Tell me about the outfit you are wearing – who are you cosplaying and how did you decide to pick this particular character ?
I cosplayed as The Mistress from the Cartoon Network show, Superjail ! It was actually interesting because we don’t get that show in Canada, but my friend, Monique, introduced me to it and we are both cosplay and photography enthusiasts. So we decided to go to Otakon ‘09 as The Warden and the Mistress.
Tell me about the process of making your outfit – was it easier or tougher than you imagine it to be ?
The outfit wasn’t that hard actually. Most of it is store bought; the shorts, the suspenders, the shirt, almost everything except the tie, which I hand-made. It’s amazing what a little money at costume shops, malls and hardware stores can get you.
Any interesting stories from people’s reaction to your outfit at the con ? ^^
Because we did an American cosplay in the US, people recognized our characters easily. That was why we decided to go to the States. Very rarely do we meet people in Canada who know about the show, so we don’t use that cosplay much. Overall, I think it was a success. This was actually my first real cosplay and I was happy to find such a strong liking for my efforts, including from photos I have posted online.
How did you get started cosplaying and what got you interested ?
My Superjail! cosplay is my first of many I have been planning on doing. However, more so than cosplay, I enjoy cosplay photography. I mainly go to cons to take photos for my friends who always cosplay. Eventually, they convinced me to give it a try for myself and that was how we ended up with this one. It gave me a much better understanding of the cosplayers and it even improved my photography.
What are the con did you first attended and what’s your favorite con that you’ve attended so far and why ?
My very first con was Anime North 2005, I was only there for one day, but it instantly got me hooked. My favourite to date… That’s a hard choice. 2009 was a year my friends and I have dubbed “The Con Year” as we road tripped twice and went to about 5 cons overall. Otakon in Baltimore, Otakuthon in Montreal, Anime North, DotCon and FanExpo all in Toronto. All of them have to be my favourites really.
What does cosplay mean to you ?
Cosplay is a chance to escape, to see the world as a character you may be on familiar ground with. It’s a chance to be something you always wanted to, but sadly, reality won’t allow. To show your inner fandom or to try a fantastic new look. Cosplay means many things to many people, but for me, it means I get to pretend it’s Halloween with my friends.
If you had unlimited funds/technology/time, what is your dream cosplay ?
Right now, my dream cosplay is split between two characters; CyberSix and Rosette Christopher. CyberSix requires a certain look and it’s one I hope to achieve someday. Rosette Christopher from Chrono Crusade is another dream, as she is a popular cosplay, but rarely do I find is it done “right”. I want to be able to do Rosette in a way that makes it seem like she is just too good to be true. And with friends that will be working just as hard on their Chrono Crusade cosplays as well, it might just be the ultimate dream cosplay for a few of us.
