From Virtual to Reality: Physical Discipline, Aesthetic Capitalism and Female Subjectivity in Cosplay Community

Abstract

This study is based on the Cosplay subcultural community, focusing on body image anxiety and aesthetic discipline among its members, particularly women. Situated within the frameworks of aesthetic capitalism and bodily discipline, the current study explores the phenomenon from an interdisciplinary way and argues that the female body becomes a site of commercial exploitation and normative control. The mechanism behind is discussed from a dual pressure system: internally, via the pursuit of an unattainable “slender yet curvaceous” anime character ideal, and externally, through homogenizing social media algorithms and an industry promoting smaller-sized costumes and cosmetic consumption. Outside of that, the fast-changing fashion industry, women’s focus on “selfcare,” and social media— a main way Cosplay is spread that makes how bodies are shown more uniform and boosts anxiety—also matter. The findings reveal a cyclical process where the pursuit of authenticity fuels anxiety, which in turn is monetized by capital, thereby disciplining participants’ bodies and shaping their subjectivity. This study concludes by critically examining this phenomenon, highlighting the tension between creative expression and commercial coercion, and prompting reflection on its implications for individual well-being and group identity within digital visual cultures.