Cosplay Gen

How to Bring a Vocaloid to Life

Cyril Rictus — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:32:27 +0000

The Synthesized Rythm of a Costume
Article by Ruxandra Târcă

Vocaloid has already become a turning point not only in music as such, but also in cosplay. In a very short time, it succeeded in attracting the attention of so many cosplayers, that presently there is almost none without at least a version of a Vocaloid costume. Maybe the most interesting of its features is its limitless versatility and its power of perpetual transformation. Always elusive, just when one thinks it’s getting too boring to see the same Vocaloid outfits, suddenly a new version appears, emphasizing yet another facet of a character everyone considered done with. It’s not only a costume, but a whole universe that must be understood before completing each outfit, and such a universe is created for each of the already countless versions of Hatsune Miku, Gakupo, Luka or Kagamine Len.

Each Vocaloid can be regarded as a huge dollhouse, in which all the outfits are very well kept, and then taken out and worn one by one, in a never ending stream of stories. The concept itself has its own story, and Mr. Hiroyuki Itoh, CEO of Crypton Future Media, mother-company of Hatsune Miku and other Vocaloids, was kind enough to recount it for us. In his own words, Vocaloid was the name of artificial-voice technology and had no meaning of “singing character”. We put “personal appearance” on the package of Meiko, our first Vocaloid, for the first time in 2004 when we developed it and had a sales success for it. After that, we have been using “personal appearance” for Vocaloids we produce. However, YouTube had not been born yet when we released Meiko and Kaito. We started developing Hatsune Miku in early 2007 and had decided to use the voice of an Anime voice actress for the model of Miku because there are a lot of Anime fans in Japan and we thought the software with an actress’s voice would be accepted by them.

AKI as Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid, Secret Police version)
Photo by Jackal Yeung

AKI as SF-A2 miki (Vocaloid)
Photo by Jackal Yeung

AKI as Kagamine Rin (Vocaloid, Pretty Panties Aku-Marin version) // Photo by Biscuit

Paradoxically, in a world in which almost all media has become the target of a veritable copyright infringement paranoia, the element that contributed a lot to the development of Vocaloid and Vocaloid cosplay was the license policy adopted by Crypton, who understood the role of the fans in the spreading of this phenomenon. The Vocaloid fanbase is increasing worldwide, and for many it has become an outlet of creativity, whether by creating their own songs, illustrations or cosplay. In most cases, these elements are actually inter-related. Users of Vocaloid software synchronize the music they produce with illustrations and create videos, then upload them on video sharing sites such as Nico Nico Douga or YouTube. As Mr. Itoh recounts, in December 2007 a further step has been taken. We thought the illustrations of our characters would be necessary for music creators who make videos, so we launched a website called Piapro (piapro.jp) a platform for the music creators and illustrators to meet. Also, we made the copyrights for our characters open to illustrators, in order to allow them to use our characters, such as Hatsune Miku, for their creations. I think the number of Vocaloid cosplayers has increased because such creations on video sharing sites have spread around the world.

Perhaps what makes Vocaloid so special in comparison with other elements of Japanese contemporary culture is its perpetual changing in both characters, and universe alike. A Vocaloid is not a static character, with a given story and a fixed set of attributes, as in the case of many classic characters, such as those in manga or anime. A Vocaloid is in fact a process, and, as with any real artist, the virtual one also has a career, songs, stage performances, and personal life with ups and downs and its share of dramas and happy moments. And the most amazing fact is that nothing of these is scheduled beforehand, but all of them develop and unfold unpredictably, and the fans have a huge role in this development; no one knows what future holds for Miku – although virtual, she has a life of her own, and the fans and cosplayers alike will eagerly follow her along the way.

AKI as Meiko (Vocaloid)
Photo by Jackal Yeung

AKI as Meiko (Vocaloid, Sandplay Singing of the Dragon version) // Photo by Sidon

Hisui as Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid, Snow Miku 2012 version)
Photo by Biscuit

There are tons of Vocaloid versions and interpretations already released, and there will surely be other tons in the future too. Complexity is another incontestable trait of the entire Vocaloid universe, and the wide variety of choices is a blessing for any cosplayer: Sandplay Singing of the Dragon, Venomania, Magnet, Love is War, 1925 or Imitation Black – to name just a few.

Of course, different cosplayers like different Vocaloids for different reasons, a fact that once again underlines the complexity of the Vocaloid world. In order to make a more specific approach regarding various aspects of Vocaloid cosplay, I interviewed five different cosplayers, to have some “inside” opinions: Aki, Hisui, and Rina from Hong Kong, Kanasai from Singapore, and Lina Lau from London.

AKI as KAITO (Vocaloid)
Photo by Jackal Yeung

Aki prefers the official version of Kaito, and she made quite an interesting statement: she was not drawn to Vocaloid due to the songs or the beautiful artwork usually associated with the virtual characters, but due to the feeling of their belonging to one big happy family – It gave me a feeling of warmth when they interacted with each other, and I thought it was very cute! As for her particular preference for Kaito, she explains it within the same pattern: he seems to be the most kind and caring out of all of them, like he can become my friend. Although Kaito is the “big brother”, his personality is very adorable and he seems a little slow… and just like me, he has a strong preference and love for ice cream! I love him best because I feel there is a certain link between us.

Hisui as Megurine Luka
Photo by C.K.

Hisui prefers Luka in Magnet for her voice, and for her personality in that song, while Kanasai is attracted by far to Gakupo, not only because she is a fan of Gackt, but also because he has this maturity that translates into sexiness in some songs, and then silliness in other songs. I do find myself fitting into Vocaloid cosplay groups as the ‘resident’ Gakupo – namely because he is my favourite and my height and appearance helps a little; otherwise when going solo or in pair, I usually show interest in a variety of songs for many kinds of reasons.

Lina Lau as Kamui Gakupo (Vocaloid, Venomania version)
Photo by Shiroin

Gakupo is also the favourite Vocaloid of Lina Lau, but her reasons are slightly different: I think I have a slight propensity for long haired and slightly camp yet dorky characters too, and Gakupo fits the bill perfectly. I also tend to cosplay him since his look is one that suits my face and my feel more than some of the other Vocaloids. Gakupo is a fun Vocaloid because people don’t really take him very seriously most of the time. The very first PV I watched featuring him was Dancing Samurai, and that really cemented my love for him over the others. I am also especially drawn to historical and cultural settings in general, and since Gakupo’s image is loosely based on samurai themes, it immediately drew my attention. He appears to get a lot of historical makeovers as well, for example in Venomania where he gets Western treatment, so his character designs are always interesting.

Rina as Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid, Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA 2nd, Cute Miku version) // Photo by Leo

On the other hand, Rina prefers the cute Miku, although she rarely cosplays as her. She is also attracted to the Cantarella version, be it Miku or Kaito (although she cosplayed only as Kaito), due to both the lovely costumes and the mood of the song.

Choosing the right Vocaloid version to cosplay is also a pretty complex process, as there are several elements to be taken into account, depending on each cosplayer. For instance, Aki is more attracted to those versions where the hair looks quite different and special, such as the question mark shape on Miki’s head, or Miku’s giant curls in Secret Police, which she always finds funny to style. Also, another important factor is the song, along with the PV and the story behind.

In Lina’s opinion, the art of a successful Vocaloid cosplay lies in capturing the nuances between one version and another. Although the core character is basically the same, the difference in interpretation and personality is huge, from Miku in Secret Police to Miku in Cantarella; or from Gakupo in Venomania to Gakupo in Dancing Samurai. Given this wide range of options, research is an essential element for a good Vocaloid cosplay, and Lina also pays attention to it. First, she goes through the lyrics of the song and screencaps the PV, in order to feel what the original creators wanted to express; nevertheless, she doesn’t intent do recreate the PV or certain scenes, preferring a personal interpretation, which she always considers more interesting.

Still, beyond the visually attractive costumes and characters, music remains one of the main factors when choosing the right version to cosplay, and this is the case with Hisui, and Rina. Kanasai makes no exception, admitting that she tends to be more creative in a photoshoot when choosing songs she can relate to.

Is Vocaloid cosplay more special than other cosplays derived from manga, anime and games? Some would say it is, while some would argue that. In Aki’s words, Vocaloid has a wider influence and can encompass a greater range than normal anime, manga or games. Although Vocaloids originally are only a product associated with music, what is actually derived out of it is a lot more than just that; it includes manga, games, concerts and even stage productions. Hisui shares the same opinion, considering that Vocaloid has a very complete design, which includes also distinct personalities, and at the same time generates a lot of fan-work, be it art or fiction.

Rina as KAITO (Vocaloid, Venomania version)
Photo by Henry

Lina Lau as Kamui Gakupo (Vocaloid, Venomania version)
Photo by Shiroin

Kanasai as Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid, World’s End Dancehall version) // Photo by Kaze

On the other hand, while not considering Vocaloid cosplay rather special in comparison with other cosplays, Kanasai acknowledges its amazing power, given mainly by its direct connection to music. If everyone gives Vocaloid works a chance, they will find a song that they can relate to, sing along with, or get addicted to, regardless the reason.

Same thing goes for Lina, who approaches Vocaloid cosplay the same way she does for her other cosplays. Nonetheless, she still considers that Vocaloid cosplay provides a little more artistic freedom in the sense that you have less background information to work with, be it in terms of the story of a particular PV or the costumes themselves. I particularly like this since I like building up back stories and atmosphere, and the lack of specific boundaries gives me more license to play around with it. I enjoy putting in some personal interpretation when I plan my cosplays and photoshoots, and the Vocaloids are a perfect medium for that.

Hisui as Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid, Sakura Miku version)
Photo by ZMC

Kanasai as Kamui Gakupo (Vocaloid, Stray Girl In Her Lenses version)
Photo by Adrian Song

Vocaloid universe continues to be a veritable stream of creativity and originality, in a very direct and special relation with an ever-increasing fandom. And in this expanding universe, cosplay continues to be an essential element, promoting not only a beautiful character with an amazing costume chosen among other tens of similar characters with equally amazing costumes, but also the love and fascination for music itself.

Best on DA: volume 22

alina — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:38:25 +0000

Have you ever been so mad…about cosplay that you want to share every brilliant photo you came across? Well, we are. Sort of. Sometimes all you have to do is untie your sleeves and create something magnificent. Here’s the best on DA this week and come join us for tea..it’s always tea time here.

Fifth Guardian by densha-otoko

black-black butterfly by jokerofmanipulation

Zone-00 Kinuko Ibara 02 by Mm-miyoko

Trinity Blood. Ludwig II Cosplay by alberti

Zone-00 – Kitsho by miyoaldy

Adekan: Moving with the Wind by general-kuroru

Princess Mononoke: Legend of Ashitaka by cielroses

Adekan: Bird of paradise by Astarohime

Zone-00 05 by shuichimeryl

Yuzuriha Inori, Euterpe by UselessDevice

Sora the Poet by oShadowButterflyo

Unhappy REFRAIN by LennethXVII

RanMao by Wan-Mei

Fire Emblem Awakening – Tharja by ImMuze

Let The Madness Begin by Nattokun

Royalty Ice (Manuel D’Andrea) by LarsVanDrake

Drocell Cainz by Yukishir0

Fem Germany V by angriberen

Rei Ayanami: Evangelion III by AndyWana

Versailles no bara – Lady Oscar II by Hime-sOph

Boba Fett 8 by mykolascosplay

Esther Blanchett – Nice Glasses, Abel! by adelhaid

Sigmund – En Guarde by AmenoKitarou

Mononoke Hime 3 by chuongtu

Natsume Yuujinchou – Fuzuki by miyoaldy

Frey Zangeki no Reginleiv. by Shoko-Cosplay

Hetalia: Hungary 6 by Amapolchen

Vi – League of Legends by The-Kirana

For more amazing cosplay photos visit/watch our DA group or follow us on Facebook, Tumblr or Pinterest.

The Art of Obscurity: Creating ‘BLAME!’ Cosplays

Cyril Rictus — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:03:32 +0000

The Art of Obscurity: Creating ‘BLAME!’ Cosplays
Article by Krystal Messier aka Kudrel, Ottawa, Canada

In a world full of Vocaloids, Ponies, Princesses, and other explosively popular fandom, it’s the costume creations they inspire us to produce that grab the majority of affection and attention of the cosplay community. This leaves little spotlight for more obscure titles, and therefore, more obscure cosplays. Have you ever created a cosplay based on something you loved that was rarely seen and that not many people knew of? On the other hand, have you ever encountered another cosplayer who was dressed as a character you’d never expect to see? It is these truly rare and under-appreciated costumes that lurk around conventions and on the Internet that are worthy of being an art-form all of its own. A cosplay that is seldom done, with hardly a spark of reference to go by in creating it, sprouts the potential for a true cosplay masterpiece. At the same time, because of their obscurity, they tend to resonate a sense of awe, sentimentality and sometimes nostalgia.

DK as Davine Lu Linvega (Blame!) // Photo by Alena Moreva

This leads us to what this article is really about!

There is one series in particular that does this for me, a 10 volumes cyberpunk-style manga by Tsutomu Nihei called ‘BLAME!’ In this manga, Nihei, known for his dark, grungy drawing style and knowledge of architecture, fills it with beautifully conceived and massive complex structures, with characters and weapons to match. Details upon details take over the pages, and almost all of them proving difficult to decipher, but still a pleasure to look at. The style also often changes throughout the books, making the reference for cosplayers and propmakers an extremely evident challenge. I’ve had the pleasure (and the headache) of tackling these challenges myself.

So without further ado, allow me to take you on the journey through the creative process of building my ‘BLAME!’ Cosplay, along with some input from other cosplayers who have tackled the same battle with their own techniques and resources.

Krystal Messier aka Kudrel as Ivy (Blame!)
Photo by Kevin Chan aka SolarTempest

Lunnie as Maeve (Blame!)
Photo by Kevin Chan aka SolarTempest

The Planning Process:

“I originally put a good week of planning into the project. I started off by drawing out all the parts of the costume that I could see based on different references from the manga, but as things advanced, it became much harder to do because the art was very unclear and constantly different and a lot of it turned out to be improvisation.” – Lunnie on deviantART.

One step that most of us seemed to have in common was doing sketches. Lots of sketches! By drawing out all of the different pieces of the outfits, we were able to break down the infinite amount of details, but only to an extent. The rest however, required some out of the box thinking and using our imagination. As it usually proves useful for most manga references, there were several angles to go by as you flipped through the pages, but the smaller details were still very inconsistent, mostly because there was so many of them! It would seem not even Nihei himself could keep up, but who can blame him (no pun intended), as doing the same thing too many times can get boring.

Some of the hardest pieces to redesign turned out to be similar for many of us. Both Lunnie and Sadakochan87 from deviantART chose the ‘Silicon’ (name for the cyborg creatures in the manga) character Maeve, a slightly psychotic gun-armed sidekick to another Silicon named Ivy, which is the character I chose to bring to life. They said the hardest part of Maeve’s design was the motor-type contraption on her back. There were several pictures to follow, but they were all different, whereas for me, there were hardly any back-shots of Ivy’s design, so I was left to completely invent it.

“It was difficult to collect all the fine details. Ideally, there should still be five times more!” – Sk-W on deviantART.

AsheDelacroixe as Silicon General (Blame!), Krystal Messier aka Kudrel as Ivy (Blame!), Lunnie as Maeve (Blame!) // Photo by Kevin Chan aka SolarTempest

I had this very same problem as well, no matter how much detail I would try to add to my improvised design, it felt like it wasn’t enough to justify what these outfits were really supposed to look like. Most of the characters seemed to have several incalculable robotic features, a repeating and changing mesh of wires, valves, bolts, and ‘what the heck is that?!’ This is where the ‘thinking out of the box’ came in, and going on a scavenger hunt to hardware stores and dollar stores was the only answer.

Compiling all the different finds from various ‘BLAME!’ cosplayers, the list is filled with some obvious items, as well as some unexpected ones. From various computer parts, piping valves, nuts and bolts, wires and tubing and LED-s, to weird finds like zip-ties, paint trays, tiles and pan scrapers. Yes, pan scrapers. Now that we had all these fun pieces to ‘makeshift’ our scary cyborg costumes out of, it was time to look at the bigger picture, and start building the foundation for these found objects.

Ranni as an unnamed character from (Blame!)
Photo by Akami

Vladislav Gololobov as Killy (Blame!)
Photo by Akami

Sk-W as Maeve (Blame!)
Photo by Akami

The Construction Process:

I once again compiled the assorted supplies used by different cosplayers for the series of steps taken in constructing these elaborate costumes. The first step was a solid tight-fitting outfit, preferably shiny, which seemed to be the fashion trend in the series. For the base of these bodysuits, the popular choice was PVC, along with leather and vinyl. Elektra86 on DeviantArt even added 3D paint designs to hers, imitating circuit boards as part of her details.

From here, it was a matter of adding the more mechanical-styled armor pieces and the weapons. Several different materials were used for this, including plastic, Model Magic, foam of various types: floor mats, insulation foam, yoga mat, as well as a special washable material called Fosshape, which is a pliable, hardening type of felt. I used this material specifically for my mask and collar, which needed to be washable between wears. Methods of using these materials were similar for everyone; molding it into shape and then applying paint and/or fabric on top. Attaching these parts involved different techniques, like harnesses, ‘sockets’ for limbs, and stitching or gluing. For my bulky waist tubes, I carved down a pool noodle and stuck a coat hanger wire through the middle to curve it to my waist, and then attached it to the bodysuit with Velcro.

Vladislav Gololobov as Killy (Blame!), Sk-W as Maeve (Blame!) // Photo by Akami

Now that most of the basics were out of the way, it was onto the dreaded and inevitable pursuit to attempt what all the prior preparation was for. Recreating the heavily detailed components of the outfits and hoping to embody the Nihei style in some physically possible fashion.

This is where creativity and our copious collections of found goods were melded together. The real trick was placing these objects in an attractive way to the bigger pieces, based on the sketches and with a little research on how electrical, robotic gadgets should look. Some of the puzzle pieces still had to be accounted for, which in my case, I had to hand-sculpt using Sculpey and fun-foam. Overall, full construction time of the costumes averaged at around 3 months, including the planning process.

Elettra Di Curzio aka Elektra86 as Cibo (Blame!)
Photo by Yuri Donnarumma

Elettra Di Curzio aka Elektra86 as Cibo (Blame!)
Photo by Walter Pellegrini

Looking the Part:

With the costumes fully constructed, only one challenge remained: making ourselves look like these white-skinned, alien characters. The general formula was primarily some sort of white makeup, SpecialFX contact lenses, and a wig, or in my case, a bald cap. Contacts were applied first, to ensure make-up didn’t smudge or run while putting them in. I used two different lenses for Ivy, to get the effect of having one eye look bigger than the other. One eye was Manson, and the other Machine Head.

For the white faced look, most cosplayers used a cream or water based theatrical make-up like Kryolan Aquacolor, Snazaroo and Supracolor, followed by a sealer. Since we knew smudging would be an issue with these types of makeup, Lunnie and I decided to go with something more long-lasting and opaque called PAX which, simply put, is a skin-safe acrylic paint that only comes off with remover. I painted my bald cap to match, and attached hair extensions to the top. I had to dread the hair to keep it from getting tangled in my array of wires and machinery.

Giulia Ghersi aka Sadako as Maeve (Blame!)
Photo by $andro

Giulia Ghersi aka Sadako as Maeve (Blame!)
Photo by FabioHazard

The final touches to achieving the Silicon look included smoothing out eyebrows with wax, adding harsh shading with eyeliner and eye shadow, and sticking small mechanical bits to the face with spirit gum.

So there you have it! The conclusion of this complicated, but enjoyable process: A transformation from manga to real-life that is both bizarre and breathtaking in addition to concrete proof that nothing is impossible in cosplay, no matter how out-of-this-world it may look! On the rare occasions that I still get to see someone else cosplay from this series, it’s always a pleasing and inspiring sight. Here’s hoping I’ll see a little bit more of it now too. I hope you have enjoyed reading this article and can take something freshly learned from it!

Elffy (FI)

Cyril Rictus — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 19:26:35 +0000

Cosplay Gen: When did you first start cosplaying and what was your first costume?

Elffi: It was in the summer of 2006. I had watched a lot of Bleach episodes with my friend that summer, and we thought about going to our first ever convention, Animecon, in Helsinki, Finland. I heard that people were wearing a lot of costumes during those conventions. That was when I first heard of cosplay. So, because I loved Bleach and especially Kurosaki Ichigo, as I felt totally similar to him, I decided to cosplay as him. I didn’t have a wig, just dyed my hair and I also used my normal shoes… I was also a bit scared. I had to walk 3 kilometers through the city dressed like that and I didn’t have any clue what people would think about my costume. Would they laugh? Would they mock me? But oh well… That warmhearted acceptance and joy of cosplay was so tangible among all the visitors. I was totally surprised and very happy. I also made many new good friends! After the convention I knew in my heart that I would be cosplaying again in the near future.

Kurosaki Ichigo (Bleach, full hollow version) by Myrtha

Jecht (Dissidia Final Fantasy) by Yayagami

Kurosaki Ichigo (Bleach) by Yayagami

Cosplay Gen: To you, what is the most challenging aspect of cosplay?

Elffi: Most challenging aspect? Well, as I am cosplaying for myself, it is very challenging to please oneself. I have made it clear for myself that I want to gain more experience and improve with every costume I make. To do things a bit better every time. That’s a total challenge. Keeping your eyes and mind open for new ideas and improvements. Developing your methods as you learn about them from other cosplayers. Don’t think that your style and methods are the best of all and that you have no reason to change them. You can always learn new things. When you keep those things in your mind you can improve faster and feel happier. Because the most satisfying thing is when you, yourself enjoy your own costume. Enjoying the moment when you finish one part of the costume, enjoying the feeling when you take your first steps in it, enjoying the feeling when you go to a convention with your costume on. Don’t be too critical with yourself. That’s the most challenging aspect.

Vash the Stampede (Trigun) by Jacob Åberg

Cosplay Gen: Your impressive Vash the Stampede costume won you the Finland preliminaries for WCS 2011. Why did you choose that particular character and how did you go about making that impressive prop?

Elffy: Oh yeah, Vash! That was one big lump of hodgepodge! As my family is full of musicians, including myself, I’m very keen on the music in series. The atmosphere and vibe in Trigun is very good because of the marvelous background music. And the personality of Vash is a bit similar to mine, always trying to be positive and smile. I also like to try some insane things, so I wanted to add Vash’s Angel Arm in real size to my costume. As I need my artistic flow (it won’t lit before it’s too late) to start a cosplay, I couldn’t start it before it was a bit over a week left for the preliminaries! So, I was sitting on my floor for 9 days in a row, drinking beer and coffee and making my costume. I started the Angel Arm on a Wednesday and finished it Friday morning. It’s made of sewer pipes, 10 pieces of camping mattresses and fake leather. I also added a car’s headlight and battery with an on/off-switch to it. Total length is around 4 meters and as I wanted to make it light in weight, it’s only 3-4 kilos. There is also a linkage so I can bend it in half in a few seconds for easier transportation! Now you know why I call it a big lump of hodgepodge, it was such a big costume and I was so short on time! But I have to say that I loved making it. (laughs)

Gilgamesh (Fate/hollow ataraxia) by Yayagami

Kurosaki Ichigo (Bleach) by Chie

Ragna the Bloodedge (BlazBlue) by Yayagami

Cosplay Gen: You have taken part in many contests as both a participant as well as a judge, how does it feel to be on both sides?

Elffy: Yes, I have been a judge in the preliminaries of WCS and EC, in some international and national contests held on the Internet and in many Finnish contests. I have won some Finnish cosplay contests, WCS preliminaries and Internet contests also. It is very mind-opening to be on both sides. As a judge you have to know things about sewing and prop making, but you also have to know a lot about series and games and the characters of those. And if you have ever attended a cosplay contest you know that scary feeling when you walk in front of the judges and they are staring at every part of your costume. When you have once been a judge, being a participant in contests is not so scary anymore. You know, judges are not there to criticize costumes, they are there to encourage cosplayers in their hobby and to just decide the top 3 costumes of the contest. When I’m a judge I always try to be kind and encouraging. Sometimes, really young beginner cosplayers pop in the judging room, and you have to be very careful with your words. Judges are the ones who give advices, tips and encourage cosplayers, not the ones who mock or laugh at not so perfect costumes.

Tyki Mikk – D.Gray-Man by Hunska

Cosplay Gen: What sort of advice can you offer to upcoming cosplayers who are just about to get ready to wear their first costume?

Elffy: Your costume doesn’t need to be perfect. No one is perfect. Even the top cosplayers have mistakes in their costumes. The most important part in cosplaying is to enjoy it. I feel very relaxed when I’m in a cosplay costume. You can just push away your ordinary life and be someone else for one day. Throw away all of your doubts. Talk to strangers, people are always very kind in conventions. Go and ask for tips from fellow cosplayers! Don’t hesitate to make new friends! After your first costume, there is only one way, and that is UP!

Best on DA: volume 21

alina — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 07:06:41 +0000

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the wickedest of them all?
Certainly this new batch of photos highlighting The Best on DA this week can give you a glimpse at what it truly means to live the game. Come look and join us if you dare on Cosplay GEN DA group.

Stocking 3 by YuuGray

Windrunner by Kiirae

Ada Wong: Resident Evil VI by Vera-Chimera

Final Fantasy VII – Chaos by darcywilliam

Diablo 3 wizard cosplay by SakuraFlamme

Alice Madness Returns cosplay by EnjiNight

Zeus – Sacred Saga by Faeryx13

Abel Nightroad by Faeryx13

+SteamPunk Link+ by MolecularAgatha

Akito the Exiled by Green-Makakas

Umineko. Endless Witches by Miahpt

Miki Hoshii by bellatrixaiden

General Yoshitsune by KJH-Photography

BRSDM by mikuen-drops

GuiltyCrown: Egoist by Astarohime

Ren Kougyoku by Sandman-AC

DC – Lean by ca-g-e

MH-Farm by CalipsoCosplay

Messiah Paranoia Paradox by Runarea

Trinity blood: Sieglinde by alberti

[C.G: Lelouch of the Rebellion 2] by AmethystPrince

Enoshima Junko Desu ! ! ! by Inushio

Roma Comics Games 2013 Sabato 23 by LarsVanDrake

Hyrule’s Princess by seifer-sama

Take It Off by Animaidens

Borderlands – Mad Moxxi by Katy-Angel

Why are you so mean? by TraumaCentreGrrl

Son Goku ssj2 battle damaged by Alexcloudsquall

For more amazing cosplay photos visit/watch our DA group or follow us on Facebook, Tumblr or Pinterest.

We have a new Japanese friend: AMPLE!

otaku — Thu, 30 May 2013 20:53:42 +0000

My fellow readers, we are very happy to inform you about our new friendship with AMPLE! – a new web platform for cosplayers around the world.

AMPLE! was release on October 2012 as a simple and global cosplay image post site. The platform offers an amazing system of content filtration after country , content, user and color tag, to let cosplayers all around the world express their worldview more freely. According to this classification, users can search and see their favorite cosplay image immediately at any time.

Come check it out and have fun exploring this new platform.

Best on DA: volume 20

alina — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:10:39 +0000

Care for a little magic? Get your healthy dose of the best cosplay of this week on DA and have fun with these fine selections from Cosplay GEN DA group. See the world through cosplay lens and join us.

Chandra by dizzyispixelated

Tifa Lockhart – FFVII by Miss-Alice-Monster

Harori of Dragon Nest by kurorochan

Red Wings by y-o-s-s-i

Simone Daldosso Zack Fair 8 by SimoneDaldosso

DRAMAtical Murder, Virus + Trip by fritzfusion

Lightning Returns: Equilibrium by JoviClaire

Kid Icarus by EminenceRain

Shiki – Seishirou and Chizuru Kirishiki by Melali

Sengoku Taisen – Takeda Shingen’s woman by alberti

Loki 03 by drkitsune

Poker Face by LMKusanagi

Super Sailor Neptune by MelfinaCosplay

Alone|Hades – Saint Seiya by Pugoffka-sama

Mutual Heaven by Yume-ka

Bleach – Ichigo Kurosaki by KuroSeirei

PantyStocking by Wan-Mei

Zone-00: Senryou by AmethystPrince

Do not stand in my way by PhantasmagoriaSaturn

Story of Evil by Andy-K

Macross Frontier by josephlowphotography

Genjo Sanzo by Shazzsteel

Cosplay – CodeGeass C.C. by Korixxkairi

chained by desire by DaisukeDano

Trinity Blood – Esther Blanchett by Melali

Tomb raider lara croft by chongbit

Magi – The Labyrinth of Magic by Arulithia

Alice and Queen by Nattokun

super mario female by chongbit

Cersei Lannister by BelleDameSansMerci

For more amazing cosplay photos visit/watch our DA group or follow us on Facebook, Tumblr or Pinterest.

Cosplay GEN #06 is on the way

otaku — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:09:06 +0000

It’s been a long time since Cosplay GEN #05 was launched and we know that many of you are wondering when the next issue will come out.

Actually, during the last months, we had quite a hectic period that translated into publishing a new issue of the re-launched Otaku MAG and, most recently, the organizing of the 7th edition of one of our local conventions, Otaku Festival. We are really happy because we had as guests REIKA from Japan – we are glad that our country was the first European country she ever visited, and we hope to see her again here – along with Julia Laurant from Singapore/Denmark, and Nikita and Sikay from France. And we would like to thank them for being such wonderful guests.

Now that the waters on our seas are still, we can finally continue our work on issue #06 of Cosplay GEN. We are more enthusiastic than ever and be sure that we will make up for the long break and we will bring you awesome content and surprises. More details to come soon!

Thanks a million to all our readers, contributors and partners for supporting and keeping this independent magazine alive.

Cosplay at East European Comic Con

otaku — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 22:42:50 +0000

On March 30 and 31, in Bucharest took place East European Comic Con, an event that hosted about “over 9000” fans of comics, games, and also manga and anime. And, as in any Comic Con, cosplay was also an important part of the event.

A lot of fans came dressed up, so we had the chance to say hello to various characters, from Black Cat to Luigi. East European Comic Con also hosted a cosplay contest, with an international jury. While taking a sneak peek in the backstage, we talked a bit to Livia Viziteu, a cosplayer herself, who was in charge with organizing the cosplay cosplay contest and shared with us some info and opinions.

Cosplay @ East European Comic Con

CG: Who was in the jury and which were the selection criteria?

Livia: We had a jury made of five members and we tried to bring cosplayers experienced in different fields. Paine Cosplay, a very skilled cosplayer, participated in international competitions (EuroCosplay, ECG) and she was also part of the jury last year in ECG. Manuel D’Andrea and Okkido Cosplay participated last year in EuroCosplay and they had among the best costumes there; and EnjiNight Cosplay is very well-known internationally. Ken Huegel (Volguus), has been making props for more than 20 years, with extensive knowledge in the field. Another criterion was to have them all friendly and sociable, to be able to interact with the public and people attending the convention – on stage and around the convention, but also to be able to discuss with the contestants and give them feedback on their costumes.

CG: You are a cosplayer yourself, but now you were in charge with organizing the cosplay contest. What is your opinion regarding the backstage work?

Livia: It’s not the first time organizing a cosplay competition, but this time the event was bigger, hence… more things to take care of and more stress. I think it is important as a cosplayer to see what the other side goes through, the struggles, the problems, what is needed; to understand the whole process. Sometimes cosplayers are really demanding at competitions, without understanding the actual effort put into it. On the other side, as an organizer, it is important to know the point of view of the cosplayers on the competition and all the things they might need in the process. Having knowledge of both sides helps a lot!

Cosplay @ East European Comic Con

CG: What were the criteria for judging, and what were the main elements to emphasize?

Livia: First of all, we had the craftsmanship and performance categories. For craftsmanship, the emphasis was more on the costume (75%), and less on the performance (25%). The costumes should have been made by the cosplayers and the jury took into consideration the amount of work, the techniques, how well was the costume made and how much the final result resembled the reference. For the performance category, the costumes could have been purchased – that did not happen, though – but the performance on stage was the most important (60%) – how they moved on stage, how much they were in-character, if they used any props.

Winners of the cosplay contest: Craftsmanship

I – Marilena Ghita – Bellatrix Lestrange – Harry Potter

II – Diana Streche – Barris Offee – Star Wars: Clone Wars

III – Constantinescu Mircea – Kenpachi Zaraki – Bleach

Best Prop: Gustav Ljungdahl – Dr. Gordon Freeman – Half Life

Performance: Cojocaru Stefan – Dr. Gordon Freeman – Half Life

PHOTO CREDITS: N8e cosplay photography

Best on DA: volume 19

alina — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 23:44:47 +0000

Just try and resist a peak at these striking photos. The cosplayers have simply graduated to stunning and we couldn’t resist sharing the aftermath. Up for more? Find us on Cosplay GEN DA group and feel free to become a member, make submissions, leave comments and be part of something larger than life.

The Violet Queen by seseostara

Mononoke Hime by Shioji

League of Legends Ahri – cosplay by Korixxkairi

Aion, Wizard 4 by Anita-Lust

SABER by yui930

Evangelion: 3.0 by shiroang

Zone00 – dangerous pair by FiriKururugi

MLP: Celestia and Cadence by Amapolchen

Senbonzakura by Inushio

Yoshi’s Island – Egg Bomb by Another-Rose

macross frontier by abbottw

Servant of Evil / Daughter of Evil 02 by emi-liaricx

Berserker by MiciaGlo

Sailor Jupiter cosplay by Kawaielli

Juliets Bed by mila-tiemy

Little Sister by thecrystalshoe

BIOSHOCK: One big happy family by Benny-Lee

BLAME! PCell by itsL0KI

American dream by karenkasumimatsumoto

Pokemon White – Hilda / Touko by beethy

Hijikata by Wan-Mei

Kaname Madoka ver 3.0 by MissAnsa

Miss Fortune’s dangerous eyes by ely707

Opera: Milian before the Ball by ElenaLeetah

Lilith #5 by Mnguyen8097

Mari Makinami Illustrious by DigitalHikari

Will you give your world to me? by Alexia-Muller

Princess Kaguya by DigitalHikari

: E V E R L A S T I N G : by wildmushrooms

Noah’s Circus: Doll by Vavalika

Merida – Brave in the woods by my-little-shua

HARORI by kurorochan

Vocaloid: Gumi [Camellia] by =theDevil1412

For more amazing cosplay photos visit/watch our DA group or follow us on Facebook, Tumblr or Pinterest.

Cosplay Gen

How to Bring a Vocaloid to Life

The Synthesized Rythm of a CostumeArticle by Ruxandra Târcă

Best on DA: volume 22

Fifth Guardian by densha-otoko

black-black butterfly by jokerofmanipulation

Zone-00 Kinuko Ibara 02 by Mm-miyoko

Trinity Blood. Ludwig II Cosplay by alberti

Zone-00 – Kitsho by miyoaldy

Adekan: Moving with the Wind by general-kuroru

Princess Mononoke: Legend of Ashitaka by cielroses

Adekan: Bird of paradise by Astarohime

Zone-00 05 by shuichimeryl

Yuzuriha Inori, Euterpe by UselessDevice

Sora the Poet by oShadowButterflyo

Unhappy REFRAIN by LennethXVII

RanMao by Wan-Mei

Fire Emblem Awakening – Tharja by ImMuze

Let The Madness Begin by Nattokun

Royalty Ice (Manuel D’Andrea) by LarsVanDrake

Drocell Cainz by Yukishir0

Fem Germany V by angriberen

Rei Ayanami: Evangelion III by AndyWana

Versailles no bara – Lady Oscar II by Hime-sOph

Boba Fett 8 by mykolascosplay

Esther Blanchett – Nice Glasses, Abel! by adelhaid

Sigmund – En Guarde by AmenoKitarou

Mononoke Hime 3 by chuongtu

Natsume Yuujinchou – Fuzuki by miyoaldy

Frey Zangeki no Reginleiv. by Shoko-Cosplay

Hetalia: Hungary 6 by Amapolchen

Vi – League of Legends by The-Kirana

The Art of Obscurity: Creating ‘BLAME!’ Cosplays

The Art of Obscurity: Creating ‘BLAME!’ CosplaysArticle by Krystal Messier aka Kudrel, Ottawa, Canada

This leads us to what this article is really about!

The Planning Process:

The Construction Process:

Looking the Part:

Elffy (FI)

Best on DA: volume 21

Stocking 3 by YuuGray

Windrunner by Kiirae

Ada Wong: Resident Evil VI by Vera-Chimera

Final Fantasy VII – Chaos by darcywilliam

Diablo 3 wizard cosplay by SakuraFlamme

Alice Madness Returns cosplay by EnjiNight

Zeus – Sacred Saga by Faeryx13

Abel Nightroad by Faeryx13

+SteamPunk Link+ by MolecularAgatha

Akito the Exiled by Green-Makakas

Umineko. Endless Witches by Miahpt

Miki Hoshii by bellatrixaiden

General Yoshitsune by KJH-Photography

BRSDM by mikuen-drops

GuiltyCrown: Egoist by Astarohime

Ren Kougyoku by Sandman-AC

DC – Lean by ca-g-e

MH-Farm by CalipsoCosplay

Messiah Paranoia Paradox by Runarea

Trinity blood: Sieglinde by alberti

[C.G: Lelouch of the Rebellion 2] by AmethystPrince

Enoshima Junko Desu ! ! ! by Inushio

Roma Comics Games 2013 Sabato 23 by LarsVanDrake

Hyrule’s Princess by seifer-sama

Take It Off by Animaidens

Borderlands – Mad Moxxi by Katy-Angel

Why are you so mean? by TraumaCentreGrrl

Son Goku ssj2 battle damaged by Alexcloudsquall

We have a new Japanese friend: AMPLE!

Best on DA: volume 20

Chandra by dizzyispixelated

Tifa Lockhart – FFVII by Miss-Alice-Monster

Harori of Dragon Nest by kurorochan

Red Wings by y-o-s-s-i

Simone Daldosso Zack Fair 8 by SimoneDaldosso

DRAMAtical Murder, Virus + Trip by fritzfusion

Lightning Returns: Equilibrium by JoviClaire

Kid Icarus by EminenceRain

Shiki – Seishirou and Chizuru Kirishiki by Melali

Sengoku Taisen – Takeda Shingen’s woman by alberti

The Synthesized Rythm of a Costume
Article by Ruxandra Târcă

The Art of Obscurity: Creating ‘BLAME!’ Cosplays
Article by Krystal Messier aka Kudrel, Ottawa, Canada