International Cosplay Day 2025: Is Cosplay Redefining How India's Youth Express Their Identity?

Coined by Japanese writer Nobuyuki Takahashi, cosplay is largely popularised and given its modern form by Japanese anime and manga culture. The act of embodying a character is also an act of reimagining their narrative, free from judgments or expectations. Oblivious to societal norms, cosplay leads to the dissolution of rigid, inherited definitions of identity. “My interest in cosplay piqued when I came across this anime called JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. I mostly cosplay male anime characters, especially the villains. Even though I'm timid and not as toned, I can pull off the characters. So cosplay makes me want to care less about insecurities, social anxiety, or body image,” shares Sailee Angree, cosplayer and student at NIFT Mumbai. Perhaps one of the subtle gifts of this art form is fluidity and the disenthralling sense of possibility that comes with it.

Freedom in Fluidity 

t its core, cosplay (August 30 is celebrated as International Cosplay Day) is a paradox—an art form of imitation that reveals something greatly original about the self. It's a world where the boundaries of who you are and who you want to be are delightfully blurred. The allure lies in the graceful shedding of the mundane for the boundless imagination.

The costumes, from the wigs to the robes, act less as a disguise and more as a catalyst for genuine self-discovery. It offers an escape from the social scripts. One gets to test-drive a new persona, to explore courage without consequence. Ergo, cosplay is a quiet declaration that identity is not a fixed monument, but a fluid work of art. 

Community Forged, Not Inherited

From a wider traditional narrative, collective identity is often centred around family or social roles. Each institution serves a crucial purpose in maintaining stability. “Growing up, one thing that I personally struggled with was clothing. Indian families still like to police women’s clothing. It took me time to get comfortable with what I wear. Cosplaying and dressing up as different characters helped me achieve that in my personal life,” says Padmavati Kadam, cosplayer and content writer. 

Thus, a “formed” community, based on personal passion and creative choice, would most definitely challenge these long-standing and deeply embedded ideas of social structures. This is precisely where the cosplay community lies. Events like Comic Con and Animania foster a sense of belonging that an individual actively chooses and builds, brick by brick, based on shared ideas. “The cosplay community has been really kind to me. Though not immune to conflicting opinions, they are mostly helpful and always looking out for each other,” Padmavati adds. The positive feedback and camaraderie boost self-esteem, creating a network that transcends geographical boundaries.

From Likes to Livelihoods

The ascent of Indian cosplay is paralleled by its maturation into a legitimate professional field. Social media, in this context, is not merely a gallery. Securing brand sponsorships, from gaming companies to fashion brands, artists are deftly leveraging their social media platforms to transform their passion into a venture. 

What elevates Indian cosplay is its sophisticated fusion of global pop culture with indigenous artistry. These creators reinterpret designs with a distinct, discerning eye. It provides a safe and celebrated space for individuals to choose and represent a personality they empathise with. Once relegated to the fringes of the internet by the Indian audience, cosplay has now emerged as a sophisticated expressive force. It demonstrates how artists are sculpting identity, pushing artistic boundaries, and establishing a formidable presence in the creative economy.