Includes index.

Introduction -- Welcome to the world of cosplay. What is cosplay, and who are you? ; A girl drawing in the corner -- The history of cosplay. The boomerang effect ; How cosplay saved my life ; The fire fairy ; The growing pains of a fringe culture -- The creative expression of cosplay. Conventions ; The cosplay guest ; Cosplay in focus ; Going beyond re-creations -- The duality of cosplay. Negativity in cosplay ; The cosplay body issue ; Racism and blackface in cosplay -- The industry of cosplay. Becoming Yaya Han ; The cost of building a cosplay empire ; Cosplay as a career -- Conclusion. The dream of cosplay.

"The authoritative guide to cosplay written by a legend in the community, and packed with step-by-step advice and fascinating investigations into every aspect of the art."--

Cosplay-- a word combining "costume" and "play"-- has become one of the hottest trends in fandom... and Han is its shining superstar. In this guide to cosplaying, she narrates her journey from newbie fan to entrepreneur with a household name in geekdom, revealing her self-taught methods for embodying a character and her experiences in the community. Han covers the history of cosplay; use of nontraditional materials for costumes; and shares tips for transforming your hobby into a career. -- adapted from back cover.