作者： Cossns

At the 2025 ChinaJoy convention, a print model with millions of followers appeared in a handmade armor worth 20,000 yuan, followed by three assistants and two dedicated photographers. That post got over 100,000 likes that day. Meanwhile, a college student who had saved up living expenses for half a year for this cosplay outfit was quietly organizing her slightly pilling props in a corner of the same venue. These two scenes occurring simultaneously in the same place on the same day make one feel that the community is being changed by some force. Models are flocking into the cosplay circle, and many call it a ‘dimensional reduction attack,’ while others complain that their hard work on styling and details can’t match a pretty face. But is that really the case? To clarify, we need to set aside the glamour in the photos and carefully examine what’s happening behind them.

Models entering the cosplay world are essentially not the same type of players as cosers

Print models, influencers, and idols have been frequently appearing at conventions and cosplay-related social media lately. They have mature shooting teams, professional makeup artists, and even bring their own lighting and post-production editing teams. The ‘industrialized’ results are nearly impossible for ordinary cosers to replicate. But the key point is that models play by the rules of ‘portraying a persona,’ while the core of cosers is ‘recreating a character.’ These are fundamentally different. Models aim to look good and expressive in front of the camera; they usually don’t obsess over details like whether Gojo Satoru’s blindfold in Jujutsu Kaisen is flipped up or down, or how many scars Guts’ armor has in Berserk. Those details matter little to models, but for cosers, they are the soul.

So when models enter this circle, they are actually occupying the ‘high-glamour cosplay photography’ track. This path does not completely overlap with the average coser’s route of ‘daily interaction, character resonance, and community bonding.’ If ordinary enthusiasts are not pursuing commercial monetization, they are not even on the same competitive line as models. Because the essence of a convention is offline gathering and joyful sharing, not a runway show.The traffic models bring indeed makes some balance-conscious booths favor them, but that does not mean ordinary enthusiasts have lost their value. On the contrary, cosers who genuinely invest in recreating character details become even more precious amidst today’s increasingly flashy comparisons.

The term ‘involution’ is overused; the plight of ordinary enthusiasts is actually about being compared

The essence of involution is limited resources and homogeneous competition. But the current scale of the cosplay circle is far from ‘resource depletion.’ Data shows that the number of offline conventions nationwide in the first half of 2025 increased by 32% compared to the same period last year, while the growth rate of cosers was only 18%. That is, convention venues, sponsorships, and even photographer resources are increasing, growing faster than the number of attendees. So why do ordinary enthusiasts still feel they can’t keep up? The reason is that the benchmark has changed. Previously, people compared themselves to friends in their social circles; now it’s to million-follower influencers on Douyin and Xiaohongshu. The psychological gap from this comparison is generalized as ‘involution.’ But a psychological gap is not involution; it’s anxiety stemming from social media algorithms always showing you the best side. Every time you see a model-level cosplay photo, you feel inadequate. But this is not the circle eliminating you; it’s your own self-evaluation that’s off.

The investment of ordinary enthusiasts is time, passion, and hands-on skills. The investment of models is time and money. The outputs are different—one is for themselves, the other for an audience. If you insist on comparing output rates, you will certainly lose. But if you’re only doing it for your own enjoyment, to take photos with friends at conventions and hear a passerby’s thumbs up and ‘spot on,’ then you don’t need to meet model standards at all.There’s only one way to break through: redefine your source of happiness.

For example, you can consider the following directions:

1. Deepen your technical expertise.Focus on prop making and makeup details. Many conventions now have ‘prop exhibition areas’ and ‘makeup contests,’ where a model’s looks are less advantageous than your craftsmanship.

2. Go the storyline route.Form a small team and perform a scene from the original work at the booth. A model may look good standing alone for photos, but story performance requires coordination and chemistry—this is the charm of interactive cosplay that models can hardly steal away.

3. Move behind the scenes or into photography.If you really feel your photos can’t compete with models, go photograph others. Good cosplay photography is equally scarce and can be more memorable.

Amid intense comparison, the ecosystem of the circle is actually self-optimizing

The entry of models has indeed brought some bad practices, like ‘only photographing pretty faces, not accuracy’ and ‘only looking at makeup and costumes, not the story.’ But at the same time, this cross-border movement forces the cosplay circle to filter out genuinely passionate enthusiasts. Those who previously relied solely on looks to gain fans, without caring about character understanding, are now under the most pressure. Meanwhile, cosers who truly love the character, read the source material, and spend time studying details tend to have higher fan loyalty.

Additionally, convention organizers are adjusting rules. At the Guangzhou Firefly Convention in early 2025, ‘Best Story Recreation Award’ and ‘Handmade Props Originality Award’ were added for the first time. The winners were all ordinary enthusiasts, not models. This shows that organizers are directly responding to the involution trend.The clash between commerce and passion will eventually form a new balance, and in this process, those who maintain their original intentions will not be eliminated.

For those who genuinely love 2D characters and want to immerse themselves in cosplay culture, the best way to protect and nurture this little community is not to complain about too many models, but to stick to your own ways. If you think models are also playing with what you love, then talk to them openly and ask if they’d like to recreate a story together. It’s not just about photos; playing together is the origin of cosplay.

Ultimately, models come to cross over because this circle has vitality, energy, and commercial value. Their arrival shows the circle is growing. And the living space for ordinary enthusiasts does not lie in competing with models for who is more photogenic, but in whether you can find that moment of resonance with the character through cosplay.If you can, you will never be swept away.

I came across a viral complaint post—the original poster spent less than fifty bucks on a studio-style Hanfu, did their own makeup, and attended a convention cosplaying a popular Chinese-style character. The top comments were all saying “Girl, you’re brave,” and the hundreds of replies below turned into comparison images of professional cosplayers’ makeup and styling details. The poignancy and popularity of this post itself shows one thing: the vast majority of people are using their everyday aesthetic to crash against the execution wall built by professional teams with money and experience. The answer is actually straightforward—the gap between ordinary people and professional cosplayers isn’t about that few thousand dollars in props; it’s a cognitive chasm across the entire chain from aesthetic system, technical operation to resource allocation.

Let’s start with makeup, the most overlooked hard threshold. When ordinary people try to copy a polished final look, they usually only see colors—like the eyebrows are red, the eyeshadow is purple. But professional cosplayers consider a “three-dimensional structure reconstruction” problem. When illustrators draw a popular character, they reference three-point lighting and industry-standard exaggerated human proportions. If an ordinary person only copies local colors, smearing red eyeshadow directly onto the eye socket, the result often looks like stage makeup rather than “a 2D character come to life.” In professional terms, it’s called “character suitability,” which involves correcting color application and shape direction based on one’s own bone structure. For example, many women want to cosplay male characters. The professional approach isn’t to hard-draw a square jaw, but to visually lower the jawline with shadow while using highlight to modify cheekbone height, making facial depth closer to male bone structure. This cognitive gap can’t be closed even with hundreds of hours of video learning and practice.

Props and Costumes: The Difference Lies in Mold Precision and Timeline Management

A popular comment said, “If the fabric texture is off, the whole vibe is gone.” This is essentially because professional props and costumes come from custom manufacturers or top-tier prop makers in the community. A single mold for a complex mecha or armor costs several months’ rent for an ordinary person. But when ordinary people buy off-the-shelf or second-hand costumes, cheap versions commonly compromise on pattern by “de-structuring.” For example, if the character has a waist belt and two layers of pleated skirt, the cheap version sews them into a single dress, losing the layered three-dimensional effect and the changing material shadows with movement. This isn’t a design issue—it’s the compromise of the garment industry. If your clothes don’t show the character’s layering, the center of gravity shift during movement, and the reflection of material’s inherent color under warm light, then in photos and videos, it’s instantly categorized as “beginner level.”

More importantly, it’s about time cost. Professional cosplayers typically have a prop production cycle of over a month for a single photoshoot; armor pieces might be arranged half a year in advance. After clamping and painting, they need weathering and wear simulation. But ordinary people, in a rush for next week’s convention, order and wait seven days for delivery, then adjust the size—it’s really hard to complete processes like drying, sanding, filling, spraying, and drying again in just a few days. So intuitively, ordinary people’s swords and shields look like shiny plastic toys, while professional cosplayers’ props look like they were picked up from a battlefield—that’s the process gap.

Photography and Post-production: One Set of Steps Stops 90% of People

Many ordinary people think they can just grab a few photos at the venue and post them on social media, unaware of the gap. But a professional team’s workflow is: first, study the character’s world setting, analyze the light source direction and scene atmosphere in the original artwork, then decide whether to use side-backlight for silhouette or butterfly light for facial features. On-site, they might use constant lights and reflectors to capture fabric texture. This set of operations isn’t deep theory, but it takes time to adjust. In a crowded convention environment, ordinary people simply can’t stabilize lighting. The most common situation is: you stand in front of the booth in beautiful costume, but the overhead white fluorescent lights make your face look pale, and the paint on your props is full of reflective spots. The more you look at the photos, the more wrong they seem. Even after post-processing and adjusting brightness, you can’t improve the missing skin texture and fabric details.

As for post-production, ordinary people mostly stick to beauty filters, face slimming, and one-touch skin smoothing. Professional cosplayers’ post-production teams do detailed work like hair strand correction, color grading, and even visual effects compositing. A straightforward example: many people feel their photos lack the atmosphere of the original image. The key is that the professional post team does “color masking.” Simply put, they add the character’s main color to the highlights and a complementary color to the shadows, bringing the overall look closer to the 2D aesthetic. But ordinary people’s edited images are mostly just sharpening and a filter overlay—lacking this level of color coordination, they always fall short.

How to Bridge the Gap Between Accuracy and Actual Conditions

Combining these three aspects, the biggest pitfall for ordinary people cosplaying popular characters on a low budget is: they overlook the matching cost between “character feature elements” and “their own actual conditions.”

Step One: Choosing a Character Is as Important as Setting a Budget

Compare yourself to a character: Is your height close? Is your face shape round or slender? If your face is very soft, it’s not suitable to challenge a character with aggressive facial lines like Sukuna from “Jujutsu Kaisen,” because you’d need a lot of shadow and prosthetics to reshape your face, and you’ll likely mess it up. Does your budget support the wig and props? With a low budget, it’s best to avoid characters with intricate designs and fine patterns, and instead go for those with simplified clothing that rely on color and style recognition—like characters wearing haori in “Demon Slayer,” or Yor’s black tight outfit from “Spy × Family.” The costume cost is low, but you can still achieve recognition through body type and hairstyle.

Step Two: Prioritize Three Key Areas Within a Limited Budget

First priority: the wig. If the wig styling is messed up or the color is wrong, even a great costume will make it look like someone else’s character you hijacked. Ordinary people can buy pre-styled wigs online—those that already have layers and are fixed with hairspray and wax—which is less risky than buying a full wig cap and cutting it yourself. Second priority: details like shoes and gloves. The audience first looks at the costume, then at the shoes. A pair of sneakers or high heels that don’t match the character will shatter the image you’ve built. Third priority: the main costume itself. Cheap off-the-shelf costumes may have the wrong skirt length; you can have someone or use hot glue and pins to adjust the length and waistline to better match the reference, which is much cheaper than ordering a custom piece.

Step Three: Actively Find a Reliable Photographer at the Venue

At conventions, there are many freelance photographers doing outdoor shoots. If you don’t have the budget for a professional team for makeup and indoor shoots, one effective method is to spot a photographer using a large-aperture prime lens (like 85mm f/1.4) and who is constantly looking for clean lighting areas. Go up and ask if you can get a shot—usually they’ll agree. Don’t force shots in crowded, messy backgrounds. Instead, go to corridors outside the exhibition hall, stairwell corners, or places with even light. Shooting against the light with a hot-shoe flash for catchlights looks much better than directly under the midday sun.

On the level of social media and sharing, there’s nothing wrong with ordinary people cosplaying on a low budget, posting images, and enjoying the hobby itself. But you’ll enjoy it more if you compare less with professional groups. If you want to improve, the fastest way is to find a “low-barrier version” that suits you, rather than looking at HD polished images and feeling sorry for yourself. In the diverse world of conventions, having fun and capturing the essence of the character as you understand it is also a “creative achievement” worth recording.

At conventions, you might notice a phenomenon: looking around, the whole venue is filled with the same lace, the same bows, the same makeup formula. Assembly-line cos outfits are devouring creators’ uniqueness, making character expressions monotonous. Behind this convergence is some cosers’ reliance on “safe choices” — using the most popular characters and highest-liked combinations to avoid criticism. But what truly leaves a lasting impression are often those looks that break the mold, speaking through details and texture. This year, the idea of high-end cos might be hidden in “subtraction” and “customization”.

1. Core of high-end: from “stacking” to “restraint”

1. Less is more: use refined elements to express the character’s soul

Many cosers like to recreate every decoration from the character, even if it’s just a small pendant in the original design. But high-end often comes from precise selection. For example, Nezuko Kamado from Demon Slayer: her iconic bamboo tube and kimono pattern are core, but if you embroider all patterns on the kimono, it looks cluttered. Choose one or two main patterns to present with embroidery or printing, and use solid color fabric for the rest, giving a more breathable visual. Another example is Gojo Satoru from Jujutsu Kaisen — his blindfolds come in many styles, but high-end versions often choose matte material and clean tailoring to avoid the cheap shiny fabric feeling of “cos costumes”.

2. Fabric texture: the key to an immediate gap

Assembly-line cos costumes often use polyester or synthetic fibers, which are highly reflective, breath poorly, and pill easily. The first step to high-end is upgrading fabrics. For everyday cos, choose cotton-linen, rayon, or blended fabrics with natural texture and good drape. For example, cosing Zhongli from Genshin Impact, use a jacquard fabric with luster but not excessive, and trim the cuffs and collar with silk; the overall texture will elevate a level. If budget is limited, you can scout samples at fabric markets, or buy second-hand cheongsams or shirts to repurpose — the tailoring and stitching of high-end ready-to-wear are often finer than custom-made.

3. Color unity: reject high-saturation “budget style”

Many official merchandise and cheap cos costumes use high-saturation primary colors, which look eye-straining and lack texture. High-end color matching emphasizes lowering saturation or adding gray tones. For example, Kafka from Honkai: Star Rail originally has a purple color scheme, but when cosing, you can use gray-purple or smoky purple instead of pure purple, paired with dark patterned fabric, better matching her mysterious and cold temperament. Also, pay attention to the ratio of main color to auxiliary colors — main color 70%, auxiliary color 20%, accent color 10%, to avoid chaotic stacking of colors.

2. Customized modification: let the character “grow” on you

1. Alter fit: suit your own body and temperament

Most cos costumes are one-size-fits-all, not flattering to the figure. High-end requires tailored adjustments. Those with broad shoulders should avoid styles with thick shoulder pads; remove the pads or replace with thin sponge. Adjust the waistline position according to your height, shifting visual focus to the upper body. For example, cosing Asuka from Evangelion: the original battle suit has high-waisted shorts; if your thighs are not slender, you can change the bottom to a high-waisted A-line skirt, still retaining red elements, but more flattering and elegant. Overall volume balance is also important — those with a large head and narrow shoulders can appropriately widen shoulder details (like badges, epaulets), and vice versa.

2. Skillful use of accessories: small items create big atmosphere

Accessories are the finishing touch for high-end, but don’t use plastic-feeling “standard prop stall items”. Choose accessories made from natural materials, such as wood, bone china, or metal. For cosing Law from One Piece, his sword can be made by sanding and painting a wooden sword, which has more texture than a lightweight plastic one; use a real silver chain or leather rope for a necklace. Additionally, handmade elements can add uniqueness, such as sewing patches, embroidering initials, or even aging treatments. At a convention, a coser of Scissor Seven roughened a white coat with sandpaper, spilled coffee stains, and paired it with a real stethoscope and old metal scissors, instantly bringing the character to life.

3. Makeup and hairstyle: unify style rather than copy

Many cosers “replicate” makeup according to character design sheets, ignoring their own bone structure. High-end makeup emphasizes structural optimization. For example, cosing Diaochan from Honor of Kings: the original design has pink-purple eye makeup, but if you have monolid eyes, you can concentrate the eyeshadow on the outer corners, use eyeliner to elongate the eye shape, rather than forcing double eyelid tape. For hairstyles, avoid using a full wig (especially cheap synthetic hair); you can mix in real hair extensions, or only style partially. For a male coser cosing Kyojuro Rengoku from Demon Slayer, don’t need to wear a full wig; just use hair wax to shape your real hair into the outline, then add a few clusters of red-yellow dyed hair extensions — natural and handsome.

3. Scene and dynamics: make the look “alive”

1. Photo poses: use clothing structure to create motion

Static poses easily expose the “shape” of the costume. High-end performance requires dynamic response. For example, a character in a long dress (like Himeko from Honkai Impact 3rd), when walking, use your hand to lift the hem, letting the fabric’s drape show flowing lines; or use the wind to blow the scarf, creating a sense of elegance. If the costume has a cape or cloak, design a turning motion to let the fabric spread. Plan 3-5 iconic moves in advance and practice in front of a mirror to find the best angles.

2. Interactive improvisation: reject “poker face” performance

Many cosers neglect expression management. Assembly-line performance is a blank stare at the camera, but high-end requires emotional infusion. For cosing Dongfang Bubai from The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, match with a sinister smile; cosing Severus Snape from Harry Potter, keep a stern face but let the eyes carry subtle ridicule. At a recent convention, a coser of Levi from Attack on Titan kept a tight face, but deliberately showed a disgusted expression while wiping his sword, eliciting cheers from fans. Such small details are more memorable than fixed poses.

3. Post-production color grading: unify color temperature, create atmosphere

Post-production is the final step for high-end. Many cosers like to brighten photos and add filters, resulting in a disconnection between subject and background. It is recommended to unify color temperature: for a cool-toned character (like Gintoki from Gintama), adjust the overall tone to bluish-cyan; for a warm-toned character (like Naruto from Naruto), add a bit of yellow-orange. At the same time, lower saturation and increase contrast to make clothing textures clearer. No need for excessive skin smoothing; retaining skin texture actually looks more advanced.

Conclusion: High-end is not about burning money, but about heart

Avoiding assembly-line outfits essentially means refusing “taking shortcuts”. High-end cos doesn’t require spending a lot of money on custom props; it’s about making conscious choices at every step, from fabric, pattern, color, accessories, makeup to dynamics. This year at conventions, the works that make people stop and stay are often not the most gorgeous or complex, but those that best understand restraint and suit the character. I suggest every coser start with the next character by doing subtraction: keep only three core elements, then refine them meticulously. Remember, high-end is the externalization of personal aesthetics, not the copy of a template. When you start thinking “why choose this color” or “why use this move”, you are already on the path to creating your own signature high-end look.

Open any social platform, and you’ll see professional models wearing exquisite costumes, striking perfect high-fashion poses, with comment sections full of shouts like “gods descending to earth” and “breaking the dimensional wall.” On the other hand, ordinary enthusiasts spend months sewing costumes and crafting props themselves, finally managing to cosplay, only to be compared to models and outdone by a comment like “Models have that vibe.” Don’t you also feel—the circle has changed, even a bit like you can’t keep up with the rat race?

Models flooding into the cosplay circle is essentially a cross-border monetization between the entertainment and fashion industries. Brands need more professional visuals to promote domestic anime mobile games, while models eye the huge young consumer base behind the ACG culture. But for ordinary enthusiasts, it means that where before everyone competed on passion for the character and attention to detail, now someone can “crush” the scene directly with professional-level looks, physique, makeup, and photography resources. This dimensional reduction attack has indeed caused many players to feel anxiety over being “involutioned.”

But the term “involution” might not be accurate in this scenario. True involution means everyone in a closed system engages in meaningless competition for limited resources, ultimately lowering the overall return on effort. What models bring to the circle is not competition, but—

Breaking boundaries: redefining the “professional threshold” of cosplay

Let’s first see a fact: Models crossing into cosplay have not taken away ordinary enthusiasts’ jobs. Because their core tracks are completely different. In commercial cosplay, brands need “human display racks” that can instantly catch passersby’s eyes, match the original animation proportions, ensure molding accuracy, and handle dense shooting schedules. This demand was never intended for passion-driven enthusiasts. Models merely fill the gap in “image output efficiency” in commercial projects, not replace the essence of “role-playing creation.”

Enthusiasts compete on creativity and emotion; models compete on camera performance

You can observe that the truly viral “god-level cosplays” are often not the most perfectly conditioned models, but the veteran players who sewed hundreds of beads on their costumes, hid character Easter eggs in their makeup, and chatted seamlessly with fellow fans at conventions. The biggest advantage of ordinary enthusiasts is that your love for the character is real—you’ve watched the original series fifty times, you know which eye the character blinks first when smiling, and you unconsciously make micro-expressions consistent with the plot during shoots. Models simply cannot achieve these details in just a few hours of shooting. And when viewers get tired of the perfect shells in retouched photos, they start pursuing this kind of “souled restoration.”

Market capacity expands: not zero-sum competition but incremental game

Commercial cosplay spawns more job and exposure opportunities

When models flock in, the entire cosplay industry’s attention rises, and capital and traffic follow. Exhibition organizers need more quality content to attract online audiences; photography studios compete for more diverse coser resources; short video platforms open more traffic channels for cosplay content. This directly leads to: ordinary enthusiasts’ submission exposure rates have not decreased; instead, they have increased the possibility of being seen because the overall traffic level has risen. As long as you persist in producing high-quality original content, the platform’s recommendation algorithm won’t treat you unfairly just because you’re “not a model.”

When the circle expands, niche interests have a chance to commercialize

If a circle remains closed, it lacks momentum for sustainable development. Models bringing professional equipment and agency resources actually accelerate the maturation of this industry chain—including more professional prop workshops, more standardized makeup artist booking systems, and more comprehensive photography support systems. These supporting facilities are good for all cosers. You no longer need to find fabric stores yourself or worry about no one retouching your photos after shooting, because the entire industry chain will provide more affordable and professional services due to increased demand.

How to deal with the illusion of “involution”: what ordinary enthusiasts should do

Give up comparison, turn to differentiated creation

Don’t confront models head-on where hardware conditions are mismatched. Since you’re at a disadvantage in looks, height, and resource allocation, invest your energy in creativity, plot, and technical skills. For example, make short film remakes, create stop-motion animations, design character transformation sequences, or present extreme detail in props through handicraft. These are barriers that models cannot replicate in a short time.

Find your own ecological niche: either ultimate restoration or ultimate cuteness

The cosplay circle is now diverging into two clear routes: one is “high restoration-oriented,” suitable for those with body proportions close to the original art and strong makeup skills; the other is “cute/funny/creative-oriented,” suitable for those who don’t care about height proportions and attract fans through soul and creativity. You must be clear about which path to take; the worst is to be neither. Many ordinary enthusiasts still imitate models’ image output methods, trying to “win” through high-standard retouched photos—that’s truly driving yourself into a dead end.

Actively connect with resources; don’t passively wait for opportunities

Models can bring exposure often because they have agency teams helping to connect with photographers and event organizers. For ordinary solo players, instead of worrying, take the initiative to build your own resource network—find a long-term photography partner, join local cosplay groups for commercial performances, proactively write collaboration proposals to official social accounts or livestreams. You don’t need to be a top model; just be the most willing to cooperate and the most reliable player in the circle.

The essence of the circle is expression, not rankings

Models flooding into cross-over cosplay is not wrong in itself; in fact, it’s good for the circle’s maturity. But ordinary enthusiasts must clearly recognize: Involution is a mindset, not an objective fact. Those truly pushed down are those who place their passion in others’ gazes and like counts. The circle will always need diverse voices—some to hold up the facade of conventions, and others to tell the stories behind the characters. You only need to focus on the latter; this cross-border trend washes away the foam, leaving behind those who truly love cosplay.

Suggestion: If you are deeply trapped in the anxiety of comparison, start today by setting a small goal for yourself—not to cosplay to “beat anyone,” but to “fully present the character you love.” When your work is seen by those who truly understand it, you will find that this circle is not as crowded as you imagined.