Empowerment in Cosplay
How embodying someone you admire and respect can improve self-worth - and looking good while doing it! First off, what is cosplay? According to Encyclopedia Britannica, cosplay means “costume play.” It is a hobby where people wear special clothes and makeup to look like characters from anime, video games, comic books, movies or TV shows. You may see people dressed up in colorful, expressive costumes impersonating a favorite character of theirs in the streets of Boston, Cambridge and Somerville for events like Anime Boston, Fan Expo and PaxEast.
In my own experience in cosplaying as characters from shows like Pokémon, Pikmin, Fallout, Naruto and Expedition 33, here are a few things I noticed were impacted as I sourced, built out and shared my cosplays:
Everyone is welcomed. Whether it was my first time cosplaying at Fan Expo in 2025 or being four distinctly different cosplays at PaxEast earlier this year, the community I stepped into time and again has been welcoming, caring and supportive. Even if I didn’t know much about the fandom of a specific cosplay or grew up with it, each person that gave a compliment or a thumbs up felt connected. Thus, as a variety of spaces foster inclusivity and connection, cosplaying is one more place to express myself.
A little goes a long way. Having little experience with making my own costumes, there is much creativity to be fostered in making your own cosplay. In fact, cosplaying can be highly intricate to the point of learning a new costuming technique or celebrating resourcefulness by sourcing materials, clothing and cosplay adjacent materials in thrift stores or from your current collection. From an expressive therapy lens, being able to bring someone together creatively is a reward and self-esteem boost in and of itself!
Feeling seen in the midst of play. Similar to everyone being welcomed, one of my favorite moments in a cosplay setting was when I was a Pokémon character exploring the expo hall floor of a convention. During that exploration, I found a specific cosplayer who understood the fandom between Psyduck and a celebrated trainer, Misty. Because of the shared connection, we became quick acquaintances and shared a photo. Later that year, I had the privilege of wearing that same Psyduck cosplay at another convention and met a fellow Psyduck cosplayer and we took a picture together then too! In the midst of commonality, the experience of feeling seen was validating.
Not sure where to start? An online search using the name of your favorite show or character and “cosplay” can get the ball rolling. You’ll see how people make their cosplay costumes ranging from ordering from small businesses to learning a new craft to making a piece by hand. Either way, the door to self-expression is limitless when a new look is on the horizon - both physically and emotionally!
Lou Lim, LMHC, REAT is a licensed mental health counselor and registered expressive arts therapist (REAT) with a master's degree in Expressive Therapy and Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University. He is a member of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association and on the committee for REAT credentialing. He has 13 years of experience in counseling and expressive therapy working with children, adolescents, teenagers, adults, and retirees.
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