Young cosplayers in Hong Kong turn passion into profit as 'cosplay commissions' provide emotional fulfillment for fans

Leslie Cheng, an 18-year-old cosplay enthusiast, transformed into a male anime character from the popular Japanese TV series. She first put in red contact lenses, concealed her long hair under a wig, and slipped height-enhancing insoles into her shoes to make herself 1.77 meters. She was about to go to Mongkok for a date with a woman she had met online less than a month ago. Tonight Cheng will make HK$200. 

“This is my new side hustle, which we call cosplay commission,” said Cheng.“Through cosplay, we bring characters from anime into reality and go on dates with the character’s female fans.” 

Cheng is one thousands running cosplayer commission businesses through social media, especially Xiaohongshu and China’s TikTok, which have made their way to Hong Kong. Many young people here say this new job not only brings in extra cash but also a sense of fulfillment for their female clients and themselves. 

The cosplaying apparel segment dominated the Asia-Pacific role-playing and otaku apparel industry in 2022, valued at US$ 1.5 million, and the segment will likely getting 7.2%, according to market research company Astute Analytica. 

“I'm happy that more and more people like the service of cos commission,” Cheng said after first posting photos with her clients and receiving many positive comments on Xiaohongshu. 

A post titled “Daily Life of Maid Rin Matsuoka” on Xiaohongshu has received over 20,000 likes. Some of Rin Matsuoka’s fans asked in the comment section if they could get the poster’s autograph and have an opportunity to date. 

Rin Matsuoka is a male character from the Japanese sports anime Free!, recognized for his appealing appearance, intelligence, and loyalty to friends, which attracted groups of female fans, according to the Free! Wiki, a character's science fiction website. 

“I seek a painter to create an anime-style drawing of us, dubbing the painting with both our voices as a unique segment,” said Xin Ran, one of the fans who liked the post. “The next thing I'm going to do is find a commissioner amongst impressive cosplayers and have a date.” 

Purin Lee, 18, is also a dedicated fan of Rin Matsuoka, but unlike Xin, she has already scheduled a commission. The pressures of studies led her to express her desire to arrange a date with Cheng after looking at the post, she said. In addition to the date’s expenses, Lee said she covered all the costs incurred during the dating process with Rin Matsuoka, played by Cheng. 

“I don’t have a boyfriend, so it’s my first time trying to date,” Lee said. “I want Rin Matsuoka to come into my life to chat with me for a long time, and it seems to give me more motivation to face challenges.” 

“She knows exactly what I like and is attentive to my needs ahead of time, and she gets really distressed if I do release my emotions in front of her,” Lee added.  

Cos-commission provides participants with a distinctive way to seek and co-create personalized support and intimacy, extending beyond traditional digital or offline interactions, according to a study about the collective creation of intimacy. 

Before the formal date arrived, Lee began to think about their dating plan and wrote down some details, such as what they would do and eat during the day to send to Cheng as a plan.  

On Nov. 24, their date started when Cheng picked Lee up from her university in Hong Kong.  

“My heart seemed to jump out of my chest,” said Lee. “I had practiced countless scenarios of meeting him even before I saw him,” she added. 

 “But when I found her waiting for me at the subway station after school, my mind still went blank, and my body instinctively reacted by rushing up to hug her,” said Lee.  

After the two of them intertwined their fingers and stepped out of the Monkok subway station, they made their way to a cat cafe for afternoon tea and then took a couple of selfies in an photo booth. 

“I was a little bit afraid of cats, but when I saw a real Rin Matsuoka stand in front of me and touch my hand and guide me slowly,” Lee said. “I felt like the happiest person ever, as if all my worries had gone away in an instant,” she added.  

When Lee told Cheng that her life was not going well, she received a lot of positive feedback and comfort. “She would imitate Rin Matsuoka's tone of voice and demeanor, patiently calming me down and telling me that you've worked hard,” Lee added. 

Virtual relationships play a positive role in fulfilling emotional needs, regulating negative emotions, constructing self‐identity, and redefining perceptions of intimacy, according to a study about otome games and the emotional involvement of avatars.  

As Lee finished her appointment and lay down on her bed, she sent a message to Cheng to thank her. 

Cheng got the message after returning home from her 10-hour workday. As she replied, she began to think of a gift for her the next time they meet. 

“It's not an easy job; I have to get ready at least three hours earlier, from makeup to dressing up,” she said. "I also need to remember my client's preferences to make the dating experience better.” 

Cheng said the preparation stage for a role is also tedious. 

“It consumes lots of time and money since you need to carefully study the character image and customize a detailed plan for the client, and then turn to select wigs, color contacts, and cosmetics,” she added. 

“Sometimes it’s also necessary to do secondary processing after receiving the cos products, such as using curling irons to change the shape of the wig or cutting clothes, making them better fit the character,” Cheng said.  

Prices for a full day's commission range from HK$200-$500. 

The cosplay clothes and props in local cosplay stores are often around a few hundred Hong Kong dollars. According to Mongkok Fantasy Workshop, a store that specializes in cosplay supplies, the average price of wigs or costumes is over HK$100.  

Many cosplayers tend to spend an average of $100-200 per costume, and high-quality intricate cosplay costumes frequently have hefty price tags, according to Astute Analytica. 

“I don't want this career to become a job that is only about money,” Cheng said.  

Cheng's introduction to the profession came from a friend who wanted her to fulfill her birthday wish by playing her favorite character at a birthday party. 

“I cared more about seeing the happy faces of the girls than making money, which made me realize that I was doing something really meaningful,” she said. 

Kong Ran, 20, another cosplayer who has had four commissions, said, “The emotion of this profession must be greater than the money, and it doesn't exactly feel like a cowboy or renting a girlfriend, but it allows more girls to get rid of their third-dimensional worries for a while.” 

“If I can make every girl feel fulfilled because of my character, I think I'll be happy too; just like a counselor healing a patient, it's a two-way street,” Cheng said.