I'm going to start cosplaying soon and as someone who is not thin, I've been thinking about body size in cosplay.
Most anime characters are really thin. To use myself as an example, I want to cosplay Hatsune Miku who appears to weigh about 93 pounds. I am SO not the "proper" size to cosplay as her; I'm just too fat. But should that stop me?
Do you think that someone needs to have the exact same figure as the character they are cosplaying? What do you think about body size and cosplay?

Not knowing your size, I can offer you this:

There is nothing wrong with cosplaying a character that's skinnier than you are, but I'd recommend you put in the extra effort to separate yourself from the label of "overweight cosplayer." By this I mean your costume should go above and beyond a typical store-bought one. Additionally, there are some characters that lend themselves to wider frames better than others. Miku isn't exactly one of them, but you can still look good. Generally, I notice characters with larger busts (such as Tsunade from "Naruto") are good choices.

Sorry if I sound a bit blunt, but I'd find it difficult to be helpful otherwise.

No, you do not have to be the same size as the character. It helps if you're going for accuracy and are trying to become a professional cosplayer. But if you're doing it for fun, then weight won't be that big of a problem. Like what galaxy said, if you're bigger and have a larger bust, then doing those busty girl characters will be easier. If you are not so busty and have a not-so-girlish figure/face, you can try to cosplay as a guy character too like I have tried and failed to do thanks to lack of money and slightly big boobs.

In asking this I mean people in general, not just me. :)

I know, for another example, there are a lot of average-sized girls who make cosplay videos on YouTube and there are always a bunch of people who make fun of the girls for being "fat (enter name of character they are cosplaying as)". These girls in these videos are obviously having fun and it's obvious that they love what they're doing and feel good about themselves. So do people have the right to call them Fat Miku. etc? Are they not allowed to cosplay whoever they want despite their body type?

Personally, I am a person who thinks that body type and size should not stop a person from doing anything they want. I think that if you like a certain style of clothes that doesn't look good on your figure you should wear it anyway. If you want to cosplay as a tall skinny character with big boobs and you don't have any of those, that shouldn't stop you. As long as you're happy and having fun and feel good about yourself.

One thing that people always say to someone looking for a character to cosplay as is that you need to match your personality to a character. You should choose a character that you feel you have some kind of connection to and that you love. But people always seemt to focus just on physical appearance. Are skinny people only happy and bubbly...? Size and personality aren't the same thing and are not related.

Just some thoughts. I'm kinda passionate about it, I guess.

I think plus sized people can still cosplay however, the cosplay should still be flattering. You shoulld modify an outfit slightly to better suit your body type. For example, Modoka from that one magical girl anime wears a dress with a tight bodice that comes down to the end of her torso (below her hips) and a poofy skit. If a plus sized, or curvy girl were to cosplay her, I reccomend moving the skirt up to above the hips, or even the natural waist. A less skin-tight bodice might be a good idea too. Here's a picture of the girl I'm talking about.

As for miku cosplay, I think it depends on what your problem areas are. If you worry about your upper-arms wear an outfit with sleeves (like her love is war outtit). If you worry about your stomach or butt, wearing your skirt at your natural waist as opposed to your hips will help with that, if you wory about your legs/thighs wear thights or over-knees instead of thigh-highs. And don't forget that hair and makeup can make or break a good cosplay!

Kattootheacker wrote: I think plus sized people can still cosplay however, the cosplay should still be flattering. You shoulld modify an outfit slightly to better suit your body type. For example, Modoka from that one magical girl anime wears a dress with a tight bodice that comes down to the end of her torso (below her hips) and a poofy skit. If a plus sized, or curvy girl were to cosplay her, I reccomend moving the skirt up to above the hips, or even the natural waist. A less skin-tight bodice might be a good idea too. Here's a picture of the girl I'm talking about.

Agree times 100!

It shouldn't matter if the character weighs 90 pounds or 900 pounds. Modify the outfit so it is flattering on your body type. Figure out what works and what doesn't. It's all about figuring out what flatters your best features, and how to make best of your favorite features. Princess seams are one of my favorites to add in when I make costumes for people, particuarly if they are a bit busty. Short skirt? No problem! Lower the hemline a touch. Experiment and find out what works best and go from there.

Also, if you're having fun, who cares about what anyone else says? Get out there and strut your stuff like the beautiful person you are.

In response to OP's second comment:

While I don't think weight should stop someone from cosplaying, they should still look good. Contrary to what she said, I think if a costume or clothing style doesn't suit someone's body type, they should not wear it. While cosplay is about having fun, it's as much a presentation and a show peice as a hobby. It should not only be fun to wear, but fun for others to see. What's the point of cosplaying a character if your costume is unappealing to look at?

To extend this to a simile, an anime fan cosplaying is a lot like a musician covering a song. While it may be fun for them, it should also be fun for an audience to listen to. They may add in elements that don't "fit", or butcher the lyrics, and even if they're having a good time, no one else will enjoy it. What's the point of a song no one wants to hear? It may be nice to play, but the artist would have found more satisfaction if they'd done a better job on it.

The same principle applies to cosplay. A cosplayer wearing a costume that looks bad on them would have a better time wearing a flattering costume because they'll get more compliments and pictures, and they'll KNOW they look good.

In conclusion, why don't I get better grades on my persuasive essays?

I found a cute picture of a bigger girl cosplaying miku if you need inspiration!

As a plus sized girly myself....I think certain character's shouldn't be cosplayed by big girls..such as Peorth from Oh My Goddess

It all comes down to making sure you can still flatter your body type.

Do-Chan: I agree that heavier girls probably shouldn't cosplay a character that wears so little clothing, but I honestly don't want to see a thin girl doing it either, especially if it's a public venue like an anime convention. 

Skinny or not, I don't have to see that much of some stranger's body. ^_^