2022 has brought cosplay further into the mainstream, with the release of the Cosplay Universe movie helping to introduce the subject to a wider audience. What approach have the filmmakers taken to this look at the Comic-Con sub-culture and how does it fit in with the recent trend for this and other types of popular culture crossing over into different areas?
What Other Forms of Entertainment Have Crossed Over Lately?
The arrival of cosplay on the big screen marks a new phase in the acceptance of this art form alongside more traditional types of pop culture. Of course, cosplay has already made it onto our TV screen, although with mixed results. Heroes of Cosplay ran for a couple of seasons on SyFy but received widespread criticism for allegedly being overly staged and for portraying the community in a negative light.
The idea of types of entertainment crossing over to gain greater mainstream appeal can also be seen in the way the worlds of sports, gaming and entertainment have come together through the likes of streaming and Esports. As with cosplay reaching the TV screen, this has helped the sector to reach a wider audience that might not have come across it otherwise.
We can also look at how card games have gone online to reach a new audience, with an example being the range of online blackjack Canada currently has. Titles such as Lightning Blackjack, Premium Blackjack and Sports Infinite Blackjack show the diversity that now exists in this sector, meaning that it appeals to players who might not have come across this sort of game in the past.
Cosplay Melee is also from the SyFy channel, but it was received more positively by viewers and the cosplay community. This sort of series helps to establish the activity as part of the general TV scene, where it joins other relative newcomers such as cake creation, fashion designs and truck building among the most interesting options.
The Details of the Movie
This movie brings us a close look at the cosplay movement and the conventions like Comic-Con and other events where cosplayers meet, with well-respected figures such as Stan Lee and Yaya Han taking part in it. We also get to see some of the top competitors from the World Cosplay Summit. Presented in a documentary style, Cosplay Universe goes behind the scenes to look at areas such as the psychology involved in carrying out this level of personal transformation.
Framing cosplay as an art and a form of self-expression, the movie lets us see how people use this as a way of finding out more about themselves and different parts of their personality that may have remained hidden without this type of creative outlet.
In addition, the film looks at the community aspect of cosplay and how this sense of belonging may be another factor that attracts people to it. The movie was released in July this year in some American theatres, as well as in Belgium and France, having originally premiered in 2018 at the Culver City Film Festival before disappearing for a few years.
What Next?
It remains to be seen whether this movie leads to a surge in other films and TV shows following the cosplay culture. With over 62% of cosplayers enjoying the process of making their costumes, this hobby has great growth potential as more people discover how enjoyable it is, and although Cosplay Universe is a fairly low-profile release, it could help more newcomers to feel comfortable about getting started.
