Cosplay service where you dress up as a "lover".

Báo Xây dựng•10/07/2023

Dating your favorite cartoon character, why not?

Cosplay Date Commission, or on-demand cosplay dating, originated in Japan – the land of famous anime. Understanding women's desire for a perfect date with their favorite characters – virtual "husbands" with perfect looks and sweet, affectionate personalities – many cosplayers developed this dating service to cater to women's desires.

This is a service where cosplayers transform into any anime character requested by the client. Besides preparing costumes and makeup to embody the character, cosplayers must also thoroughly research the character to best "get into character," because if they don't accurately reflect the character's personality, no matter how sweet and attentive they are, the client will still be dissatisfied. Ultimately, what these female clients want is to enjoy a unique date with their "virtual" lover – a character they can't find in real life.

This trend quickly spread in Japan and developed in neighboring China. It's no longer just simple dating or chatting; cosplayers can now study together, confide in each other, or, at a more "advanced" level, tutor or introduce each other to friends if the other party needs it, naturally at a higher price.

In Vietnam, this trend of dating with a "virtual husband" has only recently entered the market and is not yet very popular. Most cosplayers in Vietnam are female; male participation in this service is quite limited due to the nature of the work – female clients often feel uncomfortable because they think men don't truly understand what they need in a "husbando" (a term used in the otaku community – referring to a perfect anime husband) and safety concerns.

Cosplayers can flexibly transform into either male or female characters, depending on the client's request. Height isn't a major issue for them. As professional cosplayers, even female cosplayers can play the role of a tall, strong boyfriend who is capable of protecting the female partner.

Dating also needs "rules".

Dating strangers carries many risks, which is why cosplayers carefully consider every request they receive from clients.

Because the majority of cosplayers in this field are female, safety is always the top priority. Cosplayer Nguyen Ngoc Hoang Thien said that she only accepts female clients, not male ones, to ensure safety. Hana Qyh, on the other hand, always informs her friends nearby of her location and schedule for the day. Hana shared: "For female cosplayers who accept male clients, I recommend having one or two friends accompany you to assist and carefully verify the client's information."

Hoang Thien on a date.

Many women who use dating services are generally gentle and affectionate, primarily wanting to be listened to and pampered by the person they admire. Because of this, their dates usually go smoothly.

Furthermore, some actions permitted between two people on a date only include holding hands, kissing hands, etc. If the client requests more intimate actions such as kissing on the cheek or hugging, the cosplayers will charge extra. Additionally, clients are not allowed to perform actions that go beyond the limits agreed upon beforehand.

Have a great date and make a lot of money too!

To "date" this "virtual" lover, female cosplayers must book in advance, at least a week beforehand, so that the cosplayers can get to know the character, or even 1-2 months in advance if the cosplayer is famous and usually has a full schedule.

The cost of a cosplay date in Vietnam varies widely, depending on the client's needs. A novice cosplayer might charge between 50,000 and 100,000 VND per hour, with a minimum date of 3 hours. For more professional cosplayers, the cost can go up to 200,000 to 500,000 VND per hour, depending on the cosplayer's popularity and the quality of the date.

The above cost does not include makeup, clothing, or transportation expenses for the person you will be dating. Clients will have to pay extra for these. In addition, the client will also have to pay for the date itself. Therefore, a dream date can cost between 500,000 and 1 million VND, depending on the duration of the date, fixed expenses, and dating costs.

Earning money while being able to impersonate their favorite characters is why more and more young otaku are opening up this dating service. Hana shared: "My most memorable experience was when someone was very generous with the payment during our date."

Earning money while being able to impersonate their favorite characters is why more and more young otaku are launching this dating service.

Ngon Nhat Ha, a cosplayer with over a year of experience and 5 or 6 dating experiences, has chosen cosplay as her main source of income. However, many other cosplayers believe this service cannot become their primary source of income, and most choose to do it "out of passion."

Nguyen Ngoc Hoang Thien, a young cosplayer, said: “I don't think this job can become my main source of income. Because I take on this service more out of passion, I don't want to become industrialized. Currently, I'm still a student, so the part-time jobs I do are just supplementary to cover my expenses and to support my passion and hobbies. In the future, after graduation, I will focus on my career first, then my hobbies.”

From the outside, many people think this is an easy job where cosplayers can have fun on dates and earn a lot of money at the same time. However, in reality, to perfectly "get into character," cosplayers have to wear many accessories, such as fake bellies, fake teeth, platform shoes, etc. Nhat Ha shared that she once cosplayed as the character Tomoe in 40-degree Celsius heat to please her girlfriend.