Crossplay (cosplay)

Crossplay (a portmanteau of "cross-dressing" and "cosplay") is a type of cosplay in which the person dresses up as a character of a different gender. Crossplay's origins lie in the anime convention circuit, though, like cosplay, it has not remained exclusive to the genre. While it is similar to Rule 63 (gender-bending) cosplay, it can be differentiated by the performer becoming completely immersed in the codes of another gender, rather than picking and choosing what behavior enhances the performance.^[1]

Female-to-male crossplay

Two female crossplayers dressed as Sora and Roxas from the Kingdom Hearts series strike a yaoi pose.

In most countries that play host to hobbyists who would call themselves cosplayers, female-to-male crossplayers (females costumed as male characters, sometimes abbreviated "FtM") are far more common, due to a variety of social and cultural factors.^[2]

Many females crossplay for the same reasons that they would cosplay – because they like the character or the costume, and wish to represent that. In Japan, female costumers tend to dominate the field of cosplay in general, often portraying an assortment of colorful characters regardless of gender.

As bishōnen are portrayed in manga and anime as liminal beings, it is considered "easier" for a female to cross-play as a bishōnen than it would be for her to crossplay as a male character from a Western series.^[3]

Male-to-female crossplay

Hideaki Kobayashi, a male crossplayer at Comiket 91

Male-to-female crossplayers (males costumed as female characters) are somewhat more common outside Japan. Originally, in America, a popular anime series for MtF crossplayers was Sailor Moon, creating "humorous effect and social levity".^[4]

See also

• Mana – figurehead of Japan's gothic Lolita fashion movement
• Cross-dressing
• Gender bender