“Why so serious?”

[TurboSaiyanJason]

You can call this a cry for help if you want to.

After all that I have been to, tried but failed to be at, or came and failed while I was there, I have come to realize that I’m taking casual cosplay meetups and cosplaying itself too seriously, and trying too hard at everything related to it. The main purpose behind coming to events is to have fun and “look” like your favorite characters, and make friends who share the same interests. And I have found few to none on here that I fit with. Yet I force myself to adapt and attend, which in the end still leaves me alone as the only one of my kind. I have friends that either I’ve unintentionally forgotten, are not so active online, or that I know only by screen name and not by face, or if I’ve met them, feel only acquainted to and don’t see often enough to find out more about them.   Most of the events I’ve gone to I felt like a complete stranger who lacked cool things to talk about or witty jokes and gags to kid around with.

So if anyone that knows me or wants to help could PM me some advice, I just want to know as much as I can of the following:
What can I do to be better?
Should I come or not come anymore to meetups and events?
Have I made a good or bad impact on anyone?
Have I made the events I’ve come to more or less fun?
Have my cosplays looked good or poor at a glance?
If poor, what is the best low-cost way to improve them?
Do you ever feel like the only one of your kind?
What qualities do you look for in a friend?
What is your reason to cosplay and come to events?

If there were other convention forums that organize meeetups close by, I’d scope them out also. But the Kumoricon forum is the only active, nearby place to come to. Sakuracon usually has more members and meetups in Washington, far out of my reach, and the still young MEWcon isn’t so active until Fall, when the actual con closes in. So I make do with what I have and try to cope. Cosplaying is a choice to be made or not made by only yourself, yet I’m a fan that doesn’t want to give it up. I know some of you might not care or know how to help, but those that do, thank you for your support no matter how small.
I know after I post this I’m going to feel ashamed, embarrassed, and kicking myself, wondering why I did. Why I let my feelings out for everyone to read. But this is the only way to stop my inner torment without dropping out of the forums altogether, and missing out on opportunities to have fun and maybe make a difference. I’m just a black sheep, cosplaying, anime fan trying to find truth and friendship, and maybe guidance.

[kayfig]

What reasons do you feel like you don't fit in? 

[makichan]

Based on what I've observed from your past posts, my best advice to you is to not let people get to you so much. Don't put out that desperate need for acceptance vibe. Cosplay who you WANT to be not who you think people might like. I cosplay because it's a fun, creative outlet. If I make friends, cool! If I don't, that doesn't mean that I should mold myself into something I'm not. A little constructive change isn't bad, but when you're uncomfortable with what you're trying to become it's just not worth it. Sadly, there are always going to be people who think that they're somehow superior to you before you even make a first impression, but forget them. They're too busy trying to impress others so that they can feel some shallow shred of worth, anyway. When you're more comfortable with yourself I think you'll be able to make con friends more easily. Until then~

[TurboSaiyanJason]

That's partly why I'm setting up for Kumoricon. I've got a couple games that the crowd might like and a powerhouse cosplay that is one of my favorite characters. Plus I have an army growing after a chance posting of the Portland Pirate Festival. "The problem with being the last of anything is that eventually there'll be nothing left altogether." But it also is bold in other eyes to stand out and not follow the crowd. And eventually I'll dip my feet in the waters of the "anime of today" and try a cosplay from their world.

[Squallity]

Of course you should continue coming to meet-ups and events! You have made a good impact on me, personally...you are a very chill guy, and easy to be with. I've only been to two events so far, but you made both the waterfront meet-up and dance definitely more fun. If we hadn't started talking at the waterfront meet-up, I probably wouldn't have ended up talking to anyone, or having anywhere near as much fun that I did that day. I had fun playing hacky-sack, even though I epically failed. You also gave me confidence to finally stop being the little loner Bakura by the tree and act like myself, and I did. Did you not see me running around like crazy, and having epic stick battles? I was definitely scaring most (if not all) of the other cosplayers that day...but, that's just who I am.

Of course I feel like I am the only one of my kind. I'm kind, yet impatient, and very, very hyper/crazy/insane. I have three cosplays lined up for KumoriCon, and I'll probably be fairly recognized as Bakura, but the other two will probably only be recognized by other Yu-Gi-Oh! cosplayers (even most of the Duel Monsters cosplayers may not recognize me, since my last two cosplays are from GX and 5D's, and it's not like every Yu-Gi-Oh! fan who watches Duel Monsters watches GX and 5D's). It doesn't bother me that thirty percent of the convention's population won't be running up to me, and wanting to do (insert series here) related stuff.

In a friend, I look for sarcasm, and an accepting person...someone who can at least fairly accept me for who I am, and if they are the kind of person to join me in my craziness, that would be even better.

I went to the waterfront meet-up because it sounded like it would be a lot of fun, and I wanted to meet other cosplayers. I went to the dance because I love helping people, so I staffed there.  (Dances are just fun in general, anyways, aren't they?) I'm going to go to KumoriCon to have a fun time doing something new that involves something that I love very much, and to meet new cosplayers and and hopefully make a positive impact on them. I'm all about making people smile. I plan on helping out, whether it be staffing, volunteering, or just picking up trash around the convention that I see, and being a polite attendee. So, basically...because I want to make other people happy (and to be myself, and to be a good person, in general), because making other people happy makes me happy.

Just be yourself, and love you for you, regardless of what happens in your cosplay adventures. If you can't find anyone to relate with, keep trying. You'll find someone. If you love to cosplay your favorite characters, then continue to do so. Even if there weren't quite a few planned Yu-Gi-Oh! cosplayers this year, I would still go to the convention and cosplay Yu-Gi-Oh!, because I love it. If you love to do something, never, ever let it go just because you can't find someone to befriend and relate with at a convention or meet-up/event. I know people who have given up cosplaying just because they hung out with people a bit, but those people eventually left after a few minutes, and said person was stuck lingering around the convention alone.

If you love to cosplay, don't stop. You stopping cosplaying would be like a musician who stops playing shows because he can't find any fans, or something similar. You know? I'm not very good sometimes when it comes to words, but, like I've said at least three times...if you love to cosplay, don't stop.