Cure Inc., the operator of “Curecos”, an online service enabling people around the world to support cosplayers by tipping and purchase of NFTs using crypto-currency Cosplay Tokens (COT), conducted a survey on the cosplay-related spending habits and financial situations of 159 active cosplayers. (Survey period: 21st August to 27th August, 2023; Survey participants: 159 active cosplayers aged from 10 to 60).

■ Survey Summary
Cosplay is one of those hobbies that can be costly, with expenses incurred for costume preparation, hairstyling and cosmetics, and participation fees for events and photoshoots. In other countries, cosplay creations are often recognized as art and mechanisms are in place to reward cosplayers, but in Japan, the opportunities for regular cosplayers to go under the spotlight are still somewhat limited. This time, we conducted a survey to understand where active cosplayers in Japan are investing their expenses and what mechanisms, if any, are in place for returns and revenue.

＜Survey Result Summary＞
・78.6% replied monthly activity expenses exceeded 10,000 yen.
・59.1% have had to give up costume making or event participation due to financial constraints.
・Over half of the respondents had experience with merchandise sales or receiving tips from live streaming.
・Approximately 30% successfully generated revenues of over 10,000 yen per month, with some even achieving sales of over 100,000 yen.
It has been revealed that, with limited activity spaces, many are using social media and live streaming platforms to interact with fans so as to offset their activity expenses and enjoy cosplay more smartly.
On the other hand, nearly half have not been able to monetize their cosplay activities, highlighting that the mechanisms for rewarding cosplayers may not be sufficient yet.

■About expenses incurred for cosplay activities
When asked about how much they spend per month on cosplay activities, 54.1% replied “10,000 to 30,000 yen” as the most common range, 17.6% replied “5,000 to 10,000 yen and 15.1% replied “30,000 to 50,000 yen”. Those spending over 10,000 yen account for 78.6% of all replies.

The breakdown of expenses mostly included consumables like “costumes & wigs”, “props & accessories”, and “cosmetics & coloured contact lenses”. It was also revealed that a significant portion of expenses went towards studio rental fees and related costs.

■Cosplay Costs Covered by Cosplay Earnings! Some Utilise Tools to Achieve Revenue.
When asked if they have experience in earning income through cosplay-related activities such as selling cosplay photos, original souvenirs sales, or receiving donations during live streams, approximately 52.2% of the respondents answered that they “had previous experience”.

Furthermore, when asked about the monthly revenue they earned using these methods, 23.2% replied that they earned less than 10,000 yen, while 29% replied that they earned 10,000 yen or more. This indicates that, in addition to offline events, nearly half of the respondents smartly enjoy their cosplay hobby by deploying online platforms like social media and live streaming to turn it into sources of income.

On the other hand, nearly half of the respondents have not succeeded in monetizing their cosplay activities. Additionally, nearly 60% of respondents reported having given up costume production or event participation due to financial constraints. This suggests that there is still room for improvement in terms of the availability of income-generating opportunities and the rate of returns in the cosplay community.

When asked about their willingness to use mechanisms that allow them to receive tipping support from fans through photo postings, approximately 70% of respondents replied that they “would like to use it” or “If everyone else is doing it”, they “would like to use it too”.

Cure Inc. will continue to, via “Curecos” website, various events and promotional activities related to crypto-currency cosplay tokens, create a new cosplay economy connecting cosplayers and fans by realising rewarding schemes with fan support and NFT sales.

■About Cosplay Token Project

Cosplay, a culture originating from Japan, has created communities globally through online and offline real events, and these communities continue to grow in scale.
Moreover, as technology like AI advances, the era in which everyone can enjoy “transformation” has arrived, and this is where tremendous market potential hides.
Amid an era in which communication between people with shared hobbies and interests is emphasised, cryptocurrency Cosplay Token utilises technologies like AI to create a communication token connecting people from all over the world with one common keyword – “transformation”.

Cosplay Token Project collaborates with project-participating companies and token holders worldwide to build and promote the ecosystem of COT, while conducting educational activities to boost awareness.

Cosplay Token：https://cot.curecos.com/

■About Cure Inc.

“Bringing What You Like Closer to You”
An enterprise aiming at creating new values and enjoyment to the world.
This is a company aiming at establishing communities enabling all people in the world to achieve what they want while enjoying the process by the use of blockchain technology.
Cure Inc. has signed a consignment contract with Cure Holdings Limited for Cosplay Tokens’ promotion activities in Japan.

Official Site: https://corp.curecos.jp/

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