#(I have to admit: as a cosplayer it is entertaining to write about cosplay from someone not involved in the hobby!)

[more-than-a-princess]

There was, Sonia often noticed, an air of discontent around Hope's Peak frequently. Whether it was stress, or a competitive edge taken too far, or resentment, the latter often emanating off the students in matching black uniforms who attend the Reserve Course option. It wasn't what she'd hoped a normal school would be, especially a normal Japanese school that was something right out of her favorite dramas, right down to the cafeteria and class trips. She'd hoped for happier students, not just ones with big dreams and the pressure to perform well as teenagers in very rigid disciplines.

Tsumugi Shirogane, then, seemed to defy such standards. She opened the door to her lab with genuine cheer and in turn, it put Sonia's nerves at ease too. It was far less anxiety-inducing to give a speech at a formal banquet discussing royal initiatives than it was becoming acquainted with her fellow, normal students. It was easy for her, in many ways, to be a princess and far more difficult for her to be a person, no matter how much she tried.

"Hello, Shirogane-san!" She beamed, nodding. "Thank you very much for your kind invitation. I am happy to have come to visit you." A bit formal, but it seemed rude to insinuate that with such an invitation, it was the obvious choice to take her up on her offer. The last thing Sonia wished to do was create animosity amongst herself and her peers, especially from misunderstandings of words, tones, and phrases. She encountered such things enough to the point that she either made a fool of herself, or she was considered to be haughty. The former was embarrassing for her family and country, and the latter she tried to combat as much as possible even before she opened her mouth. Even if she wasn't wearing a tiara, she felt its weight no matter where she went.

Though perhaps in an assumption that was far too forward, she did guess that Tsumugi was going to invite her into her lab. To Sonia, they were a mix of a personal bedroom space combined with an office: a place to work but heavily personalized. Her own lab had been designed by her parents' favored architect two months before her arrival on campus and coordinated with the dormitory said architect had also designed: replicas of antique furniture, framed portraits, fresh flowers, silk furnishings, and the same sage green walls that decorated Novoselic Castle. If she ever thought she'd escape the greens, silvers, and golds of her ancestral home while being thousands of kilometers away, she'd been wrong.

So it was why, in part, that the small glimpse of Tsumugi's lab was so intriguing. From the little Sonia could see outside of her door, she spotted fabric in a variety of rainbow hues, a sewing machine with the makings of a garment being run through it, and plenty of other small accessories a proper tailor or sewist required. And that didn't include the other mediums that a cosplayer seemed to need: wigs, sheets of foam, plastic pellets, paints, makeup, and probably dozens of other things Sonia could need Tsumugi to explain to her.

"Goodness, your lab is so colorful!" She gasped, "It is like the private room of an atelier!" Except for the fact that Dior and Chanel didn't have wigs or foamboard and instead had glasses of champagne and tiny cakes and macarons to be consumed in-between couture fittings, it seemed like an accurate comparison. That was how Sonia obtained her garments at home: private visits to the top brands and workshops, facilitated by a stylist who knew her shapes, colors, and attire rules best. This, in contrast, was rather akin to a child let loose in a sweets shop with an empty bag and unlimited budget. "You must make so many dreams into reality in such a place. I would love to hear about it!"

Tsumugi's lab was silent other than the dull hum of a sewing machine and the occasional snip of her fabric scissors. Her fingers moved skillfully, quickly transforming plain fabric into the image in her head. She was pretty good at sewing, but it was a means to an end. Her true passion lay in what she could do with the finished product.

The title that Hope's Peak Academy had given her was accurate, but it didn't fully explain her. She was more than just the Ultimate Cosplayer. Through her, fiction could become real. With her skill for craft, she could turn a real person into a canvas. No. A vessel. Fiction could walk the halls of reality by her own hand.

Her hands stopped. For as much as she tried to forget it, reality had a way of encroaching upon her world. Her mind wandered to Sonia Nevermind. It was certainly bold of the cosplayer to ask after her out of nowhere, but she couldn't help herself. She'd noticed the princess looking at her a few times. Tsumugi wasn't accustomed to being noticed by other people. It always stuck out in her head when someone did. In the rare event someone noticed her, it either meant they had some problem with her, or they were interested in cosplay.

It was probably wishful thinking, but... She couldn't help but imagine the possibilities. Sonia was naturally beautiful, and could probably do justice to a lot of characters if she wanted to. If she really was interested... There was no chance an actual princess would disrespect a character in the name of standing out. She already stood out more than most people in her normal life.

Still, she doubted. Surely someone as important as a princess wouldn't be interested, right? Tsumugi leaned back in her chair, her eyes leaving the outfit she had been working on and staring off into a boundless nowhere.

Such things didn't happen in reality, did they? A beautiful foreign princess being interested in cosplay? It sounded like a light novel plot. She had no idea what time it was, but surely Sonia had just laughed at her invitation and threw it away, right?

As if on queue, she heard a knock on her door, and Sonia's voice. Derealization. This couldn't be happening in real life, right?

She took a deep breath, pulling herself together. Real or not, this was happening. She stood from her seat and opened the door. It was really her.

"Sonia-senpai! You came!"

[godoftrashandmisfortune]

So, I watched the Death Note movie.

I have an unpopular opinion for you: I actually liked it.

Now, before you jump to my throat with this, hear me out for a sec.

I’m a huge DN fan, as you probably know if you’ve been following me for a while. I’ve read the manga and watched the anime several times and in several languages. I’ve watched about every live adaptation, including fan-made material. I cosplay. I write fan fic and opinion essays. I draw fan art. I roleplay. Blah, blah, blah.

So yes, I take my shit quite seriously, and I could hardly explain how much DN has changed my life. Then why the hell did I like Netflix’s adaptation?

1)    I knew, from the very moment I found out Netflix would make an American adaptation, that it wouldn’t be really Death Note. It’s miraculous enough that Ryuk and the Death Note exist at all. Yes, I was pissed at the beginning, but I decided I wouldn’t watch this movie as a hardcore fan, but as a regular person watching just any film. Guys, we all knew it wouldn’t be loyal to the source material. That doesn’t make it into a terrible movie by itself. Just… don’t think about it as an adaptation, but as a completely different story with vaguely similar character names.

2)    And that’s actually alright, given that Netflix never meant to target us unconditional DN lovers. The creators knew we’d all watch it, at least to properly hate it, anyway. This movie is aimed at people who probably never got in deep touch with the series before and are just looking for some entertainment. So yes, the plot has been twisted beyond reason, but you should at least admit that, if you all weren’t DN fans, you would’ve found it interesting, to say the least.

3)    N’s DN is a gross, unforgiveable White-wash, and we can all agree on that. But in terms of business, the decision wasn’t all that bad. I’ll take my mother as an example here. I tried to introduce her to the series before, several times. But ever since her lil’ girl became this weird weeb writing now, she sort of rejects anime and Japanese culture in general (I know. She’s a monster. She’s also a racist, a homophobe and damn I could keep on going forever. Unfortunately, there are lots of people like here out there). However, when I told her Netflix would make a live, American adaptation, she was actually thrilled. “Now that it’s not all cartoonish I can actually enjoy the story!”, she said. Be honest: how many people out there reject anime without even giving it a try, just because it’s “Japanese cartoons” and it’s “weird”? N’s DN is WhiteTM trash. But it’s still a good business. Sorry.

4)    About characterization:

Light Turner. Edgy as fuck? Overreacting? Take a chill pill? What the hell happened to cunning, sociopathic prodigy Light Yagami? “This isn’t good. I actually like him”, said a friend of mine while watching the movie. God, I was upset. This isn’t the Light we all wanted so bad to see at all.

Or is he? That ending, for Kira’s sake. Friendly reminder that Light Turner cold-bloodedly wrote Mia Sutton’s name on the Death Note, and even specified how she, while falling to her death, would rip that one page from the Note, which would eventually be burnt down. He literally sacrificed Mia to save himself and even planned a few days ahead so he’d brush off the police’s suspicions and get the Note back in one shot. All of it written in detail in the Death Note, everything executed with impeccable acting skills to match his smarts. He fooled Mia into believing him to be that naïve, way-too-emotional boy, to the bitter end. He looked at her in the eyes with devastation as she fell to the death he had staged for her. If that’s not the sociopathic manipulative piece of crap we all know and love, then I don’t know what it is. And if he managed to pull that off, then I can’t say for sure he didn’t pretend to be a naïve, stupid boy from the very beginning. As to Nat Wolff’s abilities as an actor, I think he did an amazing job with what he was given. He’s super expressive, and managed to bring to life a very complex character.

Mia Sutton. Bitch! Manipulative as fuck. What the actual hell. But! Misa Amane had always been reckless when it came to using her power as the Second Kira. She makes rash decisions and cares little about anything and anyone, herself included. Also, she’s ready to do anything, and kill anyone, to get Light’s attention and monopolize him. It’s only natural that Mia doesn’t quietly sit and watch while the Light Turner she fell for fades away, because Misa would do something about it. You all guys said you were pissed at Misa for being so stupid, then why hate Mia? In the end, she remained true to Light. She loved him for real. And the only reason why she snatched the Note from him: because that was what Light specified she’d do! It wasn’t even a choice to begin with.

Have you ever wondered if, only maybe, ever since Mia suggested that they changed the world together, Light has been thinking of ways to get rid of her? I believe he manipulated her through and through, just as he fooled us all. I believed he wanted Mia to underestimate him. He wanted it all to culminate in her death, without ever looking like the bad guy himself (quite a Light Yagami thing to do, in my opinion). That’s why I think Ohba and Obata said they loved the adaptation; because they could see beyond the façade, while we all easily fell for it.

L. I have no words here. Lakeith Stanfield did a superb job at portraying L with all his quirky habits and characteristic speech, plus that more childish, Watari-deprived side of L we don’t get to see very often in the original series. Not to mention that perfect Japanese! In addition, the fact that the most intelligent character in the story, and one of the main and most loved parts, was given to a black actor is amazing. This deserves our approval. Stanfield’s job is about the only thing about N’s DN we can all agree was a good decision.

Watari. The only thing that pissed me off is that his name was actually just Watari. Otherwise, I freaking loved the man.

Ryuk. Superb. No negative comments whatsoever. Awesome choice of actors. Acceptable animation. All in all, that’s some good shit.

5)   About the movie as a cinematographic piece: It was quite good. The choice of music was excellent. In regards to lighting, color contrast, angles and shots, beautiful. Special effects were quite alright, and all in all it was very harmonic, visually-wise. And it sort of managed to compress lots of context in an hour and a half in a logical way. Some moments, like Light creepily walking into the dim-lit dining room or rolling his eyes white into their sockets will never leave my mind.

There’s much more I didn’t cover in this post, so if you find any holes in my arguments or have further doubts on topics I haven’t talked about, please get in touch with me, so we can properly discuss it.

Well, if this hasn’t been enough to convince you, feel free to keep on hating N’s DN. You can also clog my inbox with anon hate or tell me I’m an idiotic whiteTM trash for defending this piece of crap. I just needed to state my opinion. Who knows, I might have changed your perspective on the whole subject for the better.

By the way, the cosplayers on the picture above are @lassieonvalium as Light and me as L.

[yesyunniechan]

Birthday Letters [Yes, September]

Last night I went out to check post without having any hopes whatsoever, but the post did REALLY surprise me. I got not one, not two, but THREE letters! ;_;

Under cut there are... the familiar checkerboard carpet (because Yunnie makes every photo on this carpet and this carpet is familiar to everybody who clicked on ‘for me’ tag), shaky photos (because I can’t make photos, I just CAN NOT), screams (because I love everybody) and ‘I will never share letters because too personal uvu’ 

Also I didn’t have a photoshop or SAI or anything decent so I hid addresses like an idiot, forgive me for that :”D

I received three letters: from @placebogirl7, @pixlokita and from @xxunicorn-rosexx! 

You have no idea how happy I was...

(Yes Paint Censor is Terrible and I fully admit this crime)

Two letters had the address on them

And the third was MYSTERIOUS \o/

At first I opened the big white letter and it was from @xxunicorn-rosexx 

I must say... I cried. I’m sorry that I won’t shout as I usually do, but man, that touched my heartstrings hard and I read it with teary eyes. Understanding that stuff I do created an impact on somebody... that was... an unforgettable experience. I’m just a translator, not a mangaka, artist or writer and I always thought of myself as more of a... ‘service job’. You know, in job-hunting sites ‘translator’ is usually at ‘administrative personnel’..

I won’t share the letter as it is personal, but 

Thank you for sharing this with me...

Thank you for telling about yourself and about the impact DC had on you and... that I also helped. 

Seeing that my work actually not just entertained people, not just gave those who are impatient to see what’s next but made... a change. That was... something. God. 

And your drawing was so adorable ;v;

And here even people who can’t see the letter because PRIVACY can see how wonderful Hailey’s handwriting is. It was such a pleasure to read :)

Fun fact: I was at call with my boyfriend and I enlarged a video call to show the awesomest way to write the letter ‘F’ I ever seen. Yes, this is nerdy. And probably not appropriate in a comment to a birthday letter... but this looked so cool!!

Ahem ^^’

The second white letter had another letter inside!

With a dog sticker, how adorable ;v;

When I looked at this letter, I had a feeling that... ‘hey, dog sticker, where did I heard that... Where... Somebody... Mentioned... Could it be?!’

And I opened this small letter

And it was indeed my wonderful friend @pixlokita, the little cherub of the fandom that has incredible ideas for AUs, talented and extremely kind! ;v;

When I saw it, I kyaad

Awww ;v;

Look at this Conan

And at the effort went into this

THE DETAILS

IT SHINEY

O M G

Thank you so much ;v;

I will never get tired of saying that my friends in this fandom are AWESOME!

As I always share, Pixlokita’s art:

https://pixlokita.tumblr.com/tagged/my%20art

If you don’t follow her yet, go follow her!

And I’m so glad the Houston flood didn’t affect her ;_; My heart fell a little when I saw ‘Houston’ and I checked whether she’s okay and she was THANK GOD. 

And then I opened a MYSTERY letter... And I just ‘WOAAHHH THOSE FLOWERS’

Okay, yes, I suck at censoring at Paint, yes. Don’t look at my fail censoring, look at the FLOWERS.

It looks so good at first I thought it was printed! I can’t even imagine the effort went into this... 

As for the letter itself, it was from  my dear friend @placebogirl7​, fellow redstarling officer, to whom I translated a lot of Akai and Jodie stuff and I loved every bit of it (YES EVEN THOSE TERRIBLY COMPLICATED YES YES XD)

Martina was my friend from when I only appeared in the fandom and she supported me in a lot of troubled times. I’m proud of calling her my friend ;v;

She’s really good cosplayer and cosplayed as Jodie (https://blackstone707.deviantart.com/art/Jodie-Starling-cosplay-Lucca-Comics-2016-672978200), but I NEVER KNEW SHE IS SO TALENTED AT DRAWING 

At first I thought it was printed again, but then I noticed pencil lines and just ‘WOAHHH’ :”D

She’s really talented and she had commissions open right now!

https://blackstone707.deviantart.com/journal/Commissions-Open-694997490

So I want to thank you all for making such a wonderful gift for me. I hope I’m still able not to disappoint you and help you. I’m sorry that a lot of terrible stuff happened and I had to close anon messages and kind of disappeared for some time. This made my day, made my birthday and made me feel that I really help.

Although all the queen jokes, I’m ridiculously insecure and this gives me confidence to continue and warms my heart ;v;

Thank you!

[squeemcsquee]

Anime Zap 2020: Friday

This year’s write-up of Anime Zap will be a little different than the last couple of years. I’m still trying to do day-by-day entries but they’re going to be more impressionistic, I think, rather than blow-by-blows. We’ll see.

And why the (possible - (Sat/Sun haven’t been written yet!) - changes?

For one thing, oddly, I seem to have lost my program and I failed to screenshot the schedule. In my defense, I didn’t realize they were going to yank it from the website before Sunday’s events ended  - that had never happened before! And it’s possible @lechevaliermalfet or @shbumi or someone has a spare copy of the guide. But seriously, my con bag had detritus from ACen 2019, Anime Iowa 2019, and QuadCon Peoria Halloween 2019 and yet not my Zap program? WTF?! 

For those curious, the con bag detritus included chibi art I’d bought, Fate/Grand Order tour stuff/advertising cards/general con supplies - and it still hasn’t been cleaned out..

Anyway, it’s hard to jog my memory when I don’t have something easy to refer to - though I’ll admit, it only would have been partially helpful. 

Secondly, this wasn’t my best con, mental-health wise. For whatever reason, my anxiety was at higher levels than normal during what is - for me - normally a fairly low-key convention. So, I’ve been a bit more reluctant to re-visit it. No fault of the con’s, but is what it is.

But I didn’t want to avoid writing about it entirely, because there were some fun hijinks to be had.

So let’s dive in!

Friday As usual, the start of con was a ghost town.

We got to Zap just after Opening Ceremonies started - we walked in while they were discussing the rules and expectations of the con. Opening Ceremonies this year were brief, though 3 of the 5 guests were there: Chuck Huber, Greg Ayres, and Quinton Flynn. Samurai Dan and Lady Jillian were also guests, but would be arriving Saturday. We were all informed that the online schedules would be up-to-date as the paper ones were made before Dan & Jillian were booked. Quinton Flynn and one of the con staffers goofed off a bit making shadow puppets against the projector, and then Ceremonies ended.

Off we went to the dealer hall to kill time until Quinton Flynn's first panel of the weekend. Wow. Okay, this was an improvement. No more artists in the hallway, with views of the tables being blocked by lines and the tables themselves crowding the halls. They had combined the old dealer room with the ballroom next to it and hooray for space! Much nicer browsing experience.

Snapped some cosplay pics, then off to the panel. I am not as familiar with Flynn's body of work but he is a very entertaining individual. Very animated, very jovial.

Then, Greg Ayres. I feel I've said what I can say about Greg in the past, since he’s a staple at Zap: We love his panels; we love his work; he’s a decent guy. 

Dinner was at Steak’n’Shake before it went from “crowded” to “hellish”. It was actually our only meal there that weekend. Our poor waiter was run ragged. They ran out of cheese sauce. It was only Friday, and still standard dinner hour at that - I felt super bad for them. 

Grabbed a jewelry blind box from a vendor with mixed results. Attended a panel that I legit cannot recall what it was. Explored the game rooms and got my butt kicked by @lechevaliermalfet​ in a Fate fighting game. We also grabbed free She-Ra posters. 

@lechevaliermalfet got his autographs from Quinton Flynn. I noticed that there was a nice new sign for the autograph line. 

Oh, and I got my 18+ wristband for the weekend, but it didn’t get any use. :( We didn’t find any that caught our eye Friday night or Saturday. 

All of Anime Zap 2020 Coverage

Cosplayers of Anime Zap 2020

Friday write-up

Saturday write-up

Sunday write-up

[hikarimitsuko]

Middle of the night thoughts

What I realized was...it’s not my nickname that made me feel this bad... Actually it does make me feel bad...BUT not as much as getting rid of it...So perhaps my name will change some day...or maybe not. I’m indeed sad and affected by the fact that I deleted my instagram after 4 years of working hard on building an audience...but said audience of 12k people were ghosts and mainly inactive towards anything I post. Not to whine...nothing like that, the world doesn’t owe me anything...but I do not like wasting my time or speaking in the void. I do feel bad about the fact that some of my followers were following me and encouraging me since the very start and I will definitely be nostalgic for that part and for those amazing people. Hopefully they’ll find me elsewhere.

I’ve been realizing since about a year ago that whatever I tried, to change my style, to cosplay new things, to post some art, to join new networks that would touch more people who could be interested in what I do, I realized that in the end...it’s internet people. They are not friends, never will be. I’m realistic, people follow/followed me for Levi. And anytime I’d try to do something else as well, the difference in interaction was beyond bearable. Now I never wanted to stop cosplaying Levi, but this sort of situation sort of pushed me away from him. The last few times I’ve been him, I had absolutely no fun doing him. 

I think also the cosplay community has changed alot in 4 years. Not only that but there is alot of SJWs now and it’s making the community toxic... Cosplay used to be fun. I will still be doing it on my own but low profile. I will post my pics as posts but if anyone wants to see all my pics they will have to go to my fb page as this is more of a closed space where I can easily deal with toxic people and don’t really care as much if it produces absolutely no reaction.

Some will say...oh she’s still in depression. Well no, actually I’ve been off antidepressants for two weeks... and withdrawal is very bad, like VERY VERY BAD, but I know I can make it. I know I can feel good and happy once I work on things that don’t make me happy anymore.  I always said: when cosplay will stop making me happy, I will stop.

It’s not really the case. I love cosplaying...but I just don’t like to do it for an audience anymore. Especially an audience that is 80% ghosts. Sometimes I wonder what steps I took that were wrong or what I could’ve done differently. Of course you compare yourself as a cosplayer and sometimes seeing people who would put about the same effort as you and started waaaay after you did or even some people who didn’t put any effort at all get so much feedback on their stuff while I was sitting there wondering if what I did was worth sharing or not. Guess insecurity, anxiety and need for validation do that, but I won’t excuse myself for being how I am.

I stopped being excited about sharing photos (photography is one of my main passions so that’s very bad)... And I started feeling like conventions didn’t give me that feeling they used to. It started feeling fake and forced and...it started feeling like a competition all the time. Without even noticing I started comparing myself and finding flaws after flaws in my things...so much that I began to hate most of my cosplays.

As you know, all of this is expensive, it’s expensive to maintain and I tried really hard to keep it going because god knows I love to cosplay...I tried ko-fi, I tried patreon, I tried commissions, I tried tutorials, I tried plenty of things...but it simply didn’t work. I know some people go ebegging all the time but frankly it gets on my nerves so I never intended on making people access my stuff for a price. I always loved seeing people smile and appreciate what I do. A simple thumbs up would make my day, but all these were gone after a while... While my wallet was getting emptier as I kept on going.

I’ll always love cosplay...but I’ll keep it for me. I’ll do it for me. I’ve been cleaning up the 40k pics I have of cosplays. And you know what? I know I did a good job. That’s all that matters. I don’t need anyone’s input on that because most of them are just pixels on a screen looking for easy and free entertainment (which is fine), but I expected too much. I didn’t want people to lurk, I wanted people to interact.  In the past few days I needed help, still do but I’m done asking for any so don’t bother... And out of the approximate 18k persons following me around all social networks i’m in...do you know who helped me? 3 people.

@kozumesenpaii My closest friend. 

@angelica200555 One of my most faithful followers since a long long LONG time ago and an angel

And another person who just started following me.

I know...I know that the world owes me nothing. But you’d think after 4 years of doing this...someone would care enough to offer a 3$ ko-fi. But no.

It’s fine, it’s totally fine I’m not mad (anymore cause i have to admit I was mad when I was panicking about not getting a fucking paycheck this week)... But it did make me realize that....like Max says...it’s only internet people, they don’t care.

It makes way more sense now. And I’ve accepted that. I’m in peace with it. Yesterday was a revelation. I guess I needed something to kick my ass to actually finally make a move. Deleting my instagram made me sad...and once I saw ‘’permanently deleted’’ appear... I immediately cried for 15 minutes.... It took me so long to build this. I’ve loved this so much. But I’ve loved a dream, I’ve loved a bubble and it’s been burst for a while.

Now I will love it differently. I will love cosplay/anime/art and whatever else only for me. I will post but only if I want to.

I will maybe write more fanfics or one shots if I feel like it... I do feel confident about my writing in fanfics but I don’t want to go around parading and promoting the shit out of it. They’re little hidden AO3 treasures that ereri and klance fans might stumble upon and fall in love with.

I will not censure myself either for the sake of having ‘’followers’’ that might not like what I do... I’m done living for people. I’m still not sure about name changing my stuff because my youtube and facebook pages are still under hikarimitsuko and I am keeping these so don’t you worry about that. I re-changed my tumblr and twitter back to hikari but if it makes me feel bad, i’ll just find something else later on. I changed my twitch username without noticing u have to wait 60 days to change it again so if you are looking for hikarimitsuko on twitch...it’s actually ephemere87...for the next 60 days...lol...I’ll probably change it back to hika.

SO hum I guess I wanna say thank you to those who followed me so long and kept believing in me even when I was deep in depression. I know it wasn’t always easy to read my posts because I have very negative phases towards myself...but I try to stay away as much as possible when it happens. Thanks to those who cared no matter what. Thanks to those who get genuinely worried about me. My final request would be : IF YOU ARE A GHOST FOLLOWER, PLEASE, unfollow me.

PS: For future references, I will be posting videos of ALL my cosplays on youtube eventually as compilations. Pretty sure Levi’s will last half an hour or longer lol...But anyways... I keep my youtube too for CMVs and such if the inspiration strikes.

Plan - without timeline:

-Deadpool and spidey skit (with max) - youtube

-Costest of Viktor Nikiforov (gotta style the wig) - on here and facebook

-Cosplay Keith Kogane (when I feel like it) - on here and facebook.

Thank you for these 4 years! It’s not over.

[animenicolesmith]

Some girl was being really mean to me in a Facebook group but then one of her not great posts got turned into a copypasta and I Feel Glorious about it. AND she got called out for nonstop self promotion bc she just posts her selfies all the time even tho it says no in the group rules \m/ I am not here for girls hating on other girls, I am not here for slutshaming! like you were at the same con I was why you didn't call me a ho to my face? If my appearance was that offensive to you, you should have said something chica. We could have talked it out, I could have explained a few things to you about body positivity and why women need to support each other instead of trying to tear each other down for the entertainment of men. The cosplay community is SO catty it's just ridiculous. Also there are people really trying to say my cosplay was lazy and inaccurate? Where? Show me the inaccuracy??? I took the time to paint the little grommets on my shoes so I wouldn't risk being inaccurate. I will admit I want to do another draft on the horns, I think they came out a little too long but I was working off screen shots at the time and they need 2 be more consistent with the horn lengths okay. Some random dude on twitter actually made a whole little comparison photo compilation of me next to Lucoa showing exactly how accurate I was like ??? People were saying "she doesn't have the right shirt" At the time the 6th episode hadn't even been out for 3 days!! It came out Wednesday, I took those pictures Friday!!! What do y'all want from me I sew by hand and do not have a car to go to the fabric store on a whim! I can't just churn out a new costume overnight, I wish I could. Also I really hate it when people just entirely write off all the work Jessica Nigri does because of the way she looks. That's the number one thing I keep getting compared to and like... No. Girl works HORD. I mean okay yes I don't love everything she's done (the rick cosplay lmao) but if you pay no attention to her artistry and just stare at her tits, that's on you. You're the thot. You make a full set of glowing body armor, then we'll talk. She's beautiful and talented and I am not here for her haters. She's also been really nice the two times I've interacted with her (even though one time time I was spaced out and almost ignored her), I was dressed as super sonico, my first ever cosplay attempt, a couple of years ago at katsu and she ran up to idiot baby cosplayer me across the lobby all excited like "Sonico!!!" even though my cosplay was objectively TERRIBLE. She's positive despite all the hate she gets and I think it's really admirable.

[ocibojevena]

Is Cosplay an Absurd Fantasy Or Creative Self-Expression?

Is usually cosplay a cool activity to hone imaginative self-expression or perhaps a nerdy and pricey solution to escape pressures regarding the world? Is to do an individual care either way?

CosPlay 101 for the oblivious and misinformed

What the particular heck is CosPlay? Seems like a new online video game or a new Facebook applications such as Farmville to you personally? Well, simply no. CosPlay is really a combo of two words: "Costume" and "Roleplay. " Therefore, a new Cosplayer is really a geeky, not necessarily necessarily good-looking somebody who else assumes the role of a character from a great anime show, a movie game, comics, manga, comedian series, movies or TV SET series. These cosplayers step into the shoes associated with the characters that have inspired them or they consider is actually cool and backup their costumes, prosthetics, cosmetic makeup products, hair and uber-cool add-ons. Here's what really astonished me, cosplayers not simply need to look like character types, they have to act like, sound like and fundamentally become the characters they represent into the last giggle.

There is this issue between cosplay elders regarding how and when this interpersonal phenomenon really started. However , they appear to acknowledge one thing - the particular origin in the word Cosplay. Most of the parents agree that the reporter Noboyuki Takahashi, first gave the phrase in the article "My Anime, " following attending the 1984 Planet Science Fiction Convention in addition to seeing lots of Trekkies (Star Trek fans) strutting their particular stuff. Following that, cosplay provides evolved into a subculture among enthusiasts of cartoons, manga, comics, movies in addition to basically everything fun in addition to fictional under the sunshine and elevated into an art form and subculture in various countries. Within the Philippines, the popularity of cosplay in addition has spiked in the last couple of years.

Cosplay and Typically the Modern Escapist

"I have got claimed that Escape will be one of the main capabilities of fairy-stories, and considering that I actually do not disapprove regarding them, it truly is plain that will I do not take the tone of disapproval or pity with which 'Escape' is now thus often used. Why exactly should a man be scorned when, finding himself in penitentiary, he tries to acquire out and go residence? Or if he are unable to do so, he considers and talks about some other subject areas than jailers plus prison-walls? " -- L. R. R. Tolkien--

Now i'm no card-carrying psychologist or even sociologist, but I could tell you roughly around the observations I made of which cosplay is now portion of the modern fantasy. Mr. Webster defines escapism as the habitual diversion of the mind to be able to purely imaginative activity or perhaps entertainment as an avoid from reality or routine.

I'm sure you can acknowledge that the world in which we live is full of stress, threats, constant noises, irritating soap operas, harmful fast-food junks, dizzying advertisements, and overnight facebooking. Therefore, we all need to escape - to redouble our attention on items enjoyable or enjoyable, since opposed to the difficult realities of the daily world. While we are stressed we all want nothing more compared to escapism, and cosplay definitely offers that for other folks.

It is nice to be able to add a bit of dream to an otherwise dull or stressful world. But, translating someone's fantasy directly into reality can be challenging. I how to start if moms and dads should really be concerned concerning their teens' expressing sturdy desire to reside in fantasy regarding anime, perhaps they will should consider that since healthy and part of today's social reality. In addition to that the desire in order to 'escape' is part associated with the complicated process of discovering ourselves. I believe we are all escapist in various ways.

This will be where I acquired myself in to the most trouble-of-judgement. I actually failed both to comprehend just how important the notion of escape is to several cosplayers and also to clarify the particular specific form of escape I actually was addressing. I admit that many Filipinos currently participate in cosplay not necessarily mainly to avoid their particular own personal wars these kinds of as their jobs, human relationships, school pressure and additional life hassles, but somewhat to have fun, contend, and even make the living. Visit: uniquerings

The Magical Planet of the Rhapsodist

"Harry goes off into this specific magical world, and is it any better as compared to the world he's left? Only because he fulfills nicer people. Magic would not make his world far better significantly. The relationships make his world better. Miracle in many ways complicates his life. " --J. K. Rowling--

Is right now there a difference between healthful and unhealthy escapism? In the present reality, we cannot carry out our ancestor's way regarding escapism - which is usually telling stories around the particular fire or do creating on the caves. We have now escape the woes worldwide by reading books, observing soap operas and videos, browsing the internet, writing a blog and so on etc.

As I said before, cosplay is actually a new in addition to modern type of escapism. In contrast to other varieties of escapism, cosplay is much more engaged. Other "characters" are straight playing in their marvelous world, interacting using their particular assumed personality. Events, these kinds of as regular conventions and gatherings, also occur in this new form of escapism which is directly dependent on the particular authors of the cartoons characters.

Fantasy Self and the Anime Globe

Therein causes the problems of the cosplayers. This is just my theory OK. The presumed character, which I will call the Fantasy Personal starts to rival the real world. Because of the large complexity and magic regarding the anime world, the Fantasy Self may always count on the cosplay since his or her sort of escapism. You will find a probability of which the Fantasy Self may treat the anime planet as a big section of the individual's real life and might dominate the real globe.

[lilyflufflovenaga]

Is usually Cosplay an Absurd Escapism Or Creative Self-Expression?

Is usually cosplay a cool activity to hone innovative self-expression or even a nerdy and pricey method to escape pressures regarding the world? And do an individual care either way?

CosPlay 101 for the unaware and misinformed

What typically the heck is CosPlay? Sounds like a new on-line video game or a new new Facebook software just like Farmville for you? Well, zero. CosPlay is actually a combo regarding two words: "Costume" and "Roleplay. " Therefore, the Cosplayer is really a geeky, not necessarily necessarily good-looking somebody who else assumes the role regarding a character from a great anime show, a movie game, comics, manga, comedian series, movies or TV SET series. These cosplayers action into the shoes regarding the characters who have motivated them or they think is actually cool and copy their costumes, prosthetics, makeup, hair and uber-cool add-ons. Here's what really astonished me, cosplayers not only have to look like characters, they have to behave like, sound like and fundamentally function as the characters they portray into the last chuckle.

There is this matter between cosplay elders concerning exactly how and when this sociable phenomenon really started. However , they seem to agree on one thing - typically the origin from the word Cosplay. Most of the elders agree that the journalist Noboyuki Takahashi, first coined the phrase in the content "My Anime, " following attending the 1984 World Science Fiction Convention plus seeing a lot of Trekkies (Star Trek fans) strutting their particular stuff. From there, cosplay has evolved into a subculture among enthusiasts of cartoons, manga, comics, movies and basically everything fun in addition to fictional under the sun and elevated into a great art form and subculture in various countries. In the Philippines, the recognition of cosplay has additionally spiked in the last couple of years.

Cosplay and The Modern Escapist

"I possess claimed that Escape is one of the primary capabilities of fairy-stories, and given that I do not disapprove regarding them, it is plain of which I do not acknowledge the tone of scorn or pity with which usually 'Escape' is now therefore often used. So why should a new man be scorned if, finding himself in jail, he tries to obtain out and go residence? Or if he are unable to do so, he thinks and talks about some other subject areas than jailers and prison-walls? " -- L. R. R. Tolkien--

Now i'm no card-carrying psychologist or perhaps sociologist, but I may tell you roughly on the observations I made that will cosplay is now part of the modern escapism. Mr. Webster defines fantasy as the habitual curve of the mind in order to purely imaginative activity or perhaps entertainment as an escape from reality or program.

I'm sure you can agree that the world through which we live is full of stress, threats, regular noise, irritating soap operas, harmful fast-food junks, dizzying advertisements, and overnight facebooking. Consequently, we all need to escape - to refocus our attention on things nice or enjoyable, since opposed to the tough realities of the daily world. While we are stressed we all want nothing more than escapism, and cosplay definitely offers that for others.

It is nice to add a bit of fantasy to an otherwise uninteresting or stressful world. But, translating someone's fantasy directly into reality can be challenging. I can't say for sure if mother and father should really be concerned about their teens' expressing sturdy desire to live in illusion associated with anime, perhaps they will should consider that since healthy and part associated with today's social reality. Plus that the desire to 'escape' is part of the complicated process of discovering ourselves. I think we are all rhapsodist in different ways. Visit: gothic ring

This is where I acquired myself directly into the most trouble-of-judgement. I actually failed both to know exactly how important the notion regarding escape is to numerous cosplayers and clarify the particular actual kind of escape We was addressing. I admit that many Filipinos currently participate in cosplay not necessarily mainly to avoid their own own personal wars this kind of as their jobs, human relationships, school pressure and additional life hassles, but somewhat to have fun, compete, and even make a new living.

The Magical Globe of the Rhapsodist

"Harry goes off into this specific magical world, and is it any better as compared to the world he's left? Only because he fulfills nicer people. Magic would not make his world much better significantly. The relationships make his world better. Wonder in many ways complicates his life. " --J. K. Rowling--

Is there a difference between healthful and unhealthy escapism? In the present reality, we cannot carry out our ancestor's way associated with escapism - which is usually telling stories around the particular fire or do composing on the caves. We have now escape the woes of the world by reading books, observing soap operas and videos, browsing the internet, writing a blog and so on etc.

As I said before, cosplay is a new plus modern sort of escapism. Unlike other varieties of escapism, cosplay is much more included. Other "characters" are immediately playing in their magical world, interacting using their particular assumed personality. Events, such as regular conventions in addition to gatherings, also occur in this particular new sort of escapism that may be directly dependent on the particular authors of the cartoons characters.

Fantasy Self in addition to the Anime Planet

In it causes the problems in the cosplayers. This is definitely our theory OK. The presumed character, which I will certainly call the Fantasy Self commences to rival typically the real world. As a result of sheer complexity and magic regarding the anime world, the Fantasy Self may always count on the cosplay since his or her sort of escapism. You will find a likelihood of which the Fantasy Self will treat the anime world as a huge area of the individuals real life and may possibly dominate the real world.

[comiconverse]

Hudson Valley Comic Con: A Different Kind of Con

ComiConverse contributor Linda Marie visited Hudson Valley Comic Con, a homey event where celebrity guests, creators, and fans could mingle.

Hudson Valley Comic Con: A Different Kind of Con

Hudson Valley Comic Con (HVCC), held May 6-7 in Poughkeepsie, NY, was a delight for local fans. This homey convention brought forth some surprises while also providing a traditional comic con experience. Rather than focusing on any one area during HVCC, I meandered, taking in the spectacle with the eyes of a fan. I walked, talked, listened, and observed. From celebrity guests and fans to merchants and creators, I met some fascinating and inspiring people. I kept my expectations to a minimum upon entering this cozy convention but, I must admit, sometimes size doesn’t matter.

Fans lined up to get into Hudson valley Comic Con. Credit: Heroes Unlimited

 Homey Hudson Valley

As soon as you enter the convention floor, you can’t help but smile. Why? The floor. HVCC was held on a turf field inside a Gold’s Gym and the surface made you feel like you were walking on air! I know that sounds silly, but anyone who has spent hours on their feet at a comic con knows the importance of comfort. When your feet are happy, you are happy. It almost made me forget about the less than stellar Wi-Fi connection. The upside to a lack of technological connectivity? People talked to each other. It made for a much more intimate setting as con-goers engaged with what was around them. The only time phones came out was to snap a picture.

Ming Chen poses with the ladies of Superheroes Unlimited. Credit: Superheroes Unlimited

 Magnificent Munchies

With all the running around, a fan can work up an appetite. This was an area where Hudson Valley Comic Con shone. The food was awesome! I tell people all the time that if I could change one thing about conventions, it would be the food. I want healthy options at affordable prices. Fans pay lots of money to obtain experiences, artwork, and memorabilia; they deserve to be properly fueled throughout the day without breaking the bank. Thankfully HVCC offered everything from tasty wraps and gyros to Asian noodles and herbal teas at surprisingly minimal cost. My personal favorites were the empanadas served from a food truck just outside the con entrance, The Empanada Sonata. Absolutely delicious! Another special mention must go to Quigley’s Cakes, a yummy fandom decorated treat that hit the sweet spot.

Tasty fandom treats at Hudson Valley Comic Con courtesy of Quigley’s cakes. Credit: Linda Marie

Gracious Guests

I am always pleased to see new and familiar guests at a convention. Hudson Valley Comic Con featured an array of fandom favorites. Ming Chen from the AMC hit TV show Comic Book Men, season 3 Face Off reality star Nicole Chilelli, Power Rangers alumni Johnny Yong Bosch and Barbara Goodson, The Last Dragon’s Taimak, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s Patricia Quinn were just a few headliners.

Spending time with the ever-charismatic Ming Chen is never dull. Fans were even able to interact with and observe Ming in podcasting action with friend and fellow pod-master DW from Earplug Podcast during the HVCC event. The guys also held a fun and informative Q&A specifically designed to help fans wanting to break into the podcasting realm.

Ming Chen and DW interact with aspiring podcasters at Hudson Valley Comic Con. Credit: Linda Marie

For those seeking the best in make-up transformation, guest Ms. Nicole Chilelli  was on hand working her magic. Fans watched in wonder as she put her skills on display in changing a handsome guy into a frightening zombie right before your eyes. It’s easy to see why she was chosen as the season 3 winner of Face Off. To learn more about Nicole, check out her interview during Hudson Valley Comic Con on Earplug Podcast.

Nicole Chilelli shows her skills at Hudson Valley Comic Con. Credit: Linda Marie

After absorbing some of the action on the Main Floor, I decided to sit in on The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers panel. Having interviewed Jason David Frank (JDF) back in March, I now had a bit of Power Ranger knowledge under my belt. To my delight, Black Ranger Johnny Yong Bosch shared great stories about him and JDF working on set, hanging out, and making crazy dares. From JDF falling on his face to Johnny wind-surfacing atop a moving vehicle, it was clear that these guys were loving life.

Blast from the past. Power Rangers featuring Jason David Frank and Johnny Yong Bosch. Credit: womenofthe-90s.tumblr.com

All guests at HVCC seemed to enjoy interacting with their fans. In fact, upon Sunday’s entrance onto the convention floor, the ropes in front of the autographing area were taken down. I inquired as to why and was told that it was to make the guests more approachable to the fans. Often times fans get intimidated by barriers put between them and their favorite celebrity. Removing the ropes went a long way toward offering a relaxing atmosphere, it was like receiving a warm invitation to interact. I do recognize that this is not possible at all conventions, but it was a sweet gesture on Hudson Valley Comic Con’s part to show the fans some love.

 Creators, Cosplay, and Kids…Oh My!

I am a huge proponent of the creativity shown at all comic cons. I was thrilled to see some of my favorite artists as well as to meet new ones. Painting, writing, sketching, creating — these are the people who make a con special. Whether a guest or newcomer, they all have a story they wanted to share. Taking time to speak with the talented individuals that work so hard to bring bring your favorite characters to life is always a thrill.

True talent at Hudson Valley Comic Con – Eddie Avila, Rob Taylor, C.L. Schneider, JaCo Tartaruga. Credit: Linda Marie

I would like to give a special shout-out to fantasy writer C.L. Schneider who I had recently met at Big Apple Con. Her trilogy Crown of Stones has me hooked. I was halfway through the series by the time I met up with her at HVCC. It was so cool to actually speak with her about some of my favorite scenes and characters. Ms. Schneider has graciously agreed to an interview in the near future so keep an eye out for that!

Something else that took center stage at Hudson Valley Comic Con were the endless activities. An entire Kid Zone, complete with fandom workshops, helped to keep the little ones engaged and excited. There was even a Nerd Magician on the Main Floor Stage to amuse fans of any age. Of course one can’t talk about comic cons without mentioning the incredible cosplayers. So many elaborate costumes on display, it never ceases to impress.

Cosplay strong at Hudson Valley Comic Con! Credit: Linda Marie.

Wacky, Weird And Wonderful

One question I get asked a lot is: What do I love best about attending a comic convention (aside from the artwork)? Meeting people. All kinds of people from all walks of life meet at cons. I literally chat up everyone from celebrity guests and volunteers to artists and food vendors. The amount of inspiring, humorous, and sometimes dirty tales I hear could fill a book.

A perfect example of cool connections came while checking out the screen accurate replica of  Supernatural’s infamous Impala ‘Baby’, put on display by Experience Entertainment LLC. Experience Entertainment LLC is run by husband and wife team Jimmy and Kim LeMay. They filled me in on all the intricacies of the classic Impala (which they refer to as ‘Thor’), including stories of the Supernatural cast members signing and posing with the vehicle. We went on to discuss how heart-warming it is to watch as excited fans take photos with the car as well as with the display they had set up from Stranger Things and Harry Potter.

Exact replica of Supernatural’s infamous Impala, Baby – Experience Entertainment LLC. Credit: Linda Marie

Seeing people having so much fun gave me an idea. I asked the lovely LeMay couple permission to take a group shot of my misfit HVCC con-family in their Stranger Things set. Not only did they say yes, they were over-joyed to do it. I quickly gathered together two celebrity guests, a podcaster, a photographer, an artist, a merchant, a promoter, a writer and a zombie for what turned out to be one of my most cherished con moments ever! THIS is how you have fun at comic con.

Con-Misfits: JaCo Tartaruga (Artist), DW (Earplug Podcast), John Brightman (Brite Star Promotions), Linda Marie (ComiConverse), Buddy Beaudoin (Photographer), Ming Chen (Comic Book Men), Zombie, Nicole Chilelli (Face Off), Jimmy LeMay (Experience Entertainment LLC) Credit: Kim LeMay

Thank you Hudson Valley Comic Con for the great memories. Hope to see you all again next year!

Linda Marie is a contributor to ComiConverse. Find her on twitter: @LindaMw87

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