Inspiration for “Imaginary Boys”
Everyone knows the girl this song is about. It’s easy to have a crush on a fictional character. They look awesome. They sound cool. They have interesting experiences and do things that people wish they could do. They’re perfect in ways that real people can’t be. They’ll never reject you or hurt you.
I’ve known plenty of fans (both male and female) with obsessive crushes on imaginary characters that at times seem more real than interest in actual people. Sometimes they keep moving from one character to the next. On the extreme end, I’ve even heard about something cosplayers call “Cosplay Identity Disorder.” Cosplay Identity Disorder is when someone can’t separate the difference between a cosplayer and the character and only want to date someone dressed as that character. Example: A Sakura cosplayer (from Naruto) goes to a con looking to date / hook up with a Sasuke cosplayer.
Nobody is perfect like a fictional character is perfect, but of course there’s only so much you can do with an imaginary boyfriend or girlfriend. Dating in the real world requires compromise. Usually this is a phase that teenagers grow out of (though it isn’t limited to teens.) Over the course of peoples lives, their desires change. People want what they can’t have. They could find someone real with the same qualities they like in an imaginary character, but also who will be there for them in the real world. Or, they could become attracted to someone with a totally different set of qualities later in life. But a first crush on a fictional character is powerful and everyone remembers the feeling!
Who is your favorite imaginary boy (or girl?)
I used to be like this, and I actually know people I would classify as having Cosplay Identity Disorder. For a long time I was fine with my group of friends all cosplaying from different things, but then I kept noticing that other groups were ALL VOCALOIDs, or ALL Pokemon, or ALL Durarara, and so on. It was a sub-culture pressure to “fit in” among people you were ALREADY friends with before you showed up. Group cosplay is fantastic and often looks great, but I’ve noticed that one to three people in a group of friends decide what it will be and no one else has a say in it. Even I’m guilty of it. You want to be a part of that group within a group within your group.
Back on topic, something that I find works wonders with CID (romance-wise) is dating someone, showing them the anime you want to cosplay from, then asking if they’ll cosplay from it too. For example, my boyfriend and I watched Kyo Kara Maoh together, and I’m cosplaying Wolfram. I asked if he’d be my Yuuri. One that’s actually complete is for AAC 2012, I was Flareon (a cosplay I’d been working on since Matsuri) and he was Glaceon. Another good thing is to allow them to choose a character. Especially in animes where there isn’t just one pairing that is supported by people (See KINGDOM HEARTS as a huge example). My boyfriend chose which Eeveelution he wanted to be. He liked Glaceon best. I also gave him one as a present on his Platinum version after he chose, but that’s something else.
Coordinate cosplays with people you’re ALREADY DATING. If you’re Sailor Moon, I understand maybe making friends with a Tuxedo Mask and asking him if he’s comfortable taking pictures with you. Don’t seek out a Tuxedo Mask to screw in the name of the moon.
Just saiyan.
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Korika – Great response, and I’m really happy that you found someone with the same interests as you. =)
@Korika
TORGUE APPROVES OF YOUR STORY LITTLE LADY!!!!!
- Mr. Torgue
I cosplay a lot. It was something of a problem in High School, not because of harassment, but because the teachers wanted me to dress normal. They thought I cosplayed because I was running away from my real self, which I sorta understand.
But at least I wasn’t one of those people who ACTUALLY BELIEVE their the characters their cosplaying. Geez…
I can somewhat relate to this, since me and my ex-gf actually met when cosplaying. We realised later that we don’t work as a couple, but we still hangout at cons and cosplay together.
And the part about having crushes on fictional characters… well, I tend to be more of the “I want to be friends with him/her!” type. I have however fallen for characters after I’ve met cosplayers that do an extremely good job portraying the chars. So I guess for me it’s the other way around, not falling for somebody because I think they are like a character, but falling for the character because of how a cosplayer acted.
I know the feeling :-/ but I try to not let myself have crushes for characters. It kinda works, sometimes i think of something but i just try to ignore it and blame it on hormones. I must be doing alright because i have a crush on a real boy at the mo. I guess its like having a crush on a celeb
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