n00b question... but just wondering..

By CrisisCloud. 31/10/10, 10:39 am

Is there some kind of unwritten rule about cosplaying the same thing as someone else? Like if you turn up somewhere as the same thing, is it bad? Kind of like when you go to the school ball and someone is wearing the exact same dress as you. Is that a bad thing? Just wondering because I don't want people to be all "OMFG YOU'RE COPYING!!!"

I know, silly question, but I've been searching everywhere and can't find an answer!

By azeria. 31/10/10, 10:41 am

Nope nothing wrong with it! If you're joining a group they might have a no double ups rule, but other than that you're fine.
And even if there is a group for a fandom you're planning on cosplaying doesn't mean you have to join it.
I think you should just cosplay what you want. Its cool seeing people cosplaying the same character as you because at least you know you have something in common and you can get some awesome crack shots.

By **Duckeh**. 31/10/10, 10:42 am

Some people think wearing the same dress is bad, some people don't?
Really, it's up to how you feel about it and if you're in a group, check the group is fine with it.
If it's a mainstream character, most people should understand the possibility of a double up. <: Double up pictures can be amusing anyway!

Edit: ninja'd by azeria.

By Pyro. 01/11/10, 12:44 am

It's a non-issue if it's a popular character (like say, Naruto or Tifa Lockhart or something), but sometimes people can get a little annoyed if it's a less popular one.

(or, to continue with the ball analogy, you wouldn't care if you wore a plain black dress and a million other people did, too, but when you show up in fluorescent green you expect to be individual... so it's annoying when you look at the girl in the corner, and she's fluoro too)

But yeah, it is kind of an individual opinion thing, and it can depend on the character a lot. Some people get very... 'protective'? over their favourite non-mainstream cosplays and get upset when you do the same thing as them. You just have to figure out who you're dealing with, and from there, think over whether or not they're the type who would care. It's really a case-by-case basis kind of thing.

By Kitten Slave. 01/11/10, 02:03 am

From what I have observed, most of the folk on here are rather tolerant of doubleups. It seems to me to be more about the fun of the making and the wearing and the attention whoring, so end of the day, if you do a double up, no one is going to have a hissy.
I think it comes down to the community yes?

:think:

By PIe. 01/11/10, 02:07 am

Double ups are pretty much a-ok but in the end it's up to the person wether they like it or not.

I'm fine with double ups myself, I've cosplayed Misa to armageddon, 'nuff said.

By mystix-candy. 01/11/10, 02:30 am

It's not your fault if you and someone else both like the same character and want to cosplay them. There are some people who just don't like double ups especially when it's a double up of a character they're cosplaying. But generally, double up-ing is fine, i think > <
If you're planning to go with a group and the character is taken though, then you should ask the group if it's okay to have 2 of that character~
Or you could just surprise them at the venue by going as that character and be like, 'hey! I have a twin nao" 8D

**Guest** Guest

Well remember that really nobody "owns" a certain character. Nobody "owns" Deidara, nobody "owns" Salior Moon. So, really it would be kind of unfair to not let somebody else cosplay as the same character, because really that would be kind of hogging. I can understand the stress about double-ups, as you could be worried if somebody cosplaying the same character might look better, espically if you're a novice and they are a expert, but it would be kind of mean to not let characters be shared, plus they might cosplay the character on a different day, or have a certain different style into making the costume, say like C.C from Code Geass she has a collection of different costumes. But yeah, sharing is caring. 3

BTW. Love your username. Cloooooud. <3

By Blooberry. 01/11/10, 03:39 am

It's totally up to you what you want to cosplay! No point in repeating what others have said, yeah there are dangers cosplaying a popular character because chances are someone else will be too, yeah it's annoying/depressing if they are better than you, lalalalala.

I think there is a line though, for example if you purposely cosplay EVERYTHING someone is cosplaying or do the exact [to a few details] same gijinka design.
But yeah~ Some people have issues with it, some people don't.

By Squishy blob. 01/11/10, 04:20 am

I agree with what most people have been saying above (groups have their own rules (very important in competitions), but you can still do what you want, you don't have to be in a group) and personally I think double-ups can make for some pretty epic group photos.

Blooberry also brought up a good point- someone copying your original design without permission, NOT COOL.

By NillanthirZerati. 06/11/10, 07:49 am

The way I see it, if it's coincedence.. it's cool and sometimes it can be awesome.. like for instance if there were multiple Naruto's, one could make a mini joke about shadow clones and see if people could 'spot the real naruto' as a inside joke. But if someone looks at anothers design and thinks 'thats cool, I'll just copy the same idea' then that could lead to problems.. in the end it depends on the individual.. but this individual believes that if it's popular, then there's bound to be more than one of 'it'. It's a fact of life and it happens not just in cosplay, but in other places and situations as well. All it boils down to is how one chooses to deal with the fact others come in the same cosplay outfit ^^

By Highlander. 06/11/10, 08:07 am

NillanthirZerati wrote:: The way I see it, if it's coincedence.. it's cool and sometimes it can be awesome.. like for instance if there were multiple Naruto's, one could make a mini joke about shadow clones and see if people could 'spot the real naruto' as a inside joke. But if someone looks at anothers design and thinks 'thats cool, I'll just copy the same idea' then that could lead to problems.. in the end it depends on the individual.. but this individual believes that if it's popular, then there's bound to be more than one of 'it'. It's a fact of life and it happens not just in cosplay, but in other places and situations as well. All it boils down to is how one chooses to deal with the fact others come in the same cosplay outfit ^^

Off-Topic, but good idea, we should do a 'Naruto' only group one day, just for the laughs.

PS. Although some groups say no double ups the Firefly group is deliberately doubling some characters to include ball dresses as well.

By sakkaf. 06/11/10, 08:15 am

I rather like double ups! That way, you can be mirror images in a photoshoot~

By tekuti. 14/06/11, 12:55 am

It can be embarrising sometime, but thats why you think outside the box with your cosply and do someone that noones going to do!

By **seraphik**. 14/06/11, 04:06 am

^ i don't think this is really true... you should cosplay what you want to cosplay and be done with it. (:

By CrisisCloud. 15/09/11, 03:50 pm

WOW. I'm replying to this six months later. XD
Thanks for all the input, it helped me a lot! I was super stressing. :3

**Guest** Guest

I don't think it's a big deal personally, as long as it's a character you enjoy it shouldn't really matter. Cosplay is about fun, no? I'd say each person cosplaying the same character would have a different flare to it if that makes any sense? :U

By collarander. 15/09/11, 05:56 pm

It doesn't matter at all as long as you're okay with it =D
Though it does have it's pro's and con's:
A 'pro' is that you'll have found somebody who shares an interest in a game/anime/etc that you like! So, a potential new friend in the making =D
Though a personal downside for me, don't know if anybody else feels this way, but I end up getting self conscious if I see another person cosplaying the same character. I'm not very skilled at making clothes, so I worry that people might compare my costume to the other persons'. sweatdrop

But in terms of whether it's okay or not, it's completely fine! Nobody is going to hate on you for cosplaying the same character!

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