Introduction - What is it like being a Cosplayer?

I'm Emi. I'm a 22 year old cosplayer and college student. Being a cosplayer isn't much different than being a "normal" person. I just have a fun and creative hobby. I love creating stuff and the act of cosplaying at conventions and so forth allows me to meet new people and gain friends.

What are your next goals?

Increase craftsmanship, start doing commissions and competitions.

Cosplay Characters

Tohru Honda - Fruits Basket Freya - Chobits Katara - Avatar the Last Airbender Kyoko - Puella Magi Madoka Magica Raven - Teen Titans

What does Cosplay mean to you?

I use cosplay first and foremost to improve my artistic abilities. It's a tool for self-growth. Seeing how accurate I can get a costume is a challenge i absolutely love. It also allows me to learn a ton of different skill sets. I've learned how to sew, cut and style hair, put on make-up, make shoes, draft patterns, electric work, how to work with thermoplastics to create any prop imaginable, etc, etc....

Who have been your biggest influences/role models/mentors?

Friends first and foremost. It's fun to compare costumes and motivate each other. However I admire yaya han, kamui cosplay, and shinrajunkie.

Do you have any advice or suggestions for upcoming Cosplayers?

Figure out why you want to cosplay. Are you looking for attention that it can bring? do you like creating stuff and want the challenge? do you love the character and want to pay homage to them? do you just want to have fun and goof around or do you want to win competitions? They are all valid reasons to cosplay, but they will direct you in different ways to start. if you want to get serious and win competitions focus on building up your craftsmanship by reading tutorials and experimenting. if it is for fun, consider buying or commissioning your costumes. Creating them, while being very rewarding, can also be very stressful. especially your first few times.

What is the most negative experience you've dealt with while cosplaying, and how did you handle it?

I had a friend who thought that cosplaying was a super immature thing to be doing and that people who did needed to grow up and spend their money on "better" things. I ended up ending the friendship with that particular person because he brought nothing but negativity into the relationship, and life has been much better without the constant nagging and negativity.