Tell me about the outfit you are wearing – who are you cosplaying and how did you decide to pick this particular character ?
I am cosplaying as what I invision a human embodiment of the original RX-78-2 Gundam would look like. The costume takes the form of Army style gear and equipment in the Gundam colors (blue, yellow, red and white). To further connect to the original source, I fabricated the Gundam’s Shield and Beam Rifle to fit human proportions. I have been a fan of Mobile Suit Gundam for many years and I decided to do this costume in tribute to the 30th anniversary of the franchise. The costume also paid tribute to a close friend of mine who is in the US army (and whom also loves Gundam) who was able to take some leave to attend Anime Expo 2009 with us for the first time in a couple of years.
Tell me about the process of making your outfit – was it easier or tougher than you imagine it to be ?
The first step in making the costume was to research what Army tactical gear consisted of, how it is worn, and what liberties I could take when redesigning it. The second step was gathering materials and parts, in this case, a tactical vest that I could repaint, helmet covers that would fit on newer models of Kevlar, Cardboard/paper mache to make the helmet crests/backpack, etc. The toughest part of making the costume was the fabrication of the Beam Rifle and Shield. The Rifle consists of a variety of materials ranging from blocks of wood, to sprinkler parts, to a plastic saw handle. When building the Rifle, I spent a lot of time in my garage and in the hardware store with just looking at various parts to try and visualize where any random part might fit or work to make the completed piece. The shield was especially difficult because it has a lot of complex angles, so it took a few cuts and a bit of experimentation to get all the parts to fit just right.
Any interesting stories from people’s reaction to your outfit at the con ? ^^
When wearing the costume at Anime Expo, The most enthusiastic reactions to the costume came from Japanese families and tourists attending the con (on a couple of occasions parents even asked me if I would pose for a picture with their children). It was very satisfying to see how cosplaying has the power to invoke such strong memories and responses from the fans. I also got a lot of picture requests when I was standing near a booth that had a large wall of the Gundam model kits, which was pretty cool because while people were taking the pictures I got top meet and connect with other enthusiastic Gundam fans.
How did you get started cosplaying and what got you interested ?
I got started cosplaying for parties with my high school anime club. My first cosplay was Son Goku from Dragon Ball Z for a club Halloween party, and I ended up winning a prize!
What are the con did you first attended and what’s your favorite con that you’ve attended so far and why ?
My first Convention was Anime Expo 2004 in Anaheim CA and I have been attending Expo ever since. I love going to AX because it is the perfect chance to get together and party with my family and friends; we often spend the 2 weeks preceeding the convention watching anime marathons together and assembling our costumes. I also regularly attend Blizzcon and I would love to someday cosplay as a ‘Judgement’ Paladin form the World of Warcraft Online MMO.
What does cosplay mean to you ?
Cosplay is about embracing your inner nerd and having a good time at conventions. It’s about showing that you’re not afraid to be proud of what you like, and about showing your support to the creators of the anime and games. Another big aspect of cosplay for me is cosplaying in a group with friends and family because making and wearing the costumes together makes it a more powerful thing.
If you had unlimited funds/technology/time, what is your dream cosplay ?
I would go full scale and build a real full size working Gundam (I wonder how the Japanse congoers and Gundam Fans would react to a cosplay of that magnitude?).
