Cosplay Spotlight: Are Dota 2 Characters TOO Fantastical?

Some old Englishman back in the day once asked, "Can too much of a good thing be bad?" Well, I personally think this is a very good question to ask Valve as Dota 2 fandom everywhere struggle to achieve their cosplay dreams.  Now for the dedicated PC gamer, the intricately designed Dota 2 animation is a dream come true.  From the steely-eyed Luna to the grotesque-but-lovable Pudge, Valve game designers spared no effort in making the characters of Dota 2 both unique and fantastical down to the last detail.  However, with such a high bar set on character appearance, is it even POSSIBLE for the average fan to mimic these out-of-this-world heroes?  As staunch fans of this game, how can we cope with inadequate representation of our beloved heroes at tournaments and gaming conventions?

Now to make sense of where I am coming from with all of this, let me back track to what inspired me to write this cosplay spotlight in the first place.  It all happened by chance as I was surfing youtube for Dota content.  With Fanime 2014 around the corner, I also happened to be on the look out for cosplaying ideas when I stumbled onto this ridiculousness...

So if you are wondering (like any sane person) what in Zeuses-name you just witnessed, these micro-videos are from a series called "Shitty Cosplays" by some online dude named TheSunBladeReapers.  Obviously an enthusiastic fan, this guy decides to show his support by donning his own rendition of his favorite heroes.  However, other than being absolutely hilarious, you may notice some obvious flaws with his character portrayal.

Anyways, my first reaction to these ghetto-fabulous cosplays was: Wow, these are REALLY TERRIBLE.  I got some laughs out of this, but the costumes are still REALLY REALLY BAD.

But then I got to thinking and hit a wall.  I mean, how would someone actually go about looking like a Dota character??  If you wanted to dress up as Venomancer, you would need a crazy green snake suit. Or to even have some resemblance to Troll Warlord, you would have to paint your whole body red, not even taking the rest of the outfit/weaponry into account.

After doing a quick online search, this was literally the BEST Pudge cosplay I found on Google Images and he looks RETARDED. No offense.

That's like if I posted this picture of my shirtless baby, edited a hook and meat cleaver into her hands, and said she was Pudge...  And very cute Pudge she is, hehe <3 

Oy, Fresh Meat~!!

Anyways, MY POINT IS... Dota 2 characters look too darn fantastical (which is awesome) but it makes cosplaying them a monumental challenge that few have been able to overcome successfully ): Boo hoo!

Nevertheless, definite props to Shitty Cosplays guy for trying.  Here is a link to his page if you want to watch the rest of him in his banana-wielding splendor (which I definitely recommend!).
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX5LMU6sZ0y1CJxbt0wMUFQ 

Now taking a step back, I have to admit that there are GOOD Dota 2 cosplays out there.  At G-Star Global Game Exhibition 2013, a host of professional cosplayers took the stage in beautiful renditions of Crystal Maiden, Wind Ranger, Templar Assassin and more!

With such elaborate costume design and attention to the most minute detail, watching these devoted fans take the stage is definitely something to behold.  For a super nerd like me, being able to see my favorite fantasy characters take physical form is absolutely cause for both a quickening heart rate and excessive salivating.

However, (sadly) the key word in all of this is professional cosplay!  Sure, these costumes look sexy and freakin' awesome, but if any schmuck goes online and searches up how much it actually costs to order these costumes from a China sweat shop/online store, they will see it can easily cost from a few hundred up to the thousands (especially for the armored costumes)!  http://www.cosplayhouse.com/Dota.html

Now for the average joe-anna like myself, I really don't want to be spending $1200 for a Warlock costume if you know what I mean.  So what am I left to do exactly?

Well, a few avid fans out there have opted to constructing their own Dota 2 costumes!

From Templar Assassin make-up tutorials...

To carefully constructed home-made creations....

Bloodseeker (this dude looks supremely scary IMO...)

Meepo (very cute!)

Shadow Shaman (I feel sorry for this guy when he has to rip off all that tape...)

There's no doubt that the Dota 2 fandom is gaining momentum :) The very definition of being a "fanatic" is to go crazy for whatever your passion is...and I think the cosplay culture (dressing up in what may be perceived as a "silly" costume) is the embodiment of that idea.

When you look at popular Japanese Anime such as Naruto or Bleach, their fans go absolutely INSANE with their cosplaying!  Even in the sports arena, Oakland Raiders fans are known for their "fanatically" disruptive behavior and over-the-top Raider outfits!  With Dota 2 gaining such a startling and intense following not even a year after its initial release date...speaks volumes for the overall success of the game.

Looking in a similar arena, more established PC games such as League of Legends and Starcraft II are known for their impressive cosplay culture.  The fact that Dota 2 is already attracting this kind of fanatic dress-up behavior shows that Valve is taking great strides in legitimizing Dota as a new giant in the global gaming scene.

Valve, you sly bastards... You sucked me into your game with wily ways! Cannot believe the International Prize Pool broke 6 MIL already!

I'll be slaving away, sewing my giant snake suit now... LOL