Go Tokyo Your Experience
The issue of name privacy in the COSPLAY community has always been an interesting topic. Many COSER or COSPLAY photographers, even if they are very familiar with each other, often only recognize each other by their nicknames without knowing their real names.
This phenomenon is not uncommon, and even in the cosplay circle in Japan, some netizens jokingly say that only at weddings or funerals can everyone know each other’s real names for the first time. This phenomenon may have similar manifestations in different countries and cultures.
In the COSPLAY community, nickname based communication is not uncommon. As a Japanese COSER and photographer who is active in this circle, “Za ン ウー” has recently started discussing this situation, which has sparked heated discussions among netizens. He mentioned:
In the COSPLAY circle, it is very common to be familiar with each other but not know each other’s real names. You even have to wait until you receive a wedding invitation to know each other’s names for the first time. But after rolling around in this circle for more than 20 years, the situation of knowing each other’s names for the first time at funerals has gradually increased. So I hope everyone can take care of their own health and get married quickly. Tell me your real names
It can be seen that in this culture, people within the circle usually choose humorous or memorable nicknames for interaction. In other words, the concealment of one’s name provides an intangible sense of security for social interaction, which is only revealed in some special occasions such as weddings.
Many COSPLAY insiders have shared their attitudes towards disclosing their real names and their own stories. Some of them said that the names in the phone book are mostly various nicknames, and only occasionally the other person’s real name can be glimpsed during appointments. Privacy concerns often lead more people to choose to stick with nicknames to avoid possible trouble.
Some COSERs claim that they only know the COS business cards of like-minded individuals, and even have these nicknames in their phone book.
Someone mentioned that even if they have a good relationship, they often don’t even know where each other lives. It’s not because of unwillingness to trust others, but out of cautious consideration for privacy and security.
The phenomenon of keeping one’s real name secret is not limited to the cosplay community, but even in the fan community and writer community, sometimes even leading to awkward situations when urgently needed.
It is quite humorous that sometimes we are already familiar with each other, but it is difficult to naturally address each other in public. It is necessary to prepare a publicly available nickname in advance for this situation.
As can be seen from the above, the reserved attitude of insiders towards name disclosure reflects a social culture that respects privacy and cautiously makes friends. Meanwhile, with the popularity of the internet, this phenomenon has become increasingly common, prompting people to rethink the role of names as identity symbols.
In summary, the name culture of the COSPLAY circle reflects a unique social phenomenon, where privacy and openness, familiarity and unfamiliarity are intertwined in the confrontation between nicknames and real names. Regardless, understanding this phenomenon is of great significance for comprehending interpersonal relationships in the digital age.