There's no denying it: cosplay is a phenomenon – capturing

the imagination of millions around the world. In The Cosplay

Book we dive into this fascinating world of costumes and role
play, from the hobby’s origins in the early days of fandom
conventions to its breakout success with the advent of the
Internet. We'll also answer your burning cosplay questions
and shine a light on some of the premier cosplayers from
across the globe. With amazing photos spanning genres
including sci-fi, fantasy, video games, anime and pop culture,
not to mention some stunning original designs, this truly is a
must-have companion for any cosplay fan.
 Imagine Publishing Ltd
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All rights in the licensed material belong to Carlton Publishing Limited and it may not be reproduced,
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© 2016 Carlton Publishing Limited.

The content in this book has previously appeared in the Carlton book
Cosplay: The Fantasy World Of Role Play 

The Cosplay Book © 2016 Imagine Publishing Ltd

ISBN 9781785462818

Part of the

book series
 CONTENTS

8 The origins of cosplay &

the fantasy of role play

18 11 cosplay questions
you were too afraid to ask

24 Incredible anime & magical manga

52 Comic book capers & sci-fi fantasies

80 Video game heroes & heroines

110 TV icons & pop culture pinups

138 Creative cosplay &

original looks

158  Acknowledgements
 The World s Best Cosplay
‘  A costume
cost ume com
compe
petitio
titionn
performance championship for all of Europe!
THE ORIGINS OF COSPLAY
& THE FANTAS
FANTASYY
OF ROLE PLAY

SOMETIMES COSPLAYERS COMBINE

ELEMENTS OF DIFFERENT CHARACTERS
TO HUMOROUS EFFECT. HERE TWO ANGRY
BIRD TRANSFORMERS WEAR THE AUTOBOT
ARMOUR OF OPTIMUS PRIME AND ARCEE,
AND HAVE THE FACES OF BIRDS FROM THE
POPULAR GAME. PHOTOGRAPHED AT NEW
YORK COMIC CON BY MICHAEL STEWART.
 n bright colours and outlandish However, I always cringe whenever
 I styles, they don’t look as if they’re
from this world. But here they
are, posing at fan conventions,
the media describes cosplay as ‘not
just dressing up, but pretending
that you’re the character’. I would
competing in costume contests or strongly disagree – while there are
shooting pictures at the local park. definitely people who are drawn to
These people are cosplayers, people cosplay because they want to embody
who dedicate hours to selecting, a character about whom they’re
organising, constructing and getting in passionate, you can also make
character for elaborate fantasy outfits. costumes because you love the design,
Sometimes you can recognize a because you love the source material,
cosplayer’s costume as emulating or you want to challenge yourself or
a character from a film, television learn a new technique. Or maybe you
show or book. But not always: some just want to hang out with friends.”
cosplays are custom designs inspired In fact, a desire to hang out with and
by a fictional place or time far in impress some friends is exactly how
the past or future, or even fantasy cosplay began. Cosplay dates back
personas – like fairies, cyberpunks or to 1939, when two science-fiction
even real or mythical animals. fans unintentionally invented it. The
“I view cosplaying as showing an scene was the very first World Science
appreciation of some aspect of a Fiction Convention in New York City,
character,” says cosplayer Adam a somewhat sedate gathering of
Burakowski, who also goes by the science-fiction artists, writers and fans
name of Dr_Teng, “whether that be a to debate their theories about the
visually appealing design, personality genre of science fiction.
or the emotional meaning the Suddenly, in walked 22-year-
character may hold for the cosplayer.” old Forrest J. Ackerman and Myrtle
Cosplay encompasses a wide genre R. Jones, and the sombre mood
of costuming styles, which can be broke. The two fans were dressed in
a hurdle for anyone attempting to styles from the twenty-fifth century:
describe this creative hobby. Generally,  Ackerman as a space explorer, Jones
cosplay is defined as the art and craft in a gown inspired by the 1936 sci-fi
of assuming both the appearance and film Things To Come. Jones crafted
persona of a fictional character. What both costumes herself. The costumes
differentiates cosplay and dressing-up added an air of the absurd to the
is that cosplayers take on a theatrical event, perhaps inspiring the ebullient
persona while in costume. gatherings of today’s conventions
Cosplayers swan across the and avoiding the dry academic
convention floor, posing and speaking conferences they might have become.
almost like the character you It wasn’t just their costumes that
recognise. However, be aware that this made a splash. Ackerman was in
is a very intentional act. It’s less about character too. He greeted other
playing make-believe than about attendees in Esperanto, informing
creating an illusion for fellow fans. them he was a traveller from the
 As cosplayer Renee Michelle puts it, future. They were the only people
“It feels a bit weird whenever I read/ dressed in “futuristicostume” that year,
hear about cosplay in the media but the practice soon caught on. Just a
these days, because I’m still not used year later a few dozen fans showed up
to other people knowing what it is. in hand-crafted outfits of their own.

 10 Origins of Cosplay 

  Ackerman, who later became a
fandom convention reporter, saw
firsthand the chaos he had unleashed.
Seventeen years later, he returned
to the 1956 World Science Fiction
Convention (now called WorldCon)
to find that attending in costume
had become more the norm than
not: “Monsters, mutants, scientists,
spacemen, aliens and assorted
‘Things’ thronged the ballroom floor
as the flashbulbs popped.”
Pretty soon, costumes became an
integral part of any science-fiction fan
gathering. Some fans dressed in a
general fantasy style, like Ackerman;
others carefully recreated replica
outfits from their favourite films, shows
or comics, like Jones.
ABOVE LEFT  AN ORIGINAL PROGRAMME In order to better fit the growing
FROM THE 1939 WORLD SCIENCE FICTION trend into convention culture, event
CONVENTION, WIDELY RECOGNISED AS THE organisers began arranging a
BIRTHPLACE OF COSPLAY. “masquerade”. The first masquerade,
held at the 1940 WorldCon, included
dancing and a live band. Costumed
ABOVE RIGHT  FORREST J. ACKERMAN AND attendees were given awards on
MYRTLE R. JONES IN THEIR FUTURISTIC their craftsmanship at the end of the
WORLDCON FINERY. evening. By 1974, the dancing and
music was gone, leaving just the
contest. But the name stuck. Today
BELOW  THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE WORD the masquerade remains a costume
“COSPLAY”, IN TAKAHASHI NOBUYUKI’S 1984 contest featuring in-character skits,
WRITE UP OF LOS ANGELES WORLDCON. and is still a tradition at anime, comics
and science-fiction conventions.
Masquerades continue to be
judged according to the divisions set
up at WorldCon in 1982: novice,
journeyman and master. Entrants
choose one of the three divisions,
based on their skill level and how
long they’ve been practising cosplay.
Masquerades ensure an emphasis on
the art of cosplay, on how well people
can emulate a character through both
craft and theatrics. Wigs, make-up
and props are all considered in the
judging process.
Cosplay was steadily growing
more popular every year, but there

 Origins of Cosplay 11
 BELOW A FEMALE RENDITION OF THE DEADLY FIGHTER
SUB-ZERO FROM VIDEO GAME  MORTAL KOMBAT
PANTOMIMES HER SIGNATURE ATTACK. PHOTOGRAPHED
BY MIKE KOWALEK.

 12 Origins of Cosplay 

 still wasn’t a word to describe it. competed in convention masquerades
“Futuristicostume” was a mouthful, around the United States. The
and as it became more popular for premiere drew three-quarters of a
fans to dress up as caped superheroes million viewers, establishing “cosplay”
and anime characters, it was no as a household term.
longer very accurate. That was just one of the reasons
Fast forward to 1984, when why cosplay, once purely a hobby,
Japanese reporter and manga has led to lucrative careers for some
publisher Nobuyuki Takahashi of its better-known proponents. Arisa
attended Los Angeles WorldCon. He Mizuhara, Alodia Gosiengfiao and
was overwhelmed by fans’ outfits, as Yaya Han are three professional
well as the wearers’ frequent refusal cosplayers working out of Japan,
to break character while in costume. the Philippines and the United States
To him, the play-acting element respectively. A professional cosplayer
differentiated this hobby from regular may be paid to appear at conventions,
old costume wearing. In order to sell photo books of their cosplays or
explain it to his Japanese readers, he sell props that they create. American
coined the term “cosplay”, a decidedly cosplayer Crystal Graziano has
Japanese contraction of the English found work on retainer with a video
words “costume” and “play”. game company; they come up with
It’s hard to say exactly how cosplay outlandish character designs and
spread to the rest of the world, only she makes and models the costumes
that it did – and quickly. Thanks to the at their game shows. With all these
Internet, cosplayers found one another differing income streams, it’s no
in chatrooms and on mailing lists, and longer absurd to imagine making a
the practice took off. Today cosplayers living this way.
can keep in touch via several different However, modern cosplay isn’t just
social networks designed just for about winning contests and making
them: A Cosplay Paradise, World cash. Only a small percentage of
Cosplay, Japan-based Cosplay Cure cosplay practitioners have professional
and others. aspirations. The vast majority care
Meanwhile, as cosplay grew up most about creating an expression
privately in Internet chats, the idea of love for a favourite character.
of fantasy role-play was continuing Yaya Han famously told her fans that
to permeate the mainstream psyche. anything goes in cosplay: “There is no
In 1996, on the NBC hit comedy rule book, commandments or memo
Friends, Ross divulged an interest on how you should cosplay. If you
in seeing Rachel dress up in the want to dress as a character that looks
metal bikini worn by Princess Leia. nothing like you, go for it!”
Needless to say, Leia’s Return Of The There may be no manual for
Jedi  look happened to be one of the cosplay, but there are unwritten
most popular cosplays found at any rules on how to treat cosplayers. For
science-fiction convention of that era. example, while it’s perfectly all right
Cosplay finally got its own TV to run up and hug costumed actors
show in 2013, exactly 75 years after at Disney World, it’s not kosher to
 Ackerman and Jones changed history do the same thing to cosplayers at
at WorldCon. Heroes Of Cosplay  conventions, even if you recognise
aired on the SyFy channel and them as one of your favourite
documented nine cosplayers as they characters. And no matter how much

 Origins of Cosplay 13
 skin a cosplayer is currently revealing,
it’s not an invitation to hit on them.
The crux of this message often takes
the form of “Cosplay Is Not Consent”,
a slogan emblazoned on posters at
conventions. In the discussion that has
followed, cosplayers of both genders
have come forward to agree that even
though cosplay is about fantasy, it is
not about your fantasies. Not only can
you damage people’s cosplay when
you touch them without permission,
but you can cross boundaries and hurt
feelings too.
This is evidence that members of the
cosplay community are learning to
treat one another with respect. Another
improvement is the consensus among
cosplayers that race, gender, weight
and height are things that don’t matter
in cosplay. While previously cosplayers
were urged to choose characters that
were appropriate to their ethnicity or
body type, it’s been decades since
these have been deciding factors in
judging cosplay quality. In the words
of cosplayer Chaka Cumberbatch: “A
costume is something you put on. Skin
colour is not.”
Today cosplay is enjoyed the world
over. If a beloved fan character
exists, you can bet somebody has
made a cosplay of him, her or it. For
every fantasy subculture like gothic,
steampunk, cyberpunk or Renaissance
Faire, there’s at least one cosplayer
staying up late and slaving over a
sewing machine, bringing it to life.
 Whether the cosplay is a cosplayer’s
favourite imaginary hero or just a
brand-new character that looks cool, ABOVE   STAVE POISED, SHIYA COSPLAYS SHINO,
anything goes.
“The biggest misconception, to me, A CLERIC FROM THE ANIME AND GAME SERIES 
is that you have to be an expert at the .HACK . PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOSEPH CHI LIN.
video game, movie or comic in order
to cosplay something,” says cosplayer OPPOSITE  “WHEN I PUT ON A COSTUME I GET
Olivia Chu. “As long as you’re A BIT MORE CONFIDENT . . . OF MY IDENTITY AS
genuinely interested in the character,
have a good time making and wearing A PERSON,” SAYS JOHNNY “JUNKERS” ZABATE.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOSEPH CHI LIN.

 14 Origins of Cosplay 
ABOVE  COSPLAYERS PORTRAYING X-MEN OPPOSITE  CAMERA TRICKERY PUTS CHRYSS
COMIC BOOK HEROES BEAST AND YEN IN THE GAME AS SHE CHANNELS
MYSTIQUE TAKE A LEISURELY STROLL FAITH CONNOR FROM MIRROR'S EDGE.
AT MCM COMIC CON. PHOTOGRAPHED BY PHOTOGRAPHED IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA BY
TOLGA AKMEN. BENNY LEE.

 16 Origins of Cosplay 

the costume, and are respectful to Speaking of sports, we’ve all seen
others, then that is all that matters!” superfans at the World Cup slathered
Modern cosplay isn’t the curiosity in head-to-toe body paint or wearing
it was once considered to be. Now homemade headdresses as they
it’s hard to remember the way it was cheer on their favourite teams. It’s not
perceived decades ago, as a niche just cosplayers who have discovered
interest for only the most devoted of that putting on an outfit and acting
science-fiction fans. After noticing that like somebody else for the day is
cosplay was regarded with suspicion, the ultimate escape. The increasing
and considered even to be evidence popularity of cosplay didn’t just come
of pathology, clinical psychologists out of nowhere; it’s simply that now
Dr Andrea Letamendi and Dr Robin everyone wants to join in the fun.
Rosenberg created the “Psychology Cosplay enthusiasts practise their
of Cosplay” survey. Speaking to Daily hobby across the globe, elevating it to
Dot reporter Lisa Granshaw about an art form via make-up and fabric
the survey, Letamendi said: “They choice, and even through the ways
cosplay for creativity, to be social and they edit their photos. In this book,
hang out with friends, because they we’ve selected cosplay from all genres
identify with the character and that’s and corners of the world to showcase
meaningful to them. The top reason dedicated fans and their costume
people cosplay is because it’s fun. You design. From pop culture to original
can’t pinpoint an abnormality in that. looks, the cosplays in this book vary in
It’s no different than someone who every way except one – the wearers’
plays in a band or plays sports.” undeniable passion for their craft.

 Origins of Cosplay 17
 nyone who has attended conventions there was a specific name for it. It didn’t
 A over the last few years will no doubt
have noticed a gradual change.
Time was you’d see a few Judge Dredds
start in Japan either, contrary to popular
belief. As early as 1908, people were
dressing up as comic-book character Mr
and Wonder Women posing for the odd Skygack from Mars. The first ever World
photo, but they were very much in the Science Fiction Convention in 1939 saw a
minority. Now, any convention worth its salt couple of people dress as characters from
has dedicated cosplay zones, talks from pulp magazines.
leading cosplayers and high-production But in recent decades, Japan has certainly
masquerades to crown the best costumed been dominating cosplay. Even in Europe,
performer of the event. Cosplay has gone the largest cosplay competition of the year
almost mainstream, even if it can still baffle takes place at the Japan Expo in Paris. But
some people. western cosplay is finally coming into its
The term ‘cosplay’ (a contraction of own, leaving behind much of the anime
‘costume’ and ‘play’) was first coined by and manga influence of Japanese cosplay
Nobuyuki Takahashi in 1984, but as we’ve and instead drawing inspiration from
mentioned, cosplay existed long before comic-books, film and TV.

 18 Cosplay Questions Answered

 1
 How do you get although obviously I have to like the
 into cosplay? character as well.” She went on to
 Walking the floor at the London explain the symbiotic relationship
Film And Comic Con and chatting that can spring into being between
to various cosplayers, there was one a cosplayer and the character they
thing that they all had in common: cosplay: “By [cosplaying] you grow
none of them planned to become quite close to the character and start
cosplayers. There was no big plan to understand them and why they do
for internet domination when they certain things, why the designer chose
first put on a costume. Words certain aspects for them. So I choose
like ‘snowballed’, ‘spiralled’ and a character quite often on the strength
‘addicted’ are thrown around with of their personality, but also on the
abandon. Cosplayers come from design that they wear, and then a love
an impressively wide variety of affair grows from that.”
backgrounds, but the one thing they

 3
all seem to have in common is that  Do you have to make
from the first time they put a costume  your own costumes?
on, it got its claws into them. There are companies who
Stacey Rebecca made the relatively supply all or parts of costumes for
short leap from modelling to cosplayers who want to engage with
cosplaying. “I used to think that the community but lack the time or
people who dressed up at conventions skills to make their own costume
were kind of weird,” she says, (“There are so many different types of
laughing as she indicates her own cosplay, and people get so much out
Ewok costume. “And then I just fell into of it in different ways,” says Stacey).
it and became one of those weirdos. But it seems that cosplayers who make
There’s no going back now!” their own costumes are more invested
in the community.

 2
 How do you pick a
 character to
 cosplay as?
Cosplayers have varying criteria for
their characters. For some, it is purely
an expression of their fandom, while
others are attracted to the technical
challenges of a particular outfit. Ivy
Doomkitty, a cosplayer who got into
the community via modelling for artist
Frank Cho, echoed the sentiments of
a lot of cosplayers when she told us, “I
cosplay for me. I do it because I love
the characters. I wouldn’t cosplay a
character I didn’t like.”
Laura Sindall, who combines
cosplay with her job as a costume and
prop maker, admits that for her, “a lot
of the time it’s passion for the design,
PHOTO BY JAMES CAO.

 0 Cosplay Questions Answered

  4
Cosplay often gives people a  But how can you
chance to learn new things or indulge  learn how to make
a creative passion that has to be
buried in their day job. “I never had  costumes when you’re
the opportunity to study anything  cosplaying alone?
that was particularly creative,” says People often cosplay in groups,
Benjamin Hunt, aka Enja Cosplay. helping each other on the way. Even
“What I’ve found with cosplay is that if you cosplay alone, the community
it’s given me the opportunity to learn is welcoming and helpful, sharing
a huge array of creative [skills]. I can knowledge and even giving talks and
choose when and where I want to tutorials at conventions to help people
learn, and what I’d like to learn... and develop their costume-making skills.
it’s given me a creative outlet that I Laura encapsulates the feelings
don’t really get enough.” of the community when she says, “I
Over time, cosplayers often teach love sharing knowledge and trying
themselves how to work with fabric, to help where I can and showing
armour, chain mail, corsets, props my experience, because that’s how I
and more. “Every time I make learnt: from other people doing that.
a costume, I push myself to do It’s nice to be able to give back to a
something better than I’ve ever done community that’s given you so much.”

 5 
before,” Benjamin says, “and I think
by the nature of that, each thing that I  So cosplay is just
create becomes my new favourite.”  about making a good
His cosplay partner Laura Sindall  costume, then?
adds, “I couldn’t name another hobby  Well, that’s half of it, as the name
where – I mean, it goes beyond a suggests. The other half comes in the
hobby really; it’s part of your life – performance of the character. Cosplay
where you learn so many skills.” photographer Carlos Adama says,
“a good cosplayer in my book is not
someone who just puts on a costume;
they become the character, which is
the appeal for a lot of them, I think.
You can tell with some cosplayers
that they really do change their body
posture or the way they’re behaving.
For some people it’s very liberating,
because you are embracing an alter
ego; you are cosplaying a character
that you identify with or look up to.”
You’ll see that when cosplayers
pose for photos at a convention they
immediately go into character. This
goes even further with professional
cosplay photoshoots or competitions,
where the cosplayer essentially plays
the character – a cross between an
actor and a model.

 Cosplay Questions answered 21

 6
 So you’ve got to look like before Frank and before cosplay I
 the character you’re had zero self-confidence and self-
esteem. So it’s definitely one of those
 cosplaying as? things that I wish I would have gotten
That’s entirely up to the cosplayers. into a long time ago, instead of being
For some, the challenge is replicating afraid of what other people would say.
a character as closely as they possibly Because I was worried about others
can, while for others it’s about taking a and their thoughts, I delayed myself
favourite character and altering them in doing something that I really enjoy,
to match their own looks. Cosplayer and because of that I also delayed
Deborah George sums it up nicely: feeling better about myself.”
“I think the spirit of cosplay is ‘do Deborah George echoes the
anything you want to’. There shouldn’t sentiment: “I used to feel really self-
be any boundaries stopping you: race, conscious before, because I’m near
sex, age, whatever. Because that’s the hitting on 50, but then I thought, ‘Sod
whole idea: we all enjoy something it, I’m a big kid anyway’… I’ll be doing
about the characters, so it doesn’t it until I’m about 85!”
matter. Everyone buys the comics, so
why not everyone dress as anyone?”

 8
The cosplay community is full of  So, I’ve got my costume.
crossplay (dressing as a character  What else do I need?
of the opposite gender), or playing For a photoshoot, setting is
around with a character’s look (what vitally important. As photographer
if Black Widow was in the Victorian Carlos Adama points out, “I try to work
era?). There are really no rules. on location and make the location
match the character, so you have the

 7
 What if you’re a bit right character in the right context. Like
 too shy to dress up you wouldn’t have, let’s say, Batman in
a field. It doesn’t make sense.”
 in public?  A lot of cosplay photography
Looking at cosplayers posing for happens on the fly, in car parks of
photos with crowds of fans or flashing convention centres or in appropriate
their flesh with a revealing outfit, it’s settings in public (where Carlos says
hard to imagine that they weren’t born that you inevitably have to deal with
with the swaggering confidence of Tony some “funny looks”, “catcalls or wolf
Stark. But for a lot of cosplayers, it was whistling” and “people yelling the
the act of first putting on a costume wrong character name”).
that gave them the confidence that they However, as the popularity of
now appear to possess. cosplaying grows, a professional
Leading cosplayer Ivy Doomkitty is industry is springing up around it.
a gorgeous, welcoming and confident Studios like Cosplay Shoots, which
woman (her business card names began life as a children’s photography
her as an ‘entertainer’ and ‘host’, studio, cater to cosplayers and
as well as cosplayer and costumer), provide authentic sets to help bring
but that wasn’t always the case for their cosplay to life. “There is a lot of
her. “Honestly,” she says candidly, background research that goes into
“if it wasn’t for Frank Cho, or for me the sets,” says Richard Strom, co-
cosplaying, I would not have the level founder of Cosplay Shoots, “such as
of confidence that I have now, because collecting reference images to study,

 2 Cosplay Questions Answered

thinking about how each set can be have a feminine connotation to
used for different scenes with different them, perhaps. But as it’s become
characters, so a snow and ice world more acceptable that guys have lots
could then be used for Star Wars ’ Hoth of skills in anything, it’s okay for
system, Frozen , Skyrim  and so on.” guys to get involved. There are other
Cosplay Shoots even add special things like armour making and prop
effects to their shoots, which is making and lots of different things
“When the real ‘wow’ happens. From that are ‘suitable’ for guys to publicise
lightsaber glows, realistic flames, themselves doing.”
rainfall, smoke – anything we need to

 10
make the shots look movie-real.”  But cosplay is just a
 kinky sex thing, right?

 9
 What if I’m a man? Only Every cosplayer we spoke to
 women cosplay, right? said they wanted to dispel that myth.
Have you been to a convention? Stacey Rebecca has a succinct way
There are a lot of men in costume of putting it: “A lot of people still think
– probably close to a 50-50 gender it’s a kinky thing, but it’s really not.
split. European champion Benjamin  A lot of people ask, ‘Do you wear
Hunt reckons that “just because of your costumes in the bedroom?’ No.
the nature of publicity, it’s always the They’re warm and uncomfortable, and
beautiful girls who are going to be I don’t know why anyone would want
getting the most photos. But maybe to wear them in the bedroom.”
that distorts the public’s perceptions, Some cosplayers admitted that there
and you miss out on all the fantastic might be a small minority who do it to
male talent there is out there.” be sexy, but most do it for the creative
Benjamin has further thoughts on outlet or for the community.
why cosplay is considered a feminine

 11
pursuit: “I think that there may have     
been a time when there were more
female cosplayers than male, because  for weirdos, right?
I think a lot of making costumes is  Well, you’ve certainly got to
things like sewing and things that have an interest in anime/comics/
games/film etc to get involved, but
does that really make someone weird?
PHOTO BY RICH “There are people from all different
NORTH & COLIN cultures and backgrounds here,”
J, SMITH.
says Benjamin Hunt, “and no one
cares where you’re from, what you
do or how you look. There’s a sense
of shared camaraderie and passion
for what we do that you rarely see in
anything else.”
Photographer Carlos Adama has
the last word on it: “It’s just someone’s
passion. It’s not any different to, you
know, people who go to the football.
They put on their own costume too, if
you think about it.”

 Cosplay Questions answered 23

INCREDIBLE ANIME &
MAGICAL MANGA

KIRO ZISHAN, ZHEN ZHEN MYA, SUTA

MISAKI, AND MEGURINE LUKA ENVISION
THE MODERN-DAY SWIM TEAM MEMBERS
FROM FREE! IN CLASSIC SAILOR
UNIFORMS. PHOTO BY MICHAEL OOI.
 merican fans were cosplaying  America may have invented cosplay,
 A their favourite characters some
40 years before the hobby found
its way to Japan. However, outsiders
but Japan soon institutionalised it.
 An economy quickly built up around
materials like wigs and props for
often mistakenly believe cosplay to be helping cosplayers best emulate their
of Japanese origins. desired characters. The first magazine
One reason is that, although Japan aimed at cosplayers, Dengeki Layers ,
didn’t invent cosplay, it did invent the originated in Japan and continues
term for it. Fan and writer Nobuyuki to be published to this day. Since it
Takahashi coined the word “cosplay” can be hard to find patterns for the
in his Japanese-language magazine costumes anime characters wear, this
to explain the combination of magazine is dedicated to providing
costuming and play-acting. custom sewing patterns to help
 Another reason is that Japanese cosplayers match what they see on TV.
fans adopted “costume play” with Perhaps the apex of Japanese
equal enthusiasm to their American cosplay popularity was reached in
counterparts around the 1980s. Just 1999, when the first cosplay café
as American fans were cosplaying opened in Akihabara, the nerdiest
as characters from the TV shows, neighbourhood in Tokyo. The first
films and comics they enjoyed most, café is lost to time, but dozens more
Japanese geeks began imitating have popped up around the world to
characters from some of their take its place. Waiting staff are often
preferred media – anime and manga. dressed in embellished maid or butler
 Anime, a Japanese word derived outfits inspired by anime characters.
from the English “animation”, is a Today, cosplayers in Japan have
heavily stylised and distinctly Japanese branched out into many other
type of animated cartoon. Anime has fandoms, including pop idols and
no one topic or category, but rather video-game protagonists. But
spans many genres, audiences and anime and manga continue to be
age groups. Manga is its comic-book their primary choice. At Nagoya
compatriot: the same style but in Cosplay Summit, costumes inspired
paperback form. Both have global by Japanese franchises dominate,
fandoms today, but before the digital even as the event expands. When the
age made it easy to stream foreign summit began in 2003, cosplayers
shows and comics wherever you are in from four countries participated. At
the world, they were most popular in the 2014 event, competing cosplayers
their country of origin. came from more than 20 nations.
Early Japanese cosplayers looked Today, you can find anime fans
to popular franchises like Mobile anywhere in the world, and the same
Suit Gundam  and Urusai Yatsura  for goes for anime cosplay. No matter
costume ideas. But cosplay in Japan where cosplayers are located, their
truly took off in 1984 following the love of this distinct Japanese art
success of Captain Tsubasa , a manga- form unites them. Hannah Lees-
turned-anime series about a soccer Kent and Yaya Han live and work on
team. It was so easy for fans to get separate coasts of the United States,
their hands on replica soccer jerseys, but their interest in an anime called
why wouldn’t they take a chance on Macross Frontier  encouraged them to
the new cosplay fad? collaborate and cosplay together as

 26 Incredible Anime & Magical Manga

SPECIAL EFFECTS CREATED BY ERIC NG.

two of the main characters, Ranka Lee and unnaturally coloured eyes. They
and Sheryl Nome. are also known for their wide-eyed,
“When Yaya introduced me to the small-mouthed art style. Cosplayers
anime, I fell in love with Ranka and frequently spend as much time on
really enjoyed her relationship with their wig styling, contact lenses and
Sheryl,” says Lees-Kent. “So I of course make-up as they do on their costume
was thrilled when Yaya suggested in order to capture that iconic look.
this cosplay. Yaya and I were able In this chapter, you’ll see cosplayers
to do our fabric shopping together, portraying some of anime and
which was great for matching textures manga’s most recognisable heroes
and patterns for these two looks. and heroines. Some of these cosplays
 We then worked on them separately, are as old as anime itself, while others
on opposite coasts, but sharing our take their inspiration from modern
progress along the way. It took me a classics. Even as hundreds of new
few months, while working a full-time anime and manga come out every
job, to construct, but I really loved year, you’re bound to see a few of the
watching it come together.” most popular characters represented
From stories about high school to at any given fandom convention.
high fantasy and futuristic dystopia, Yet others can only be described
anime and manga surpass many as cutting-edge. One of the most
different genres, leading to a variety impressive facets of cosplay is how
of costuming opportunities for novice cosplayers are able seemingly
and master cosplayers alike. While to churn out elaborate costumes
school uniforms attract beginners overnight, based on characters
with their comparable ease, more in movies that haven’t even been
advanced seamstresses may opt for released yet, or TV shows that are still
ball gowns and evil-heroine getups. airing. Attack On Titan  and Kill La
But cosplayers’ efforts don’t Kill  were two breakout hits from late
end with the sartorial challenge. 2013 and early 2014 that captured
 Anime and manga characters often cosplayers’ imaginations long before
possess gravity-defying hairstyles they were over.

 Incredible Anime & Magical Manga 27

 ABOVE  YINC TAN IS CUTE AND OPPOSITE  KAZUMI NAO GETS
DANGEROUS AS TOKISAKI KURUMI, INTO CHARACTER AS YAZAWA NICO,
A GIRL WITH MYSTERIOUS THE BUBBLY HIGH SCHOOL IDOL
POWERS FROM DATE A LIVE . TRICK SINGER FROM LOVE LIVE! SCHOOL
PHOTOGRAPHY MAKES TAN APPEAR IDOL PROJECT. PHOTOGRAPHED BY
AS WEIGHTLESS AS THE SPIRIT MICHAEL OOI.
CHARACTER SHE IS COSPLAYING.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL OOI.

 28 Incredible Anime & Magical Manga

LEFT AND BELOW  KYU-ERIEN IS
DRESSED AS YUI, THE PINK-HAIRED LEAD
SINGER OF THE BAND THE AFTERLIFE
FROM ANGEL BEATS!. PHOTOGRAPHED
BY MICHAEL OOI.

OPPOSITE  YUTAKA MIDORI WEARS

ONE BLUE CONTACT AND ONE GREEN
CONTACT IN ORDER TO ACCURATELY
MIMIC NEKO, THE MISCHIEVOUS
CATGIRL FROM K PROJECT.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY THOMAS KUAN.
 ABOVE  DIA (LEFT) AND CHRISTOPHER P.
NGUYEN ARE READY TO RACE AS TRIXIE
AND SPEED RACER, TWO CLASSIC ANIME
CHARACTERS FROM THE '60s HIT SPEED
RACER. PHOTOGRAPHED AT KATSUCON
2011 BY NICOLE CIARAMELLA.

OPPOSITE  BOWSTRING TAUT AND EYES

WIDE OPEN, SERENE TEO AIMS HER
BEAUTY SERENE ARROW AS CHACHA, THE
TITULAR HEROINE FROM CLASSIC SHOUJO
ANIME AKAZUKIN CHACHA . PHOTOGRAPHED
BY THOMAS KUAN.

LEFT  A PLAYFUL ATTITUDE AND LOTS OF

RED VINYL ARE THE KEYS TO ASTAROHIME
KOYU’S COSPLAY AS THE TITULAR
CHARACTER SAKURA FROM CARDCAPTOR
SAKURA . PHOTOGRAPHED IN MOSCOW BY
ALENA PUGOFFKA.

 Incredible Anime & Magical Manga 33

 34 Incredible Anime & Magical Manga
 OPPOSITE AND ABOVE  IN A PLUGSUIT
TAILORED TO HER EVERY CURVE, FROSEL
IS ASUKA LANGLEY SORYU, THE GERMAN-
JAPANESE MECHA PILOT FROM NEON GENESIS
EVANGELION. PHOTOGRAPHED IN MOSCOW BY
ALENA PUGOFFKA.

 Incredible Anime & Magical Manga 35 

RIGHT  MRDUSTINN AND
PRISCILLA COSPLAY AS
MIRROR IMAGES OF EACH
OTHER AS A MALE AND
FEMALE VERSION OF
THE SAME CHARACTER,
MAKO FROM KILL LA
KILL. COSPLAY GIVES
FANS THE FREEDOM TO
INTERPRET CHARACTERS
IN VARYING WAYS,
INCLUDING ENVISIONING
THE CHARACTER WITH
A DIFFERENT GENDER.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
ERIC NG.

 36 Incredible Anime & Magical Manga

 LEFT  NICOLE CIARAMELLA
PHOTOGRAPHED AN ENTIRE
SOLAR SYSTEM OF SAILOR
SCOUTS IN A WOODLAND
CLEARING IN AFTON, NEW
YORK. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
CARLY, CHRIS [TRIANGLES],
MELLY, YUFFIEBUNNY,
UMISTER, AMBROSIA KRYS,
CLAIRE [COSMICANDLOVE],
MOIRA [ARKWRIGHT] AND
STARDUSTSHADOW.

BELOW  JAYUNA (LEFT),
GILLYKINS, OLIVIASATELIER,
HONEYSALIVA AND
REDRIBBONCOSPLAY DO THEIR
OWN TAKE ON THE GIRL-
POWERED SAILOR SCOUTS OF
SAILOR MOON. PHOTOGRAPHED
AT ANIME NORTH IN TORONTO,
CANADA BY MIKE KOWALEK.

 38 Incredible Anime & Magical Manga

COSPLAYER JINRI PARK’S
TAILORED DRESS AND
FLOWING WIG, COMBINED
WITH PHOTOGRAPHER JASON
TABLANTE’S POST-PRODUCTION
EFFECTS, MAKE FOR AN
OTHERWORLDLY SAILOR MARS
FROM SAILOR MOON.
 BELOW  KUBRA KAZANCI AND ZEYNEP
OPPOSITE  TINA LAM, WHO ALSO GOES TANIKOGLU POSE AS ETERNAL FRIENDS
BY TURN ON RED, PORTRAYS THE BIZARRE HOMURA AND MADOKA FROM THE GENRE-
BUT DEADLY OKTAVIA VON SECKENDORFF FLIPPING MAGICAL GIRL ANIME MADOKA
FROM MADOKA MAGICA . PHOTOGRAPHED MAGICA . PHOTOGRAPHED AT TORUCON BY
AT KATSUCON BY ANNA FISCHER. ALTUG ISLER.

 Incredible Anime & Magical Manga 41

OPPOSITE AND RIGHT 
HUGE HAIRBOWS
AND A FLUFFY PINK
PETTICOAT TO
MATCH HER WIG
MAKE CHRISTY KIM
A CHARMING AND
CHEERFUL MIWAKO,
THE FASHION MAVEN
OF THE  PARADISE
KISS SERIES.
PHOTOGRAPHED IN
ATLANTA, GEORGIA BY
BENNY LEE.

 Incredible Anime & Magical Manga 43

BELOW  SHER MYN, KUMI HANAKO,
VIVIEN YEE, YUI MIKI AND ELYON LIM ARE
READY TO ROCK AS THE HIGH SCHOOL
GIRL BAND FROM THE SHOW K-ON!.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL OOI.

OPPOSITE  MERU (LEFT), KATIE AND

SAMANTHA JOKE AROUND AS TAIGA,
MINORI AND AMI, THE THREE MAIN
HEROINES FROM THE COMEDY ROMANCE
TORADORA . PHOTOGRAPHED IN ATLANTA,
GEORGIA BY BENNY LEE.  Incredible Anime & Magical Manga 45 
RIGHT  JOHNNY “JUNKERS” ZABATE
LETS OUT A ROAR AS GUTS, THE
HEAVILY ARMOURED PROTAGONIST
OF BERSERK . “FULL BODY ARMORS
USUALLY TAKE THREE FULL WEEKS
OF WORK,” HE SAYS. “PEOPLE
USUALLY THINK THAT AS A COUPLE
OF HOURS AFTER WORK, BUT WHEN
I SAY THREE FULL WEEKS I MEAN
THREE WEEKS OF TWELVE-HOUR DAYS
AND NO WEEKENDS. IT’S DIFFICULT
STUFF.” PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC NG.

 46 Incredible Anime & Magical Manga

ABOVE  AN ELABORATE HEADDRESS AND ELEGANT
GOWN MAKE LAUZ LANILLE LOOK EVERY INCH THE
IMPERIAL PRINCESS KOUGYOKU REN FROM MAGI:
THE LABYRINTH OF MAGIC . PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALENA
PUGOFFKA AT SALON DEL MANGA, AN ANIME FANDOM
CONVENTION IN BARCELONA, SPAIN.

LEFT  THERE’S NO MORE ACCURATE SETTING FOR KIRO

ZISHAN, ZHEN ZHEN MYA, SUTA MISAKI AND MEGURINE
LUKA TO SHOW OFF THEIR SAILOR COSPLAY AS
THE SWIM TEAM FROM FREE! THAN THE SEASIDE.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL OOI.

 Incredible Anime & Magical Manga 49

 BELOW  AMETHYSTPRINCE (LEFT),
ICHI, AND INDIGOHOLLOW
COSPLAY AS SWIMMERS HARUKA
NANASE, RIN MATSUOKA, AND
MAKOTO TACHIBANA FROM THE
SWIMMING ANIME FREE!. HERE,
BODY LANGUAGE AND BODY
CONTOURING MAKEUP ARE A
KEY PART OF PORTRAYING THE
CHARACTERS. PHOTOGRAPHED IN
MOSCOW BY ALENA PUGOFFKA.

 50 Incredible Anime & Magical Manga

 LEFT  GUN COCKED, MAKI ROLL IS READY FOR
ACTION AS KEI, A COP WITH A REPUTATION FOR
COLLATERAL DAMAGE, FROM THE CLASSIC ANIME
DIRTY PAIR. PHOTOGRAPHED BY ANNA FISCHER.

RIGHT MEEPY-GAL POSES AS REI AYANAMI IN A

SKINTIGHT PLUGSUIT—THE FLIGHT SUIT UNIQUE
TO THE WORLD OF NEON GENESIS EVANGELION.
MEEPY IS SO WELL KNOWN FOR HER PLUGSUIT
CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT SHE HAS PUBLISHED A BOOK
FOR COSPLAYERS ON CONSTRUCTING SIMILAR
COSTUMES. PHOTOGRAPHED AT SAKURACON BY
ERIC NG.
COMIC BOOK CAPERS &
SCI-FI FANTASIES

GOLD-PLATED ARMOUR AND A DRAMATIC

HELM ADORN KAMUI AS SHE CHANNELS
X-MEN’S DANI MOONSTAR, A MUTANT
WITH THE ABILITY TO CREATE ILLUSIONS.
PHOTO BY NICOLE CIARAMELLA AT NEW Y C
CON 2014.
 H 
eroes and villains. The Avengers  Men, scarlet-haired Black Widows and
and X-Men . Star Wars  and Star slyly sneering Lokis, too. However,
Trek . Cosplay that takes its cues cosplayers don’t shy away from more
from science fiction is some of the obscure heroes – either as a testament
hobby’s most recognisable, but also to their character designs or as a
some of the most out-of-this-world. If calling card to other comic buffs.
cosplay as a whole is about escaping Star Wars  is another establishment
yourself, sci-fi cosplay is also about of geek culture that has had a long-
escaping the bounds of the universe. running legacy in cosplay. From
It’s no coincidence that the first TV Chewbacca’s furry face to Leia’s
show about cosplay aired on the SyFy metal bikini, outfits and props of the
channel. Heroes Of Cosplay  fitted in decades-old movies are instantly
seamlessly between shows like Stargate recognisable and lead to costumes
 Atlantis  and Battlestar Galactica . After that guarantee a reaction. One of
all, who’s to say that the fantasy world the most famous group of Star Wars 
of cosplay is any less surreal than an cosplayers is the 501st Legion, a
interstellar drama? global organisation of Star Wars  fans
Your best bet for catching a glimpse who dress up as Stormtroopers, often
of sci-fi styles in person is at fandom while doing good. You might see the
conventions. The earliest conventions 501st show up in style at a fandom
centred around science fiction and convention to host a blood drive, raise
comic books, since these are some money for charity, or simply entertain
of the oldest and most accessible visitors with their matching uniforms.
fandoms. What’s astounding is how Likewise, Star Trek  is a cosplay staple.
these costumes have remained popular Uniforms from the original series,
even today. Star Trek: The Next Generation  and
 At comic conventions around the spin-off series like Deep Space Nine 
world, you’ll still see plenty of what are easy to purchase prefab, so they
was cosplay’s original look – heroes make for a simple, easily constructed
and heroines from the far-flung future. costume for cosplay beginners. On
Following in the footsteps of Forrest the other hand, the clean lines of
J. Ackerman and Myrtle R. Jones, the Star Trek ’s futuristic apparel make a
pair of science-fiction fans who are good base for experienced cosplayers
credited as the world’s first cosplayers looking to tailor clothes to their exact
after gracing 1939’s World Science specifications. Experienced or not, a
Fiction Convention with their galactic cosplayer in uniform is unlikely to be
garb, cosplayers have never stopped the only one at the convention. And, as
imagining their own visions of the with Star Wars  and the most popular
future, or acting them out. superhero squads, it can be gratifying
More than 70 years after to show up at a con and find that
superheroes first graced the covers you’re already part of a team.
of comic books, they’re still a sci-fi  As technology marches on, it’s not
convention staple. You’re sure to see just cosplay ideas that come from the
heroes like Superman, Batman and future. Construction techniques for
Spiderman; villians like Doctor Doom building cosplay costume parts have
and the Joker; and more classics from become equally high-tech. Natasha
Marvel and DC comics alike. After Spokish, who goes by the name of
the popularity of the Avengers  films, Bindi Smalls in the cosplay world,
there’s been a rise in metal-suited Iron creates props using 3D printing.

 54 Comic Book Capers & Sci-fi fantasies

 “Once I received my first 3D printed hyper-realistic images is the usage of
item, I knew I was hooked,” says Photoshop. But I would beg to disagree
Spokish. “The quality was impeccable, that it’s the only way to achieve these
and I felt as if I had learned a valuable effects,” he says. “Photoshop is nothing
skill. We purchased our first printer but the final touch during the last mile
shortly thereafter and haven’t looked of creating these images. A good
back since.” portion of our work still relies on good
Today, Spokish runs a booming old camera tricks and a bunch of
3D printing business, designing practical effects.”
and printing props for cosplayers In this chapter, you’ll see men and
portraying characters from any time women dressed as some of the sci-fi
period, not just the future. pantheon’s most iconic superheroes,
“3D printing is catching on faster supervillians, adventurers and robots.
than I expected, because the cosplay Hopefully you’ll also discover new
community is very diverse and characters, and be swayed into
cosplayers tend to have many skills,” unearthing their stories yourself.
she says. “There are quite a few
cosplayers who are already making
3D models and have embraced
3D printing, as well as engineers
and engineering students who may
already have access to a 3D printer
at work or school. There are definitely
still a fair amount of sceptics – or
people who wholeheartedly prefer
handmade items. But once they see the
possibilities and understand the work
involved in 3D printing for cosplay,
they tend to change their minds.”
 Another high-tech cosplay
innovation you’ll see is post-production
special effects. Jason Tablante uses
Photoshop to create photo backdrops
which are just as fantastic as the
cosplayers’ hand-crafted outfits that
he photographs. Glowing rays of light
and spectacular aerial backdrops can
transform an earthbound cosplayer
into a soaring superhero.
Today, Tablante uses Photoshop as
the finishing touch on his photos to
make them look even more incredible.
But it’s hardly the only technique he
employs to achieve the final shot,
and he says he discourages cosplay
photographers from using it as a
shortcut instead of learning the basics.
“The immediate and probably the
obvious conclusion for most people for PHOTOGRAPH BY MIKE KOWALEK.

 Comic Book capers & Sci-fi fantasies 55

 OPPOSITE  RIKI
LECOTEY IS A CALM
AND COLLECTED
PRINCESS LEIA FROM
STAR WARS, EVEN
WHILE SURROUNDED
BY STORMTROOPERS.
PHOTOGRAPHED IN
LILBURN, GEORGIA BY
BENNY LEE.

ABOVE  LED LIGHTS GIVE THESE JAWA FROM

STAR WARS THEIR GLOWING EYES. SHORT OF
STATURE IN SIMPLE HOODED ROBES, THE JAWA
RACE MAKE A GREAT COSPLAY FOR KIDS.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALBERT L ORTEGA.

 56 Comic Book capers & Sci-fi fantasies

 LEFT, BELOW AND OPPOSITE ORDINARILY
YOU WOULD NEVER SEE MORTAL ENEMIES
LIKE STAR WARS’ HAN SOLO, AN IMPERIAL
STORMTROOPER, AND DARTH MAUL IN ONE
PLACE, BUT ANYTHING GOES AT LONDON
FILM AND COMIC CON. PHOTOGRAPHED BY
GUY BELL.

 58 Comic Book Capers & Sci-fi fantasies

OPPOSITE AND RIGHT  SYNTHETIC
PROSTHETICS AND A SOULLESS GAZE
CHANGE MILD-MANNERED COSPLAYER THOR
PENDRAGON INTO A MEMBER OF THE BORG,
STAR TREK ’S INFAMOUS CYBERNETIC RACE.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY GUY BELL AT LONDON FILM
AND COMIC CON 2014.
LEFT  WHEN IT COMES TO COSPLAYING
THOR, A FEARLESS ATTITUDE IS JUST AS
IMPORTANT AS A COSTUME. COSPLAYER
MARK SMITH GETS IN CHARACTER AT THE
2014 NEW YORK COMIC CON. PHOTO BY
NEILSON BARNARD.
BELOW  EVEN STAN LEE (CENTRE) WANTED
TO JOIN IN ON THIS COSPLAY GATHERING
OF MORE THAN 20 OF MARVEL’S MOST
ICONIC SUPERHEROES. PHOTOGRAPHED AT
DRAGONCON 2011 BY JUDITH STEPHENS.

 Comic Book capers & sci-fi fantasies 63

ABOVE AND OPPOSITE  ANY COMIC BOOK FAN
WOULD RECOGNIZE CAPTAIN AMERICA, NO
MATTER WHETHER COSPLAYERS CHOOSE
TO PORTRAY THIS SUPERHERO IN MALE OR
FEMALE FORM. FEMALE CAPTAIN AMERICA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY GUY BELL AT LONDON
FILM AND COMIC CON 2014; DAN SCANLON
PHOTOGRAPHED AT NEW YORK COMIC CON
2014 BY NEILSON BARNARD.

 64 Comic Book Capers & Sci-fi fantasies

OPPOSITE  A DANGEROUS LOOKING ANDY ABOVE  JASON WILKINSON OF TITAN COSPLAY
RAE STRIKES A POSE AS THE SUICIDE USES BODY CONTOURING TO FANTASTIC
SQUAD INCARNATION OF HARLEY QUINN. EFFECT AS PLANET HULK. PHOTOGRAPHED
PHOTOGRAPH BY ZRB PHOTOGRAPHY. BY LONG THAI AT COMICPALOOZA 2014 IN
HOUSTON, TEXAS.

 Comic Book capers & sci-fi fantasies 67

 68 Comic Book Capers & Sci-fi fantasies
 OPPOSITE  COSPLAYERS MODEL THE “DC
COMICS BOMBSHELLS” –TWINKLEBAT
(LEFT) AS MERA, YAYA HAN AS ZATANNA,
YASHUNTAFUN COSPLAY AS SUPERGIRL, AND
JESSIE L. AS BLACK CANARY. PHOTOGRAPHED
AT DRAGONCON 2014 BY JUDITH STEPHENS.

ABOVE SUNGLASSES, A SWORD AND A

SWEET LEATHER DUSTER MAKE THIS BLADE
COSPLAY SEEM CLOSE TO THE REAL DEAL.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JAMES SHEPPARD.

 Comic book capers & sci-fi fantasies 69

 OPPOSITE  PHOTOGRAPHER
JASON TABLANTE USED
POST-PRODUCTION
SPECIAL EFFECTS TO
TRANSFORM COSPLAYER
ALODIA GOSIENGFIAO
INTO X-MEN HEROINE
WHITE PHOENIX.
PHOTOGRAPHED IN
MANILA, PHILIPPINES.

ABOVE  MIRACOLE BURNS IS WONDER

WOMAN, DEFENDER OF THEMYSCIRA,
ADORNED WITH ELABORATE FOAM
ACCESSORIES EXPERTLY PAINTED TO
LOOK LIKE METAL. PHOTOGRAPHED BY
ANNA FISCHER.

 70 Comic Book Capers & Sci-fi fantasies

BELOW  PHOTOGRAPHER LONG THAI
ENCOUNTERED THE X-MEN AT DALLAS COMIC-
CON 2014. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: SHOE
COSPLAY AS MYSTIQUE, TRACIE ADAMS OF
KIKALA COSPLAY AS SHADOWCAT, JAMES
HARVILL AS CYCLOPS, AND TWINS HOPE AND
HEATHER SMITH OF TWINZIK COSPLAY AS
ROGUE AND TOAD.

OPPOSITE  TAILORING AND SPECIAL EFFECTS

TRANSFORM RHIAN RAMOS HOWELL INTO
X-MEN’S ROGUE IN FLIGHT. PHOTOGRAPHED
BY JASON TABLANTE IN MANILA, PHILIPPINES.

 72 Comic Book Capers & Sci-fi fantasies

 BELOW  COSPLAYER LIONEL LUM AND
OPPOSITE  JIMMY BURNS WEARS FRIEND DON ENORMOUS ARMOURED
A MASK WITH GLOWING EYE SUITS TO CONVEY BUMBLEBEE AND
HOLES TO PERSONIFY BRIAREOS IRONHIDE, TWO OF THE SENTIENT
HECATONCHIRES, THE CYBORG ROBOTS FROM TRANSFORMERS.
HERO OF THE APPLESEED MANGA. PHOTOGRAPHED AT FANIMECON BY
PHOTOGRAPHED BY MARTIN WONG. JUDITH STEPHENS.
OPPOSITE AND BELOW  GIN IS
A DEAD RINGER FOR LOKI, THE
TROUBLEMAKER TRICKSTER
GOD OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALENA PUGOFFKA
IN MOSCOW.
 Comic Book capers & sci-fi fantasies
fantasies 77
OPPOSITE  TWINS
 TWINS KYLE
(LEFT) AND DAVID BIRD
POSE WITH FRIEND JO
AS ROAD WARRIORS
FROM THE MAD MAX
SERIES. PHOTOGRAPHED
BY GUY BELL AT LONDON
FILM AND COMIC CON.

RIGHT  WITH
 WITH BIG
SHOULDERPADS
SHOULDERPADS AND
HAIR, KERRI NUGENT IS
AUNTY ENTITY FROM
MAD MAX BEYOND
THUNDERDOME.
PHOTOGRAPHED AT NEW
YORK COMIC CON BY
NEILSON BARNARD.
VIDEO GAME
HEROES & HEROINES

PARIS SINCLAIR IS BEAUTIFUL AND DEADLY

IN METALLIC GREEN AS JADE FROM
MORTAL KOMBAT . PHOTOGRAPHED AT
ANIME EXPO 2012 BY MARTIN WONG.
 D
ressing up as a butt-kicking making new friends through Mass
hero or heroine is the ultimate Effect  photo shoots at cons – makes
power fantasy. It’s no wonder it even more memorable.”
that cosplay inspired by video games Gogler’s most labour-intensive
is incredibly popular. Cosplayers cosplay yet, Garrus took nine months
have tackled building replicas of from early start to rapid finish in her
characters from nostalgic arcade hotel room at Dragon*Con, where
classics, brutal first-person shooters she was scheduled to wear it. She
and even epic role-playing games. created a mask of Garrus’s alien
 Video game heroes have dynamic face by casting it in plastic.
back-stories, motivations and goals – Built for combat, Garrus wears a
designed to keep a gamer’s attention full armoured suit and frequently
over the course of many hours. wields a gun – a level of heavy
 And after spending so much time armament that is the norm in video
playing a particular role in a game, games. Perhaps because so many
some cosplayers want to continue to characters are skilled in weaponry,
explore that character’s persona in the cosplayers portraying them often
real life as well as on the screen. wield sophisticated props. Though
Renee Michelle Gloger is one such typically made of light materials that
cosplayer. She spent hours playing
through the Mass Effect  series of
video games, a role-playing first-
person shooter in which a gamer
will encounter friends and foes from
a variety of extraterrestrial origins.
Gloger quickly decided that her
favourite character was Garrus, a
charismatic teammate and potential
romantic mate. Since Garrus is a
Turian, an alien that looks a bit like
a mix between a crab and a cat,
Gloger found that he made for one
of her most difficult cosplays, but
worth it because of her affection for
the character.
“It was something totally outside
of my comfort zone and I’m really
proud of how it turned out,”
she says. “It was also really fun
transforming my appearance way
more than usual by wearing a
mask, creating a bodysuit with alien
proportions, and then wearing
armour on top of everything. He’s
also my favourite character from
one of my favourite video games,
so it meant a lot to me to make the
costume. Plus wearing it with other PHOTOGRAPH BY BENNY LEE.
friends who like Mass Effect  – and

 82 Video Game Heroes & Heroines

are easy to carry and hardly deadly, “I couldn’t even stitch a button
the weaponry featured in this book before I started this hobby. I couldn’t
certainly looks impressive enough to paint anything to save my life, had
cause some serious damage. no real grasp of the concept of
 Armed from head to toe in his primer, would probably have never
Deathlord Draugr mail, cosplayer owned a hand sander or a heat gun
Bill Doran cuts an imposing figure. – which are now two things I can’t
Light glints off the detailed swirls picture my life without – if it wasn’t
decorating his armour, and two LED for cosplay,” she says. “That’s one
lights glow from the eyeholes in his of the reasons why I love this hobby
horned helm. However, what might and this subculture so much. In my
not be apparent from his Hollywood- real life, I’m a super-girly girl who is
quality armour is that the cosplayer never seen without lipstick or lashes,
creates every piece from scratch. but when I’m working on cosplay
Doran and his wife, Brittany, are it’s like I’m the Home Depot Martha
featured in this book in their Skyrim  Stewart or something. It’s insane how
cosplay armour modelled out of much you learn.”
Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam, Nobody will deny that cosplay is a
purchased at the local craft store. lot of effort, so what makes it worth
There is actually no metal on either all the hard work? For Kara, who
suit of armour, just a great deal of goes by the name of Electric Lady
lightweight foam painted to look in the cosplay world, video game
metallic. Doran’s hobby has turned cosplay gave her an opportunity
from a pastime into a full-blown to meet a voice actor who worked
career, in which he builds custom on the game she loved. Dressed
props and sells blueprints of his as Elizabeth from BioShock Infinite ,
creations to other cosplayers. Kara caught the attention of the
“A high-quality replica prop build game’s lead voice actor while she
can take anywhere from a couple of was attending a New Mexico fandom
weeks to several months to build,” convention as a cosplay guest. Since
says Doran. “The construction times Elizabeth is the companion of the
can quickly get into the hundreds game’s lead, her costume provided
or thousands of hours. I like to use an opportune icebreaker to meeting
materials like MDF wood, plastics one of her heroes.
like PVC and styrene, epoxy clays “Troy Baker, the voice of Booker,
and a variety of foams to create the was also a guest at the con, and we
master parts for my prop replicas. had fun joking around and throwing
Once they’re finished, they usually coins at each other,” she says. “It
get moulded in silicone and cast was a costume I really enjoyed
from urethane plastic.” wearing, and I hope to make some
From guns, to swords, to staves, of Elizabeth’s other outfits at some
to armour and prosthetic body parts, point as well.”
props that can make or break a In this chapter, we’ve featured
cosplay’s accuracy tend to stretch the cosplayers portraying some of the
player’s abilities to their very limits. video game world’s most interesting,
Cosplayer Chaka Cumberbatch says iconic and deadly denizens.
that she’s developed an arsenal of  Whenever you see a prop, try to
skills she’d never had before simply guess what it’s made out of and how
through her hobby of cosplaying. long it took to make.

 Video Game Heroes & Heroines 83

LEFT  RYAN SMALL
PLAYS ALTAIR, A
HERO ON A QUEST
FOR REDEMPTION
IN THE ASSASSIN’S
CREED SERIES.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
GUY BELL AT LONDON
FILM AND COMIC
CON 2014.
 LEFT  IN SIGNATURE
BLUE AND YELLOW,
JINRI PARK LOOKS
THE PART OF
STREET FIGHTER’S
BRAWLER CHUN LI.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
JASON TABLANTE IN
MANILA, PHILIPPINES.

 Video Game Heroes & Heroines 85 

ABOVE  ROCHELLE ANNE’S FANS AREN’T JUST
FOR SHOW. THEY DOUBLE AS FAKE WEAPONS IN
HER COSPLAY AS THE FEARSOME KITANA FROM
MORTAL KOMBAT. PHOTOGRAPHED AT ANIME EXPO
2012 BY MARTIN WONG.

 86 Video Game Heroes & Heroines

RIGHT  RAUL PORRAS OF
LEGION6070 COSPLAY LUNGES
FOR THE KILL AS RAIDEN
FROM MORTAL KOMBAT.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY LONG THAI
AT COMICPALOOZA 2014.

BELOW  CLAD IN STRIKING
CRIMSON, KASEA CIPORKIN
IS THE FEROCIOUS SKARLET
FROM MORTAL KOMBAT.
PHOTOGRAPHED AT ANIME EXPO
2012 BY MARTIN WONG.
 LEFT  GLOWING
LED DETAILS BRING
REALISM TO KAIRIZAMU
KAMISU’S IMC
RIFLEMAN PILOT
SUIT FROM THE
GAME TITANFALL.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
THOMAS KUAN.

OPPOSITE  PANDA YUE
IS A GODDESS OF
WAR AS NOIRE FROM
HYPERDIMENSION
NEPTUNIA , A FANTASY
ROLE-PLAYING VIDEO
GAME. PHOTOGRAPHED
BY MICHAEL OOI.

 Video Game Heroes & Heroines 89

 OPPOSITE  HAYLEY WILLIAMS WOVE GOLDEN
EXTENSIONS INTO HER HAIR TO EMULATE
STREET FIGHTER CAMMY’S THIGH-LENGTH
BRAIDS. PHOTOGRAPHED BY MARTIN WONG AT
ANIME EXPO.

RIGHT  CATHERINE LEWIS OF GOD SAVE THE

QUEEN FASHIONS IS READY TO RUMBLE
AS SAKURA FROM STREET FIGHTER.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY LONG THAI AT ANIME
MATSURI 2014 IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.

BELOW  TAKING AIM, AZRIEL GRIMM IS

IN CHARACTER AS EDWARD KENWAY OF
ASSASSIN'S CREED. GRIMM IS ALSO A
MEMBER OF THE ASSASINS COSPLAY
BROTHERHOOD. PHOTOGRAPHED BY GUY BELL
AT LONDON FILM AND COMIC CON.

 90 Video Game Heroes & Heroines

RIGHT  BLUE PAINT,
FACIAL PROSTHETICS,
AND NO SMALL AMOUNT
OF CUSTOM ARMOUR
TRANSFORM RANA
MCANEAR INTO SAMARA,
A MEMBER OF THE ASARI
RACE IN MASS EFFECT.
MCANEAR DOESN’T ONLY
COSPLAY AS SAMARA
BUT IS THE ORIGINAL
FACE MODEL FOR THE
VIDEO GAME CHARACTER.
PHOTOGRAPHED AT NEW
YORK COMIC CON BY
MIKE KOWALEK.

OPPOSITE  TEXTURED
FOAM GIVES CRYSTAL
PANDA’S FUTURISTIC
ARMOUR ADDITIONAL
AUTHENTICITY AS SHE
COSPLAYS COMMANDER
SHEPARD FROM MASS
EFFECT 2. PHOTOGRAPHED
AT KATSUCON IN
WASHINGTON, DC BY
SMIKE KOWALEK.  Video Game Heroes & Heroines 93
ABOVE MELLY, ROBTACHI, ADAM
BURAKOWSKI [DR_TENG] AND
STARDUSTSHADOW ARE READY TO
PARTY WITH THEIR MULTICOLOURED
LINK COSTUMES FROM THE LEGEND
OF ZELDA . THEIR “PARTY LINK” GROUP
COSPLAY IS AN IRREVERENT TAKE
ON THE LONG-RUNNING SERIES.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY NICOLE CIARAMELLA.

LEFT SCAPEGOATED (LEFT) AND

MAISHERI HAVE A SURREAL MOMENT
AS MISO AND MAG—TWO ALIEN
CREATURES FROM KATAMARI DAMACY —
IN THE MIDDLE OF NEW YORK CITY’S
TIMES SQUARE. PHOTOGRAPHED BY
MIKE KOWALEK.

OPPOSITE IT’S RAINING NEON IS MAD

MOXXI, THE SADISTIC AND ALLURING
ANNOUNCER FROM BORDERLANDS.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ANNA FISCHER.
 Video Game Heroes & Heroines 95 
RIGHT   DOVAHKIIN,
THE HERO OF
FANTASY VIDEO
GAME SKYRIM,
MAKES AN
AMBITIOUS
GOAL FOR
COSPLAYERS WHO
ARE EXPANDING
INTO ARMOUR
CONSTRUCTION.
FROM METAL TO
LEATHER TO FUR,
THIS DRAGONBORN
COSTUME IS TRULY
MIXED MEDIA.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
JOSEPH CHI LIN.

OPPOSITE  ARMED
FROM HEAD TO
TOE IN DEATHLORD
DRAUGR MAIL, BILL
AND ANNA DORAN
CUT IMPOSING
FIGURES. THESE
COSPLAYS,
FROM THE GAME
SKYRIM, WERE
BUILT BY THE DUO
FROM SCRATCH.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
ANNA FISCHER.

 96 Video Game Heroes & Heroines

LEFT  ASHGROOVY (LEFT) AND VOXTHEFOX
ARE THE GRISLY PYRAMID HEAD AND A
TWISTED NURSE FROM THE SILENT HILL
HORROR GAME FRANCHISE. PHOTOGRAPHED
BY JUDITH STEPHENS.

ABOVE  THIS LONDON FILM AND COMIC CON

REVELLER BALANCES FORMIDABLE HORNS
AS ULTIMECIA FROM FINAL FANTASY VIII.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY GUY BELL.

 Video Game Heroes & Heroines 99

 LEFT  YUXUAN
TOW AND KIWII
TEND BATTLE FOR
SUPERIORITY AS
LEGENDARY RIVALS
SEPHIROTH AND
GENESIS FROM
CRISIS CORE:
FINAL FANTASY .
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
MICHAEL OOI.

 Video Game Heroes & Heroines 101

ABOVE  A STAINED GLASS WINDOW
PROVIDES DRAMATIC LIGHTING TO
THESE STARKLY POSED BOOKER
AND ELIZABETH COSPLAYERS FROM
BIOSHOCK INFINITE . PHOTOGRAPHED BY
ALENA PUGOFFKA.

OPPOSITE JUDSON, KEVIN, LAURA,

SARAH, SHELBY, ZACH AND GAVIN
MAKE A GRIM FAMILY PORTRAIT POSED
AS VARIOUS ANTAGONISTS FROM
BIOSHOCK . PHOTOGRAPHED IN ATLANTA,
GEORGIA BY BENNY LEE.

 Video Game Heroes & Heroines 103

 LEFT  MAKI ROLL SPORTS
AN OVERSIZED SWORD AS
BLACKROSE, THE TOUGH
BUT LOYAL PROTAGONIST
FROM THE .HACK SERIES.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ANNA
FISCHER.

OPPOSITE  WITH THE HELP OF

CONTOURED BLUE BODY PAINT
AND NO SMALL NUMBER OF
FACIAL PROSTHETICS, KUDREL
COSPLAY IS DOWNRIGHT
FERAL AS A TROLL SHAMAN
FROM WORLD OF WARCRAFT.
PHOTOGRAPHED AT KATSUCON
2013 BY JUDITH STEPHENS.

 Video Game Heroes & Heroines 105 

ABOVE  GIN USES SPECIAL EFFECTS OPPOSITE  BOOMIE OF STRAWBERRY
MAKEUP AND ARMOUR-PIERCING CENSOR COSPLAY WIELDS AN AXE
ARROW PROPS TO PORTRAY A AS BIG AS HERSELF AS A PART
PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT DAY FOR OF HER BLADE & SOUL COSPLAY.
ELVEN WARRIOR FENRIS FROM PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC NG.
DRAGON AGE. PHOTOGRAPHED IN
MOSCOW BY ALENA PUGOFFKA.

 106 Video Game Heroes & Heroines

OPPOSITE  NICOLE CIARAMELLA
WHIRLS HER CAPE AS THARJA FROM
FIRE EMBLEM. PHOTOGRAPHED BY
JUDITH STEPHENS.

RIGHT  RIDDLE'S MESSY WARDROBE

POSES AS THE MASTER ARCHER
ASHE, A HERO FROM LEAGUE OF
LEGENDS. PHOTOGRAPHED BY
JUDITH STEPHENS.
TV ICONS & POP
CULTURE PINUPS

IN RENAISSANCE ERA FINERY THAT WOULD

NOT HAVE BEEN OUT OF PLACE IN 1492
ITALY, DIA (LEFT), UMISTER AND MELLY
ARE THE BORGIAS, THE HISTORICAL
CRIME FAMILY FEATURED IN THE
SHOWTIME SERIES OF THE SAME NAME.
PHOTOGRAPHED AT DRAGONCON 2014 BY
JUDITH STEPHENS.
 Y 
ou’d expect to see Batman at
a comics convention. But you
might be a little surprised if he
was joined by Robin Hood, Princess
Jasmine and Frodo Baggins. However,
in the world of cosplay you quickly
learn to expect the unexpected, and all
of these characters can frequently be
found at conventions far and wide.
 As cosplay becomes more popular,
it’s not just fans of lesser-known
science fiction and anime shows
who have taken part in the fun. Now
you can find cosplay of any beloved
character in any realm of pop culture.
Pop culture costume inspiration
usually comes from any TV series or
film that has reached mainstream PHOTOGRAPH BY
popularity, but it can also originate ALENA PUGOFFKA 
from public figures such as
pop stars – Lady Gaga’s avant-garde
sartorial choices are a particularl cosplayer might make a Tardis-inspired
favourite with cosplayers. ball gown. And it’s Twilight Sparkle’s
There’s an irreverence in pop culture variegated hair and unicorn horn that
cosplay, a sense of playfulness that make her recognisable, not her hooves
occurs with mainstream costumes – leading to a slew of My Little Pony:
to a greater extent than with more Friendship Is Magic  cosplayers creating
niche fantasy outfits. Perhaps it’s distinctly human but still identifiable
because people remember seeing pony cosplays. There’s also an entire
their favourite costumed characters genre called “casual cosplay”, in
at Disneyland and the childlike joy which cosplayers attempt to create still-
inherent in that. Adam Burakowski, recognisable cosplays using almost
who also goes under the name of entirely regular store-bought clothing
Dr_Teng in the cosplay world, is clear for materials.
that there’s a difference in feelings that It’s exclusively the clothes and the
depends on costume. “The laughs I get hairstyle that make a pop culture
out of wearing Zapp Brannigan are a cosplay discernable, not trivial things
lot different than the satisfaction I get like, say, the gender of the cosplayer
out of wearing a Superman costume,” wearing it. In fact, today, cosplaying
he says. outside of one’s gender has become
 While most cosplays focus on so common, there’s even a term for
imitating a character, pop culture it: crossplay. Whether it’s a feminine
costumes are often subject to vigorous take on a Disney prince, a masculine
personalisation. Since these figures are version of Aqua Girl, or even a male
so well known, cosplayers can easily cosplayer in an original ball gown,
conduct heavy costume customisations anything goes.
while still being instantly recognisable. The same goes for ethnicity. Mari-
For example, instead of dressing chan, the pseudonym of an African-
as The Doctor from Doctor Who , a  American cosplayer, said it was the

 112 TV Icons & Pop Culture Pinups

cosplay community’s acceptance that decline because for me, it’s hard to
has encouraged her to portray her get in the zone of creating a costume
favourite characters, regardless of their for a character you don’t feel any
skin tones on TV. particular pull towards,” she says.
“At first I was very hesitant to cosplay “If it’s a character you love, it doesn't
Princess Serenity [from Sailor Moon ],” feel so much like work. It feels more
she says. “I’m a bit of a perfectionist, like bringing a dream to life – and
so there was that part of me that said, that feeling is important, because you
‘If I cosplay outside of my skin tone, it need it to push you through all the
won’t look right.’ But I was shocked by moments of frustration and mistakes
the love and support that it received.” and bobbins that refuse to thread.”
The clearest example of the In this chapter, you’ll see cosplayers
community’s unified acceptance from all over the world impersonating
occurred when worldwide clothing some of their favourite pop culture
brand Hot Topic created a shirt that icons. Whether exacting recreations
said, “Cosplay: Do it right or not at or creative homages, you’re bound to
all.” For the modern cosplayer, this recognise plenty of these pop culture
slogan went completely against the icons, and you may even discover a
universal idea that cosplay is for few new favourites that you'd never
everyone, whether they buy their heard of before.
outfits or sew them from scratch,
whatever their body shape, gender or
skin tone.
 All around the world, cosplayers
quickly let Hot Topic know that
they didn’t accept the definition
the company used to define their
community. As cosplay gets more
and more popular, cosplayers are
continually stressing that you don’t
have to have a certain body to dress
like your favourite character. In the
end, Hot Topic was simply forced to
bow to the overwhelming outcry and
withdraw the shirt from sale.
There are a lot of different ways
to do pop culture inspired cosplay
“right”, and the measure of success
is less of a reaction than a feeling.
For cosplayer Chaka Cumberbatch,
that means sticking to cosplaying
characters that she personally feels
good personifying, regardless of any
peer pressure.
“I'll have friends ask me to join
random cosplay groups, just to help PHOTOGRAPHY BY
fill out the roster or because they
JOSEPH CHI LIN 
think I’d really work for a particular
character, and I almost always politely

 TV Icons & Pop Culture Pinups 113

ABOVE  WOLFIE IS IN A TIGHT SPOT AS
FLYNN RIDER FROM DISNEY’S TANGLED.
PHOTOGRAPHED AT ANIME USA 2011 BY
NICOLE CIARAMELLA.

OPPOSITE  SOME TRICKY LIGHTING AND

SPECIAL EFFECTS TRANSFORM ALEXIS INTO
A DIMINUTIVE THUMBELINA. PHOTOGRAPHED
IN DULUTH, GEORGIA, BY BENNY LEE.

 114 TV Icons & Pop Culture Pinups

IN COZY MITTENS
AND SCANDINAVIAN
EMBROIDERY,
EMBROIDERY, HELENA
EVANS IS PRINCESS
ANNA FROM FROZEN.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALENA
PUGOFFKA IN MOSCOW.
ABOVE  A
 A TOOTHSOME SMILE AND FUZZY OPPOSITE  A
 A GNARLED STAFF MAKES A
STRIPES MAKE FOR AN ARRESTING AND DRAMATIC CONTRAST TO MAMORU’S
DETAILED CHESHIRE CAT FROM ALICE’S ELEGANT BROCADE JACKET AS HE POSES
ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND . BELIEVE AS JACK FROST FROM RISE OF THE
IT OR NOT, EMPRESS OF SQUEE STARTED GUARDIANS. PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALENA
WITH A SQUARE BLOCK OF FOAM ADHESIVE PUGOFFKA IN MOSCOW.
IN ORDER TO CARVE THIS EXPRESSIVE FACE!
EACH TOOTH WAS INDIVIDUALLY SCULPTED
OUT OF CLAY AND DIPPED IN GLOW-IN-THE-
DARK PAINT. PHOTOGRAPHED AT OTAKUTHON
IN MONTREAL, CANADA BY MIKE KOWALEK.

 118 TV Icons
Icons & Pop Culture
Culture Pinups
RIGHT  “LET’S SPLIT UP, GANG!”
JERRY GRIFFITH (LEFT), KATIE
GEORGE, RIKI LECOTEY, CLIFF
TUNNELL AND THEIR GREAT DANE,
KAIROS, EMBODY THE HAPLESS
PROTAGONISTS OF SCOOBY
DOO. THE UNCANNY MYSTERY
MACHINE VEHICLE WAS PROVIDED
BY A FRIEND. PHOTOGRAPHED IN
NEWNAN, GEORGIA, BY BENNY LEE.

 120 TV Icons & Pop Culture Pinups

RIGHT  HAND-DRAWN
DETAILS MAKE THE
DIFFERENCE IN TONY
PRIME’S OPTIMUS
PRIME ARMOUR. THE
SINGAPOREAN IS BEST
KNOWN FOR HIS
PLATEMAIL CREATIONS.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
THOMAS KUAN.

OPPOSITE  THERE’S NO
PHOTOSHOP TRICKERY IN
YAYA HAN’S IMPOSSIBLE
MEASUREMENTS AS
CARTOON BOMBSHELL
JESSICA RABBIT. THE
INNOVATIVE COSPLAYER
BUILT A STEEL-BONE
CORSET AND TWO
PADDED BRAS DIRECTLY
INTO HER SLINKY SEQUIN
GOWN. PHOTOGRAPHED
BY ANNA FISCHER.
 TV Icons & Pop Culture Pinups 123
 LEFT  A
 A SMOKY ATMOSPHERE
ATMOSPHERE
ENHANCES LINDZE MERRITT’S
GHASTLY PALLOR AS MALEFICENT
FROM SLEEPING BEAUTY .
PHOTOGRAPHED IN ATLANTA,
ATLANTA,
GEORGIA, BY BENNY LEE.

 TV Icons & Pop Culture

Culture Pinups
Pinups 125 
LEFT IT MAY LOOK LIKE SCOUT ISENSEE
(LEFT) AND JENNIFER DE CABRERA
[BOMBAYCAKE] HAVE TRAVELLED TO MIDDLE
EARTH FOR THEIR FRODO AND SAM FROM LORD
OF THE RINGS COSPLAY, BUT PHOTOGRAPHER
NICOLE CIARAMELLA INSISTS THAT THIS IS
JUST A PARTICULARLY WOODED AREA OF
CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK CITY.

BELOW  IN ELVEN FINERY AND TWIG

FASCINATORS, TWO COSPLAYERS PORTRAY
ELROND AND HIS TWIN BROTHER ELROS AT
LONDON FILM AND COMIC CON. PHOTOGRAPHED
BY GUY BELL.

 TV Icons & Pop Culture Pinups 127

RIGHT  METALLIC PAINT TRANSFORMS
COMIC CON ATTENDEE CHRISTOPHER
HALL INTO THE FEARSOME WAR
MACHINE FROM THE IRON MAN
SERIES. PHOTOGRAPHED AT NEW YORK
COMIC CON BY NEILSON BARNARD.

 128 TV Icons & Pop Culture Pinups

ABOVE WHO YOU GONNA CALL? WHY OPPOSITE  ARMED WITH A PROTON
NOT TRY THIS TEAM OF INTREPID PACK REPLICA, THIS GHOSTBUSTERS
GHOSTBUSTERS, ARMED AND READY COSPLAYER ISN'T AFRAID OF NO
IN THEIR JUMPSUITS AND PROTON GHOST. PHOTOGRAPHED AT NEW YORK
PACKS. PHOTOGRAPHED AT PAX EAST COMIC CON BY NEILSON BARNARD.
2014 BY NICOLE CIARAMELLA.

 130 TV Icons & Pop Culture Pinups

ABOVE  DEAD PIXEL PRINCESS (LEFT) OPPOSITE  FROM BEADED BRAIDS TO
AND JESSICA LOOK FITTINGLY ROYAL BRACELETS AND AN ELABORATE BELT
AS THE QUEEN’S CARDS FROM ALICE'S BUCKLE, CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW
ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND . THEIR FROM DISNEY'S PIRATES OF THE
COSTUMES ARE INSPIRED BY THE CARIBBEAN CERTAINLY KNOWS HOW
JAPANESE ILLUSTRATOR SAKIZOU, TO ACCESSORIZE. PHOTOGRAPHED
WHO IS KNOWN FOR INVENTING BY DANIEL BOCZARSKI AT CHICAGO
ELEGANT COSTUME DESIGNS. COMIC CON.

 132 TV Icons & Pop Culture Pinups

 TV Icons & Pop Culture Pinups 133
 LEFT  YOU CAN TELL BY THE
GREY LEOTARD AND YELLOW
UTILITY BELT THAT THIS IS AN
OLD SCHOOL BATMAN COSPLAY
FROM THE HERO'S EARLIER ERA.

OPPOSITE  WITH A MILE-LONG
SNEER, A COSPLAYER CERTAINLY
LOOKS THE PART AS THE JOKER
FROM BATMAN AT THE THIRD
ANNUAL STAN LEE'S COMIKAZE
EXPO HELD AT LOS ANGELES
CONVENTION CENTER.

 TV Icons & Pop Culture Pinups 135 

RIGHT  ALEXANDRA
DITULLIO SWINGS HER
CAPE AND SCYTHE AS THE
TITULAR CHARACTER OF
RWBY , A SUPERNATURAL
ANIMATED SHOW.
PHOTOGRAPHED AT
KATSUCON 2013 BY
MARTIN WONG.

 136 TV Icons & Pop Culture Pinups

CREATIVE COSPLAY &
ORIGINAL OUTFITS

MOSTFLOGGED, LOVEJOKER, KITSUNE

DOLLY AND SEWTHOUGHTFUL EMBODY THE
FOUR PROTAGONISTS OF HOMESTUCK  IN
NEON-BRIGHT “TRICKSTER” RENDITIONS
OF THEIR USUAL ATTIRE. PHOTOGRAPHED
AT NEW YORK CITY’S DYLAN’S CANDY BAR
BY JUDITH STEPHENS.
 W 
ith hundreds of thousands of pagan and Greek mythology. Today
characters for cosplayers to they still inspire seamstresses to take
choose from, it’s no wonder that gauzy, wispy materials and floral
even the most devoted fans will spot garlands to create costumes that seem
unfamiliar costumes at conventions. as ethereal as their sources.
However, sometimes the reason you Sometimes, original costumes are
can’t identify a cosplay is simply inspired by actual creatures. Crafters
because it is not based on any pre- construct outfits and personas around
existing character. These original their favourite animals – real ones such
costumes can be about an aesthetic as tigers and wolves as well as fictional
or style of dress that has barely any ones like dragons and unicorns.
relation to everyday clothing worn Costumers that centre their creations
around the world. specifically around animal suits call
Steampunk is one such style. A themselves furries, a term that refers
genre used for everything from books to the animal nature of their costumes
to films to fan creations, steampunk (though some furries choose animals
imagines a world with technology with no fur at all, like reptiles).
that far surpasses that of today, but Tommy Bruce, a photographer who
uses nothing more than Victorian- primarily documents furry fandom,
era source materials to create it. As a explains the way people who wear
costume genre, steampunk takes its anthropomorphic costumes connect
cues from Victorian dress, but adds with their animal personas. “Fursuits
clockwork details and ostensibly steam- are representations of individuals’
powered props. It’s not surprising to fursonas – the furry term for an
see steampunk outfits that resemble alternative persona – and are as such
those of modern scientists, adventurers extensions of the creator,” he says.
and even space explorers. Just read “This just becomes a little hairier when
Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under you factor in people with multiple
The Sea  or Alan Moore’s The League costumes, or fursuit makers who build
Of Extraordinary Gentlemen  to their own designed costumes and
understand where cosplayers’ historic auction them off. Some consider the
and futuristic inspiration comes from. purchase of a character designed by
Cyberpunk is a modern riff on the another artist to be an ‘adoption’, the
same thing – imagining a world in language implying that you aren’t just
the near future that harnesses nothing purchasing a piece of art or a costume
more than the power and promise of but a full fictional character with
’90s-era electronics. As a costuming personality and traits.”
genre, it borrows elements from raver How do these original costumes fit
clothing, like glowing neon, glossy into the realm of cosplay? Simply in
black vinyl and metallic blue lipstick. the way that original costumes, just
The 90s hit film The Matrix  and like all other types of cosplay, are
tabletop card game Netrunner  are a about theatrics. A certain amount of
couple of premium examples of the play-acting, from trademark poses to
cyberpunk concept. a particular speech style, differentiates
Other original costuming may not cosplayers from people who are just
originate from an aesthetic but from wearing costumes.
a story made famous through global However, while cosplayers dressed
mythologies. Mermaids, fairies and as a specific character from TV or film
nymphs come straight out of Nordic, would usually say they’re performing

 140 creative cosplay & original looks

a tribute to that character, cosplay
photographer Anna Fischer believes
original costume designers are more
likely than their counterparts to assume
a specific character persona to go with
the outfit they’ve created.
“Most cosplayers aren’t pretending
to be the character they’re dressed
like,” she says. “They are performers
portraying a character, not people
who believe that they’ve become
incarnations of the character once they
put on their clothes. The issue of fluidity
of identity is more nuanced than
transformative in cosplay. Steampunks
and furries, however, are more likely
to do the whole persona thing, and
it’s one of the major cultural divides
between those communities and other
kinds of cosplay.”
 Assuming a different persona is
the ultimate fantasy. With cosplay,
you change not only the way others
perceive you but, for a little while, how PHOTOGRAPH BY
you perceive yourself. NICOLE CIARAMELLA 
To put an even more complicated
spin on what does and does not
fall into the boundaries of original game, in which, aside from a few
costumes, there are also cosplays differentiating props like scarves and
based on characters that exist but who glasses, fans can only guess at the
have never been seen. Fans have only characters’ clothing, ethnicities and
a persona to go on, and their cosplays true appearances. This has made it
envision a physical appearance the extremely popular with cosplayers
individual cosplayer has mentally who are eager to stretch their
connected with it. creative muscles while still creating a
Welcome To Night Vale  is an online recognisable cosplay.
radio show created by Joseph Fink and Mermaids, wood nymphs,
Jeffrey Cranor, which has an audio- steampunks, ravers, furries and more
only fandom. Though thousands of fill this chapter with their creative
fans have listened to the voices of renditions of aesthetics, concepts,
the mysterious Cecil Palmer and his myths and personas. In the following
scientist boyfriend Carlos, nobody pages, you’ll see creations that include
has any idea what they look like, and a steampunk-inspired aristocratic
cosplayers have a ball trying out their gentleman, a mythological goddess
own renditions. from China and cyberpunk ravers that
Homestuck , created by Andrew come from the future – or at least have
Hussie, is another fandom ripe for a futuristic resonance. Each is entirely
semi-original cosplays. The canon unique, but still manages to capture
form is an online comic and interactive the essence of cosplay.

 creative cosplay & original looks 141

DRAMATIC FACE
MAKEUP AND
PLUSH, PRISMATIC
HORNS COMPLETE
THE LOOK OF
LADY EVE’S RAVER
CONCOCTION.
PHOTOGRAPHED
AT KATSUCON
2012 BY NICOLE
CIARAMELLA.
 LEFT  YUFFIEBUNNY LOOKS LIKE A VISUAL
KEI POPSTAR IN SCRAPS OF GREEN, BLUE
AND VIOLET CLOTH. PHOTOGRAPHED AT
ANIME USA 2013 BY NICOLE CIARAMELLA.

OPPOSITE  IN HEAD-TO-TOE WHITE WITH

NEON ACCESSORIES AND TOWERING
PLATFORM SHOES, DANIELLE LAFLEUR IS
READY TO RAVE. PHOTOGRAPHED AT ANIME
USA 2013 BY NICOLE CIARAMELLA.

 144 creative cosplay & original looks

LEFT  TUBES OF GLOWING NEON SET
YUFFIEBUNNY’S RAVER OUTFIT APART
FROM THE REST. SPIKED SHOULDERS AND
A DRAMATIC NECKLINE COMPLETE HER
ANDROGYNOUS LOOK. “I LOVE BRINGING
MY ORIGINAL DESIGNS TO LIFE, LIKE MY
RAVE COSTUMES,” SHE SAYES. “IT GIVES
ME THE CHANCE TO MAKE SOMETHING
THAT’S MORE PERSONAL AND TO
EXPERIMENT WITHOUT THE WORRY OF ANY
KIND OF BOUNDARIES.” PHOTOGRAPHED AT
ANIME USA 2013 BY NICOLE CIARAMELLA.

ABOVE  HOT PINK HAIR AND BLUE

LIPSTICK SET OFF ANDROID MACHINA’S
MULTICOLOURED DREADLOCKED WIG.
PHOTOGRAPHED AT ANIME USA 2013 BY
NICOLE CIARAMELLA.

 creative cosplay & original looks 147

 LEFT  A GROUP OF PEOPLE WEARING
MADEFURYOU BRAND FURSUITS POSE FOR
A GROUP PHOTO AT MIDWEST FURFEST
2013. IT TAKES MADEFURYOU THREE TO
SEVEN DAYS TO BUILD EACH COSTUME FROM
SCRATCH. “WE ARE NOT JUST MAKING
COSTUMES, BUT CHARACTERS!” THE
COMPANY WEBSITE DECLARES. “ONCE YOU
PUT ON YOUR COSTUME THE CHARACTER
WILL COME ALIVE.” PHOTOGRAPHED BY
TOMMY BRUCE.

 creative cosplay & original looks 149

 ABOVE  WRAPPED IN A FLOWING GOWN
THAT ECHOES HER FLOWING HAIR, CHEN
YANG DRESSES IN A TRADITIONAL TAKE ON
A NATURE GODDESS. PHOTOGRAPHED BY
THOMAS KUAN IN SINGAPORE.

 150 creative cosplay & original looks

RIGHT  IN SUMPTUOUS
BROCADE AND FUR
WITH A FEATHER
FASCINATOR TO
MATCH, CHEN YANG
DONS HER UNIQUE
PORTRAYAL OF
A FASHIONABLE
CHINESE GODDESS.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
THOMAS KUAN IN
SINGAPORE 
LEFT  FROM BRIGHT
RED TOP HAT TO
SHINY VINYL HEEL,
KASAHARA GETS
FANCY IN HER MOULIN
ROUGE-INSPIRED
ORIGINAL COSTUME.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
ALENA PUGOFFKA.

OPPOSITE  IN RED-
TIPPED HORNS AND
KIMONO, LAMPOCHKA
DOES HER BEST
IMPRESSION
OF A GYUKI, A
SUPERNATURAL
MONSTER OF LEGEND
AND MYTH IN JAPAN.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
ALENA PUGOFFKA.
 154 creative cosplay & original looks
RIGHT  A PAIR OF ENORMOUS
CHRYSANTHEMUMS LEND AN AUTUMNAL
FEEL TO CHEN YANG'S ELEGANT ORIGINAL
COSTUME. PHOTOGRAPHED BY THOMAS
KUAN IN SINGAPORE.

OPPOSITE  IRIDESCENT PINK HAIR AND MILE-

HIGH BOOTS GIVE JAZZMIN JOLLY A LOOK
THAT’S JUST WILD ENOUGH FOR A RAVE.
PHOTOGRAPHED IN PATERSON, NEW JERSEY
 creative cosplay & original looks 155 
BY NICOLE CIARAMELLA.
 156 creative cosplay & original looks
OPPOSITE  METAL AND
LEATHER DETAILS TURN HEATH
WALLER'S CONSERVATIVE
SUIT INTO SOMETHING
DECIDEDLY MORE EDGY.
STEAMPUNK COSTUMERS
ADD PUNK ELEMENTS TO
VICTORIAN-INSPIRED CLOTHES
TO ENVISION A WORLD THAT
COMBINES THE DISTANT PAST
WITH THE POSSIBILITIES OF
THE FUTURE. PHOTOGRAPHED
BY PAT LYTTLE.

RIGHT  JAPANESE
ILLUSTRATOR SAKIZOU
IS FAMOUS FOR ELEGANT
COSTUME DESIGNS. THIS
COSPLAY IS BASED ON
AN ORIGINAL SAKIZOU
ILLUSTRATION THAT BLENDS
THE FASHIONS AND FABRIC
CHOICES OF VERSAILLES AND
TODAY. PHOTOGRAPHED BY
MARTIN WONG.
 158 acknowledgements
The publishers would like to thank the
following sources for their
kind permission to reproduce the
pictures in this book.

Joseph Chi Lin; Michael Ooi Photography; ©

Nicole Ciarmella; © Martin Wong; © Judith
Stephens; Michael Stewart/WireImage/Getty
Images; Private Collection; Eleventhphotograph.
com; Tolga Akmen/Anadolu Agenc/Getty
Images; Black Rabbit Photography/Thomas
Kuan; © Mineralblu Photography; © Pugoffka;
© Big White Bazooka Photography/bazooka.
com; © Jason Tablante; © Altug Isler; ©
Benny Lee; Guy Bell/Rex Features; © Anna
Fischer; Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images; Neilson
Barnard/Getty Images; © Matthew Chattle/
 Alamy; Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images; Dan
Kitwood/Getty Images; © Tommy Bruce; Pat
Lyttle/Getty Images

Every effort has been made to acknowledge

correctly and contact the source and/or
copyright holder of each picture and Carlton
Books Limited apologises for any unintentional
errors or omissions, which will be corrected in
future editions of this book.
     l
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