cosplay questions: 9, 13, 23, and 30 :)
Oh gosh! Lots! Yay!
9: When did you start cosplaying?
From a purely literal perspective, the first time I put a cosplay on was at Anime Boston 2008. I was a young stupid kid though and it was just a super bad cosplay. The way I view “cosplaying” for me, truly began in 2014, when I learned to roll up my sleeves and get crafting. Commissioning cosplays is totally fine, it’s simply a different kind of cosplaying - hence my internal divide.
13: Do you like Genderbent/AU cosplays?
Definitely! Both manage to fold a different kind of artistry into the craft, which is something I just respect so much. Also, Rina’s Knight Academy Zelda was so adorable.
23: First con that you cosplayed at?
I answered this earlier, so to make up for it I’ll plug in the only two details of that con I ever discuss: Firstly, AB 2008 was LineCon and I had never been to a convention so i didn’t know I was supposed to pre-reg. It was a Really Bad Time for my seizure disorder and I only made it to the front of the line when I all but blacked out and was allowed to skip!
The second detail is just that I also didn’t know what anyone actually does at conventions, like I didn’t grasp the idea of panels or masquerades and thought everyone just kind of walked around all weekend, so I spent the weekend walking circles around the dealer room. I still loved it so much that I’ve been to AB every year since.
30: Who is your favorite professional cosplayer?
Maybe it’s because I’m the armor/prop guy in my group, but to me, Svetlana Quindt (Kamui) is just a god. Her work is equal parts inspiring and massively humbling, and I’ve learned a lot from studying some of the ebook guides she’s released.
She’s also a little easier to unequivocally like than other pro cosplayers, because her laser focus on crafting means that she’s completely outside the radius of Cosplay Drama. Where other people may be fending off ridiculous fabric-based accusations or engaging in twitter fights, her social media presence is “here’s this amazing thing I made” and “here’s my cute dog.”
