If you copy a copy; what does it make it? Is Thailand loosing its identity? One can notice the change in the youth; copying Korean and Japanese idols by wearing their fashion, hairstyle and eating their food. Is Bangkok becoming a Harajuku or Shibuya of Tokyo? If the Japanese copying American Comic stars and the Thais copying them, what is left?

After having a Tonkatsu lunch with my mate at Saboten at Isetan, I was surprised to see a number of teenagers with colored hair cruising through the mall. Only once outside at the World Trade Center, in front of Isetan I understood to why. Cosplay! The very same I encounter while living in Tokyo and visiting Harajuku and Shibuya. Thousand of teens dressed in outrages costumes and sporting neon colored hair.

Cosplayers typically come from the ranks of otaku–that is, fans of Japanese comic books, known as manga. They gather at public events such as comic-book and video game trade shows, as well as at dedicated cosplay parties at nightclubs or amusement parks. In Japan teenagers gather with like-minded friends in places like Tokyo’s Harajuku district to engage in cosplay. Since 1998 Tokyo’s Akihabara district has contained a large number of cosplay cafés, catering to devoted anime and cosplay fans. The waitresses at such cafés dress as game or anime characters; maid costumes are particularly popular. In areas outside of Japan, cosplay is primarily done at manga and anime conventions.

Cosplayers in Japan refer to themselves as reiy? (?????); pronounced “layer”. Those who photograph players are called cameko, short for “Camera Koz?” or “Camera Boy”. Originally the cameko give prints of their photos to players as gifts. Increased interest in cosplay events both on the part of photographers and cosplayers willing to model for them have led to formalisation of procedures at events such as Comiket. Photography takes place within a designated area removed from the exhibit hall.

Cosplay differs from Halloween and Mardi Gras costume wear not only in existing independent of any particular holiday, but in its goal. The object of cosplay is interpretation: one attempts to become one’s character much as a stage actor inhabits a role. Costumes are expected to adhere meticulously to the attire known to be worn by the character represented. Even more generic costumes get an elaborately artistic treatment. Cosplayers may purchase or create costumes through fan labor. Cosplayers often educate themselves in crafting specialities such as sculpture, face paint, fiberglasswork, fashion design and the like in the effort to render the look and texture of a costume accurately.

Portraying a character of the opposite sex is “crossplay” while portraying a character who dresses as the opposite sex (from the cosplayer) is called “crossdress”. Examples may serve to clarify the distinction. A female cosplayer representing a male character who wears standard masculine attire is both crossdressing and crossplaying. A female cosplayer who dresses as a male character who wears unisex clothing or feminine attire is crossplaying but not crossdressing. A man portraying that same character would be crossdressing but not crossplaying.

The practicality of crossplay and crossdress stems in part from the abundance in manga of male characters with delicate and somewhat androgynous features. Such characters, known as bish?nen (beautiful youths), are an Asian version of the elfin boy archetype represented in Western tradition by figures such as Peter Pan and Ariel.

The appearance of cosplayers at manga events makes such events a popular draw for photographers. As this became apparent in the late 1980s a new variant of cosplay developed in which cosplayers attended events mainly for the purpose of modeling their characters for still photography rather than engaging in continuous role play. Rules of etiquette were developed to minimize awkward situations involving boundaries. Cosplayers pose for photographers in designated areas removed from the exhibit hall. Photographers do not press them for personal contact information or private sessions, follow them out of the area or take photos of exhibits in the hall itself without permission. The rules allow the symbiotic relationship between photographers and cosplayers to continue with the least inconvenience to each.

Cosplay has influenced the Japanese advertising industry more than it has the commodity market.

Print media increasingly retain cosplayers as models. Good cosplayers are increasingly viewed as fictional characters in the flesh, in much the same way that film actors come to identified in the public mind with specific roles. Cosplayers have model for print magazines like Cosmode, cosplay photography studios,

ADV Films has retained cosplayers for event work previously assigned to agency models. The ability of cosplayers to re-create their chosen characters with accuracy and vitality plays a part in this trend, as does the ability of cosplayers to appeal to an already existing market. E3 was occupied by a mix of both agency girls and cosplayers.

Japan’s burgeoning anime industry has been home to the professional cosplayers since the rise of Comiket, Tokyo Game Show, and other such powerhouse conventions.

A cosplay model, also known as a Cosplay Idol, is a promotional model who models cosplay costumes for anime, manga, or video game companies. A successful cosplay model can become the brand ambassador for companies like Cospa. The phenomenon is most apparent in Japan but exists to some degree in other countries as well.

In order to look more like the character they are portraying many cosplayers also engage in various forms of body modification. Contact lenses that match the color of their character’s eyes are a common form of this, especially in the case of characters with particularly unique eyes as part of their trademark look. Another form of body modification cosplayers engage in is to copy any tattoo or special marking that their character might have. Henna tattoos, permanent marker, body paint and in rare cases having a permanent tattoo done are all methods used by cosplayers to achieve the desired look. Permanent and temporary hair dye, spray-in coloring, and specialized extreme styling products are all utilized by some cosplayers whose natural hair can achieve the desired hairstyle.

In addition to making items specifically for use by cosplayers, the fashion industry has taken inspiration from the world of cosplay in popularizing looks such as the Gothic Lolita, based on clothing worn by popular period characters

The popularity of cosplay in Japan encourages the misconception that cosplay is specifically a Japanese or Asian hobby. The term “cosplay”, though Japanese in origin, described a phenomenon which was witnessed in the United States. For almost fifty years, costuming has had a widespread following and continues to experience growing popularity in North America and Europe, and has more recently spread throughout South America and Australia.

Western cosplay’s origins are based primarily on science fiction and historical fantasy as opposed to animation. It is more common for Western cosplayers to recreate characters from live-action series such as Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, The Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter than it is for Japanese cosplayers. Similarly, animated series may be the origin for many recreations. Western costumers also include subcultures of hobbyists who participate in Renaissance faires or the Society for Creative Anachronism, and historical re-enactments such as Civil War battles.

The increasing popularity of Japanese animation outside of Asia during the late 1990s led to an increase in American and other Western cosplayers who portray Japanese characters. Anime conventions have become more numerous in the West in the last decade. They now compete with science fiction, comic, and historical conferences in attendance. At these gatherings, cosplayers, like their Japanese counterparts, meet to show off their work, take photos, and compete in costume contests. Anime conventions attendees are mostly seen dressed up as Japanese animated characters, but many others dress up as famous Western comic book characters, or as famous characters from movies like Star Wars, Predator, and Pirates of the Caribbean. It is quite common to see many dress up as Disney,

On Sunday I love visiting Tonglor with its many restaurants but I always head straight to Kuzokutei Udon & Soba Restaurant. So today, after dropping off my Persian Cat for her monthly beautification session at nearby salon I sat down at Kozukutei ready for my order. On a Sunday morning a cold Asahi Beer just tastes so good, watching all the patrons in the restaurant I noticed I was the only “Farang”  “Geijin” amongst Japanese guests. It must be good here and once more my ordered big bowl of Udon with pork and tempura prawn proof it once more. Frankly I never had seen such huge salad bowls of steaming Udon in Japan; then again, in Tokyo there are about 340’000 restaurants and bars. I never had the time to visit them all.

Udon with pork and tempura prawns

Home made Udon noodles with broth and condiment to eat with. Perfectly cooked and great in taste. Slurping of course is a must and for those who had been in Japan and eaten in a local Udon eatery one will notice the sound of each patron; like a concert. This is not done to cool the Udon, no, slurping helps to breath in enough air to release to flavor of the broth and noodles!

Cash counter and well chilled Asahi Beer from Japan. I love that beer; not too strong and not too sweet like the local brew Singha. Even though available I choose always a Asahi beer with my Japanese fair.

Butakimchi Udon

I am always amazed the number of staff working in the kitchen and how hygienic they are all working. I am certain they must have gone through some training before working in such an environment. In Thailand it is very rare to see such an organized kitchen team.

Grreen tea and chocolate Moochi

Kazokutei, The Glass Thong Lor, is located in the Wadhana district of Bangkok on Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thong Lor 12). This restaurant offers authentic Japanese cuisine. It specialises in udon and soba noodles. However, it also has an extensive menu featuring many different dishes, ranging from sashimi, sushi, teppanyaki dishes, tempura, fried dishes, grilled dishes, soups, noodles and rice dishes.

Opposite Grass on Thonglor, Soi 55,

Sukhumvit Rd, Khlong Tan Nua,

Watthana, Bangkok, 10110

To begin with never stick chopsticks into food, especially not into rice. This evokes their use at funeral ceremonies and therefore can lead to a certain lull in mealtime conversation. Another maneuver certain to raise the hair on the back of a Japanese is handing him or her food from your chopstick to theirs. The last time they saw anything like this was probably at granddad’s cremation when they passed around his dentures and other remains amongst the relatives. If you want to bring a dinner party to a standstill however, this would do the trick.
The major felonies being committed with chopsticks by gaijin lie in the realm of “dexterity” issues, namely the inability to eat foods of varying texture and consistency with a pair of sticks. Such treacherous terrain ultimately leads the hapless chopstick criminal to commit negligent acts that an otherwise sane individual might have refrained from under different circumstances. In the end it is a very basic human need that drives these otherwise law-abiding gaijin to such deplorable acts. I am speaking here about hunger. When one is hungry, one will resort to all manner of unconventional methods of food conveyance — especially in dimly lit situations.
The number one chopstick casualty is obviously the lowly and otherwise innocuous tofu, a simple food that usually minds it’s own business, yet seems to have “victim” written all over it. Many violent acts are committed against tofu, everything from scooping to slurping and… yes, spearing. With tofu you really only get one shot. Using slight pressure, gently lift from beneath and slowly rise it to your mouth. If you go for the middle of a block of tofu (especially with too much force) you might end up slicing it in half — and then you are done for.

Spearing is especially a no no. This is the prime offense being committed in izakaya across the land. Undercover cameras have revealed that gaijin regularly spear large pieces of slippery stuff that they can’t quite cut and can’t quite pick up. Don’t do it, instead try to pry whatever it is into smaller and more manageable pieces by pressing both chopsticks onto the object of your affection and wiggle them about. With especially large pieces of food that you can lift but you can’t cut, biting off a piece and placing the remaining portion back on the plate is also acceptable.
One trap that gaijin frequently fall into is believing that rubbing a pair of waribashi (disposable) chopsticks together to smooth-off the rough bits is somehow polite behavior. Nothing could be further from the truth. Whilst it may seem to be a practical act of caution against splinters finding their way into unwanted places, no self respecting Japanese would be caught dead doing this.
As any eikaiwa sex worker worth their weight in 4,000 an hour yen will know, pointing is another hallmark of the uncouth heathen from abroad. Pointing at someone is an act aggression in Japan. But using your chopsticks to do so is tantamount to declaring war. Pointing your chopsticks at someone should be avoided at all costs even if your mouth is so full of food that you haven’t time to speak.
Additionally waving them about too much in the air is a sign that you have either gone off the edge or are lacking mental agility. Great if you want to cloak yourself with the label “nutcase,” bad if you are negotiating trade deals and hourly rates with a private student.
Those interested in delving further into the arcane rules governing chopstick usage will no doubt be fascinated by an Ogasawara family document that states “it is improper to wet chopsticks to a height of more than three centimeters.” Food stains of a length between one and a half and three centimeters are judged acceptable. The document goes on for another two paragraphs in this vein, but I think you get the drift. Basically don’t use your chopsticks as a dipstick and don’t dunk them in liquid (your glass of water, beer etc.) as a means of wetting them before eating. I have seen this practiced by a number of bar-code salarimen in coffee shops across the nation, so even they seem unaware that the practice is frowned upon.

As you can see by now, the list of chopstick taboos is endless. But here are the highlights, otherwise known as “The Bashi’s”:
Kaki-Bashi
This is basically the “dump-truck” method. This is raking or shoveling food into your mouth while it is attached to a plate or bowl with chopsticks.
Yose-Bashi
Yose means “drawing near.” This technique is used by lazy, drunk or slovenly people who drag dishes towards them with their chopsticks. Don’t be one of them!
Sashi-Bashi
Sashi means, “to pierce” It is bad manners to poke food with the points of the chopsticks as if they were a fork. Commonly this is seen in those touch and go situations where people are trying to pick up food that is difficult to hold by stabbing it in a spear-like fashion.
Namida-Bashi
To drip the sauce from the food or from chopsticks in order to convey it to another dish lacking in the sauce. Not only is this seemingly impossible feat offensive, it is quite time consuming as well.
Komi-Bashi
To fill up one’s mouth by stuffing in more food with chopsticks. This is commonly seen at sparsely laid parties and all-you-can-eat buffets where hungry patrons are desperate to get as much food as they can before it is all gone. Also seen with bento boxes on railway platforms and in eating contests.
Neburi-Bashi
To lick or suck the tips of chopsticks is not only considered to be frighteningly bad taste it also resembles the underfed in developing countries and is frowned upon.
Nigiri-Bashi
Do not hold two sticks by grasping them in your fist. This resembles the stance of an attacker or an unruly obasan awaiting the arrival of a subway car armed with a pair of knitting needles.
Watashi-Bashi
Widely ignored by Japanese and foreigners alike, placing chopsticks on top of bowl is a technical foul. Better to use a chopstick rest or make one out of something.
Tataki-Bashi
Unlike the west where tapping a utensil against a glass to call people to listen is acceptable, beating a glass, plate or a bowl with chopsticks to call on somebody is very low class.
Mayoi-bashi
Mayoi means “dithering.” It is bad manners to wave your chopsticks around aimlessly over the food, trying to decide what to take next. Be decisive.