Also, I'd like to point out that in a few instances (such as pokemon) characters' gender is not always give. (while not cosplay I know it was always fun in fanfics for pokemon to turn out being the opposite gender that people thought --- yes Ash's Pikachu was usually female) On that same note it can depend on which version of the anime you watch if the character is very femanine, on occasion you run into "cleanup" on americanized Anime where it turns out
She's A Man In Japan