Kigurumi (着ぐるみ) is a form of cosplay that originated from anime stageshows but also became an own distinct subculture over the decades, known for its appearance inspired by anime figures and dolls. The wearers use a fiberglass or plastic mask and a skin-tone spandex bodysuit called a hadatai in order to archive that look. Kigurumi mostly depends on expressive body language, so physical and performance requirements are higher than of regular cosplay, making it more difficult for newcomers.

Within the community, there are lots of abbreviations and slangs used that newcomers might be confused about. Please refer to our dictionary for a more in-depth guide on those.

As mentioned previously, kigurumi is an extended form of cosplay, but kigurumi and regular cosplay are very different in that kigs wear a full-body costume. Due to that, you will have a hard time to tell the wearer's actual appearance or gender when the costume looks convincing. In principle, in order to fully become the character, a kig will not expose any part of their real body. Of course, there are exceptions, such as the japanese DJ and lead singer of the band "Legend of Face": Minami Momochi, she is a special case of only wearing a mask while not wearing a hadatai.

Since kigurumi was born, there always have been comparisons with regular cosplay. One of the biggest differences is that cosplayers can better reflect the charm of the characters through the change of the facial expression, something still very limited in kigurumi. However, kigurumi has the advantage that the appearance of anime characters is really hard to pull-off in the real world due to their exaggerated features, and even cosplayers with the prettiest face and most detailed costume still have hard times to look accurate, but kigurumi completely hides the wearer's real self and portrays the characters in the most believable way instead.

In comparison to regular cosplay, kigurumi needs slightly more complicated parts. The resource page contains an extensive collection of links, for everything you need, with detailed descriptions on what is offered.

Mask

With no doubt one of the most important things in kigurumi, since it’s what gives it its iconic appearance.
As not every country got own makers, most kigs will order their masks online from overseas makers as a surprising high number of them can handle english and international shipping. If a maker doesn't speak english or can't ship international, there's always the option to use one of several shopping services listed in the resource page. Which maker to choose mostly depends on your budget, head circumference, style preference, as well as the desired features.

The vision is usually located in small slits inside the eyelid crease as well as in the black parts of the eyes. Generally the primary ventilation is also through the vision slots mentioned above, though it's possible to get fans added to the inside of the mask. Another optional feature would be a locking mechanism, but it's not recommended as the slightest core warping can cause it not to function properly anymore (example), resulting in an unwearable mask.

Regular maintenance should never be neglected if you want to keep the mask in a good shape. Storage should be done inside a padded box that is kept in a dark and cool space as direct sunlight and heat can cause the core material to warp. The wig needs to be brushed and detangled after every use to extend its lifespan, and styling might have to be redone once a while.

Hadatai

If you don't feel like showing your real skin, it doesn't match your mask, or if you need to hide shapewear, there are multiple options to cover your body. As the masks restrict airflow, it's important to consider that each additional layer of clothing will be a burden on your health, and therefore you should try to only cover what is necessary. For example, if you are wearing an elaborate outfit, it's enough to wear gloves and thights, but for something like swimwear you will want to wear a proper bodysuit.

In order to archive a smooth-looking skin, a hadatai must be tailored to your measurments, otherwise it will appear very wrinkly and ill-fitting. Generally you should have your innerwear completely figured out before ordering your hadatai to prevent the risk of poor fit or torn seams. As the base color of masks varies between makers, it's a good idea to order fabric samples first to see which fabric color option gives a good match.

The main features that distinguish a hadatai from regular zentai are not only a skin-like texture and seamless appearance, but often also an integrated vest that functions as pockets for the breast forms. An alternative for female wearers is a 3D chest that's tailored to fit the shape of your natural breasts, however, this has the downside of an increased amount of seams in that area.

Innerwear

While it mostly depends on the character, proportions in anime are often exaggerated in way that your natural curves will seem small in comparison. Due to that, kigs can wear everything from breast forms, corsets, waist cinchers, and multiple layers of padding, to nothing at all. All of this depends on the difference in anatomy between your own body and the one of the character that you want to depict.

Different to real breasts, the cup sizes of breast forms are defined by their weight, meaning the letter will say nothing about how large they will look on your body. In general, it's possible for everyone to wear breast forms, but if you only want to increase the size of your natural breasts you will have to get concave ones. While the measurments used by manufacturers for breast forms can vary, there are some common types, which can be found here.

Padding is used regardless of gender when in need of thick curves, and it's often worn in combination with a corset or waist cincher. Compression shapewear or tights are commonly used to help smooth out the padding and hide its edges. For an optimal appearance, it's essential that nothing stands out below the hadatai, and everything is in a similar color.