Cosplayers accused of showing too much skin say they are expressing themselves

Shock waves coursed through the Singapore cosplay community last month when the police were called to the Anime Festival Asia (AFA) 2013 at the Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre.

An older woman was reportedly upset by a young female cosplayer's costume, finding it indecent.

News of the incident, which was first posted on forum Hardwarezone, described how the young female cosplayer was confronted by an older woman at AFA 2013.

She was dressed as Ryuko Matoi from anime Kill la Kill, in a costume that exposed the lower half of her chest and her stomach.

The woman, who looked to be in her 40s, had reportedly grabbed the cosplayer's arm and called the police with her free hand.

My Paper reported that the women acknowledged the police's advice to settle the matter amicably, and that no further police assistance was required.

Freedom of choice

When news spread online, many netizens posted comments in defence of the cosplayer.

Other netizens expressed concern that this would affect cosplayers' freedom of choice for future cosplay events.

But cosplayers at the EOY Cosplay Festival 2013 held at the Marina Barrage on Sunday said that the incident has not deterred them from wearing sexy costumes.

Among the 20,000-strong crowd, sexily-clad cosplayers were still milling about.

This included Ms Sylvia Yuen, Ms Cheryl Tan and Ms Meng Jun, who said they were shocked when they heard about last month's incident.

Ms Yuen, who was at AFA 2013 with her husband, said that a friend had witnessed the incident and told her about it.

The translator, 32, told The New Paper: "The cosplayer wasn't doing anything wrong or anything against the law.

"If the same thing had happened to me, I would have reported that older woman to the police instead. Essentially, she was the one harassing the cosplayer," she said.

Ms Meng, 20, a Nanyang Polytechnic student, agreed: "It's ridiculous. What I wear is none of anyone's business. I would have fought back because this is my hobby and it's legal."

Ms Cheryl Tan, co-owner of anime merchandise shop Otakutachi, 26, said: "My friend who saw what happened said there was another female cosplayer just behind (the cosplayer in the Ryuko Matoi costume) who was wearing an even more revealing costume.

"Why didn't the woman grab her too?

She added: "If people are offended (by cosplay costumes), then they should just walk away because cosplay allows people to express themselves.

"It boosts self-confidence because you take pride in your own creativity and it's also not easy (being in costume and) standing in public like that."

I do it for photo shoots

Meng Jun, 20, student at Nanyang Polytechnic
She plays: Black Rabbit from Mondaiji

Ms Meng Jun dislikes men who get touchy-feely taking pictures with female cosplayers at events.

She puts on her "fierce face" to discourage them from approaching her.

She said: "I don't want to encourage these guys. I do cosplay photoshoots because I enjoy them (not because of the attention).

Ms Meng said that she got into cosplay four years ago

She cosplays both female and male characters.

She said: "One thing cosplayers have to remember is to bring safety pins, in case costumes fall apart."

It's a family affair

Sylvia Yuen, 32, translator
She plays: Inori Yuzuriha from Guilty Crown

It's a family affair for her.

Ms Sylvia Yuen was a striking sight - showing off her flat stomach and curves - at the EOY Cosplay Festival 2013.

But what caught our eye was her four-year-old daughter running around her, dressed as Sailor Jupiter from Sailor Moon.

Her husband was taking pictures of her.

She said: "My husband is open-minded so he doesn't mind (me cosplaying in sexy costumes).

"He tells me that he loves all my costumes.

"I've dragged my whole family into this since I started cosplaying a year ago."

Ms Yuen said that she used to only make cosplay costumes, but she now loves wearing them.

"After EOY, I went to Funan Centre for dinner in my costume.

"You just get used to the stares after a while."

If you've got it, flaunt it

Cheryl Tan, 26, co-owner of anime merchandise shop Otakutachi
She plays: Junko Enoshima from Dangan Ronpa

If you have it, flaunt it.

Ms Cheryl Tan, who first started cosplaying in 2002, was candid about her ample bosom.

She said, with a laugh: "I'm open about it and I think it's a good thing to use what you have before it all sags.

"I will be proud to tell my daughter next time that her mum was hot.

"The thing is, it's not just getting into a costume when you cosplay.

"I do lots of research on my character and when I don the costume I make sure that my mannerisms are like hers as well."

The process involves choosing a character, buying the cloth to make the costume and getting all the right accessories - including tattoos.

She recalled her first attempt at cosplay in public ended up with her skirt dropping to the ground.

Said Ms Tan: "Some kind soul lent me his jacket so that I could cover myself."

"Lucky no one called the police."

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