Can LARPing Change Your Life?

(Guest post by Ken)

Each year that I’ve brought my kids to Dallas Fan Expo, there is one absolute must-do activity: Jedi Padawan training, sponsored by the local chapter of the Saber Guild, a Star Wars live-action roleplay (LARP) organization. The kids line up and get practice sabers and are taught by what appear to them as 100% authentic Jedi some basic lightsaber moves and then have to pass a test of their skills. The Jedi training them then put on a combat show, facing off against some just-as-authentic looking Sith who interrupt the proceedings. 

The costumes and saber choreography are impressive each year and this year I took the time to talk with several of the participants and get to know them a bit better and learn about this Saber guild. What I learned was fascinating and reinforced for me the positive power that role-playing can have in multiple ways.

Why and how do people role-play? The reasons and means are broad and diverse. Roleplay can be basic and surface level; cosplay for example is, at its core, a very basic form of roleplay, and LOTS of people do that. Not just people who go to cons either—on October 31 most people you know suddenly become cosplayers and thus very basic role-players. But of course, the members of the Saber Guild I witnessed were roleplaying at a level far beyond cosplay. This was LARP-level in all its glory. 

LARPing comes in many forms and many fandoms, whether general medieval roleplays, or those tied to major franchises like Star Wars. The main difference between a cosplay and a full-fledged live-action roleplay is that with LARPing, you go beyond just dressing up and maybe adopting some behavioral tweaks. You become fully engaged in that role like an actor in a play, except there is no script. You’ve become a different person, an actual Jedi or Viking or wizard. You have an identity and you put yourself into that life. 

So again we ask why? Well, the surface level answer is: fun. People enjoy it and leaning into imagination is something that adults can enjoy as much as children. But there’s lots of reasons beyond just fun for some people. Speaking with members of the Saber Guild, for example, I learned various reasons why they would spend to give up hours and hours of time to learn saber arts and wear costumes, performing often at over twenty events per year, all while taking on a whole new personality and living like a Jedi or a Sith. Beyond the fun of it, some enjoy honing skills in combat or sewing. Some are there for the strong sense of community and friendship with their fellow Jedi or Sith. For others there is an even deeper therapeutic effect—being someone else for a while helps you decompress from the stress of your “real life,” and then go back to that life better able to face and handle it. 

Collectively the Saber Guild has a charitable purpose as well: at many of their events they raise money for Make-A-Wish Foundation, and they even help volunteer for Star Wars themed wish granting ceremonies for terminally ill children. That’s a level of LARPing that is changing the world for good. 

I admit my curiosity in Star Wars based LARPing was more relevant this year, as in an unexpected way I’ve found a similar thing unfolding in my own life. I’ve been working on getting back into exercise and wellness lately and signed up for an online fitness training course offered by Paul Clingan—who offers Star Wars themed workouts. He encourages participants to create an alter ego for themselves and train as if for the Grand Army of the Republic. He wears a trooper mask in the workout vids and leans into the Star Wars roleplay in all his content. At first it seemed cheesy or kitschy. Then I found myself really getting into it. And I realized that this little injection of fun and putting my mind into a different ego state required for roleplay made exercise the most enjoyable and motivated it’s ever been for me. In fact I’ve never been more consistent in my life at working out and have never pushed myself harder. 

I’ve made the mistake before of categorizing roleplay enthusiasts (and there are many communities from LARPers to “furries” and beyond) into a “weird” label. I hereby repent. I’m learning more than ever lately that a little roleplay goes a long way. It can aid therapy, motivation, and stress relief and even bring in money for ill children. Maybe we need to all relax and let a little more roleplay and imagination into our lives. Kids do this naturally and it’s one of the ways we’d all benefit from being a little more childlike. 

FanX 2023 Journal

 

(Guest Post by John)

My friend Mike and I went to Fan X this year. We were able to get on the train and I have to say that was a fun experience in itself. First off I gotta see Neo (Matrix) and I asked him why didn't you just fly there and he was like "oh he wasn't in the mood." Second off we got on the train and we were able to find some seats fortunately. I was sitting next to mad Eye Moody, professor Sprout and Haggard. Everyone had such impressive costumes. I was especially impressed with Mad Eye Moody, he 3D printed his staff, and glued it together it took quite a while; quite impressive. The conductor was fantastic when he got on the intercom to tell us which stop to get off of that would help us to get off for a fantasy adventure. He told it in such a fun way. For example, you've now entered the mothership where warping North for all your ghouls and goblins, then he told us to live long and prosper may the force be with us; and he add a lot more to that, but that was just an old snip bit. 

Mike's wife put together a scavenger hunt for us. We set off to do it all. 

FanX Scavenger Hunt:

1. Someone dressed as a character from a book that has NOT been made into a movie.

2. Someone you know out of costume. 

3. Most creative costume 

4. Someone dressed as an animal, place, or vehicle. 

5. Best makeup 

6. Dr. Who character 

7. Someone dressed up as a character from a movie that is not based on a book. 

8. Someone dressed as an animated character.  

9. Someone who doesn't do the dressing up thing.  

10. Someone in a costume that Mike's wife would totally wear 

On the way I found number 9. A guy went with his GF and didn't dress up. 

In years past when I've gone, I've mostly stayed on the second and first floor just looking and seeing and taking pictures of people. I normally had a better costume so people took pictures of me as well. Mike took the time to look at all the schedules and pointed out some things that might be extra fun and I looked into it as well. This con was definitely a little more interactive than past ones. Our first problem was finding our way into the Salt Palace, we had to go to 3 different entrances to get our passes. A press badge gets you into one additional room other than what most people can get into; the press room. On our scavenger hunt we passed by these girls that were dressed up in the best anime I have seen thus far in Fan X. However, I had no idea what anime was called other than I've seen it before somewhere. Mike has that info. 

We went to 255 to check out the science lab, and had a physics lesson. It was shorter than we thought it would be. I thought it was fun, Mike being a Physicist thought it was pretty lame as he has performed better ones before. 

We went down to the main floor and I saw some really cool things. I have to say I love the creativity of all the people who went. Every costume, everything they're trying to sell, even the decorations on the wall of their booth is creative and amazing. There was a picture of Pizza Hut Jimmy pasto and some war hammer stuff which is awesome. I stopped by this booth koldfire role playing games llc, that had a different role playing game system that they put together. They wrote the book and dressed up as the part which is #1 on our hunt. The main floor has many different themed areas, and that is where we went next. 

Star Trek, Star Wars, and Doctor Who. Great photo opts. Also taking care of #6 on our hunt. We got pictures of wizards, and #4 I know it's an anime of some sort of cat creature. Then we went to some panels. One being anime that should have stopped at season 1. Very true on all the selections they choose. I only watched sword art online, and I agree season 2 sucked. Then we went to room 255 again, and checked out the Star Trek Artemis simulation. Since not everybody showed up we got to try some of the stations I was on, which was really easy as just point shoot point-and-shoot and we were the first group to make it through the entire mission without dying which was a bonus because I don't like to die. 

As we were going back down to the main floor I found a girl with in my opinion the best make-up #5. I was looking for an author this year to buy the next book in the monster hunter series, but he wasn’t there. I took more photos of costumes. Then we went back to 255 and looked at the NASA programs. We learned that Osiris-REx It's supposed to be dropping a probe back down on the salt flats the next day. It was rotating around an asteroid and picked up some rocks and brought it back. Then we went up to room 355. I got a picture of my friend Paul who is a DM and out of costume #2. Paul offered to drive us home. Woot woot.

FanX 2023 Scavenger Hunt

Photo: FanX

I had a great opportunity to attend FanX in Utah and let me tell you if you are nerdy and have an opportunity to attend do so there is much to be seen. This year I noticed new additions that usually don’t take place. For example, the Utah planetarium was there as well as NASA. The planetarium performed a chemistry magic show which, as a chemist, I was excited for. However, when I went to it, the show lasted only 10 minutes with three experiments being shown. As someone that does chemistry magic shows, I know that I can perform a longer show that stays exciting. Hopefully next year will be better. 

Photo: Anne Marie Helmenstine

Besides the chemistry magic show and NASA there were a variety of panels of people enthusiastic in nerd culture as we are. It was nice to have conversations with other people that have similar interests that I don’t normally share or talk to others about. 

 

Photo: Utah Transit

If you are social and want some fun take the train to FanX. For me when I took the train most of the people on the train were heading to FanX and a lot of people were dressed up and it was so cool talking to all these fans of diverse genres. Also, the train conductor embraced the culture by speaking in Klingon from Star Trek and gave helpful instructions on when to get off the train.

To me and presumably most people attending, the best part of FanX is the cosplay. Similar to Comic Con Bingo I wanted to do a scavenger hunt. I know that FanX has a scavenger hunt, but I wanted a fun one that involved the cosplayers at the convention. So, my lovely nerdy wife created one and for the rest of this post will show you my scavenger list and who I found that fits it.

1. Someone dressed as a character from a book that has NOT been made into a movie 

Mistborn (Vin)

Vin: Maelynn

2. Someone you know out of costume

Star Trek (Red shirt)

Name: Who cares he's a red shirt they just die. 

3. Most creative costume 

Caroline Jones, Vampire, and Taako

insta: qweenbeecosplay

Left Picture: Pirate Disney Princess

Arial: Katie

Belle: Claire

Right Picture: Collection of Star Wars

Krayt Clan

4. Someone dressed as an animal, place, or vehicle

Agrestsuko (Retsuko and Haida)

Instagram: Bluefates16

5. Best makeup 

Inuyasha (Sesshomaru and Inuyasha) 

Sesshomaru: littlechey baby

Inuyasha: Allenchai cosplay

6. Doctor Who character 

Dr. Who

10th doctor: Emily Bryson (@bluehuskey insta: @queenbeecosplay)

7. Someone dressed up as a character from a movie that is not based on a book

Left Picture: Nightmare before Christmas

Jack Skellington: Shaen lond

Right Picture: Emperor's New Groove

Kronk: Neal Rodgers

8. Someone dressed as an animated character

Hunter X Hunter (Gon and Killua)

Gon: Alyssa Felt (@alyssaFelt)

Killua: Sarah Felt

9. Someone who doesn't do the dressing up thing

Me: Michael Davenport

10. Someone in a costume that your spouse would totally wear   

Beauty and the Beast (Belle)

insta: haydoll.projects 

Harry Potter (Mad-eye-Moody, Professor Sprout, and Hagrid)

insta: durrantgang

Why Does Cosplay Bring Us Joy?

(Guest post by Jason)

As I made my way through the halls and booths at the Dallas Fan Expo, I marveled at the hundreds of elaborate costumes around me. This showing could surely rival the most massive Halloween parties in the US. With Jedi and stormtroopers, superheroes and villains, fairies and trolls, famous and obscure characters, I started wondering what’s behind the costumes? What about cosplay brings these people so much joy? And why they choose the costumes they do?

Is it for the attention? Cosplayers in the most elaborate or unique costumes would often get people wanting to take photos with them. They beamed each time it happened. Can’t imagine that happens to them much outside of this world.

Or possibly for the connection? The Guardians of the Galaxy group surely had fun planning their costumes and walking around feeling like they could save the world together.

Maybe it’s the escape? As I watched the lightsaber battles between jedis, it really felt like they had entered a different world. I can see how the opportunity to escape from everyday life and become someone/something totally different would be a reprieve from the same old daily routine.

Could it be self-expression? Harry Potter fans seemed to embody this purpose. First, with such passion in their different houses (particularly Hufflepuffs, who didn’t seem to realize they weren’t in Hogwarts). But, beyond that, many took it to a whole other level and tailored their robes to their personalities.

Or maybe people are just trying to feel young again? As I watched a toddler excitedly approach an edgy-looking rabbit from a game I didn’t know, the two connected on such a sweet, innocent level. The toddler just saw a sweet white bunny, and the cosplayer became that sweet white bunny in the moment as if it was the highlight of her day.

Not really sure what people’s reasons are. Maybe all of these, or maybe there are other reasons. But, whatever the reasons, the fantasy world cosplayers create is objectively incredible and something everyone should experience at least once in life.

For the Love of Cosplay

Mario at Dallas Fan Expo 2022

I was privileged to attend Dallas Fan Expo last week with a few of my friends. I’m a little short on cash (thanks to repaying student loans) so my celebrity meet-and-greet budget was basically nothing. That’s okay though, because my favorite part of a Con isn’t the celebrities (though I loved the Michael Rooker and Ming Na Wen panels). Rather, my favorite part of any convention is the cosplayers.

Back in high school and my early college days, I thought I had to be too cool for dressing up. Dressing up was for little kids in elementary school. Just like trick-or-treating and Disney cartoons. To be a grownup and to be mature meant putting away childish things like costumes (see my previous post about Digimon Kizuna). Thankfully, in the years that followed, I matured properly; I stopped trying to be grown up for other people. and started being myself. So Halloween 2012, my best friend and I did our first team cosplay for a ward activity. We showed up as Mario and Luigi and I was hooked on cosplay.

Halloween 2012: Super Mario Bros

Cosplay is more than just dressing up for me. I’ve never felt like a particularly creative person, but when I get into cosplay, it flows. I can see the colors and the parts. I can see which substitutes are appropriate or not. It gives me a chance to express myself in a way that reaches deep down into the characters I’ve loved over the years. Spending an afternoon dressed as Mario, Newt, or Russell gives me a chance to honor and experience these characters and stories that have shaped who I am today. For a moment, I get to play dress up again and join the carefree world of a child. I see my daughter playing and enjoying whatever world she’s created. When I put on my costumes, I can enjoy a little piece of that childlike spirit that I’ve lost over the years.

If you’re interested in cosplaying, just try it out. If you need help, I’ve included some tips on doing budget cosplays.

Check out some of my favorite cosplays from Dallas Fan Expo 2022:

My First Comic Con Experience!

I had never been to a comic convention before. When I used to work for NBC, I was offered tickets every year to the San Diego Comic Con ... but when you're a poor teacher with a family of 6, a plane ticket to the other side of the country so you could dress up and buy comic books didn't sound like the most practical idea. (And yes, I know there's a lot more to a comic con than buying comics — they also sell Funko Pop figures!) So when I read about my buddy Spencer's many trips to FanX in Salt Lake City, I was inspired to go to my own comic con.

Meeting Ja'Siah Young

On February 8, I went to the Lehigh Valley Comic Convention in Allentown, PA, about an hour from my home. They hold four conventions a year, and next year will be their 20th anniversary. It's a small operation compared to the conventions held in San Diego, or New York, or even Philadelphia. But smaller means more intimate, and more opportunities for innovations and intimate connections with people.

There were five panels at this con, and we attended four:

• Name That Tune Deluxe: Every song was either from an anime or video game. And my interests are not anime or video games. Yet somehow we came in third place, winning some candy, a Star Wars poster, and some Star Trek coasters! (Thank goodness I remembered that one anime episode of South Park!)
• Meet the Mandalorians: This was just so awesome, to see two guys from the local chapter of the Mandalorian Mercs Costume Club (that exists?) talk devotedly about what they love. They brought all their gear and told us how they made their cosplay. Hearing people talk about things they're passionate about is MY passion. 
• Raising Dion Panel: We watched Raising Dion as a family, and we loved it. And it was really enjoyable to hear Ja’Siah Young talk about his life since starting as Dion. He's a pretty chill 8-year-old. My kids really enjoyed hanging out with him, doing backflips together, dancing, and exchanging phone numbers. Yup, really. 
• Creating Voices for Cartoons: My kids enjoyed meeting Ja’Siah the most, but I was most taken with Erica Schroeder, a voice actress who worked on Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Sonic the Hedgehog, and a ton of other fun shows. Erica just had this really incredible energy and spirit about her. It was refreshing. 
• Transformers: In the Beginning: This just wasn't our thing, so we walked around instead and acquainted ourselves with the weird and wonderful world of comic cons. 

Cosplay Dating Game

The after party was by far the best part of the evening. Held at a nearby hotel, there was delicious food (complimentary), karaoke, an elaborate Dungeons and Dragons game, a cosplay dating game, and a pool party. I'm learning that this is pretty standard fare for the Lehigh Valley Comic Con, but a little unusual for other conventions. That's fine by me, I'll keep going to Lehigh Valley, where I can sing my heart out in a rousing karaoke rendition of “Let It Go”, my boys can feel included and accepted playing the best game of D&D of their lives, and they can take a dip in the pool with the star of a Netflix original sci fi show!

So this geek is now sold on comic conventions, and my family can't wait for the next one. Until then, we will keep calm and comic con.

Cosplay Aang meets Funko Aang

Zuko

Doc Ock was incredible!

Aang and Black Panther

Dion and Aang, just being kids

D&D was epic!

Meeting Mystery Science Theater 3000

Water Bender

Mega Man and the gang