Real Life Mad Scientists Cosplaying as Mad Scientists/Wizards

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SUMMARY

This discussion explores the concept of mad scientists and wizards in cosplay, highlighting their portrayal as villains in various narratives across America, Europe, and Asia. Participants debate the ethics of mad scientists' actions, questioning whether the pursuit of knowledge justifies immoral acts. The conversation also clarifies the definition of cosplay, emphasizing its role as a performance art that transcends mere costume wearing, and its cultural significance in conventions like Otakon and Comic Con.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of cosplay as a performance art
  • Familiarity with mad scientist archetypes in literature and media
  • Knowledge of major conventions like Otakon and Comic Con
  • Awareness of ethical debates surrounding scientific experimentation
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the portrayal of mad scientists in popular culture, focusing on characters like Dr. Frankenstein and Dr. Doom
  • Explore the history and evolution of cosplay as a cultural phenomenon
  • Investigate the ethical implications of scientific advancements in cloning and genetic manipulation
  • Learn about the differences between cosplay and live-action role-playing (LARP)
USEFUL FOR

This discussion benefits cosplayers, enthusiasts of science fiction and fantasy, ethicists in scientific fields, and anyone interested in the cultural impact of mad scientist archetypes in media.

Question about Mad Scientists/Wizards

  • I feel empowered by controlling the forces of the universe!

    Votes: 5 62.5%

  • It is impressive to be a mad magical or scientific genius!

    Votes: 4 50.0%

  • I will do anything to advance magic or science!

    Votes: 5 62.5%

  • (Option 4 removed by Moderators as inappropriate)

    Votes: 3 37.5%
  • Total voters
    8
Bararontok
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What would it be like if a mad scientific genius in real life would cosplay as a fictional mad scientist/wizard? They would probably be the best actor at the convention and get the best cosplay. It would be cheap because they already have lab coats and they are already in character.

On another note, how popular are mad scientists/wizards in the public's opinion? Do people think it is impressive to be a mad scientist/wizard and do whatever it takes to advance science or magic regardless of the toll on human life? Is it impressive to commit mass murder just to test a brand new weapon or spell of mass destruction? Is it impressive to flaunt one's scientific genius through cosplay? Post your answers here.

By the way, the mad scientists or wizards have become quite common villains in many narratives from various countries and here are some examples of these characters. The one thing that magic and science have in common is that they both make attempts at controlling the forces of the universe which are believed to be impersonal and inanimate even though the methods used by magicians and scientists are different. And that is what the mad scientists and wizards have in common: the desire to do anything to gain knowledge and control over the universal forces.

America:

Dr. Doom
Magneto
Dr. Steel
Sinister
Dr. Robotnik

Europe:

Captain Nemo
Voldemort
Dr. Rotwang
Dr. Frankenstein
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Asia:

Dr. Yun
Dr. Mandarin
Dr. Hojo
Dr. Adlai
Dr. Fu Manchu
 
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I had no idea what cosplay was, so I looked it up and it appears to be a Japanese/Asian thing?
 
Actually it is a short, slang word for costume play and can refer to any person wearing a costume from any country. Although sometimes mistakenly thought to originate from Japan due to over-representation by fanatical Japanophiles, it is actually an international phenomenon dating from the times costume parties became popular in the world.
 
Bararontok said:
Actually it is a short, slang word for costume play and can refer to any person wearing a costume from any country. Although sometimes mistakenly thought to originate from Japan due to over-representation by fanatical Japanophiles, it is actually an international phenomenon dating from the times costume parties became popular in the world.
It hasn't caught on in the US, never heard of it. Maybe there are small clubs like the people that pretend to be vampires, or people dressing up for star trek conventions.
 
Ugh, the 'mad scientist' stereotype - I hate that! Bill Nye the Science Guy is a very effective way to repel middle-school age girls (and maybe boys) from science. I'm not talking about dyed-in-the-wool science nerds - they may not be affected. I mean mainstream, peer-group-affected youth, who would not see wearing a lab coat, spouting facts, or acting wacky as anything they want to aspire to.
 
Evo said:
It hasn't caught on in the US, never heard of it. Maybe there are small clubs like the people that pretend to be vampires, or people dressing up for star trek conventions.

I've been familiar with the term for a few years. Maybe it's more popular in towns that host major nerd conventions. Here in Baltimore, hordes of cosplayers come to Otakon every year. It's a huge anime/manga convention. In San Francisco, they'll be familiar with cosplay due to Comic Con.
 
Jack21222 said:
I've been familiar with the term for a few years. Maybe it's more popular in towns that host major nerd conventions. Here in Baltimore, hordes of cosplayers come to Otakon every year. It's a huge anime/manga convention. In San Francisco, they'll be familiar with cosplay due to Comic Con.
But those are annual conventions, and people are just dressing up like for Halloween. They aren't actually acting out a performance.

Cosplay (コスプレ, kosupure?), short for "costume play",[1] is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often[citation needed] drawn from popular fiction in Japan. Favorite sources include manga, anime, tokusatsu, comic books, graphic novels, video games, hentai and fantasy movies. Role play includes portrayals of J-pop and J-rock stars, Taiwanese puppet characters, science fiction characters, characters from musical stories, classic novels, and entertainment software. Any entity from the real or virtual world that lends itself to dramatic interpretation may be taken up as a subject. Inanimate objects are given anthropomorphic forms and it is not unusual to see genders switched, with women playing male roles and vice versa.

Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture centered around role play. A broader use of the term cosplay applies it to any costumed role play in venues apart from the stage, regardless of the cultural context.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosplay

Dressing up to attend a convention and doing it as performance art or as an everyday thing are completely different.
 
Evo said:
Dressing up to attend a convention and doing it as performance art or as an everyday thing are completely different.

Nah, they aren't just dressing up many of them are serious about it and are role-playing their character. Which is what the word means, isn't it?
 
zomgwtf said:
Nah, they aren't just dressing up many of them are serious about it and are role-playing their character. Which is what the word means, isn't it?

Exactly, they are often in-character while in the costume, even if it isn't a scheduled performance. You see this as Rennasiance Fairs all the time. The gentleman dressed as a pirate will often talk like one too. Fairgoers will often kneel before the "king" as he passes. That sort of thing.

Now, there are actual cosplay "shows," where people will act out scenes on a stage, but cosplay extends beyond that.
 
  • #10
Cosplay seems similar to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_action_role-playing_game" .

Example:

 
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  • #11
They're similar, but LARP usually involves creating and developing your own character within a particular setting. Cosplay involves role-playing an existing character from popular culture, and it doesn't have to be in the context of a game or an ongoing story.
 
  • #12
Hmm...I just noticed the options in the poll...:eek:...
 
  • #13
What do you consider a mad scientist?
Is Michio Kaku a mad scientist?
 
  • #14
Obligatory:

mad-scientist-mad-engineers.jpg
 
  • #15
Jack21222 said:
Obligatory:

mad-scientist-mad-engineers.jpg

100% true, I would say Tesla was a scientist though ^.^
 
  • #16
G037H3 said:
100% true, I would say Tesla was a scientist though ^.^

Well, it does say "most." And Tesla is kinda the patron saint of electrical engineers, at least according to my physics 1 professor, who was an EE.
 
  • #17
Jack21222 said:
Well, it does say "most." And Tesla is kinda the patron saint of electrical engineers, at least according to my physics 1 professor, who was an EE.

Well, my personal view is that scientists create/discover, and engineers tinker/fine-tune.

Using a broad definition of engineer, Leonardo was the best mechanical engineer ever. But in reality he was a superb polymath, etc.

Considering all of the major ideas that Tesla had and developed, I would consider him a very hands-on scientist. :P
 
  • #18
  • #19
Bararontok said:
We Interrupt This Thread For A Special Bulletin!

Talking about mad geniuses. Just recently Dr. Panayiotis Zavos cloned 11 human embryos and placed them into 11 women to give birth to these clones. He also created a human animal hybrid embryo. Please give your insights on this amazing discovery!

The link to the article can be found here:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/fertility-expert-i-can-clone-a-human-being-1672095.html

That's hardly breaking news, the article is from April 2009. I can't find any credible sources that confirms anything in that article is true.

Sadly, it sounds like he's preying on grieving parents by promising to bring back children who tragically died.
 
  • #20
But that is a BBC news article.
 
  • #21
Bararontok said:
But that is a BBC news article.
That's not the BBC.

Time to shut down.
 
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