A Very Furry Story

You probably know about  cosplay,but what about furries CLEO gets in touch with the inner spirit animal..

- Adora Wong

Even if you don’t participate in cosplay, you probably have an idea of what it’s about. But if it comes down to it, are you able to tell the difference between cosplay and a Halloween costume?

Cosplay is a performance art where people don costumes and accessories to represent fictional characters. Cosplayers assume the identity of the person they’re impersonating and even adopt their mannerisms. The role-playing aspect is what separates it from ordinary costuming – think of it as an elaborate, adult version of dress-up.

Since it originated in Japan, you may have only associated it with anime or manga characters. But that’s not always the case – cosplay characters can also be sourced from all kinds of movies, TV shows, books or video games, Japanese or otherwise. To some, cosplaying is a hobby. To others, it’s a lifestyle. One thing’s for sure, though – people love it because it’s a way for them to express themselves.

Furry fantasy

If you’ve seen pictures of people in furry animal suits, you may have linked it to some sort of cosplay. Known as the furry fandom, the subculture revolves around “fictional anthropomorphic animal characters”. In other words, they’re animal characters with human intelligence and characteristics. They talk, walk on two legs and even wear clothes. These furry enthusiasts are known as “furries”.