Cosplay is not something you would associate with modern China.
In the west we hear a steady stream of stories, and news reports, of government control in China; so an activity that has become known for attractive women dressing in scant costumes does not seem as though it would be permitted to exist in China.
And yet it does.
In fact CosPlay is becoming so popular that many cosplayers, male and female, are becoming celebrities at both home and around the world.
While cosplayers in China do have to contend with rules and regulations about what type of clothing is permitted for their costumes; it doesn’t mean that they follow it as exact as officials would prefer. They constantly push the boundaries of what they are supposed to do.
Despite what one would initially think, a quick Internet search of Cosplay in China shows cosplayers whose beauty and costumes rival those of western cosplayers. One of the better-known female cosplayers is Mei Wai.
During the past few years Mei Wai has portrayed a wide variety of characters, from the barely dressed Yoko, of the manga and anime – Gurren Lagann, to the male character Cloud from Kingdom Hearts.
Like most Chinese Cosplayers Mei Wai draws the majority of her characters from Japanese anime and Chinese folklore, but with her strong media presence and popularity, we could see her branch out to some western characters in the future.
You can follow Mei Wai on Facebook
John Goodale is the author of ‘Johnny Gora’ (available through Amazon.com), and a number of articles here on TMRZoo.com. His monthly column ‘Indy Comics Spotlight’ appears here and through his blog Indy Comics Spotlight
