Japan is serious about their cosplay. Very serious.
While cosplaying might be a fun little hobby in the West, it can be a fierce competition in Japan. Japanese cosplayers need to perfectly emulate a character in both appearence and actions. Image is everything and photos are your trophies - The more people take photos of you, the better and more well-known you become.

The Vantan Career School in Tokyo has taken notice of Japan's competitive side to cosplaying, and have started up a cosplaying course at their college. For a hefty fee of ¥560000 (about $5500 US) students will learn how to perfect their hair, make-up and costmes to match their favorite game or anime character.
In Japan, if you want to cosplay, you'd better do it right! And pay alot of money for it.

For successful kosupure ("cosplay," or "costume play") it is not enough to know your "Bleach" from your "Basara." You also need to be able to make your plats stand on end like Itsuki (from the manga "Basara"), give yourself an extra jaw like Grimmjow Jeagerjaques (from the manga "Bleach") — and as well deck yourself out in a black cloak like Ichigo Kurosaki or a white one like Sosuke Aizen (both from "Bleach").

Most cosplayers learn their makeup and costume-making skills from magazines and by talking to their friends. As of January 30, however, one of Tokyo's largest vocational schools, Vantan Career School, has also been offering a more professional approach.

The three-month course, which includes up to 12 hours of tuition per week at a cost ¥560,000, is centered on two key classes — Character Hairmake and Costume Making — with others for prop-making and photography.

Miss Razz via search.japantimes.co.jp »