Manga: Everybody Cosplay! - The Otaku

"Cosplay is about having fun in costumes, and Jan Kurotaki captures that essence in her book Everybody Cosplay!."

Posted Yesterday by Gail

It's time to unplug in theOtaku.com Screening Room. Today we've turned off our screens and have a book on our review docket that features one of the most popular activities at anime and gaming conventions - Cosplay! Cosplay fans will want to check out our review of Jan Kurotaki's cosplay collection book Everybody Cosplay!


Book Title: Everybody Cosplay! by Jan Kurotaki
First Printing: November 2007
Pages: 160
Publisher: ADV Manga
Language: English
MSRP: $19.99

Overview/Overall: Everybody Cosplay! by Newtype USA's cosplay columnist Jan Kurotaki is a collection of her columns and costume photos. Much like they appeared in the pages of the magazine, the costume photos are accompanied with a short write up about the costume and character. Costume construction information is limited to a very brief comment of materials and a few details. Author and cosplayer Jan Kurotaki has been involved with cosplay for over a decade and has over 100 costumes. This collection gives readers a glimpse into her costuming world and just a bit of insight about the series from which the costumes were inspired as well as a brief note on its creation.

Pages of full color photos feature the author in some of her cosplay costumes. Some of the photos are a bit on the cheesecake side with the focus more on looking sexy than showcasing the costume itself. There are few in character poses with the majority of the shots a more generic modeling pose for each costume. Some of the costumes, such as Helena from Dead or Alive, show a bit of skin but nothing that would be indecent or unacceptable in a convention setting. Mostly bare legs (short skirts, high cut skirts) or bare mid-drifts. The costumes have the elements fanboys with cameras at conventions look for in a female costume.

Since there is very little in terms of text in the book, anime and game fans will find themselves picking apart the images for accuracy. Non cosplayers will find there are some costumes with missing details while cosplayers will delve even farther with the critique as they examine seams and the choices of fabrics. An example of this would be the Haruhi cosplay images. Ms. Kurotaki isn't wearing Haruhi's trademark yellow ribbon in her hair in all the pictures. This is one of those elements many cosplayers would find as essential in cosplaying Haruhi. Another image some readers may find questionable is for the group photos of her Shinkohyo costume where one of the girls in the group appears to be wearing a taxadermed Chow-Chow draped around her shoulders much like a fox stole would be worn. Some may feel this is a plus for accuracy for the costumes while other may find it is disturbing to see a creature that may have been a family pet turned into an article of clothing. No details are given on this particular costume piece and it may be faux fur in the shape of a dog in which case this is incredible realism and should be applauded.

The costumes featured are well done and Ms. Kurotaki is a very talented cosplayer. Everybody Cosplay is more a portfolio of her columns and photos in NewType than a book about the ever expanding and growing hobby of cosplaying. It is a nice collection of her work and readers will find her anecdotes are fun to read and her pictures covey her love of cosplay. Cosplay is about having fun in costumes and Jan Kurotaki captures that essence in her book Everybody Cosplay!

Verdict: The title "Everybody Cosplay!" is a bit of a misnomer. When the author says "Everybody" it is actually limited in this book to the author herself and a few of her friends. This book is not a "How To" book or one that is a compilation of the amazing costumes many of you have seen at conventions. It's a collection of her columns from NewType with the addition of more pictures and a few new costumes. Costumes convention goers have come to expect fill the pages while there are some, like her Torakichi costume, that test the limits of what most would consider cosplay. That costume consists of regular clothing, team jersey for the Tiger baseball team and tiger ears she made herself. Some feel cosplay is only for anime or gaming character while other feel it is any costume. Each person has their opinion and regardless if you feel it is or isn't a costume, it is included in this cosplay book. Everybody Cosplay! is a nice collection of Ms. Kurotaki's costumes and anecdotes that both cosplayers and those who just appreciate costumes will enjoy pursuing.

Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 (Archive on Friday, January 04, 2008)