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go_fug_yourself_feed at 07:00pm on 30/09/2025It'll be fun if people actually wear something from this.
The post Saint Laurent Is DRAMATIC This Season first appeared on Go Fug Yourself.
go_fug_yourself_feed at 06:00pm on 30/09/2025But I think she's just wearing this?
The post I Thought Camila Cabello Was In Costume first appeared on Go Fug Yourself.
go_fug_yourself_feed at 05:00pm on 30/09/2025For Roofman.
The post Both Channing and Kirsten Look Pretty Radiant first appeared on Go Fug Yourself.
go_fug_yourself_feed at 04:00pm on 30/09/2025We might!
The post I Wonder If We’ll Get “Academy Award Nominee Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson” first appeared on Go Fug Yourself.
go_fug_yourself_feed at 03:00pm on 30/09/2025...along with a lot of other people. Like we're talking models.
The post Madonna Showed Up for the (Very Major) Saint Laurent Front Row first appeared on Go Fug Yourself.
cakewrecks_feed at 01:00pm on 30/09/2025Yesterday I read an article about "swallowable perfume," a new form of perfume that comes in capsules. That you swallow. Ergo, "swallowable perfume."
Look, I couldn't make this stuff up, guys.
Anyway, it got me to thinking: how long before this is incorporated into food? You know, like cake? And what would an ingestible perfume cake look like, anyway? Would decorators try to reflect the scent in the cake's design?
These are all important questions, which I think deserve answers. You know, for science. And laughs. But mostly science.
So, as a public service, here are a few suggestions for some classic perfume scents:
Obsession
This would have to be a
revamped
formula, of course, with top notes of blood, wet dog, and a little patchouli.
Poison
Lucky for me, I've developed an immunity to iocane powder.
I'm sure you've heard of Chanel #5, but here's one for its lesser-known predecessor, Chanel #2:
Q: Why did Tigger have his head in the river?
A: He was looking for Pooh! Because Poo smells grrrrreat!
White Shoulders
I bet you never realized how weird that perfume name was until right now.
Contradiction
Something here doesn't add up.
Miracle
Even the balloons are defying the laws of gravity!
Lucky You
Say, here's a tip:
***
***
Ah. Never mind; false alarm.
Thanks to Sarah P., Crazy Z., Michelle S., Caren, Celeste G., Amy C., & Colleen W. Smell you later, guys!
go_fug_yourself_feed at 02:00pm on 30/09/2025Tackling the important issues of the day.
The post I Have Questions About Amal’s Makeup at the Jay Kelly Premiere first appeared on Go Fug Yourself.
savagelove_feed at 11:00am on 30/09/20251. How’s anal with someone with pearls in their dick? I’m getting some installed soon. You’re referring to pearling, a body modification where small pearl-like beads are inserted under the skin of the penis. Post-pearling, your cock — to the untrained eye (read: most eyes) — is gonna look like it’s covered in cysts that … Read More »
The post Quickies appeared first on Dan Savage.
savagelove_feed at 11:00am on 30/09/2025How can a woman safely indulge her kink when the thing that turns her on is fear? A man is convinced that his bidet use makes him pee more. Our long suffering, patient and kind medical expert, Doc Barak is back to sigh heavily and pretend to take the question seriously. Also, can we trust … Read More »
The post When Fear Turns You On appeared first on Dan Savage.
otw_news_feed at 10:57am on 30/09/2025Every month in OTW Signal, we take a look at stories that connect to the OTW’s mission and projects, including issues related to legal matters, technology, academia, fannish history and preservation issues of fandom, fan culture, and transformative works.
On September 23, SenLinYu’s Alchemised joined Rose in Chains by Julie Soto and The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley as the third “Dramione” fan fiction-inspired novel to be traditionally published in 2025. In their article “‘The Year of Dramione’: Fan fiction’s leap to bookstore shelves”, United Press International (UPI) spoke with OTW’s Rebecca Tushnet about the growing appeal of fanworks outside of fandom spaces. Many publishers are fans themselves, Tushnet noted, commenting on the—often fraught—relationship between fandom and traditional media publishing. She also highlighted the deeper, intrinsic worth of fanworks:
… the value in fan fiction writing extends well beyond the potential for publication, Tushnet said.
“To me, it’s never about making the jump to getting paid for it,” she said. “People develop all sorts of skills and passions and connections through fan fiction and I would never want to flatten that.”
UPI posited that it’s perhaps, in part, this passion at the heart of fandom that serves as a beacon for fans and publishers alike. Ali Hazelwood, whose “Reylo” fan fiction inspired her novel The Love Hypothesis, reflected on what binds her to fandom:
“… it’s also just great to feel a sense of community and to get to know people, to find someone who’s like-minded and interested in similar things. It’s very hard to make friends as an adult. And I feel like I truly found my adult friends through fanfiction and through the fandom community.”
Hazelwood’s experience embodies a core purpose of sites like the Archive of Our Own (AO3). “As long as there are humans, they will ask what happens next [beyond canon],” Tushnet said. “The fight we have is their ability to find each other.”
Rae Johnston, presenter of the Download This Show podcast, asks, “What does it take to keep a website alive when every other platform is chasing advertising dollars or subscription fees?” The podcast’s new episode, “How fanfiction took over the world (and stayed free)”, explores how AO3 has risen to the challenge. Johnston spoke with OTW Board Director Rachel Linton to learn more:
The vision was to have a space for fans, created by fans, to make sure that it was a noncommercial space and to make sure that it didn’t restrict content. And those were driven by concerns that were raised by FanLib and by Strikethrough, and trying to make sure that there was a space that people could post what they wanted to write without having that controlled by what corporations wanted to support or promote—and to keep ownership over that work.
… There was definitely a desire to have a very clear vision of why we think that [creating fanworks] is allowed and why this is legal, and as part of that, we’ve had a Legal Committee from the beginning who … exists to support AO3 and to support fans—and make sure that their work is protected and that they know what they are allowed to do and can’t be intimidated.
… On the technical side, [AO3’s] code base was created for the Archive … we own all of our own servers, which is great for having control over the work that we host and the work that we do. … we’re entirely volunteer-run, so any work that we’re doing in terms of coding or in terms of upgrades or anything like that is all done by volunteers. … All of our funding is through donations. … we are essentially completely run by fan volunteers, but also run by the money that fans donate.
An incredible testament to community, Johnston concludes that “Archive of Our Own has managed the near impossible: staying free, staying independent, and keeping the culture alive.”
Looking for more OTW news coverage? Visit our Press Room! Here, you’ll find a catalogue of notable media mentions of the OTW and its projects—dating back to its founding in 2007. Browse articles, podcasts, and more to learn about how the OTW and its work and volunteers have been recognized across the media landscape.
We want your suggestions for the next OTW Signal post! If you know of an essay, video, article, podcast, or news story you think we should know about, send us a link. We are looking for content in all languages! Submitting a link doesn’t guarantee that it will be included in an OTW post, and inclusion of a link doesn’t mean that it is endorsed by the OTW.
darths_and_droids_feed at 09:14am on 30/09/2025
People being unconscious or otherwise out of it while important stuff happens are a fun source of amusement in movies and stories. Unfortunately it doesn't work so well or easily in a game. Most players won't like their character being on the side lines for any length of time. Effects like paralysation or mind control can be real downers, and can also feel like taking agency away.
If you can turn it into a role-playing challenge with the player on board with the situation, like Sally here, things may work better.
aurilee writes:
Huh. I wasn't expecting to be accurate with Babu getting talked down and fixing Threepio. Well, probably anyway; there's not any way for me to guess at what the actual movie plot was at this point, but it does look somewhat close. Otherwise this whole diversion would have been to just turn C-3P0's eyes red for a little bit for no reason. And also have the small chat outside looking at the city. Which, okay that's random and unexpected, but not exceptionally flashy or interesting. And most of the other characters in the scene seem rather bored as well.
As for the rumbling, that's gonna be the First Order of course. Air dropping a Factory that turns out to have been faked seems most likely, at least from the comic point of view. A more intense form of the door knocking seen at the start of the scene on Kijimi? Delivering packages only goes so far, and wouldn't fit the movie either.
xkcd_feed at 04:00am on 29/09/2025
henryjenkins_feed at 01:02am on 30/09/2025At an event centered on Chinese otome games (dating games aimed at a female audience), I cosplayed as a male game character and was asked several times if I would accept cosplay commissions — getting paid to cosplay as someone’s favourite character and going on a date with them. Although I turned them down at the time, the practice of combining cosplay and otome games caught my attention. I asked one cosplayer friend for their advice; they told me “You should try cosplay commissions to understand it.” Thus, I began undertaking cosplay commissions, which meant I cosplayed as the client’s chosen character and walked around with them, on the street, on a date. To be honest, I must confess that even as an experienced cosplayer, I found it challenging to act nonchalant in public while wearing a full costume and a light-colored wig. This difficulty was compounded by the specific nature of this commission: I was tasked with roleplaying as a romantic partner and caring for my "girlfriend." Though the date was challenging, I was obsessed with the sense of accomplishment I felt when I took care of someone and acted as their beloved character.
Cosplayers Commissioned by the Otome Game "Love and Deep Space" at Bilibili World 2025
Cosplay commission is an emerging practice within Chinese fandom, where clients hire cosplayers to perform as characters in animation, manga, and games, simulating romantic or friendly relationships and dating them in real life. It usually happens in shopping malls, on the streets, in art galleries or in restaurants. Not only fans but game companies themselves hire cosplayers to interact with the audience at comic cons, what is called an “official commission” in the otome game fandom. These performances usually earn the longest lines in the venue.
This study examines the practice of cosplay commission. Despite variations in character portrayals and dating scenarios, commonalities exist in cosplayers’ motivations and authenticity strategies. Employing participant observation since June 2023 and semi-structured interviews with 16 female cosplayers, each with substantial commission experience, the research adopts a thematic analysis framework. In this post, I will explain authenticity in this context and the motivations for participation in cosplay commissions, in order to further provide a context for discussion on cosplay culture.
The posters of five most popular mobile otome games in China (Top Left: Love and Deep Space, Lower Left: Light and Night; Top Right: Tear of Themis; Middle Right: Mr. Love: Queen’s Choice; Lower Right: Far beyond the World)
Otome Games and Cosplay Commissions in China
In recent years, the growing female market has led to the emergence of female-oriented services, including otome games. A representative example is Mr Love: Queen's Choice, which centers on a female producer developing a television show while forming emotional bonds with male characters—each possessing unique supernatural traits and professional backgrounds such as CEOs, scientists, detectives, and idols—through interactive storytelling and decision-making. Chinese otome mobile games have gained significant market share since the success of Mr. Love: Queen’s Choice in mainland China in 2017. Game companies now see the female market’s potential, bringing more love stories rather than just the endless adventure tales that fulfill male players’ tastes. The genre gathered a distinct fandom in China, centering on the five most popular mobile otome games in the market: Love and Deep Space, Light and Night, Tears of Themis, Mr. Love: Queen’s Choice, and For All Time.
In otome games, the parasocial relationship between characters and players is noteworthy, pointing to a one-sided emotional bond where players feel intimately connected to the characters, who, as fictional beings, are unaware of the players' existence. Many mobile otome games enhance this dynamic through simulated communication systems that allow players to “chat” with characters. These features, combined with immersive romantic narratives, foster a sense of intimacy and create idealized virtual relationships that cater to the players’ emotional desires. These parasocial relationships not only exist but also extend into physical reality, giving rise to the cosplay commission. The practice is deeply rooted in cosplay culture, where fans embody fictional characters through alterations in physical appearance, costumes, and behavior (Bainbridge & Norris, 2013). Cosplay commissions represent two notable changes to that culture: the expansion of cosplay spaces beyond unique cultural venues like comic conventions and specialized stores (Lamerichs, 2010), indicating increased social acceptance; and the breakdown of participation boundaries between non-cosplayers and cosplayers (Reysen & Plante, 2020), allowing non-cosplayers to create their own narratives through interactions with cosplayers.
The virtual photos in the game V.S. The real interaction in the life
Cosplay commission clients are fans of specific games, anime and other cultural productions. Among them are "dream girls" (yume-joshi夢女子), people who envision romantic relationships with the characters and project themselves into the otome games (Giard, 2024). Others see characters as virtual friends who provide emotional support.
In cosplay commissions, authenticity serves as a crucial link between the virtual and the real; it distinguishes commissioned services from standardized game plots and attracts clients seeking a distinctive experience. Here, authenticity is not merely about visual or behavioral imitation, but encompasses a deeper, emotional and relational realism that allows clients to feel a genuine connection with the character. This performed authenticity involves a dual negotiation: “role-authenticity,” where the cosplayer embodies the fictional persona through meticulous attention to narrative and aesthetic details (Rahman, 2012), and “self-authenticity,” where the cosplayer injects their own emotional responsiveness and personal touch to create a believable and individualized interaction (Roberts, 2005). Such authenticity is co-constructed through ritualized practices—such as gift-giving, personalized communication, and physical boundary negotiations—which together transform the commercial transaction into an intimate, emotionally resonant experience. Consequently, authenticity in this context functions as both a commodity and a mechanism for emotional fulfillment, bridging fantasy and reality in ways that predefined game narratives cannot replicate.
Bringing characters into reality, cosplay commissions transcend the boundaries of the virtual world and highlight the value of authenticity within intimate relationships. Although such relationships are parasocial in nature and the characters themselves are fictional, participants often develop genuine emotional attachment and romantic imagination toward the characters. Perceiving these feelings as real, many engage in cosplay commissions precisely to seek tangible, real-world feedback, which is a central motivation behind the practice. In cosplay commission, cosplayers need to disclose their own private lives to be close to their clients, sometimes using physical touch, but that does not mean they will do anything a client asks. Cosplayers develop strategies to avoid intimate behavior beyond their duties. When taking a commission, I will repeat what degree of physical contact I can accept and will ask my client what kind of physical touch she expects. Most physical interactions are limited to hugging, which is a boundary set through mutual agreement. During the commission, cosplayers will also devise a strategy for unexpected incidents, such as using humor to sidestep sensitive subjects. Many respondents stressed the importance of negotiation and agreeing to limits on physical contact:
“I will prepare a small questionnaire and ask for the specific information about their needs, such as whether they want me to set the couple's avatar on social media, and other behaviors that show intimacy. How far this intimacy goes depends on both of us, and this is necessary during the commissioning process”.
The questionnaire provided by Cosplayers to guests
The Cosplay Commission Picture in the Supermarket
Characters in otome games have distinct personalities—they show their love and hate for specific things. Cosplayers try to follow this script, but sometimes such characterization causes trouble since the character can be too masculine to fulfil what a woman needs romantically. Hence, only bringing the character into real life is far from enough; cosplayers need to combine personal emotion and experience into their interpretations of the characters, which helps cosplayers to judge the situation and perform in a proper way to satisfy their clients. Some respondents have their own stories to show how they balance emotion and perform when meeting a special situation:
“One client cried at the end of the day, and I comforted her as gently as I could for a long time. She said I was much gentler than the character. It is because I didn't want to follow the character's personality and tried to adjust my behavior relying on my own experience. If I followed the personality of the character strictly, I would ask her to die, but I said, ‘Don't get upset over this little thing, we will meet again in the future’.”
“When I cosplay as some ruthless characters, I don’t know how to deal with the character’s and my own personality ... As a commissioned cosplayer, I should take care of my partner’s emotions and may be out of character. It is sometimes very hard for me to imitate and balance character’s arrogance and humility. So I try to talk less and keep my emotions very stable, I won’t talk about anything involving values during the date because it sometimes may be offensive.”
When a cosplayer suppresses part of their personality to meet the emotional expectations of others, scholars like Hochschild (1983) may call it emotive dissonance. However, many cosplayers insist that, although they should adhere to certain character scripts, they are not passive; they are able to express their own emotions and adjust feelings during the commission. For example, many respondents mentioned their cosplay experience of Jesse in the game Light and Night, saying such an optimistic character mobilizes their positive side, allowing them to ignore some negative thoughts.
There is no doubt that the expression of personal emotions immerses commissioners in the commission, strengthening the authenticity of the performance. At Bilibili World (a comic con hosted by the video website Bilibili), the official cosplayer of Love and Deep Space sat on the ground to rest due to fatigue. The behavior sparked discussions among fans; many people believed that the action of a cosplayer taking a break brings the characters into reality. In their words: “No one is perfect. After encountering so many things, both the characters and the cosplayers have the right to show their vulnerability in front of us.” This incident illustrates how displays of personal emotion—such as fatigue or vulnerability—do not break the illusion but instead deepen the sense of authenticity. By revealing the person behind the costume, the cosplayer makes the character more relatable and human, thereby strengthening the emotional connection with the audience. This case underscores the vital role of cosplayers in mediating between the virtual and the real: their ability to convey truthfulness through humanizing details helps construct a believable and emotionally resonant experience, affirming that authenticity in cosplay is often forged through imperfect, relatable moments.
Official commissioned cosplayer of Love and Deep Space in Bilibili World
Although they have the freedom to set a rate for their services, some cosplayers are willing to take commissions without fees, while others strive to strike a balance between expenses and income. In order to minimize costs, some cosplayers will provide an illustrated catalog of available character costumes for the client’s selection; since many costumes will be put aside after wearing them to cons or photo shoots a few times, this is a perfect way for cosplayers to reuse them. When cosplayers do not have the necessary wigs or costumes, it is expected that clients will cover those costs. Some interviewees admitted that they sometimes spend more than they get paid for cosplay commissions, which is also seen frequently in experiences shared on social media. For example, some will ask makeup artists for help to improve their appearance, and some others will choose to “go Dutch” with clients when getting involved in paid activities. This willingness to spend beyond what is earned signals a deeper motivation behind the practice. In some respondents’ views, cosplay commission is a practice that can fulfill a player’s dreams:
“Comfort from a virtual lover”
"I was an otome game player before I started to take commissions, but my interest differed from those who harbored romantic fantasies about the characters. I found myself drawn to the characters' thoughts within the narrative ... I did not take on cosplay commissions at the beginning, but as I got to know more otome game fans, I realized how important the characters were to them, and it is not too much of a stretch to say that some characters were their hope of survival. So I have been thinking about taking on cosplay commissions to bring happiness into their lives and also to fulfill my dreams. After all, I hope that there is such a person by my side."
The interaction between the cosplayer and the client reveals a new participatory practice in fandom. Clients fulfill their dreams through interaction with cosplayers, and cosplayers obtain emotional satisfaction from taking care of others. As otome gamers, they are aware of the importance of the characters in the game to other players, taking it as their mission to fulfill the emotional needs of others and, at the same time, gain psychological satisfaction by taking care of others:
"Cosplay commission is a form of emotional fulfillment for me, and I would feel good to see others happy because of me .... Once the clients say they are happy, my purpose is accomplished, and it is my duty to make others feel happy and satisfied under my care."
Cosplay commission by the seaside
In Reading the Romance, Radway (1984) uses emotional compensation to explain why women love to read romantic literature; she compares it to compensatory fiction that provides emotional support when they can’t get enough psychological support from family and society. In cosplay commissions, many cosplayers try to satisfy others by coordinating emotions and behaviors. They take the practice to fulfil deficiencies in companionship in real life, drawing motivation from the clients' responses during their dates. This sense of emotional fulfillment and relational value often transcends monetary incentives, thus leading some cosplayers to willingly engage in unpaid work and invest effort that surpasses the compensation for the commission.
Although the cosplay commission, as an emerging subculture practice, is still in the process of exploration and standardization, many cosplayers and gamers have realized their romantic imaginations through this practice and found another dimension to their love of otome games and cosplay. As a subcultural practice that challenges gender norms and commercially connects the virtual and the real, cosplay commissions have huge research potential. As a cosplayer, I look forward to more research and deeper development.
Bainbridge, JG. & Norris, C. 2013. “Posthuman Drag: Understanding Cosplay as Social Networking in a Material Culture.” Intersections: Gender and Sexuality in Asia and the Pacific 32. https://hdl.handle.net/102.100.100/579057
Giard, A. 2024. “Love for a handsome man requires a lot of friends: Sociability practices related to romance games (Otome Games) in Japan.” Diogenes 65(1): 1-17.
Hochschild, AR. 1983. The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling. University of California Press. https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1592764599411104190&wfr=spider&for=pc
Lamerichs, N. 2010. "Stranger Than Fiction: Fan Identity in Cosplay." Transformative Works and Cultures 7(1). February 1, 2016. https://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/246
Radway, J. 1984. Reading the Romance: Women, Patriarchy and Popular Literature. University of North Carolina Press.
Rahman, O., Wing-Sun, L, & Hei-man Cheung, B. 2012. "'Cosplay'—Imaginative Self and Performing Identity." Fashion Theory 16 (13): 317–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.2752/175174112X13340749707204.
Reysen, S., & Plante, C. N. 2020. “Cosplayers’ and Non-Cosplayers’ Involvement in Fandom-Based Drama.” The Phoenix Papers 4(2): 29–36. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/JZE2P
Roberts, LM. 2005. “Changing faces: Professional image construction in diverse organizational settings.” Academy of Management Review, 30(4): 685-711. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2005.18378873
Song W. & Fox, J. 2016. “Playing for Love in a Romantic Video Game: Avatar Identification, Parasocial Relationships, and Chinese Women's Romantic Beliefs.” Mass Communication and Society 19 (2): 197-215, DOI: 10.1080/15205436.2015.1077972
Lenore Wang is a doctoral student at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California, where her research focuses on the intersections of fandom, gender, and cultural dynamics. In her work, she analyzes how cosplay influences cultural economies, bridges the gap between virtual and physical realities, and serves as a medium for cultural expression. Her academic scope also includes video games, pop music, comic conventions, and science fiction.
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