I am strongly considering rulling any video game cosplays as ineligable for awards.

What do you all think of this? Basically it would bring the focus of cosplay back towards anime, and would stick to our conventions goals of staying as focused on anime as possible. On the other hand I understand that various squaresoft games are very VERY popular amung cosplayers.
On a personal level, I've seen enough KH cosplayers to last me a life time! Sora/Roxas has rediculous pants, and all the Org13 types look like wanna-be trenchcoat mafia punks!

What are the thoughts on this?

I have to say I am against anime cosplay only.
Cosplay should relate to some form o Japanese culture, be it through anime, or games.

Not to mention, wouldn't you be limiting the artists and pretty much saying, if you dont do an anime cosplay, then we wont consider your outfit?

Somehow I am completely against anime only cosplay.

And when did we become for the costume, and not the art?


Now, if we have an anime only, and a game only, I might be able to see it...but still that is really separating it out, and taking away from the art of the cosplay.

If you do anime only,right there you lose a whole crowd of people for following years just because someone decided that video game costume shouldn't be considered cosplay.

The only non-video game costume I have is inuyasha which is way over done at cons,so I wanted to have something orignal,where do I turn? Video games.I may consider not coming if you don't allow video game cosplay in the cosplay contest.

IYG: You can always make a NEW costume!
Also note that this would be for the cosplay contest only, and that you can wear whatever you like in the halls (so long as it is in compliance with local law.)

At anime punch we most definitely do consider cosplay to be an art form, but we have to sufficiently differentiate this from a fashion show. As far as this convention is concerned, the art of cosplay is NOT just the art of making a pretty outfit. It is more about recreating a character, getting in touch with the soul of said character, bringing that character to life. For this reason we have already disallowed non-character entries to be awarded. Schoolgirls, boxes of pocky, goth kids, kogals, office ladies, ninja, samurai, monks, and mikos are all cool, and Japanese, but certainly not characters and therefore not eligible to claim an award at our contest. Similarly, this IS an anime con, so cosplays that are not of Japanese decent are greeted with the same level of discrimination. Johnny Quest, Raven, storm troopers, the green lantern, and klingons are all coo…. well, kind of lame actually, but regardless of their coolness have never been considered appropriate costumes for the cosplay.
The only exception to our Anime focus has been video games. To a certain extent it is a traditional blind spot at anime cons to treat video games on the same level as anime. Hell, a lot of conventions have Halo tournaments, and that’s not even a Japanese game!!
To a certain extent video game cosplays DO have a place within out philosophies. Most of the characters that are cosplayed actually do have a good degree of character development in the game, and are more than just an avatar or sprite. Also, most of the cosplayed characters are from Japanese games, not games of western development.

So really the biggest issue is that we tout ourselves to be a pure anime con, as focused on JUST anime as possible, and yet we allow video games to be a big part of our cosplay.

Video game entries are allowed on animemusicvideos.org as long as the footage is Japanese in origin, because then is it not anime? I think videogame cosplays that are Japanese in origin should follow the same general principle. Anime presented in the medium of videogames is still anime, right? We could say something about games that have no cinematic sequences tho. *shrug*

In this case it has more to do with the characters than the technique, but I have to correct you and say that most games are not animated. They are rendered.

On that note, I'm half tempted to say that Japanese rendered CG, rather than animated should be disqualified as well (this really only causes an issue with FF7 AC, though on that note, at several cons I've polled audiences and they have almost always unanimously agreed that AC isn't actually anime.)

Which brings up just which are animated. Xenogears, Chrono Trigger, Sonic CD, and just a few others. However, what disqualifies computer rendering from actual animation? Hardly anything isn't at least touched by computers now; and most new anime is done mostly via computer. I'd argue that FFVII: AC is anime because it is not live action and originated in Japan. However, AC isn't the only one in the grey area. The Animatrix tends to be considered anime, but is it? There are all the cartoons that are written in other countries and shipped to Japan to be animated which are usually not considered anime.

anime ( ) n. A style of animation developed in Japan, characterized by stylized colorful art and often adult themes.


Hrm, by that definition, most anything is "anime". We should come up with our own definition. Personally, I think allow videogames that originated in Japan and have cinematic sequences & storyline and don't allow anything that didn't originate in Japan.

You're use of the word "rendering" betrays you!

That's the key word. While a lot of anime is produced on the computer these days, it's still "animated". Frame after frame sewn together to make motion. Rendered stuff, on the other hand, has no single frames, but rather uses computer models to create a fluid visual effect.

For example, FF7AC (and most video game animations/cinimatics) are created by computer programs that have model data fed into them. After the 3D models are created, it's just a matter of telling them what to do, and then going back over and fine-tuning a few things.
FF7 Last Order, on the other hand, was drawn on a computer using a series of key-frames and inbetweens just like old-school animation, and was then put together and touched up with some digital effects. While it was made on the computer, it was still hand-made by animators.

If we used this technical definition of animation, then certain games like Chrono Trigger, which have imported animation, would qualify. Honestly I wouldn't have a problem with that, as this convention is here to celebrate and study that particular artform.


On a pseudo related note... does anyone have the FFX character engine they cracked? I want to make Rikku and Yuna make out.

anime and manga

I think we should either move video game characters to a separate category like swimsuit cosplay or just leave things as they were. Whatever rule change is made, it should be really easy for people to find out about it. In 2006, one of the cosplay contestants dressed up as an original character and another bought normal chothes that looked sort of like the clothes worn by his character.

YOU PEOPLE USE TOO MANY BIG WORDS
STFU

Kay, now that thats in order, I have no opinion. This doesn't affect me in any way as I'm not planning on a video game character in the first place.

Which remindes me, Mike, what's the limit on wings? Cause I need like, 3 pairs of wings with like.. a 7 foot wingspan each.

we have limits, and rules for wings?????

Anyways.

Now here is the thing I see no point in separating Anime cosplayer from those who cosplay off of Japanese games.
6th line, words 15-18.
Computer and Video Games

Like I said if you want to hold a compitition for anime (and manga) only, then also hold one for video game costumes.

Anime
Manga
Computer and Video Games

I think Video Games should go into the same category as anime. First of all because Final Fantasy 7 is both a game and a movie and second of all just like Final Fnatsy X-2 (except it wasn't made into a movie). I guess that would be considered as Anime. Well thats just my opinion. But I really do think that they both should go into the same category, because really wich one would you put Cloud into. Video Games or Anime?

Video game. He originated from a video game and the only anime form he has been in thus far, is the Last Order OVA.

Eh, say what? Movie doesn't automatically make it anime. That would mean things such as Happy Feet would be eligable for the cosplay contest!

I'd say video games, <strike>because FFVII was the one Cloud was cool in</strike> that where he came from. Although one could say the OAV would be anime--then I guess the Cloud would be legible. He'd have to wearing the outfit he's wearing though in Last Order, and no skits having him knowing things/people that are post-Last Order.

here's a novel idea

split the cosplay contest in two, one side is for anime, one side is for video games, and of course, anything that isn't of japanese origin is immediately ignored. That way mike gets his way and the videogame cosplayers can still win awards and all. And i suppose if you want to make it more anime oriented, make the anime cosplay prizes and such more desireable and all.

I think everyone is getting too wrapped up on Cloud. 95% of video game cosplays (about 90% of which are from some Square thing anyhow) DO NOT HAVE AN ANIME.
I think it's most likely we'll let video game people enter the contest, but the odds of them being awarded anything are pretty slim.
It's not that we don't like video games, but this is an anime convention after all.


Also, bonus points to Kalajesta for not saying the AC was anime! Good call girl!

^^;; No problem.

What exactly do you mean by that?

I think he had a typo.
I thik he was ranting about the video game cosplays, and how they are starting to exceed the "anime" cosplays. Then agina it is Mike, so I never know.


Mike, was it a typo?

It probally was a typo, so anyway would Rikku be considered as "Anime" because it first was origionated in Japan. Even though it does proabally fall under "Video Games" I still think that I would be Anime. Just my opinion.

Orginated from Japan /=/ Anime. Technically, then Emperor Shôwa would be considered in the anime catogory.

Anime is animation that orginated in Japan. Nothing else.

meh, leave the line where it is, as ill defined as it may be
the most important thing of is that everyone has fun

2 cents added

My thoughts on the matter? Seperate them, sure, I can totally understand the reasoning for it (and everyone is pretty tired of Square characters, neh?) but at least give the game cosplayers some recourse, at least some sort of award. Making it anime-only for the big awards may force some interesting variety, but if the game-cosplayers can't get any awards at all, some of them may come to the con without realizing this and raise a huge stink.

Not that it matters, but it might be a good idea to not piss people off so badly that they don't want to return, neh?

...and on the same subject, what would happen with people who cosplay band members and stuff like that (can they even enter the contests at other conventions?) Throw them into the same category as game categories (maybe just a category for non-anime or manga costumes that are still based on japanese culture, with reference of course... because if not, all of the EGLs would probably try to enter, and while their outfits may be technically sound, it's not even based on a character in most cases...)

/ramble

So bands and video games are ok, but street fassions aren't?
No, we're not playing those games.

Being from Japan doesn't make something anime. Gackt is from Japan, but he isn't anime. Ramen is from Japan, but it isn't anime. Bukake is from Japan, but it isn't anime.

Rikku is not an anime character. She's not even animated.

There may be some throw away award for a video game character, but probably not. The website posts it pretty clearly, if people can't be bothered to read the rules before hand, that is their fault.

Don't get me wrong, you video game cosplayers do some good costumes, and having a good dozen rikkus at every con is something all guys can enjoy! But still, it's a lot easier to avoid a slippery slope by doing it this way. Plus if you steping on everyones toes at once distributes the pain!

some is

i would like to take this time to state that raman is chinese in origin and all

...and that dividing the cosplay contest into anime and not-anime still seems like the best way to avoid pissing anyone off

*shrugs* I was just chucking stuff out there, I understand the slippery slope pretty well. ^^. Anime works! Anime only is perfectly amazing, and hell, it means we won't have Orgy members winning everything... because black coats are boring ;p

I agree. I think that there should be two seperate categories for cosplaying, instead of the standard skits and craftsmanships awards. I think personally, that once they are divided into those, they should take another step to divide it into anime and games after that. That way no one will get left out.

Try not to get too caught up on the examples...

Cosplay is way too big as it is to split, so it's all or nothing really, and I choose nothing!

I'm thinking that the swimsuit cosplay will have more lax rules, and just require that it be based of a character.

well i suppose you could just run with that and see what happens

well if you decide to do an all anime cosplay contest why not have a little side contest for the video game cosplay(japanese made only)?

Then what would stop attendees from demanding yet another contest for only American-made video game cosplays?

It's not an 'American-video game' convention?"

It's not a Japanese-videogame convention either.

Cosplay is too big and too complicated to do twice, there will be only one contest!

but will it only be anime or anime and japanese created video games?

That's what the discussion is about.

That said, I vote for anime-only.

From what the website is saying and what I understand of Mike.

There will not be a catogory for Japanese created video games.
1.This convention is an anime convention, the focus is on anime. The contest should focus on anime. It should be anime cosplayers time to shine on stage, and it really isn't fair to them to have them against video game cosplayers. While the video games are nice, they simply are not anime. If they want to compete, they can go to a gaming convention.

2.Spliting into two contest would be a hell lot more work to do. Anyway, should compromise even be an issue?

3.No one is being forbbiden to walk around the convention as a video game character. All they can't do is enter the cosplay contest(and wear inapporiate clothing and so forth).

What about cosplay from things that are both video game and anime? .Hack for example?

I think you answered your own question. Come on, this isn't a difficult concept.

but what about manga?