Cosplay masquerade to be Kean Anime Society’s biggest event of the year I Published November 5

By: Sarah Rosales

Cringe is dead! To dress up as your favorite fictional character is not only a joyous experience, but a valuable one as well.

Kean University’s Anime Society hosted its third annual Cosplay Masquerade on the 24th of Oct., and it was bigger than all the masquerades that have preceded it.

The Cosplay Masquerade is exactly what it sounds like. “Cosplay” is a combination of the words “costume” and “play”, and this masquerade entailed participants getting together dressed as a fictional character of their choosing and showing off their costume to others. Some costumes could be as extravagant as layers of fabric stitched by hand and wigs that have been worked on for months, or as modest as something pulled from your closet.

In past years, the masquerade event had been a simple affair where around a dozen students would participate in a costume contest and it wouldn’t go beyond that.

“This has been our biggest venture yet,” said Taylor Fleming, the Vice President of the Anime Society.

Participants in the main costume contest were eligible to win multiple prizes in various categories. Alongside that, the first 50 people to arrive received candy bags, and two raffle baskets were available to be won. One for those who showed up in costume, and another for anybody interested in financially supporting the organization by buying their merchandise such as pins, keychains, bracelets, or stickers.

This year’s masquerade also featured collaborations with Kean Film Association and Kean TV, who documented the event.

“People can sign up to either walk on stage and show off their costume or perform a song, a comedy skit, or say a poem in front of everybody else,” said Angeryca Concepcion, the President of the organization.

The Anime Society expected at least 40 students to join them that night. Many of them might not be such experienced cosplayers like Fleming, who had been cosplaying for years and who had entered competitions in conventions before, but that didn’t matter. Everybody was invited, and the more people, the better.

Angel Mendoza, the Director of Public Relations of the club, personally had little experience in cosplaying.

“But let’s say you wanna cosplay as a character who has a certain aura or aesthetic to them,” Mendoza explained when asked about people who don’t know where to start with cosplaying. “Get your clothes in that similar aesthetic.”

Others like Fleming encouraged people to create their own cosplays from scratch, as it taught many valuable life skills with a satisfying end result and was often a cheaper alternative than buying the cosplay itself.

“My dear friend and old roommate taught me everything I know. From the basics of sewing to patterning, to even really specific skills like bookbinding,” remarked Fleming. “I’ve always just enjoyed making things, so knowing that I can be a character that I like and still add my personal touches to it and people can enjoy that? Sign me up!”

The Anime Society is a space for like-minded individuals to nerd out and be themselves, but it’s also a space where people can let loose their creativity and have fun. Future events sees a collaboration with Art Over All, Kean’s art club, in their Fanart Frenzy event, and a Paint Your Devil Fruit Workshop with Daniela Villacorta, the organization’s Social Media Manager.

“This year we’re pulling out all the stops,” said Fleming. “We want people to have a lot of fun… I want to give people an outlet so they can show off what they make, show off what they’re passionate about, and perform… I’m excited to see what people come up with.”

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