B l o g
It's a high of escapism and ego. I get manically bored with daily life and use cosplay as a way to create, put on a face, and act. I get a chance to perform and entertain others with a character out of fantasy which by pleasing others gets me the reflexive satisfaction and adoration I crave. It's an extension of day-to-day life except in the guise of someone recognizable. - Anonymous
INTERVIEW : AoiMizuno (Boston, MA)
So for the interview, can you tell me how you decided to go with Punk Rock Suzumiya Haruhi and how you went about making the outfit ?
Suzumiya Haruhi is a character that I can relate to. I feel like she is my anime counterpart so I love cosplaying as her. Since our personalities are so similar I just have to be myself when posing for pictures. It makes life a lot easier lol. The Punk Rock Gekisou outfit was something I always wanted to do the moment I saw that image floating around online, promoting the seiyuu concert DVDs. I instantly fell in love with the outfit and I kept begging all my roommates into cosplaying the entire cast. Whether or not I can get my group together was the determining factor on when I can cosplay this particular outfit.
INTERVIEW : Angela (Jersey Shore, NJ)
Okay, so who are you cosplaying and why did you pick this particular character ?
Sailor Moon duh the Sailor Moon first season look/ manga/ pgsm look lol I choose to cosplay Sailor Moon because she is my all time favorite anime charecter and like most people Sailor Moon was my gateway drug into the world of anime Naoko Takeuchi is the reason I draw http://lilmadhatterlu.deviantart.com/
How long have you been cosplaying and how did you get into it ?
I’ve been into cosplay for as long as I can remember (god bless the internets) however I got started late in the game and have only been cosplaying for about 3 years now
Do you prefer group cosplay or just solo ?
I like the whole group thing its alsome it kinda makes you feel closer to the character if your friends are from the same thing around you but solo is awsome as well you tend to stick out a little more
If you have unlimited time/money and technology, who would you cosplay as ?
Ok its gonna sound bad but if I could cosplay ANYONE it would Mai Shiranui from Fatal Fury and King of Fighters I love her shes so sexy and funny and I could tottally get into her cdharacter one major flaw however is I’m a BIG GIRL and well yeah that would so not be sexy >.<>
Who else have you cosplay ?
I have cosplayed Tonks from HP and Summoner Yuna from FFX
Do you have any future cosplay plans ?
Hmm, I would love to do Sailor Moon’s other forms but it all depends on location time money and age O.o
INTERVIEW : Alexander (Chicago, IL)
Tell me about the outfit you are wearing – who are you cosplaying and how did you decide to pick this particular character ?
I’m cosplaying the character Slayer from the Guilty Gear series of games. It’s been my experience that the best cosplays come from people who recognize their body types, and know what characters they can physically portray.
Tell me about the process of making your outfit – was it easier or tougher than you imagine it to be ?
As a costume design major for the College of Charleston, it wasn’t too difficult. I’ve had extensive experience working in a costume shoppe. The hardest part was actually getting the hair to do what I wanted it to do. Lots and Lots of hair spray and a touch of anger.
Any interesting stories from people’s reaction to your outfit at the con ?
At the debut of the costume, me and my friend (who was dressed up as Testament from the same series) re-enacted a battle between them. There were many cheers for everyone as Testament proceeded to beat me and perform his super finisher.
How did you get started cosplaying and what got you interested ?
I got started my freshman year of college after a friend of mine told me about these cons. I cosplayed Jigen from Lupin III (which is still one of my favourite cosplays). I went with my buddies and had such a great time, I convinced others to come with me.
What are the con did you first attended and what’s your favorite con that you’ve attended so far and why ?
The first con I went to was AWA, back in 2005. However, my favourite was AWA 2007. We had a HUGE group of Final Fantasy VIII Characters, having almost every character from the game.
What does cosplay mean to you ?
Having fun, getting attention, and seeing your hard work being appreciated.
If you had unlimited funds/technology/time, what is your dream cosplay ?
The entire cast of “Samurai Seven” including me going as Kikuchiyo, an 8 foot tall robot.
Behind the Scenes : The Selection Process
A fan on my Like Page (I can't get used to calling it my "Like" page. I prefer "Fan" page better) asked the same question many of you have asked in person and on other sites so here's how I narrow down the 1,651 cosplayers I photographed down to 260 people for the book.
As you may or may not know, before I embarked on this book, I had been out of anime for a number of years. I went to cons when I was 18 but then real world came in and I was busy working for a number of years. 90% of the characters I see at cons, I couldn't identify at all. Of course, NOW I'm much better but in a strange way, it is a blessing. If I have very little knowledge of anime - it means I can avoid the whole series/character bias scenario. Other questions I get asked is why isn't "so-and-so" in the book ? Well, I set up for something like 8 or 10 hours a day in the same spot. If they didn't walk by me, I wouldn't be able to take their photo. It isn't like I walked around the con. No, seriously, I stood in one spot for 3 days straight taking photos. Plus makes it easy for returning cosplayers to find me ^^
More after the jump.
Tumblr
Hey y'all. I'll be posting my own cosplay photos on this site and moving the cosplay photos I found randomly online over to my Tumblr. If I know where the photos originated from, I'll post a link but sometimes I come across images that have been reposted so often that I have no idea where it came from. If you are the original photographer or cosplayer, and rather not have it posted, let me know. cosplayinamerica[at]gmail .
Another note : even though the site is called Cosplay in America, I embrace cosplay from all over the world so don't be surprised if you see work from Russia, Singapore, or other countries on the tumblr.
That's it :)
"Cosplay in America" @ FIDM
Over ALA weekend, I heard my book was actually in the library of FIDM. If you don't know, FIDM or Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising is a school based in downtown LA (though they do have other locations like San Francisco and San Diego. There's even been a HGTV reality TV show called "Design School" filmed there.
So I decided just to drop in and check it out. First of all, I figured, I could just walk in. Most colleges - at least the ones I know - let anyone in but since FIDM is situated in downtown LA, it felt more like one of the magazine offices in New York where you have to get a visitor pass and all that. Luckily, I called their library and explain who I was. In 10 minutes, I was up and had the chance to meet with Lucy (head librarian), Evan (collections coordinator) and Glenda (librarian) as you can tell from the photo above and spent about a hour there chatting about cosplay and fashion. Yes, it was surreal. Very surreal.
They invited me to feel free to come over to use their library and I happily took upon that opportunity. Besides my book, I've noticed Fruits, the magazines were all collected into red hardcover books (see 1st photo - right hand side) as well as Cosplay Girls, Cosplay Girls 2, Cosplay, Tokyo Cosplay Paradise and Cosplay Fever. They also carry extensive photography books as well as those related to Japanese fashion such as lolita books.
Believe me, I'll be back to do research there. ^^
Oh, another surreal moment - Michelle, a FIDM student there happen to overhear us speaking and she turned out to be a fan !
A B O U T
Cosplay in America is my tribute to cosplayers. Inside this hardcover 272 page coffee table book you'll find images and words from 260 cosplayers representing 30 states in the country. They represent people of different race and background, all united under the fandom.
Cosplay (costume-play) is the act of dressing up as your favorite characters - from anime, comic books, video games, pop culture in general. Some toil months (even years) to create their outfit, others purchase their's online but at the heart of it is the love of the character in question.
I began in 2009 by hopping across the country to six American cons. At each location, I would find a spot out of the way, set-up my backdrop and light, and stand there for three days photographing anyone and everyone who wander by. By the time I was done, 1,651 cosplayers had stepped before my lens. A year went into the editing process narrowing the cosplayers down to the 260 you see in the book today.
As I've been out promoting the book at different cons from San Diego Comic Con to DragonCon, Anime Expo and New York Comic Con, it has been an amazing journey traveling and talking to cosplayers from around the country.
Costume College 2011
Have you heard about Costume College ? Well, just like an anime con, It's a 3-day convention on costuming held here in Los Angeles (Woodland Hills, to be exact). Their location this year is the Warner Center Marriott and held from July 29-Aug 1, 2011. Just to give you an idea of the classes they present, I've posted few that caught my eye :
Advanced Techniques in Buckram Hat Making for Three-Part Hats
Appropriate Lace for the Time Period
Beginning Viking Knit
Classic Visual Steampunk
Coats, Wraps and Stoles in the 1950's
Costume Basics During the American Revolution
Elizabethan Corsetry
Futuristic Guns and Weapons
Hana Kanzashi 花簪 - Hair Ornaments for All Seasons
Intro to Historic Costuming for Dolls
Late 16th Century Smock & Partlet Workshop
Modern Day Method for Corset Construction
Overview of Men's Victorian Clothing
Renaissance Fabrics
Sewing From a Pattern
Steampunk 101
The Harvey Girls: Women Who Tamed the Old West
Victorian Gothic Revival Fashions
My jaw dropped when I went down the list ! I almost wanted to drop Otakon just to go hang out at this conference !
Besides classes, they have a Costume College Costumer’s Marketplace - which I assume to be like a dealer's hall except it relates to costume supplies and merchandise. Oh, this could be a cosplayer's dream ^^ By the way, the Marketplace has no entrance fee so even if you are not attending any of the CoCo (Costume College) events, you can at least still come in and check out the merchandise.
Besides classes and vendors, there is also a Time Traveller's Gala, fantasy tea party, as well as tours. Yes tours ! Previous tours include Disney Costume Shop, Western Costume, the fabric shopping district in Downtown Los Angeles.
The cost is actually quite reasonable (I thought it would be closer to $300 by looking at the classes they offered) but it is $150 to $165 (depending on when you purchase - price goes up as it gets closer). Those who are members of Costumer's Guild West (CGW) as well as sister organizations gets a discount. The gala and tea is also extra. Plus some of the courses may require extra fees for materials. Check their FAQ
And even though it is called Costume College , this video will show you it ain't as serious as you think it'll be :)
For those who are really into cosplay and more interested into costuming as it relates to historical to steampunk to RenFair, this is probably a good step to take. You get a chance to meet others with similar interest and explore more of the craft. If you're not based in Los Angeles, fear not, there are other costume organizations out there. International Costumers' Guild is another organization that has affiliated chapters across the country. Just check out their chapter list .
Photo : methodini, Cindy P, Lbc42, Arandale
Cosplay Lenses 101
Ran across MalindaChan's "Cosplay Lens 101" videos on line and thought this would be a great topic to cover. I knew of a cosplayer I met at a con who was wearing glasses because she misused her color contact lens and they've done some slight damage so she needed to wear glasses for a while to let it heal. Saying that, I have experiences with contact lens. I know if you see me, I usually wear glasses but what you don't know is that I wear glasses WITH contacts !
Why ?
Cuz I'm blind as a bat, that's why lol
My contacts are already the limit you can go with disposable contacts so the only thing I can do is to keep adding glasses. So I've wore contacts for a good decade of my life. Many people have asked me why not do Lasik ? Uh....it is usually fine but there's always a small percentage they can messed my eyes up even further and you know, I need my eyes for photography.
Your eyes are important so make sure to follow directions and all that. Really, do you wanna go through life with damaged eyes ?
There is also Part 2 and Part 3 of this video.
Golden Gate Park Cosplay Picnic (1/29 San Francisco, CA)
Found another cosplay gathering up in NorCal. Here's their Facebook event page. The location is Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and they'll be meeting at the Japanese Tea Garden
This event is open to all cosplayers. Everyone is encouraged to bring food to share. If you know for sure that you can bring food, please let me know and tell me what you're bringing. I will be bringing pasta.
We will meet at the Tea Garden around 12:00 and make our way to the benches near the DeYoung Museum for lunch. After lunch, superhappy funtimes will commence.
This may include photoshoots in and around the park and games including tag, hide and seek and duck, duck goose. If anyone has other ideas for activities, please let me know.
Feel free to invite your friends and don't be afraid to ask questions or make suggestions.
So if you have questions, go to their Facebook event page and ask.
Jan 29, 2011 Noon to 5 pm.
Japanese Tea Garden (in Golden Gate Park)
75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr
San Francisco, CA 94118
Know if any cosplay events/gatherings in the country (besides cons) ? Email me : cosplayinamerica*AT*gmail w/ "Cosplay Events" in subj line and links to event page.
photo via
Cosplay Tea Party of Awesome (1/8 Seattle, WA)
Ran across this event while on Facebook. It's called the Cosplay Tea Party of AWESOME-NESS ! Okay, it is just called awesome. I thought it needed the advantage of ALL CAPS. Here's what the event says :
I am willingly hosting a Tea Party. You don't HAVE to come in cosplay but it would be fun.
I'll be supplying a large Tea pot and two small are well as four tea cups but if you have any tea sets of your own feel free to bring them. If you can bring Tea or small snack like foods (cookies, finger sandwiches, etc) that would be great! I'll also be bringing a large cooler and thermos of hot water if I can.
This will be held over at Washington State Trade and Convention Center in Seattle, WA on Saturday Jan 8, 2011 from Noon to 3 pm. So far already 22 folks have RSVP yes on their Facebook event page. Any questions, please ask on their event page.
Photo : Burger Trench (Mad Hatter) (photo is for illustration purpose)
Know if any cosplay events/gatherings (outside of cons) ? Email me : cosplayinamerica*AT*gmail w/ "Cosplay Events" in subj line as well as links.
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