I was thinking about this the other day:

Do you cosplay because you love anime or do you watch anime because you love cosplay? Same goes for Sci-fi and games. Which is more important to you?

cosplay cause I love anime, there are soo many good anime that you have to admire and take on the role of those characters... its a step up from loving the character on the screen, you can become the character and feel as though your in their anime

LIMEGREENJELLY X

I can't pick one over the other. I didn't know about cosplay at all before I started going to anime conventions, but I liked making clothes and costumes long before I discovered anime.

I see it more as an equal merging of two separate interests.

I think that is a fabulous way of looking at it!

That is a VERY interesting question! Well, I think my love of animé brought me to my very first London Expo, and that is where I gained my love of cosplay. But nowadays I barely watch any animé and a lot of my costumes are from games/movies etc. so... I don't know LOL

It's very similar with me! I can totally relate. Now I'm watching anime more actively, constantly thinking about the cosplays, rather than watching it for the sake of the series.

I like to think it starts off as you watch anime and then you cosplay. Then as you go on if you start to take cosplay more apparently in your life you begin to take a back seat with watching series and I dont think you can blame people for watching something and saying "I wanna cosplay him/her" I guess it just pans like that.

It depends what you define as cosplay, really, in my opinion ^___^

I mean I used to dress up a lot as a child and I guess that meant I was my own original characters. I used to make up stories for myself and all sorts. I didn't realise Pokemon was anime when I used to dress like Kasumi, (similarly I had no idea Astro Boy was anime, or what Escaflowne was even about XD), so does that still count as cosplay? If so, I guess I cosplayed first.

To me, cosplay is a few things:: 1) a way to show appreciation for a title, 2) I love making clothes so making costumes is a bonus!, 3) The social side of it is amazing- I have so many friends!... But if I didn't cosplay I would still love anime, and if I didn't love anime I might still cosplay due to liking video games and comic books and films.

I actually can't pick one over the other because they're either symbiotic, or completely seperate to me :/

I think I definately cosplay first, Anime second.

I mean it used to be "Anime!!!" but now I'm making costumes... well, anime can go to hell except for providing reference pictures.

Nowdays I just want to make cool stuff. If I know the characters then that's just a plus.

Tab

And here i'm the opposite. XD Cosplay to me is all about showing love and paying homage to character...and if their costume is nice then thats a plus. XD That's why I've got to agree with the hand in hand thing...cosplay to me just wouldnt be the same without the anime characters I love. ^^

A bit of both in my case. I like to cosplay characters that I really like but I often watch anime with the intent of cosplaying a character from it.

I must be the odd one out here, cosplay got me into anime!

I was always a gamer and I loved to sew, so when one of my best friends suggested we dress up as video games characters and go to this thing called the London expo I though it sounded like a cool idea!!! (my bank balance disagrees...)

Over the past year of doing this I have started watching more anime and even purchasing the odd manga, which I think is starting to reflect in my costume choices, (I've done 1 anime and am planning another the rest are all games or disney so far)

But a gamer at heart, but I'll never say no to a good anime suggestion!!

I think it's anime that makes me want to cosplay. I always get this little thought in the back of my head reminding me that the slight problem with watching new anime is that I will get even more cosplay ideas even though I have got a few already planned and wont have the time and money to make them all.

There have been times that make me just want to watch an anime just to see how a particular character's costume works or because I like that character. im currently in this position with Air Gear as I really want to start my Akito/Agito cosplay soon

cosplaying for love of anime for me. Cosplaying that particular you like/ love is one of the highest forms of respect for that character in my opinion.

imitation is the best form of flattery i suppose.

That's very interesting! I guess it's a testament to the power of a good character design. ;D The same thing has happened with games for me. I never used to be much of a gamer but now I find I'm playing more and more. 8D

I am also an odd one out - I enjoy cosplay but I don't really enjoy anime (don't hit me!)

I'm not too sure about myself. While gaming was my first love and most of my costumes are games characters, my interest in cosplay came from going to Expo for the first time. It was really only something I'd heard about briefly but really looked like fun. I decided to make something for next one (although saying that most of the work wasn't done by me). It was the start of me being a bit more hardcore into anime (well that and the LAC).

I think the best way to put it is that I'm more about the character than where it came from. As long as I like the character and the series/game I'll want to do a costume.

Like others my love of cosplay came from my love of games. I did get into anime for a long time and cosplayed a few characters from anime, but my love for anime isn't as strong anymore i've gone back to my games haha. But it was the love of anime/games that got me into cosplay I didn't even know how to sew properly but I went out and brought fabric and a sewing machine and I was off lmao.

Without anime I wouldn't cosplay.

That's my opinion anyway, cosplay for me is representing a character or series I love. I mean if I liked a costume of a character then yes every now and then I would watch the series to see if I like the character or not, if it's a sucky series or an annoying character that grinds my gears then despite the costume I just wouldn't cosplay it because I'd have no fun with the costume.

I didn't actually find out about cosplay until some people online were discussing the London Expo in May and Oct 05, it got me interested and have wanted to cosplay since 8D - still anime and manga will always come first.

I cosplay cuz i like cosplay? XD

A little bit from both: I have been known to watch a series or play a game purely because of the costumes and to make costumes from things I've never seen just because they're pretty, equaly I have cosplayed purely for love of a character.

All of my costumes (still need to get uploading them) are from games so i cosplay games because i love games. i dont see it any other way

It's so interesting to see the difference in opinions here! Keep 'em coming guys! 8D

Since I started cosplaying, I've watched less anime. I haven't sat down to watch an anime series for a good few years now and the majority of my cosplays are from video games because of that. The few anime cosplays that I do have planned/completed are from older series.