A blending of the words costume and play, cosplay as a term was coined in Japan in 1984. Cosplay is a performance art where fans wear costumes of specific characters. Since the first World Science Fiction Convention in New York City in 1939, it has gained mainstream popularity and has been linked to fan conventions.

Cosplay has become part of the fabric of Comic Con style events. It has also grown in popularity among professional models who promote themselves on websites and appear at conventions. Consequently, amateur and professional cosplayers alike were on full display at Fan Expo Canada in Toronto this past weekend. Take a look at some of the fan created cosplay below:

Cosplay
Cosplay
cosplay