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(hangzhou.com.cn May 26, 2005) 
 
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                  | Cosplay, an amalgamation of the words, "costume" 
                    and "play," originated in Japan and has become an 
                    international subculture in recent years. Cosplayers typically 
                    dress up as characters from animated films (anime), comics 
                    (manga) or video games and attend role-playing parties to 
                    enjoy themselves and elicit admiration for their outfits. 
                    It bears many similarities to the costuming for science fiction 
                    conventions or Renaissance fairs popular in North America 
                    and Europe. |  |  |