The term cosplay is a mash-up of two English words, “costume” and “play”. Coined by a Japanese reporter when he saw the dress-up act at a convention on the West Coast in 1984, it stuck ever since, and is now a subculture and worldwide phenomenon. Fans of Japanese animation and graphic novels (anime and manga), video games, and sci-fi are immersed in a simulacrum of the world of fantasy. People of varied ages, (the majority of them women) participate as costumers in annual convention gatherings across the globe, constructing and wearing outfits that emulate their favorite fantasy characters. Ordinary crafters transform themselves into other beings, becoming celebrities who pose for photographs and sign their stage names for fans. Their dedication and attention to detail in some cases is truly immaculate. Inspired by the colors, framing, and surroundings pictured in Japanese animation and comic books, I create a world that the viewer feels a certain pull towards. At the same time, I do not want them to lose track of the object itself. All of my models are friends that I have met while participating in this scene for over 8 years. I have either collaborated or worn a matching costume with most of them at some point or another in time. Like myself, they have sewn and crafted all of their outfits. Cosplayers have created their own fantasy world, and now proceed to live in it.