Tell me about the outfit you are wearing – who are you cosplaying and how did you decide to pick this particular character?
My cosplay was of a basic enemy from the game Persona 3, called a Chariot Maya. To be honest, it looked like the simplest Persona 3 cosplay I could make while still being unique: I haven’t seen another Persona maya at a convention yet.
Tell me about the process of making your outfit – was it easier or tougher than you imagine it to be?
The costume wasn’t that difficult: A couple yards of black lycra sewed around my shoulders so that it would drape nicely. There were two slits, one in each side of the lycra about elbow height, to allow me to extend my arms easily. The hood was simply a salvaged Halloween hood (recycling costumes is good =) ). The mask is what took the most time.
I made the mask out of tooling leather. 8oz was the only thickness I had at the time, even though it was a little too heavy to be a good mask. I measured the mask shape and size, traced the pattern onto leather, and cut the leather. Bevelled and smoothed the edges for a nicer look and soaked the mask in cold water. Tooling leather is very easy to mold when wet, so curved it a bit and mades sure it fit. Using a blowdryer (not too hot!) helps. Then the details. A little paint, a few brass rivets, and elastic. Let dry, coat with clear finish to ward of scratches, and you’re set. The rest of the costume was wearing as much black as possible XD
Any interesting stories from people’s reaction to your outfit at the con? ^^
Mainly by Persona 3 and Persona 4 cosplayers. Most started to (fakely, of course) attack me and gang up on me, as I was the enemy XD
How did you get started cosplaying and what got you interested?
I suppose Halloween started it all? I’ve always loved costumes, and when I was invited to Fanime one year by a friend, cosplay seemed the natural thing to do. Ragnarok Online contributed a lot of interest, though. I absolutely love the Monk design =)
What are the con did you first attended and what’s your favorite con that you’ve attended so far and why?
First con: Fanime
Favorite con: Fanime
I didn’t feel that AX measured up to Fanime in the same way. AX was bigger, more people, more panels, more famous people, but it felt too commercial to me.
What does cosplay mean to you?
Hmm, to me personally? It means Halloween during broad daylight in the middle of summer, it means reliving my finest (or funniest) video game moments, it means conventions and people just like me. So in other words, quite a bit =) I just lack a few means of production…
If you had unlimited funds/technology/time, what is your dream cosplay?
Three cosplays catch my attention. For a long time, I’ve wanted to cosplay Erebus (a final boss in Persona 3 FES). I cosplay from video games much more than anime, but if I HAD to choose an anime… Probably Saber, from Fate/Stay Night.
