plagiarism in cosplay is COMPLICATED

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0:00 a very normal intro
3:40 so about those power dynamics
10:03 the limitations of "just credit"
13:40 "hey is it ok if i cosplay ur idea?"
17:22 "ok but uh can i make ur DESIGN?"
23:11 success. trends. output. volume.
35:53 transformative + affirmative work
44:01 hey! we made it to MAGfest!
46:16 unpacking all that (hehe)
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[@HeyLizardLeigh]

if you found any good in this video and want to see more like it, I really hope you consider joining my patreon! Turning this kind of video creation into a livelihood is unspeakably difficult, and I'm giving it all i've got to turn this into a career and keep creating things like this. I can't say thank you enough to the people who are able to help support me in this goal- and thanks for watching! www.patreon.com/heylizardleigh

[@user-gq9hn6nb8k]

I think it's M-Theory, maybe, that you might have been trying to reach when you said entropy. Maybe?

[@foxbuns]

I must say your hair is magical, right out of an anime

[@lacybookworm5039]

This was the video essay I didn't know I needed. Btw how do you meet other anime/manga people as an adult, and build a community around cosplay.

[@savinavi8793]

Koroks are by far the most varied race in this game, with over 913 different Koroks overall.

[@pavarottiaardvark3431]

Epic of Gilgamesh fans coming for everyone cos we all plagiarised the concept of 'characters in a fiction story'

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

i see your gilgamesh joke and raise you darmok and jalad, at tanagra

[@Raikamaru]

Sokath, his eyes uncovered

[@Hrafnasil]

Shaka, when the walls fell

[@user-gq9hn6nb8k]

Will Smith, at the Oscars, his hand open.

[@reggies2893]

brb writing down "the general concept of shared stories" as a cosplay idea 100% copywright don't steal (/joking)

[@TheFaintdreams]

This academic paper: ' “There is No Such Thing as Copying in Cosplay”: Cosplay as a Remixed Literacy Practice ' - can be found via Google Scholar, and digs into exactly this question - it's from 2021

[@kennethyee5161]

I'm not sure if it's a coincidence or not but if it wasn't please give credit to them because they worked hard on their paper.

[@JunoDrawz]

@@kennethyee5161the LAYERS to this 😭😭

[@AshtenPassion]

Smth that sticks in my mind a lot is seeing someone make a disclaimer on their edits page to “not take inspiration” from their edits, like, ppl are considering inspiration itself to be plagiarism now and that makes me so nervous 😭 like recently I asked my friend if it was okay for me to utilize beading in my next project since I was inspired by her beadwork in a project and she was like “????yea??????? It’s just a technique” and like that should be obvious right? But it feels so RISKY to just be inspired now. I love learning techniques and being inspired by them and recreating them myself but it feels RISKY, it’s too probable that someone will accuse me of stealing their idea, or somebody not even involved pointing out that something I made looks similar to something someone else did

[@ZimVader-0017]

This is why, in the knitting and crochet community, if someone has the gumption to accuse someone else of plagiarism and it's obviously a common type of stitch pattern that is used for everything, that person will be made very aware of how ridiculous they're being. I recently saw someone saying that a store from Scotland had "stolen" their sweater pattern, and I went to see the pattern. Y'all. I have that exact same sweater pattern in one of my vintage crochet books from the 1970s.

[@blue._.]

That's so crazy to think about, to me at least as a person that does various arts and crafts, because if you could own a technique/material, etc. (e.g. Anish Kapoor, Vantablack or "the blackst black") most arts and crafts would be dead by now. Like they live off of being passed down in artist generations and each person improving on it or incorporating new technology/their own techniques and materials.

[@goblinguy3103]

@@blue._.this!! Art NEEDS to be shared in order to survive. We need to pass these styles from person to person. Obviously that doesn’t mean plagiarism doesn’t exist, but a lot of people think inspiration is a literal crime.

[@squirrelgadget3498]

Remember this, the accordion was invented around the same time by two dudes who didn't know each other and were living in different countries. Inspiration from others is a beautiful thing about humanity, don't let others tell you that it's stealing. And sometimes, ideas are so good that multiple people can come up with them!

[@bok9596]

Thats why u need confidence and u need to be ready to shut down any argument they bring up. U have ur ideas and u dont owe "correctness" to anyone except yourself!

[@MusicWisp]

I was making a ballet Black Widow and someone accused me of copying someone. I kinda panicked for awhile bc I didn’t mean to blah blah. Then I all a sudden went Wait a damn minute. It’s Black Widow. Of course two people can have the same idea of making a ballet black widow

[@emilyrln]

Doesn't she even have ballet training in her backstory? Or am I remembering another femme fatale spy assassin character? 😂

[@MusicWisp]

@@emilyrln yep! It’s up in the air how much was fake and how much was real, but ballet was super important to her so she still practices and it’s still apart of her life

[@PandarenSoul]

As a commissioner it was/is very common for clients to never credit (even some of the big cosplayers at the time were guilty of doing this). A bunch of us shared a list of people who wouldn't credit/claim the costume was their own making and we eventually had to start adding clauses in our contracts stating the client needed to have credit on X amount of posts or they might be blacklisted. It's really sad that it had to come to that point, but things seem better now.

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

Ugh, yeah. When I was almost done working on this edit, I started to get worried my script didn't go far enough into what you're talking about, mainly because to me that kind of behavior isn't like an ~interesting topic to analyze and explore~ which is what I was trying to focus on, but is just.... people being garbage!! it's just messed up bad behavior! that should not be acceptable in our community! i'm really glad to hear commissioners have that list going, but i'm sad it's a necessity. just unfathomable to me, why you wouldn't want to uplift people who do good work!

[@katb5183]

​@@anjellalo972 yeah hi driveby opinion but I also do commission work - but in ink landscape paintings. It is so assumed normal it's commonplace on the Art Only Commission side that you credit the person you got art from. Even work that I've done for professional companies and they purchased licensing rights, my name is still there. People who do otherwise are a rarity and honestly get soft blacklisted pretty fast. The "once you pay for it, it's not yours" argument is just an excuse to not credit people for their efforts and pretend it's YOUR effort. Either way: Cosplay is no less an art than my paintings, they're just different mediums. There is no reason to treat them with any less respect as artists because they work with fabric and I work with paper. A name in a description nobody reads isn't going to end the universe.

[@GaraksApprentice]

Yeah that's not how contracts work, and it's not how rights work. A professional creating things for other people - books, photos, cosplays, red carpet dresses, whatever - absolutely has the right to be credited for their work, and can insist on it in their contract or licensing agreement. Why else do you think celebrities at red carpet events tell everyone which fashion house their clothes came from? Cosplay, especially at the professional level, is no different. @@anjellalo972

[@GaraksApprentice]

You make it sound like it's an unusual thing. It really isn't, especially in commercial settings (which a professional cosplayer is operating in). Lizard literally talked about how Disney disallowed costumes from non-Disney franchises the year they sponsored Her Universe - completely legal and very common to put in contracts. Or did you think that all those celebrities on the red carpet mention who their designer was out of the goodness of their hearts? @@anjellalo972

[@linkislovely]

I am one of the department heads of the makerspace at mag. Thank you so much for your kind words. I am litterly in tears. The patterns were all donated from my friend's gram that died recently, and it means so much that you included it in your video. Thank you!

[@annbrookens945]

I was thinking what a generous gesture the con made to have this craft room and was wondering if just a lot of people donated patterns and materials! When my grandmother died, I inherited all her craft stuff. This would have been the perfect place to donate it to folks who would appreciate it all.

[@linkislovely]

@annbrookens945 all of our fabric is donated by staff and other con goers! We hope to expand it to other things as well. MAG buys us new machines and basic supplies every year, but most of our workable materials are from lovely people like you! This year our main import was yarn, fabric, and polyfill. Anything we don't use and can't store gets donated to our visiting makerpsaces to get used at their full time building.

[@jacquelinehart4355]

I spent pretty much my entire con in either the makerspace or the classroom next door, it was so nice! Also I'm not sure where y'all are based out of but SCRAP B-More up in Baltimore is a craft supply thrift store, I can't say enough good things about them

[@linkislovely]

@jacquelinehart4355 our warehouse is in Beltsville, MD but I personally am from middle of PA. We love doing stuff with other spaces even if all they want is to come and promote themselves in our visiting makerspace area.

[@beea4014]

Never been to a con before but this looked soooo fun

[@pastelreniva]

A (pretty popular) pre-made cosplay site stole my photo when I first started cosplaying, it was on their official blog and pinterest (of all things) as well as their site for a while. Every time I emailed them about it, they would give me some lame excuse of "Well we can no longer access the blog and pinterest to take down the photo" which is untrue because NOW those posts link directly to their new website instead of their blog.

[@dr.temperancebrennan]

Cosplay sites do that. They steal cosplayers photos of a cosplay, to use on their sites, so people think their product is better quality than it actually is.

[@CakeCrumb]

This is so fr and I have personal trauma with this bc a popular cosplayer couple accused me of plagiarising their costume a couple of years ago when I posted ig stories of a few wip close ups and one swirly symbol was loosely based on one of theirs, and apparently they expected me to ask for permission and credit in the story that was viewed 34 times bc I barely had a hundred followers and y'all I felt like a criminal fr. They went on a whole public rant on their account and I was so scared of posting on ig again that I ended up deleting mine 😭

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

I hate so bad that no part of this is surprising to me 😭 the public witch hunts a few years back especially got SO out of control, this is supposed to be about sharing skills and being inspired together!! I’m so sorry you had that experience!

[@CakeCrumb]

That's exactly what I think too 🥺

[@simrell]

this is such a good video, i feel all of this so deeply. on one of my recent craft /build videos (symphony miku) i had a comment from someone who was planning to make the same character & design for an upcoming contest. but they were worried that they would look like they were copying me or even LOSE POINTS because of my build video. but like, that's the whole reason i decided to make craft videos. i hope someone learns new techniques or gets creative ideas from my chaos.

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

exactly!! ESPECIALLY when it comes to techniques like, I cannot think of a single example where I’d be anything but overjoyed to see someone using a technique inspired by me!!

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

also your symphony miku was so great!

[@jilliancosplays]

The "mutual inspiration" hit it home for me. I think there's a fine line where inspiration and plagiarism blurs between cosplayers doing the same/similar things, and as you said it's only the people who want to cause drama that will make a fuss about it. I entered a pretty big video game cosplay competition once and placed. The following year I entered again, and there was a cosplayer who made the same cosplay I had done the year before. And they literally used all of the same fabrics (thanks, Joanns -_-), techniques, etc that I had. While it was SUPER surreal to not only see it but to stand right next to it in group photos, I would be mortified to say anything to them or behind their back on the internet. I wish more of the community found that as unnecessary drama. And also as you mentioned, even though we were two cosplayers who made the cosplay with the same materials, etc. hers is hers and mine is mine because our skills are different! Overall, bravo on this video!

[@kerricaine]

I had the opposite experience. There was one year there was this incredible doctor strange cosplayer. She'd done an amazing job, and seeing all the details of it made me wanna do my own. The next year I placed in masters with mine. We'd used the same commercial patterns, but side by side, they both looked incredibly different because we had different skills

[@dazedanimates]

ThE AMOUNT OF PANIC WHEN YOU REALIZED THE DATE, I WAS SO NERVOUS FOR YOU 😢

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

this is the first (and singularly LAST) time i will EVER film a video in these 24 hours LMAO

[@annbrookens945]

I was shocked that you CONTINUED FILMING instead to pausing until you came home from MAGfest!!!

[@lalottered8586]

I hope the community learns the difference between "having coincidentally similar inspo", "accidentally coming up with similar designs based on the character's shape", and "copying one on one", "a company making a cosplay using a cosplayer's pictures rather than the actual reference art and passing it off as their design"

[@tibbynibby]

The first cosplay I did, there was a lady who used a pattern and lied on stage and said it was 100% her idea and her work. She made no adjustments or anything! I looked up the pattern right then and there and she legitimately did not change a thing. She won the design competition. She cheated and disrespected everyone there. I’m not even talking about me. There were so many people who had made beautiful and clever costumes that deserved to win over hers.😮 If she hadn’t lied, I wouldn’t be angry. It was…well... But over all, she did a good job of copying the pattern. 😩 It’s a frustrating feeling.

[@tibbynibby]

I should also say that yes, I did enjoy this video xD

[@wavystormy]

The section about trends and capitalism in the cosplay community hit really hard. I started cosplaying and going to conventions when I was ten, and back then only cosplayed the characters I really cared about. But when the pandemic hit full-swing and the only way I could consume media related to cosplay anymore was through social media I switched to buying fast-fashion cosplays because the characters were popular. In my mind it didn't matter what the quality of the cosplay was if it felt like the only way I could be considered a valid cosplayer was by throwing on the outfit of whatever character was most popular at the time. Only after I started going to cons again did I realize how much that mindset made me hate cosplaying and the reason I got into it in the first place was because ten year old me felt so much more confident by dressing up as their favorite characters. Now I'm making my own cosplays and only of characters I can go on five hour rants about (including ocs!!) and I feel so much more fulfilled and happy :D

[@cottoncosplay]

i love the absolute goblin pose just sitting on the desk like *goblin confusion intensifies*

[@elliot5797]

I love how in-depth this video is. I've been doing 'closet cosplays' (for anyone else reading this, its essentially just pulling together a cosplay from things you already own, not much buying or making) for about 4 years now and for the longest time I've been really avoiding it because I don't want anyone to seem like I'm stepping on anyone's toes when it comes to ideas and everything, because a LOT of people now are saying that taking inspiration from something is plagiarism and I have severe anxiety. This really helped me start to figure out what I can and can't do without doing anything wrong. Thank you so much!

[@danielmalinen6337]

In Finland, many cosplayers do this 'closet cosplay' because it is more eco and environmentally friendly than making costumes, and they also try to avoid copyright infringements and lawsuits with Japanese anime and manga artists by creating their own independent characters.

[@DaphneLageArt]

Also, copyright laws for clothing and textiles is different from other forms of media - which means, it's a lot less strict because clothing is considered "utilitarian". That's why you don't have Dior suing YOU for those scalloped edges. It's also why there's so many knockoffs after fashion shows. Christian Louboutin can copyright the red sole but not the shape of the shoe. And even then, it's under very specific circumstances. So even if you did copy this cosplayer's scalloped skirt (which you didn't), it's not plagiarism because NO ONE owns the design for a scalloped skirt. Inspiration is not plagiarism.

[@questionstar]

thanks for making this point! lots of people don't realize clothing/fashion is in it's own different thing w/r/t copyright (is it that patterns and designs specifically cannot be copyrighted? I can't remember). but then! fanart IS actually copyright violations soooo thinking of cosplay as wearable fanart is... I forgot where I was going with this xD

[@kerricaine]

​@@questionstar Patterns and designs can't be copyrighted, and cosplay is considered a transformative use that falls under fair use laws.

[@delanocarson7544]

The accusation at the beginning that someone commented on your video i think in some ways was symptomatic of a blip in cosplay culture when people got really really defensive of their ideas and obsessed with the concept of "giving credit". I can think of creators off the top of my head who were very insistent they be credited for any and all ideas they came up with, down to being credited in all posts where someone referenced their tutorials. That comment, to me, seems born of that genre.

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

I think you're totally right. And truthfully I mainly opened with that story because.... it's youtube, and I needed to start the video with something spicy and engaging (as "drama" tends to be") so that I could HOPEFULLY hook people in for a more interesting conversation in the rest of the video haha

[@delanocarson7544]

@@HeyLizardLeigh that makes total sense and I do think it’s relevant! Hell that whole moment could be microanalyzed under the lens you present in the video

[@toughtink]

this is something that i've started and stopped full essays on several times because i have SO MANY feelings on where cosplay fits into pop culture and community and marketing in the modern age. thanks for addressing that side of this issue!

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

this makes me SO glad to read- I value your insight a LOT and I’m so glad you liked my take on such a complicated topic

[@rufflebutt]

I do agree that this is this wierd anxiety in the community that we will accidentally plagiarize or be called out on it but as a creator who has been directly and maliciously plagerized by a larger creator this year i hope that others can tell the difference between honest mistakes and stepping on other creators to get ahead. Using resources from other creators isn't a sign of weakness, we cant be masters of everything and lifting up the people who got us there keeps those resources alive.

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

THIS

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

and I'm so sorry that happened to you. Resources and commissions need to be celebrated and uplifted, they actively make our community better, and the cosplayers who try and take advantage of that generosity of labor are pure garbage to me

[@jamierae7623]

"I don't even know if there's an audience for this video" I am the audience!! I got SO pumped when you teased this video on your Insta story. I loved HBomberguy's video on plagiarism (it was the background for quite a good part of my last con crunch, actually) and I love all of your longform videos where you talk about costumes you're working on or cons. But also this was a great video (and I didn't even notice the audio issues honestly) 💛

[@GinnyDi]

This is such a thoughtful and well-crafted video. I so appreciate you digging into this concept that I know all of us cosplayers have thought about/run up against!!

[@heavy_yawns]

THE QUALITY!!! THE DEPTH!!! OF THIS VIDEO

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

someone get this guy a members-only jacket!! get this guy some branding!!!

[@heavy_yawns]

someone get this guy a king-of-content jacket with a snail on it!! @@HeyLizardLeigh

[@liovanacapello5535]

One time i asked a fellow cosplayer for advice about a costume that they had crafted, since i wanted to craft the same costume as well (It wasn’t an original design, just from a series). They kindly answered my questions, and i thought i had their support. Later, when i wanted to credit them for their help in a post, i couldn’t tag them. Turns out they had silently blocked me. I’m still not sure why.

[@EnasniVee]

The section about the anxiety about being one of the bad ones resonated with me so SO much. Gah, this whole video was just excellent, and rang so true. You put so much thought into this, and its clear that you have endless passion for this community. It's you, and people like you that make the cosplay community wonderful and welcoming.

[@nekojez]

The part about being so positively affected by something that you just want to make something from it is how I've always described it too! It's like, I either love the story or character so much, or was so creatively fuelled by said media that I couldn't hold it in and physically had to show my love for it somehow. I remember watching an Adam Savage TED talk where he mentioned a similar concept, and it still rings so true to me. Cosplay for me is great for so many reasons, but knowing it's always coming from a place of love and passion has kept me partaking in the hobby for over a decade. Thank you so much for taking the time to explore this topic, I really appreciate it and I enjoyed listening :)

[@Shion.U27]

The one thing that I personally would count as plagiarism that I have see the cosplay community is when people use someone else 3D print files, and sell the prints, with no credits or without asking for creators first. The cosplayer in this case makes most of their money from selling 3D files and patterns on patron. IDK I just think its interesting how big the community has gotten.

[@quantafreeze]

Crossing off things in a list is visually so satisfying.

[@virginiawilson3884]

OMG pausing 30 minutes in because a while ago I caught a glimpse of your fish tank and I got so excited and I yelled "Show us the fishies!" and I'm so glad I got to see it, your tank is beautiful. Also, my gosh, what a well thought out gem of a video. Such insightful commentary that is very well articulated. Love the graphics!

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

THANK YOU it's actually so overgrown rn haha, I desperately need to re-up my school of corys since I lost two in the fall but I just have not had time to bring in new little guys, especially when I'm still raising the mystery snails ! but hey, with tanks it's all about a shifting ecosystem haha, i'll get it back under control after katsu

[@goblinguy3103]

I’m glad you talked about “switching sides”. This happens a lot when it comes to power dynamics that a lot of people don’t notice. Obviously social clout, but also economic stability, and age dynamics. This is such a big issue with power dynamics in general. Toxic people tend to not realize they’re toxic BECAUSE THEYVE BEEN A VICTIM BEFORE. I just want to thank you for going “oh. I’m no longer a small fish in this pond” because that truly does change over time.

[@serinityainferno]

In the art community in general there has been so much plagarism accusations that are not actually plagarism but inspiration AT BEST. I recently debuted my TOTK Mineru design and I was more than happy to share how I constructed it for those who were also wanting to cosplay her. More people need to just get back to having fun with cosplay and not make it so stressful for themselves and others.

[@eagleeyedosteo6474]

I very much enjoyed this video. As a long time fandom dweller, avid textile crafter, and person with an anthropology degree listening to your deconstructions and descriptions of our (sub)culture was fascinating. There are very few hard lines when it comes to culture. You have to run on a case by case basis when you make decisions about how you handle yourself and others. There are no one size fits all solutions to most of the dilemmas discussed here. This isn't an excuse for misconduct of course, but I think cosplay and fandom at large have a lot more nuance involved than some people would have you believe. I appreciate that this video addressed some of that complexity, I hope this makes sense!

[@DumbasBee]

You’re one of my favorite cosplayers, I love that your videos aren’t just sped up videos of you crafting with random music over it, you’re definitely an inspiration for me. I love that you pull apart aspects of the community while actively being part of the community makes you’re videos so interesting to watch or even just listen too when I’m crafting

[@elizarline]

As a casual cosplayer and wannabe costume accessories maker I really appreciate this video. It’s not easy coming into cons as an inexperienced creator and worrying about how much you take from far more amazing creators. I am also a committed fan of interpretation vs direct translation. I love seeing unique takes on all things I love from fellow fans. Thank you for your open and honest (and well researched) opinions 🙌🏽 I’ll definitely be looking up MAGcon.

[@torenchao]

I'm seriously impressed with the gravity-defying makeup brush hairstyle/gen, you look like a character! edit: also the combination commentary video/vlog is not something I expected but it's surprisingly genius

[@ebulienxce]

The panic when you realized the date is so realll 😭 I just started following you after watching your history of Katsucon video and I was wondering if you’re going again this year?

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

I sure am!

[@contorture]

Gotta say, it's one thing to have this level of thoughts about this topic, but it's another level entirely to organize it into this smooth and coherent of a script! Incredibly well done-this was such a great listen to help get me through the next stage of my own costuming grind!

[@KirileeCosplay]

Thank you so much for making this video and highlighting a very important topic within the cosplay community. As cosplayers we try so hard to give credit on all our posts, but the one time we forget - we are the villian. Meanwhile, our photos and videos are being downloaded and then shared by larger companies and accounts that only act as a redistributor (with a "credit" if we are lucky), giving them the free material and more views/subs/purchases. It is a minefield.

[@foxymcloxy7492]

This was an insanely well-thought out and well-made video! I’m a big fan of the cozy vlog-style b-roll combined with the clean and stylish editing. And the fact you filmed so much of it before and at magfest is as impressive as it is utterly mad. I swear I don’t sleep for the three days before just concrunching and packing, how the hell did you also make a whole-ass video essay on top of that?!👏 (Also really appreciate the inclusion of last minute pre-vacation fish tank maintenance. This is very relatable content) Great video- keep it up! And hopefully I’ll see you at magfest next year! 🤘

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

I truly have no idea how i managed to make this video as i was getting out the door to a con LMAO like that doesn't even make sense to me, the person who just did so

[@meowdyimfelix]

i was actually at the genshin photo shoot with the painted primogem cosplayer. I forgot about it for a while and by the time I had seen the viral video i assumed their costume was one of the mass-produced ones because companies had ALREADY started selling them like a week later.

[@TyLeeslilsis]

There's been a lot of mulling over this topic on my own as an in-and-out cosplayer over the last 10 some years, and it's kind of bogged me down with everyone being so concerned and afraid to "copy" someone else as someone who *loves* seeing someone in the same cosplay and Spiderman-Point-Memeing to them and making a new friend. But all of that melted the moment you started talking about MAGfest. I'm sitting here crying now because all I want is to put on a little costume I poured sweat and blood into and be goofy with someone who saw the same character and felt the same way so deeply that they too had to be them and share in that love of a character with them. You touched on so many wonderful points. This was so well done and honestly really inspiring! I'm gonna go put these tears into a folder for my next cosplay now.

[@Chibi-kittenplays]

you look like korokk siblings! So cute! Photoshoot together!

[@sennievee6833]

Oh my gosh they DO!!

[@MissMizuu]

If I left Reddit to go be more transmasc on tumblr, yet I like making affirmative cosplay and fanart but reading transformative fic… what gender does that make me? Checkmate, fandom gender essentialists

[@MissMizuu]

I also am really enjoying “transformative vs affirmational” as a lens, and it’s fun to think about the ways some things are a mix of both-in the mid-2000s me and my friends were mostly trying to make really accurate cosplays, but then we would use them to take pictures that changed the characters and made them as queer as, in hindsight, we all later turned out to be. Sometimes you have to be the gays you wish were in your JRPGs you know?

[@kaikaibee2982]

These are the conversations we need to be having in this community. Well done fam

[@koikat6638]

Yes with the trends! Before the pandemic, I was doing a lot of more niche cosplays because I had friends who I could hang out with at cons regardless of outfit. Covid sadly made most of my groups dissolve (various issues, a lot of which go back to how I don't have a strong online presence), so I've been going back to ground 0 of finding groups, which means making cosplays for newer fandoms to refind groups. Even with just making a small few trendy cosplays it's already tiring.

[@foxintrash9636]

Just so you know there’s absolutely an audience for this content I love all video essays but I extra appreciate it when someone discusses an issue from an angle/ using an example that I’m unfamiliar with or that hasn’t been brought up in this context. You definitely did that!

[@Zectifin]

theres a reason you literally cannot trademark fashion designs. also the entire act of cosplay itself is copying someone elses design. why is it ok for someone to make something based on another's intellectual copyright, and possibly even make money off it, and yet someone else can't take design inspiration on the basic design of the clothing, which you LITERALLY CANNOT TRADEMARK.

[@Lithiel]

When it comes to the construction of a cosplay in terms of mechanics, People coming up with similar or EXACT same concept for cosplay feels - to me- part of the territory of cosplay specifically; because 1. you're trying to emulate the SAME character, and 2. People will start to catch on trough trial and error which ways are the BEST way to replicate a certain look for said character. People coming up with the same idea is a Give In in certain areas! It's like two people coming up with the best idea for the wheel! As the idea makes more sense, and people figure it out, the best, most effective, and practical method for achieving it, is going to become common knowledge- especially for people with a mind for engineering and design. This idea will thus be replicated; because like some mathematical equation, the best method to produce a cosplay is going to be solved! This is not to say people copying someone else's idea doesn't happen, but what I mean is it is 100% possible for two people who have never met, never saw one another's cosplay ; can come up with the same idea to accomplish a certain aesthetic or look at the exact same time by virtue of simply understanding their craft and knowing how to best accomplish their goal.

[@jasmineleigheng]

I would love to see an anthropological study about the cosplay community. I would totally devour academic matetial on the subject. It would be cool to see what people have come up with. There was a non-fiction author on YT Dr. Vivian Asimos, she documented her process writing a cosplay research book and now she's researching TTRPG.

[@msmknz]

No, but I *would* download a car

[@MusicWisp]

*plagiarized music starts up in background*

[@fikanera838]

There is definitely an audience for this! Hopefully the passion of the community can fend of the incursion of capitalism. Regarding fic, there's an interesting book by Lev Grossman, describing how for millenia, storytelling was all fanfic. The reteller's details or style was integral to the performance, but the concept of plagiarism didn't develop until the Enlightenment, with the rise of individualism.

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

oh i would LOVE to read that!! it's so true, and I didn't go too in depth on it, but like retelling and reframing has been the cornerstone of literally all art!!

[@fikanera838]

@@HeyLizardLeigh I highly recommend it!

[@dreamingofgreentea]

Hi! That book sounds interesting; do you happen to remember the title? I googled the author's name, but only found novels in his bibliography, not any nonfiction works.

[@fikanera838]

@dreamingofgreentea My mistake, it's a while since I read it. The title is Fic, & it's by Anne Jamison. Lev Grossman wrote the foreword.

[@fikanera838]

@@HeyLizardLeigh It's called Fic, & the author is Anne Jamison. The foreword is by Lev Grossman.

[@idontneedachannelthanksyou7292]

I was painting and didn’t hear if you said who you were making the jacket. Watching the jacket come together, thinking.. it looks like churles. But it can’t be, so it’s it? It was. I’m so happy. Great video

[@ladyxanthar8747]

I've been out of nerd culture for just over decade (life, kids, careers took over) and now the preteen wants to go to a con and cosplay and I'm struggling to find that community and connection again. It's so different from when i first started cosplaying. I think you summed up exactly why.

[@Nekogal21]

I only started going to cons a few years ago and started cosplaying where my boyfriend has been part of the community for ages. He had it a lot easier than what I did. He could wear an inspiration piece and get no comments I wear inspiration pieces and people tell me it's disgraceful being cheap, go as sailor moon from the eternal movie to my first major convention? I get people calling me a copycat, cheat because I didn't make the costume and called a disgrace for wearing something a tall, slim person wears as a plus size average height 24 year old

[@andeatit2]

Just want to say that both costumes are very beautiful and definitely took a lot of hard work and dedication to your craft. I'm gently dipping my toes back into the cosplay scene after a very long hiatus. It's frustrating to see that all the usual struggle s are still present yet magnified by social media I guess? Idk, I've screwed up at times in the past too but it feels like cosplay should just be fun? We're literally playing dress up here. Idk, I'm old and jaded I guess.

[@vestibuohl4135]

This is legit one of my favorite videos of yours and is absolutely going to be my go-to background repeating video next time I have to do a bunch of hand sewing.

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

the highest possible compliment

[@dustyfairywingstoo]

I don’t know where to really begin with meaningfully engaging with this total doozy of a video essay you’ve blessed us with, other than to say I really appreciate you putting this out with the degree of nuance and thoughtfulness that you did. So for that, thank you! Now more importantly, oh my god another ooblets fan!!! Hi!!! I thought I was on a little island! I adore ooblets so I’m giddy to see a fellow cosplayer also loving this silly little cozy game I love so much.

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

OOBLETS!! it is the BEST game and I will be making a more in-depth video for churles soon. and thank you for watching!! i'm so glad people have felt connected to this video, it was SUCH a project to try and organize my thoughts into something coherent and thoughtful

[@cryptidcutiestudios]

I've been in the cosplay scene for a hot minute and I think this comes around every couple of years with a new brand. It's unfortunate but I've seen cosplayers quit the hobby bc they feel like they weren't credited for designs. It's a bummer because I do think there's a lot of nuance and complications (even if we don't look at intentional plagiarism cases) . Hopefully keeping this conversation chill and non blaming like you have presented it will help newer cosplayers

[@MissTwisteddd]

This is genuinely so interesting and an important thing to talk about where to draw the line and kind of dive into what is and isn't acceptable! It's stuff I admittedly never really thought too deeply into until now.

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

thanks for watching friend!!

[@BeanBoozle05]

This video has genuinely helped me be less anxious about trying to get into cosplay again and not back out on making the actual costume itself. Thank you so much for making a detailed video about this. ☺️💚

[@Floralcrafts]

I really love overthinking-rambling videos!! This was such a fun time to sit and crochet to, thank you for sharing and for being so cool!

[@mariechaillouet8802]

i really loved this video, all the "essay video" types are really interesting and it's amazing to see the work put into it

[@leafm5375]

Started cosplaying in 2006 and took a break over the last few years. This has reinspired me!! I'd love to cosplay my old and obscure fandoms, so now I'm gonna go do that. Thanks.

[@delaneyflorence4870]

you are such a great voice for the cosplay community :,) thanks for such an in-depth video about an important part of this hobby!! very insightful

[@peppermintfables]

Loved this video! Especially taking the concept of affirmative vs transformative fandom and applying it to cosplay. I never really liked the concept before bc I sadly only encountered it in the very gendered context you talked about, but seeing some of the original post was very interesting and im gonna go do some more reasearch on that. Also totally agree, while I love academic work about fanfic, I would love to read more about cosplay! Im now noticing that this comment isnt really saying anything about the main topic of plagarism but tbh I dont really have anything to add, I thought it was a really wellrounded stance.

[@whitneynewton9063]

Really enjoyed this video! Been cosplaying since 2013 and I've seen a lot of the same things happening in communities. Hearing you talk about it and break it down was really nice !

[@isantheon3496]

LOVE this message. Thank you for speaking on this complex issue so expertly!

[@Tomyotan]

I appreciated a lot of this as someone who’s had similar thoughts albeit in a more pessimistic mindset. Capitalism has practically killed cosplay and I 80% put the blame on costume companies and the change of social media platforms for just literally being so hostile for community building. I’ve left cosplay behind for about two years now for reasons outside of it but things like a group of shitty 20 something’s in a mishmash of cheap mass produced shonen pieces making a game out of “flirting” with me using bad pop culture pick up lines certainly hasn’t made me miss it. It’s become in a lot of ways just another space of mindless consumption where I’ve seen the whiplash of someone complain about fast fashion in one story only to be selling a cosplay they bought and only wore once in the very next slide. Cosplay has become fast fashion and I think there are multiple ways the word is not what it used to mean 10 years ago. It’s not even a “kids these days” thing because often I see kids in bought cosplays still hold the spirit of it who are so excited to basically get the chance to role play scenarios of their favorite characters. But I do think the reliance of premade costumes mixed with the over saturation of cosplay has created this sink hole like effect, lots of cosplayers struggling to stand out when they all use the same premade cosplays, the desire to be well known especially when social media forces you to be to be visible in communities, and often seeing people jump into big construction projects without practice in clothing structure because of how devalued it’s become compared to other skills (cough armor builds cough cough). There is a long laundry list of things that have caused the space I used to love change so much but I’m always conflicted between “Am I just biased from how strict the cosplay community used to be when I fell into it?” And sometimes feeling like there’s an unyielding pressure to keep cosplay positive to the point of rejecting any criticism. Having literally abandoned my account where I saw everything related to cosplay, the only time I hear it these days tends to be from a story of bad actors in the space and that’s pretty depressing. Feeling isolated is probably the number one reason I doubt I’ll go back to regularly cosplaying too. Even the glory of Katsucon seems to be loosing its shine after becoming extremely crowded and bad for socializing that I’ve started to hear people choosing to drop it when it used to be a can’t miss event. In part I think it also has to do with the slow eroding of what cons used to mean, these events used to be community gatherings for experiences the internet slowly filled in for but wearing a cosplay at a location with other cosplayer and costogs is pretty much the singular thing the internet can’t recreate but it essentially reduces cons to destination locations for photography rather than finding space over what was once a niche interest. That as well as the blending of con genres led to anime cons getting somewhat overtaken by comic con culture (you see a lot of change in photography style around that time for instance) which to me always seemed more structured towards industry rather than the community effort that birthed most anime cons. Getting involved in things outside the cosplay experience has maybe been the most heeling experience and we could use to celebrate those elements for again. I wanna shout out AnimeUSA for being maybe the only con I know for having a true to the idea Host Club that’s 21+, has champagne chants, and well made host cards you can’t buy. It’s niche things like those that I see becoming endangered which also extends to ways I used to see cosplay experienced at cons, particularly the Ouran Host Club cosplay group that used to yearly set up a guerrilla table where they served tea and treats or music playing cosplayers dressed as music focused characters setting up in a corner and playing for hours. A big sore point for me is how Cosplay is a combination of Costume (role)play but the second half has practically phased out of existence. Much like fanfic writing often came from a deep meditation of the character, so had been learning how to embody the character you were representing, there was a mental preparation period and guides discussing posing in ways you don’t see anymore. And it’s something that I envy for the way I still see it in a lot of Asia’s cosplay communities. Cosplay teams willing to recreate the entire apartment of Kobayashi’s dragon maid tv set style to make dance videos or scene recreations are a type of energy I miss on the western side that’s felt lost since the tumblr days. I keep thinking of more things to critique (complain) about the cosplay community but I truly believe it’s because I loved it so much. I don’t think it’s fully lost and could even comeback from the defensive and distrusting space it has become but that would have to come with a lot of conscious communal changes.

[@sarahtaylor4264]

I'm a general lover of creative crafts and a hobby quiltmaker. Two layers of cloth with something sandwiched in the middle and held together by thread is an ancient concept developed independently multiple times across the globe. Plagarism and transformative creativity have a lot of nuance for us too. One of the most frustrating aspects is when big corporations copy work you know took weeks/years of effort and a significant amount of money to sell for super cheap and poor quality. It completely skews non-quilters' expectations and appreciation for the value of a quilt. I am working on a project for someone I know well enough to not charge for labor (I'm a hand-quilter for reference), but still asked to cover cost of materials. That will be around $150 for a larger size lap quilt. I found ways to save money like using solids over prints and mathing out exactly how much fabric I need before buying, but I could never compete with walmart.

[@klsmuddluvr]

This is an awesome video! I also made a korok cosplay and def had those "well someone already made this" feelings. Thansk for all the hard work making this.

[@Saltedcat]

As someone who has cosplayed for almost 10 years it's insane how much has changed but I really enjoyed this video! Thank you for creatin it!

[@user-vn5zr2pe4f]

Words cannot express how much I love this video. Thank you. I feel as though my eyes gave been opened to something I had never thought about before and now I am filled with a passion for a community I've never been a part of before and am only now trying to get into. I wish I could like this twice or something. Great work!

[@dreamingofgreentea]

I'm not super deeply immersed in the cosplay community (I follow you + one other person, & both only since last year), but a lot of this really resonated with me as someone who has been deeply involved in the fanfiction-side of fandom for over 15 years at this point, particularly in the overlap between the discussions that are being had. (So I was then extra delighted when you actually mentioned fic/some of the overlap going on there further on in the video

[@KiRAWRa]

Despite this being about cosplay, you accurately hit on many of the issues that come up for ANY creative endeavor in the social media space. This video was very well done!

[@robingrimm3443]

Honestly so true. It wasn’t until I saw this comment that I thought about it, but there are a lot of parallels in the knitting/crochet communities, specifically regarding seeing an idea or project someone has made and then making one for yourself, with different materials in a different shape, and at what point inspiration is theft (or just multiple people having the idea of “a white sweater would be cool”) lol

[@ionasobral578]

that was so thoughtful and reflective i stopped everything i was doing to watch this 50 min video!! Thx for sharing, that was really useful for me to articulate my thoughts on the subject (and i learned a lot!!)

[@tic857]

Cosplay community can be so weird. Will say that they scared me away. The first 3 cosplays I did was Luke Triton, Naoto (P4) and Hatori. They were all pretty low end. Mostly closet items With a few items that I had hand stitched together. With my Naoto cosplay someone accused me of copying someones lapel pin from some other cosplayer from god knows where there's was plastic and mine was hand embroidered. It was her persona but it was a just a small moth. Then when I did Hatori. Someone hassled me about my glasses. And how Glasses Hatori was their friends idea.........Hatori Canonically wears glasses.....I'm also nearsighted. I told the person " These are my personal prescription glasses. I'm nearsighted. I can't afford contacts." It was such a wild moment.

[@BMad-we6qf]

I always find your content enlightening. Thank you.

[@battlebardart]

As always an absolutely rad and well thought-out video! Definitely passing this around to a bunch of my friends since we are all artists in one way or another and have been talking about this topic recently! Also I have said it before but your Churles makes my heart happy

[@erebus7242]

OMGS yess an ooblets cosplay!! I love the jacket, it looks amazing

[@Icedragon248]

Very eloquently put, amazing video! As an aside, I never thought I would see an ooblets cosplay, I love it (the game and your cosplay)!

[@CaKeBDA]

honestly thankful to the youtube algorithm for bringing me here. I have seen some of your content before but this video was lovely. I subscribed. Hopefully you will give me more motivation to get back into prop and cosplay making. much love!

[@anotherperson565]

There's definitely an audience for this video, I lived every second of it. Keep up the good work!

[@kiaradoesart9682]

It's been a hot minute since I was involved with any cosplay community, and my first thought on clicking this video was "oh FFS". Thoughts about the comment you received- for real I think there are a lot of kids on the internet who are unhappy with themselves and/or their lives, and their way of making themselves feel like Better People is by jumping on others to "correct" them. If they spend all their time drive-by policing others' morals and actions, that's time they don't have to spend looking at themselves. I also 100% blame Twitter "armchair activism" for spreading the language of morality without spreading any real understanding or compassion. They're not necessarily bad kids, their emotional intelligence and social education is just severely lacking. That and the capitalist hell we live in has taught them to be WAY too serious about their hobbies, treating people making stuff for fun like another company competing for their livelihood or something. (Even in your case despite being a professional, you're still a world away from mass-producing companies stealing cosplayer's photos, etc.) Not to be a fossil but MAN I miss the stupid casual cosplay of the 90s lmao

[@PainterFleites]

You may not read this but my goodness you are a hard worker! Love watching your vids to the fullest as you work. Proud of you

[@chaaro]

Omg! I'm barely through this video but im already seeing myself in this 😅 so back in like 2021 i had doodled a fun "korok but as a human" cosplay design to be used later at some point, only to then find your videos and honestly get a bit discouraged (not your fault obv!!!!! Just exactly what you're talking about in this video) but i gave myself time to breath with it and when it came to last year and totk coming out i realized honestly? I just really wanted to make it!! And when i watched your making of videos they actually inspired me MORE than i even was originally!!! I think we can get bogged down by thinking if someone with "clout" or visibility makes something than its off limits, but people bring their own flair and style to even making the exact same cosplay! Thanks for talking about this subject, and for giving me so much inspo in making my own korok design 🥰

[@emilyisallwrite]

Gotta put this out here...I love your Churles cosplay, and I was so excited when you mentioned him/your plans for cosplaying him. Your jacket is excellent and I love the shiny ooblets on it!! 🥰

[@reggies2893]

great video!!! i ADORE your cosplay and as someone who also makes niche characters it makes me happy. but i thought you really covered some of the important takeaways from the plagiarism conversation and its impact on community-building, and i also feel like i got new perspectives, especially at the end with your thought of community-centered vs. corporation-centered approaches and thinking about how social media and cons play into that. i think it connects a lot to why i've found getting into nerdy spaces irl frustrating. i found a great group of friends in a sff group in college that had its roots in 80s fandom and which was about celebrating each others interests and getting into them as much as our own, and creating our own events and curating our own space (i mean i personally wrote several sff themed murder mystery games that we played!). but since i've graduated it's been soooo hard to find stuff to do around where i live that felt like. human spaces. like the spaces that survive often get so corporate or generalized that they don't feel like they're shaped by people anymore. and it sucks because i KNOW those spaces can exist and that people are drawn to making stuff and sharing community!! really tangential to cosplay plagiarism as a topic but truly capitalism is sooo intentionally shaping the choices we make, the values social media enforces, and the spaces we can exist in on and offline. i would get into fandom blogging/video/etc. if it wasn't so fast paced, promoting big-name franchises and corporation ads, and centered on sites that are creating a truly inhospitable space!! it's not even that i want to grow, but community conversation is what i love about participating in the internet! thanks for accumulating your thoughts and sharing your project process! the other creators videos you shared were also a great addition - i always see that more as an academic lit. review - it's not that you're trying to avoid plagiarism so much as needing to establish your work in the context of other peoples existing research! and with cosplay, it makes sense that those are going to be largely video discussions online, though i agree that it would be great to see it transition towards more formalized research. lots to think about lol. oh speaking of making other people's designs, do you describe the techniques you used to make that jacket somewhere? i'm really interested in the way it's constructed and made out of as a beginner sewer but i don't remember seeing it if you have.

[@reggies2893]

oh i didn't even talk about how this connects to my long lived hatred of copyright law!!! i've been into studying it for like. ten years. and the way people have taken from the plagiarism convo that there should be more and tighter copyright laws??? people also enjoy turning to punitive justice when discussing something horrible that's underlooked (and tightening laws and internet harrassment are also forms of punitive justice (whether by the legal system or extra-judicially enforced)). it is too easy to get caught up in emotions and forget WHY the issue is so important in the first place and why they exist. the hbomberguy video did a good job of focusing the creators, explaining the intent and nature of plagiarism, and highlighting the systemic profit-motives and marginalization that fuel it. public domain fuels creativity. it fuels people to make original works and derivative works that add value to our existence. copyright law fuels profit-motives, and is only legally enforceable by corporations or socially enforceable via hate campaigns. neither of those things benefit the creators being stolen from.

[@reggies2893]

ok apparently this video made my adhd hyperfixation brain go brrrr so good job lol! i should probably go craft or something to derail myself before the rest of the afternoon passes haha

[@savinavi8793]

Koroks are by far the most varied race in this game, with over 913 different Koroks overall.

[@pinknblackproductions]

Disney shouldn’t own 30% of what it does. I love your cosplays and thank you for this video

[@LuluRushCosplay]

Thank you so much. This video has been helping out with my cosplay feels. I always enjoy your videos 😊

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

that makes me so so glad to hear!!! thank you for watching!

[@jaspergoesrawrr]

Holy wow, this is fascinating. At first i was like, Oh Jeez its 50 Minutes, but a few minutes in, i'm hooked. I worry about things like this, too, wanting to do something original, but everyone's cosplay is always a little different. Even if its a bought cosplay, the way they alter it or style the wig will still change. Its also great when people share how they made things, so others can learn from them. Instead of gatekeeping it because they think no one's allowed to do the same thing. I love discussing with other cosplayers who have done the same character, about how they made it. Also I am loving the discussion about affirmative vs transformative. Fanfic reinterpretations of canon are so interesting. Ohmygosh MAGFest sounds so cool. Thank you so much for this video.

[@annbrookens945]

Yes! I love learning new techniques...and that means 'new to me'. If you didn't invent it, how can you claim someone stole it from you???

[@krybyh]

great video! loved the editing and you seem to have a really engaging and relateable personality. weird compliment ik, i'm just tryna say tat i really enjoyed your essay about cosplay and plagiarism. keep up all of your amazing work! your cosplays look stunning!! :))

[@blue._.]

2:29 onwards, totally feeling the same way, crazy how fast January past us by

[@corridor.dweller8548]

I listened to this video while I con-crunched my cosplay of Doflamingo from One Piece lol. One of my favorite things about being a cosplayer with multiple, specific skill sets is being able to harness that creativity and thinking outside of the box. My designs are not unique by any means, as most characters are recognizable as an outfit/look. However, my FAVORITE thing about cosplay is being a transformative fan in *how* I cosplay. A majority of the cosplays I bring to conventions are either partially or fully crochet. It is one of my favorite parts about my craft. The outfits of the characters I cosplay are not canonically crochet and probably never will be, but the joy of it is being able to channel my love for the artistry and design and the iconic works of the source material through using a skillset I find to be underutilized in this community. It's such a wonderful feeling getting compliments from non-fiber artist cosplayers, fiber artists that don't cosplay, and fiber artists that do cosplay bc all three of those groups can recognize the time, effort, and artistry that went into making them. Being a transformative fan in the cosplay community is one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had the pleasure of having. I'm so glad other people also feel that way. Buying a cosplay is fine because it's a different experience for a lot of people, but as an artist it's one of the most rewarding hobbies and amazing communities I have ever had the pleasure of being part of.

[@dexageddon]

I love ooblets I’ve never seen anyone cosplay from the game before this makes me so happy! So many good points made in this video but wishing you all the best!

[@chaotic-goodartistry3903]

The thing with renfaires having that necessary bit of performance... that's why I love SCA so much, cause it's kinda like renfaire but it's not a performance for a paying audience, it's more like a medieval con for a week at a campground (or the other smaller events that happen) and man the magic is real!

[@deafield]

great job. great thoughts. instant subscriber for all the things you post. keep on being awesome ❤

[@CytrinaShutterbug]

That was a great video 🥰 thank you for sharing it! I am excited to do cosplay for the first time this year and this video really helped me understand the cosplay community and I feel inspired (yes I am cosplaying a not very popular character from a not popular game) but it feels achievable 😊 but anyway thank you if you end up going to New York Comic Con I hope to see you there in whatever you decide to do :3

[@katlyn6103]

those aggregate accounts piss me off so incredibly much. in the vein of cosplay and specifically genshin cosplays there have been these accounts that just name themseleves genshin impact 123 or genshin cosplay and then take and steal and steal and steal. worst part of it all is most of them steal douyin/bilibili content from chinese cosplayers who normally have no way of knowing and those accounts never credit or post a half hearted credit to them thats either hidden in a corner of the video or in their wall of text. In the same vien of chinese cosplayers it also leads to really weird fetishey/dehumanising accounts popping up that are dedicated to posting stolen chinese content presented in weird ways. Ive seen accounts that are dedicated to just posting chinese girls and often chinese cosplay girls and they dont pretend its anything else, its often outright stated in a fetishey way.And heck ive even seen the effects of it all. I know of a content creator who reacts to videos his viewers send in, and most the time every chinese cosplay video gets credited to some youtube thief or tiktok thief.

[@contorture]

Oh my god the "spoilers so old they're in kindergarten right now" really got me

[@HeyLizardLeigh]

technically they're in first grade, i realized later