Fandomania
Anime Book Review
In Fandomania, photographer Elena Dorfman examines the pop culture phenomenon of "cosplay," in which participants dress up in costumes (and live part of their lives) as characters from video games, animated films, and Japanese graphic novels.
This exploding subculture flourishes at convention centers, college dorms, private clubs, and in homes across the country. Dorfman puts herself quietly behind the scenes of these fan-based events to create a remarkable collective portrait.
 As she describes it, "The theater of cosplay has no boundaries, is unpredictable, open-ended. It includes both the fantastic and the mundane, the sexually aberrant and innocent, female characters who become samurai warriors and brainy scientists, and male characters who magically change their sex."
Explorations of identity through portraiture are at the forefront of Dorfman's work, with the blurred lines between fantasy and reality a continuing theme. She allows each individual a spotlight in which to enact their fantasy. The effect is pointedly evocative of this new world of role playing and narrative, one in which scenery is secondary and persona is everything.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, February 2008
Cosplay Girls:
Japan's Live Animation Heroines
Anime Book Review
What is she wearing?!? All over Japan, hard-core fans of animation, video games, and manga comics are hitting the streets in their latest cosplay (short for costume play) outfits— especially women! Inside, you'll find street-fighting tough chicks, emerald-haired princesses, spunky school girls, and faux-fur kittens.
This book is full of cute Japanese girls dressed in every Anime and Manga character costume you can think of (and a lot you can't). Why do they do it? Well, it's all explained, plus bits and pieces about making costumes, doing your hair, posing, etc. There's also interviews with Cosplayers and the Cameko who follow them around with cameras. This is Japanese pop culture at its most fun. Cosplay Girls will have you smiling and scratching your head from the first colorful page to the last. A great gift for somebody or for yourself!
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, June 2003
Anime Chick Wig
Anime Goodies Review
Every cosplay person should get at least one of these as they are too cool and will probably be removed from sale before long and then there will be no more!! And hey, girls, just imagine the amazing fantasy you'll provide your anime-uber-geek boyfriend showing up for a date dressed as a Sailor Scout! Hubba-hubba!
Anime cosplayers can get on stage and dispatch ninjas with flair, confident in the knowledge that a proper spiky hairdo is the secret to every anime heroine's ultimate success against the bad guys. Banzai!!
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, December 2005
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