was just eh that I got asked for poses. So I left her with a creepy photographer in line xD Justice was served.

I don't encourage it, but whatever, as long as it's not me.

>>1923335
Agreed. ;______;

I think it's fine when the person is going to a con with a cosplay group and all, but I feel kinda awkward when someone just comes up and ask me "hey, who can I cosplay?" knowing that person won't even watch the series/play the game EVEN if they like the character.

But if there's something I REALLY don't like is when people cosplay characters from series/games THAT ARE NOT EVEN OUT YET.

I'm looking at you, Lightnings.

>>
It can be a bit of a bummer if you see someone from a series and say a catch phrase or whatever that anyone who is familiar with it would have understood, only for the person cosplaying it to be dumbfounded.

YES.

I go to conventions partly to meet people as nerdy as I am, it's so disappointing when you see someone cosplaying from a show you like and they're really half-hearted about it.

>>1923335
This.
I know many a people who will cosplay something even though they have no idea about the show or game at all, and try to act like they do to my face, but clearly have no clue. It's more of a major bummer when it happens to be one of my favorite shows, and start talking to me about how they're going to cosplay from it and how much they LOVE said show, and I'm like, "Yeah, that's one of my favorite shows, you've never even seen it."

That's when Poser Status comes into play, and I fucking hate them.

>>1923731

THIS.

I hate it.
I absolutely hate it.
If its a group cosplay its okay, you'll catch up on it from your buds, but if you just do it because its popular, just die.

I saw a Lucas cosplayer, and said "TONDA GOSSA!" and they didn't even fucking know. They had the most clueless look on their face. Cosplayed it because "LUCAS AND NESS FROM BRAWL ARE YAOI ^.^".

I have been through the same kind of. I was at a con and they were playing music from a very rare game. Most of the fan base is in japan and I asked them 2 questions and if they liked that game too, but all I got was weird stares and ignorance.

Can't fuckin' stand that shit. I mean, I know it's a convention and hey, cosplaying at a convention is a lot of fun. But if you don't have anybody you want to cosplay as, don't randomly choose the most skimpiest outfit you saw all the nerds on /a/ fap over. Not saying skimpy outfits are bad, but it's one thing when the girl knows who the character is then the girl who decides to wear it SOLELY because of how much tit is popping out.

>>1923920
this fucking pisses me off! I would have yelled back at you so loud, I would have turned heads.
Your goddamn right it's a self post

>>1923950
nice rope snake there.

>>1923967
thank you

>How does /cgl/ feel about people cosplaying from series they've never read/watched/played?

Its purpose defeating.

I myself have never ever thought about doing a cosplay of a character from a franchise I'm not interested in.

As long as someone knows enough about the character to replicate the costume, pull of appropriate poses, and carry themselves as that character would... who the hell cares? This is a visual art. If you're butthurt because your fanboy self can't have a conversation with them about the fandom, that's your problem, not theirs.

Cosplaying from games and movies that haven't come out yet, now that's a tricky one. If it's something that's newly announced and still in the concept stages and they go and pull their costume idea from there, that's a little risky on their part. Why? Well, the costume could change, the character could change, etc. But if there are designer interviews about the character, dozens of articles and writeups, demos, trailers, and the cosplayer has gotten their hands on every available bit of information.... I don't see a problem with it. At that point, they can carry out everything needed for the cosplay AND have a fan conversation with your nerdy ass.

Bottom line, though, none of us have the right to tell anyone what they can cosplay or why they need to be doing it. Sorry if you hate it - their reasons are theirs alone, and if the costume is well executed, there's really no reason for you to get your panties in such a twist over it. Some people cosplay because they like costume creation and are drawn to the character designs. Some people do it for popularity, to be part of the community, and could care less about the character, in all truth. Then there are some that jump the gun and cosplay from unreleased moves/games/anime because they're so excited about the character that they just can't bring themselves to wait another year. Oh well, nothing you can do.

What if your girlfriend made it for you?

>>1923994
If you like the costume, wear it. Who the hell cares what /cgl/ thinks? Place is full of sandy vaginas and jealous fatties, so consider their opinions null and void.

I've done that once. My brother and his friends were doing a Fruits Basket cosplay for a con, and while I wanted to be a part of his group (he'd invited me down for the con, and I felt it would be a little awkward if I cosplayed something completely different from the group), I hadn't seen the show. So I marathoned it one night mostly to learn about my character (Momiji) and find any funny little things I could do.

>>1923335
IAWTC

I think it's annoying because I see cosplay as something you do to express how much you like the character/show you're cosplaying from.

>>1923981
THIS.

I personally wouldnt cosplay a character Im not familar with but if other people do...well who is to stop them?

>>1924005
No one ever said "they were going to stop them", we are just discussing how lame it is.

They took the effort to read wiki and watch videos? That is far more than some people do OP.

Honestly, if they learn as much about the character as possible, it kinda makes up for not actually watching the show/playing the game. I mean you have to put in a bunch of effort and learn the catch phrases, other characters of importance in the show/game, poses, and the general personality of the character, but if you don't have the money for the DvDs/Game, but love the character itself, why not do a cosplay?

>>1923920

Ugh. I made a comment to a Ness once, I don't even know what about, probably something about Orange Kid calling him with random shit and he's like "Whaa?" and I'm like "You know, ORANGE KID, from EarthBound!" and they're like "Oh yeah I'm just Brawl Ness."

FUCK "BRAWL" COSPLAYERS, FE CHARACTERS INCLUDED.

In fact, EarthBound's a classic, everyone should have played that anyway.

>>1924654

*Apple Kid

There was a Lupin III at Anime Boston who didn't know who Jigen was...dear god I wish I was making that up

>>1923974
My favorite Earthbound cosplay story was when I did a Happy-Happist for new york comic con. I was talking with my roommate while I was making it the night before, saying that because of Brawl, there may be Ness cosplayers and if they don't know who the Happy-Happist is then they're retarded.
I ended up eating my words when I could only find one Ness there, and he didn't know who I was cosplaying and was mentally handicapped

>>1924654
I hate this because I cosplay Ike and I get the feeling that people think that I just cosplayed him because he was in Brawl.

Though I do say that Brawl did help with figuring out what the hell was going on with the extra flaps on his bum.

>>1923333
Eh, it's stupid if it's just someone trying to cosplay what's popular. Sometimes, I cosplay things that I like because the outfit is fucking badass or sexy. But usually, I'll try to find what it's from, and get into it to learn the character and all that.

And that's why I cosplay them too, especially if it's obscure and amazing. This metro, so many people asked what I was cosplayed from, and I had the amazing oppertunity to tell them to look up the movie on youtube, so I hope they do that. Cause it'sa bitchin' movie.

However, in a case where someone's just cosplaying something like Dante or Cloud when they never played the games, or whatever? Its retarded. But if it makes them happy, whatever works.

>>1924662

That's disappointing @ Lupin III, and also at the Ness too. I'm surprised there was only one Ness! But oh man, you were a Happy-Happyist? That would have been cool to run into, it's always a treat when people cosplay uncommon things :)

Several years ago, I cosplayed Viewtiful Joe.

Someone asked me to do his catch phrase.

I couldn't.

Let that be a lesson to you.

>>1924675
This. I've got some great refs from Brawl.

My bf loves Fire Emblem, and he was so happy to hear Ike was going to be in Brawl, but he's worried that people are just going to assume he's a Brawl cosplayer and rage at him when he "has the wrong sword". (He wants to do the Regal sword instead of Ragnell)

>>1924713
Honestly that would be more accurate since you don't even get Ragnell until after the class change. Not that Brawl players know that...

My opinion on it is that I don't like it... but can't stop people so I let it go.

I was asked to be Rob Lucci in a One Piece group so three months before the con I started watching the show while I made the costume off of reference pictures I looked up. I read his wiki and marathoned the show and just managed to catch up to Enies Lobby the weekend before the con... while making the costumes for the rest of the group at the same time.

I agree that it's sad to walk up to someone cosplaying a character you love and try to start up a conversation and they're like "LOL I DUNNO, JUST THOUGHT THE OUTFIT WAS CUTE", but it's their business.

What I HATE HATE HATE is when people jump on bandwagons. I met a girl who cosplayed Haruhi and had learned the dance but hadn't watched the show at all. She only cosplayed it because it was "easy and everyone knows what I am".

Tl;Dr: Cosplay what you want, if you haven't seen it but like the outfit I'd like it if you at least wiki'd and searched on Youtube for a little bit about the character, but you don't have to be like me and watch 300 episodes of an anime in rapid fire to know what you're doing.

>>1924740

Where the hell did that come from? That's my cousin, yo. I shit you not.

>>1924654
THIS.
TOO many girls cosplay Marth because he's a lolgay princess.
They never played fire emblem or know the background.

>>1924762

cosplaying a character is like wearing a T-shirt that says " (franchise name here) IS MY MOST FAVORITE SHOW/GAME I'VE EVER WATCHED/PLAYED IN THE WORLD" and then not actually having played/watched it.

>>1923335
Back at Fanime, I saw someone cosplaying Hikaru Sulu from the new movie and I pointed at him and said, "Hey, Hikaru Sulu!" The guy just gave me a blank awkward stare and his friend next to him told him, "Just say yes."

>>1923731
Except that there's enough info out about FFXIII now to have a grasp on the character's personalities. There's no problem with people doing something based on liking the design as long as they do their research.

>>1923981
Thank you. You are very sensible.

If I see a character design I like, I will try and find out more about the character before I try and cosplay them, because, it might turn out that I don't like the character at all and I wouldn't want to cosplay a character I didn't like.