Gallery: Gallery: Cosplayers Dream Big at Tokyo Game Show
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TOKYO -- Among the thousands of people who flock to the Tokyo Game Show every year in order to see the latest games is a small group of people who go to *be* seen. In between the massive show rooms of the Makuhari Convention Center is a small cement corridor filled with cosplayers and paparazzi. On Saturday, the first day of Tokyo Game Show 2010 open to the public, I spent the entire day walking this corridor, interviewing cosplayers about why they cosplay and what kind of games they're into. It was a real mishmash of genres, costumes, veterans and amateurs, dominated by females. I combed the area looking for shy cosplayers hiding in corners or people who were otherwise off the beaten path. __Above:__ This trio of girls, dressed as *[Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_Megami_Tensei_III:_Nocturne)* characters, are easily the nicest people I talked to all day. Ran, on the right, cosplayed the Shiva demon. She chose Shiva because she's interested in Indian gods, and wanted to do an Indian couple cosplay with her friend Ruri (on the left). Ran's favorite videogame is the mysterious *Mujin*, which she says is "so hard-core that hardly anyone even knows it exists." Ran's dream is to communicate with foreign cosplayers. In the middle is Yukiya, cosplaying the game's main character, Naoki Kashima. She said she originally started cosplaying for the challenge of trying to really "become" a favorite character. Her favorite game is *Mugen no Frontier: Super Robot Taisen OG Saga*. She also wishes she could communicate with foreign cosplayers more. Then I found out that Yukiya is actually fluent in English, and used to live in London. "Then, you can communicate, online!" I told her. Yukiya is apparently too timid to write things online, however, and prefers meeting people in person. On the left we have Ruri, cosplaying as the Parvati demon. Her favorite game is *Itadaki Street*, a dicelike board game for the Famicom, because she likes making other people bankrupt. Not surprisingly, her dream is to become filthy rich.
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The first cosplayers I spotted in the morning were four girls dressed as characters from *Final Fantasy VI*. Mint, on the left, dressed as the character Gogo and insisted on leaving on her glasses under the costume's hood. She said she started cosplaying because it's fun teaming up and doing something with her friends. Her favorite game is *Breath of Fire V*, which she says has the best battle and gameplay system of any other game she's played. Her dream is to draw fantasy manga for a living. Next up was Himitsu, dressed as Terra. She said she's wanted to cosplay for more than 10 years, but never had the time or money to actually do it. Now that she's finally gotten her chance, she's loving every minute of it. Her favorite game is *Persona 2*, because the story is "amazing." She also mentioned that the newer Persona games are too shallow and upbeat for her tastes, but she's glad that it's gotten other people into the series. Her dream is to get better at cosplaying. Then there was Magumarashi, cosplaying as Locke. She was invited by her friends to cosplay, and said she wouldn't want to do it more than once a year. Her favorite game is *Demon's Souls*, for the atmosphere and gameplay. Her dream is to write boys' manga for a living. On the far right is Bun, cosplaying as Relm. Like Mint, she just enjoys dressing up with her friends. Her favorite game is *Suikoden*, because she likes the historic and Chinese influences. Her dream is to create her own cafe.
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Here we have two men and a woman cosplaying as the main characters from *Wild Arms 3*. On the left is cosplayer Griff, dressed as Clive Winslett. He said his reason for cosplaying was "because I like it, and that's reason enough." His favorite game is *Tales of Destiny*, because it made him cry. "I want developers to be freer when they create games," he said. In the middle is Tazu, cosplaying as Jet Enduro. She said she started cosplaying because it allowed her to meet a bunch of different people, and she likes teaching people about lesser-known games with her costumes. (They were shocked that I actually knew and liked *Wild Arms 3*.) Her favorite game is *Eternal Sonate*, because she likes its fusion of classical music with videogames. As for the game industry, she's curious to see how well the Nintendo 3DS does, and thinks it will be a success. Last we have UA, cosplaying as Gallows Carradine. UA started cosplaying because he wanted to be seen by as many people as possible, and gets a sensual rush from the act. His favorite game is *Suikoden*, because it was the first game he played on the PlayStation, and it had a big impact on him. His personal dream is to get married, but his dream as a cosplayer is to get known by as many people as possible.
holiday pack stats. Image from Cards Against Humanity website, used with permission.04p1030012
Kaninabe dresses in the Rajang equipment set from the *Monster Hunter* series. Why did he pick this specific set of equipment? "I think foreign people will like this, and I want to teach them more about the *Monster Hunter* games," he says. Kaninabe's favorite game, as you might expect, is *Monster Hunter Potable 2nd G* for the PSP, because it's the easiest to play. His dream is to garner fame for his elaborate costumes. As far as the game industry goes, he thinks "they are relying too much on older games to make sequels and remakes. I want more new games. And the new games are relying too much on graphics, I want to see them compete with ideas instead."
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On the right we have Takito, cosplaying as Gracia from *Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends*. She says she cosplays because "it's fun." Her favorite game is *Dragon Quest V*, because it has the best story she's ever seen. On the left is Ankou, cosplaying as Mitsuhide Akechi from *Samurai Warriors 3*. She cosplays because it's cool and fun to talk with people. Her favorite game is *Samurai Warriors 2*, because she loves Mitsunari Nishida. Her dream is to take a picture with people cosplaying every character in the *Samurai Warriors* series.
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Cosplayer Ruika dresses as Dante in his costume from *Devil May Cry 2*. She likes becoming someone else, and feels cool when she cosplays. Her favorite game is *Samurai Warriors 3*, because she loves the history. And what is her dream? "Well, I'm old, so I have no dreams," she answered somberly.
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Meet Noel Yukiha. He's cosplaying as Ryo Akizuki from *[The iDolmaster: Dearly Stars](http://www.giantbomb.com/the-idolmster-dearly-stars/61-27313/)* for Nintendo DS. In the game, the character Ryo Akizuki is a cross-dressing boy trying to pass himself off as a Lolita idol. Noel, who has been cosplaying since high school, chose Ryo because he "loves the character." The DS iteration of the popular *iDolmaster* series is his favorite game. His dream is to get even better at cosplaying.
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Acguy cosplays as a Vocaloid named Kai. He likes cosplaying as characters like this because he thinks it's more fun to be an amusing character than a cool one. He started out taking pictures of cosplayers, but finally decided to give it a go himself, and loved it. His favorite game is *[Hatsune Miku: Project Diva 2](http://www.moetron.com/2010/03/03/hatsune-miku-project-diva-2nd-psp-sequel-announced/)* for the PSP, because he likes the characters and the rhythm-game aspect. His dream is to live a normal life as an otaku. "Last question: Are you hot right now?" "Yes!!"
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Rita dresses as Leona from *King of Fighters '96*, her favorite character both design-wise and fighting-wise. She used to make clothes as a hobby, then gradually got more and more into cosplay. Her favorite game is *King of Fighters '98*, which she calls the most balanced of the series. Her dream is to see Leona and her father, Heidern, in the same game. Question: Your outfit is very revealing. How do you feel about showing so much skin? Answer: At first, I was really embarrassed, but I gradually got used to it. It's great for forcing yourself to go on a diet.
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Oichi and Nouhime, who portray *Samurai Warriors 3* characters, were surrounded by photographers for the better part of the day.
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This fully suited person is cosplaying Air Man, and was certainly not feeling any strong breezes wearing this thick armor on such a hot day. He should be commended, however, for bearing the heat to show his love for an iconic boss robot from an iconic game, *Mega Man 2*.
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A survey appears! Command? You take the survey.
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Burapolio fashioned this amazing *Dragon Quest 9* outfit based on his own character. "It's the setup I use normally, so I wanted to try and wear it myself," he said. "I aim for cute and cool." His favorite game is *Dragon Quest IX*, which he loves for the balanced gameplay and interesting scenarios. His dream is to become a famous cosplayer.
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Kamosuke, dressed as Keiji Maeda from *Sengoku Basara 2*, has been cosplaying for more than 10 years. He started out simply reading cosplay magazines, then was invited to participate by a friend, and "that was it." His favorite game is *Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G*, and he thinks that the game industry is focusing on series games too much, and needs to come out with more original works. His dream is to get a girlfriend, since he was dumped a few months ago.
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Rikuha (left) cosplays a non-player character from *Final Fantasy 11* that "protects the city and is really cool! And also cute." Rikuha's favorite game is *Final Fantasy VIII*, and her dream is to take over the world. On the right is Nipachi, cosplaying Demyx from *Kingdom Hearts II*. She says she started cosplaying after being inspired by someone older than her. *Kingdom Hearts II* is her favorite game, and her dream is to someday organize a huge *Final Fantasy* and *Kingdom Hearts* cosplay gathering.
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Himeno Asahina dresses as Metallic Reiko from the *Gundam 0078* anime series. She is looking to make lots of international cosplay friends, and can be found on the Cure cosplay website, as No. 31.
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Miori has been cosplaying for so many years that she's stopped counting. She loves strong women -- that's why she decided on Asuka from the *Evangelion* anime series. Her favorite game is *Monster Hunter Portable* on the PSP. Also: Air Man makes a surprise return.
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Meet Sumashi. He's a self-professed "simple man with simple tastes" who enjoys cosplaying. The character he's chosen this time is E. Honda from *Street Fighter II*. Question: Why did you pick this character? Answer: He's the one I play. Question: What's your favorite game? Answer: *Street Fighter II*. Question: What is your dream? Answer: To enjoy my retirement.
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These three girls are cosplaying characters from *Legend of Mana*. From left: Kamoca dreams of getting married and getting rich. Mocchi dreams of growing up to become a fine adult. And last, but certainly not least, Su-, dreams of getting married as well. I told Kamoca and Su- that I imagine they'd be able to, and they laughed and screamed, "Marry me," prompting my escape.
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Pareidian is a man with a true passion for cosplaying. The entire time people took shots of him dressed as Cannonballer from the *Kinnikuman* manga and anime series, he was screaming out attack names with pride and finesse. Needless to say, I was moved. "I love Cannonballer, so it's a pleasure to cosplay as him," Pareidian said. "My favorite game is *Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney* for the Gameboy Advance. It was the first game I played like that, and I thought it was very unique and revolutionary. My dream is to get married." I pointed out the two single-and-looking girls to his right, but Cannonballer merely let out a booming laugh and shook his head. "I have someone special in mind," he said.
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Kikoshi chose to cosplay as Auron from *Final Fantasy X* because "he's a very sad character, from my favorite game." Kikoshi said he's seen a lot over the 15 years he's been cosplaying, "but recently, I've been feeling that the game industry has been slacking. They need to work harder."
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Ryoko is the first in a series of deadly cute cosplayers dressed as the Beastmaster class from *Final Fantasy V*. She dreams of having a happy wedding.
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Emi, also dressed as a variant of the Beastmaster class from *Final Fantasy V*, said she wants to become a flower shop master someday.
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Misao, also dressed as a Beastmaster from *Final Fantasy V*, says her dream is to lose 10 pounds.
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Hal, leader of the Beastmaster brigade, works a day job as a cram school teacher. She said she works hard every day to give her students a bright future.
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As I watched Hibari slink through the crowd holding his mask conspicuously over his face, I knew I had to talk to this man of mystery. He was cosplaying as Hawkeye from *Seiken Densetsu 3* because "it's rare to see anyone cosplay this character," he said. His favorite game is *The Legend of Zelda* for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and his dream is to see *Seiken Densetsu 3* on the Virtual Console.
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Mana and Mihiro dress as Griselda and Gwendolyn from *Odin Sphere*.
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Karina cross-dresses as Kasumi from the *Dead or Alive* series of games because "I love the character." His favorite game is *Final Fantasy V*, and his dream is to become a concert pianist.
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Ena Sakaki dresses as a character from the *Monster Hunter* series of games. Although she has never played the game herself, she chose this costume because "*Monster Hunter* is very popular." Her dream is to get married. I recommended the Cannonballer to her, but she did not seem too enthusiastic.
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Rico dresses as Sierra from *Legend of Mana*. Her favorite game is *Final Fantasy IX*, and her dream is to get a good job.
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Jun is a self-professed game addict who absolutely loves the character Tifa from her favorite game *Final Fantasy VII*. She has been cosplaying as Tifa for several years. Her dream is to take a full picture with the entire *Final Fantasy VII* cast.
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Yue, dressed as Getsu from *Dynasty Warriors 6*, strikes a pose. Her favorite game is *Final Fantasy VII*, and her dream is to make a lot of friends all over the world.
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Yuki, a married woman who cosplays in her free time, dresses up as Fantastic Fraulein Mumor from *Final Fantasy XI*> Yuki is awaiting the release of the online game *Final Fantasy XIV*. Her dream is to work hard and raise good children.
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Cosplayers Bibi and Mio cosplay as characters from the upcoming *Final Fantasy XIV*.
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A mysterious woman cosplays as Psylocke from *X-Men*, giving the horde of male photographers exactly what they want.
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Three girls take a stylish spin on Mario, Yoshi and Bowser. Pochi, dressed as Bowser on the right, said she started cosplaying because she liked the challenge of taking something 2-D and making it 3-D. Her favorite game is *Monster Hunter G* for PlayStation 2. Her dream is to become a camerawoman. Shoki, dressed as Yoshi, loves adult visual novels. Her favorite game is one of those, titled *Akaneiro ni Somaru Saka* or *The Hill Dyed Rose Madder,* and her dream is to own a cafe. Kafu, dressed as Mario, wants to become a singer and sing anime songs for the rest of her life.
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Mimic created this costume of the mimic treasure box enemies from the *Dragon Quest* series because he "likes to surprise people." His favorite game is *Dragon Quest IV* because "you don't have to worry about controlling your party members, and the story is very sad." His dream is to have a peaceful family.
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Two teenage girls cosplay as Goro "Mad Dog" Majima from the *Yakuza* series.
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On the left and right we have Higuchi and Nogu, dressed as characters from the *Warriors Orochi* series of games. In the center is Yakumo, dressed as Sakurai from the *Tokimeki Memorial* dating-simulator series. They all dream of getting married at Disneyland.
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I saw a few of these *kigurumi* ("wearable doll") cosplayers on the Tokyo Game Show floor, and boy were they creepy. Since their voices can't match the characters, they don't speak. Ask them a question and they'll simply walk right by, ignoring you. But the Japanese photographers seem to love them.
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Here is Nyoriko, dressed as an alternate-costume Asamiya Atena from *Psycho Soldier* and the *King of Fighters* series. She loves cosplaying because it makes her happy when people look at her. Her favorite game is *Kingdom Hearts 2*, and her dream is to live happily until she dies.
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From left: A random soldier, The Boss and Big Boss from *Metal Gear Solid* strike a pose for meddling photographers.
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Eiko and an amazing Quina from *Final Fantasy IX*.
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This cosplayer dresses as Litchi Faye-Ling from the *Blazblue* game series because "our body types are similar." Her dream is to become famous.
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Suzunoa, dressed as Harle from *Chrono Cross*, says her favorite game is *Final Fantasy X*. She says her mind is too dark to think of any dreams.
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Mikami dresses as Gwendolyn from *Odin Sphere*. Her favorite game is *Suikoden II*, and her dream is to get married.
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Tama started cosplaying at Japan's Comic Market manga event many years ago, and has been addicted ever since. Her favorite game is *Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G* for the PSP, and her dream is to sell a lot of her photo-shoot CD collections. She invites international fans to look her up on the Cure cosplay website under No. 13482.
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Kino is dressed as Riho from the *Dream Club* series of videogames. She is an avid gamer, and her favorite videogame is *Persona 2*, which made her cry. She's proud that she could beat the game all by herself despite the difficulty. Her dream is to live a normal, happy life.
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Yurika cosplays as Mai from the *King of Fighters* series because she loves fighting games, and because *Fatal Fury* was the first videogame she bought as a child. She enjoys playing the *Tekken* and *Soulcalibur* games as well, but only casually. Her dream is to get married.
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Cosplayer Dobe is dressed as Joy from *Bayonetta*, a costume she designed herself. She is a theater actress, and enjoys the costuming and transformative aspects of cosplay. She hopes to someday become a professional actress.
