Growing popularity

Cosplay, which combines the words "costume" and "role play", centers on dressing as characters in animation, comics and computer games. It emerged as a mature subculture first in Japan in the early 1990s and then spread across the world. Cosplay on the Chinese mainland got off to a late start. There were some odd solo shows at some cartoon expos in 1998, but it was not until 2000 that the first formal cosplay contest was held. The trend has grown in recent years partly thanks to China's progress in creativity industries, especially with respect to cartoons and games. Cosplay now appears as a more independent genre at cartoon and game-themed expos. It also frequently features at commercial promotions.

China Daily

(China Daily 07/19/2007 page20)