Episode 22: From Morojo to Yaya Han: The History of Cosplay

Sponsored by Folkwear Patterns. Folkwear – Where history meets your hands. Visit Folkwear.com and use code HANDMADE20 for 20% off your purchase. Code is good through the end of 2025!  Cosplay might make you think of shiny spandex and elaborate makeup--but did you know it got its start in 1939? Morojo (pronounced mo-roy-oh) was the first ever sci-fi fan to create a costume for a con: a dress that converted into a cape and romper. This "costume of the future" inspired other fans to start making their own costumes, and soon the masquerade or costume contest was a fixture at cons around the country. Join us as we follow cosplay through the decades: in the 60s, when the pilot of Star Trek debuted at a con in Ohio; in the 70s, when cosplayer Wendy Pini surprised a talk show host on TV; the 80s, when the term "cosplay" was invented by a Japanese journalist; and the 90s, when cosplay was still fringe but growing thanks to Sailor Moon. Learn about how cosplay became a multi-billion dollar industry in the early 2000s and 2010s, and how cosplayers like Yaya Han made it possible for cosplay to be a career. Show notes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/3jkku7s9 Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at [email protected]. Visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information.