It seems that in recent months that Hot Topic has begun to get back into the better embraces of the anime fandom.  For years, a majority of the anime fans resented the company for selling anime merchandise because the clothing retailer was considered to be “too mainstream”.  That I do get, but I tell you what tho, I’ll buy from that if it means that I’ll be saving a few dollars on shipping fees from another site to get that rare poster.  Once people got over that, Hot Topic just idled around until they started carrying most, if not all Sailor Moon merchandise.  That was all well and dandy until a new shirt appeared.

This shirt just happened to come across my Facebook Wall…

Yes, that’s the actual shirt in question.

Now, that text in question “do it right or not at all” is a slap in the face to cosplayers of all rank and skill.  There are a few elitists out there who tend to think otherwise… I’m not talking to y’all, cuz the lot yas can take a seat somewhere, sit down, and shut the fuck up.

I know when I started cosplaying, I didn’t get it right.  It was close as I possibly could get it.  When I commissioned stuff, same thing applied as well.  Hey, it was spot on for the character, sold.  But when you are starting out in the wonderful world of cosplay, chances are you won’t get it right, and that’s okay.  Cosplay is for fun, good times, hanging out with your friends, and so forth.  But if you did get it right thr first time, good for you.  Take that skill and help someone else.

Pretty much Hot Topic, you’re sending the wrong message here about cosplay.  Heroes of Cosplay already mucked up the works, no need for y’all to kick sand in the eyes.  Also, I don’t think that your company realized what kind of a message you’re sending out here.  I actually feel that this shirt won’t sell well either.  It would be best if the shirt was pulled because at the end of the day, y’all will realize that you have offended the demographical age that buys the majority of your clothes.

As we speak, there are so many people wanting to boycott the store because of this.  Seriously people, don’t.  Just don’t buy that exact shirt.

And then this happened…

Hot Topic’s response to the shirt.

Right after I started this article, it seems that Hot Topic decided to pull the shirt from store shelves.  The above message came to me from a friend of ours.  It’s still available on their website, so it’ll just be a matter of time.  It seems that they didn’t realize how offended cosplayers would be.  I mean, I give them points for the shirt, but they could have chosen better words tho.

UPDATE: The shirt has been pulled from their website.  And I dunno about y’all, but I thank Hot Topic for their apology.  You tell me the last time a company apologized for a mistake?

DJ Ranma S

DJ Ranma S is cosplay veteran. He has won numerous performance awards with his friends over the years. He has staffed conventions in the past, ran panels, judged a couple of masquerades, a jack of all trades. He's worked dealer's room too! Running this site is his way of giving back to the cosplay community. He feels that it's his turn to give a future cosplayer their fifteen minutes of fame.

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