Cosplay. It is a pretty cool hobby, I have to admit that, but how exactly do I explain it to my relatives, friends, ect.?
I think if you are in my age and time when you still live with your parents, it is definitely hard to come out to them. We all have that moment where we want to get a new cosplay or our first, and need to tell them what we are buying. Let’s just say it is REALLY hard to say “I need a costume so I can go hang out with other people in costumes,” or something along that line.
The best way, or how I did it, is have my parents sit down and discuss the matter. What could go wrong? I mean, my conversation went so well, that my dad is now my right hand man in prop making.
So to help you with your talk, I have prepared a few things you have to include in your discussion.
1.) History of Cosplay
Basically go and find the meaning of the word, (costume play), find how it started, how it has grown; I could go on. Just find the roots of it to start your discussion strong. Here are some links to help you!
How I described cosplay to my parents is a mixture of theater and artistic aspects all squished together. Cosplay has A LOT of acting and theater aspects, especially if you plan on competing, and has EVEN MORE art forms along with it!
3.) Who or What are You Cosplaying?
Show them what you are cosplaying. Gather up the person/thing you would like to cosplay as in the anime, video game, ect., and a picture of how other people cosplay the character. Bring up a list of materials, costs, and other things you would like help on also.
Well there you have it, that is my plan to help you and others join the ever-growing culture of cosplay. I hope you all had a good Easter, and I will see you on the flip side!
Kaname Madoka is a kind-hearted girl in Puella Magi Madoka Magica. After turning into a magic girl, she became independent and confident. Her weapon is a golden longbow decorated with several rosebuds. When Madoka bends the bow, it will generate an arrow with a huge amount of energy. Either a single shoot or a continuous shoot is possible, sometimes she can make a magic circle for a wide range of attack. Sometimes there is a flame emitted from the bow.
Sinon’s avatar in Sword Art Online 2 ALO is a cute Cat Sith with blue hair and icy eyes. She is a talented archer because cat’s vision is further than other races in ALO. A jade bow and arrow is one of the main weapons of her. She can shoot the enemies even before they cast the spell. “One shoot! One kill” is Sinon’s slogan. Wanna be a character with cat ears and an amazing bow and arrow? Sinon is absolutely a good choice.
Cute is not your cup of tea? How about a brave, bold, daring, courageous, stubborn, rebellious and headstrong girl?
Princess Merida is the by said girl who does not fit the stereotypical princess role. She is an impetuous girl who wants to take control of her own destiny. Merida has honed her skill in archery, and is one of the most skilled archers ever seen. Cosplay as Merida, take the bow and arrows with you, ride on a horse and explore the world.
Princess Zelda, the heroin in Twilight Princess from Legend of Zelda series, owns a Bow and a Light Arrow. She calls upon the Light Spirits to aids Link by aiming a Light Arrow at Link’s Mirror Shield and aids herself in defeating Ganondorf. By shooting the Light Arrows from her Bow, Zelda can stun Ganondorf, giving Link a chance to strike.
Kikyou, one of the main roles in Inuyasha, is a good female psychic in warring state era. Kikyou has two famous arrows, one is “Hama Arrow” and the other is “Arrow of Seal”. Hama Arrow, which can powerfully penetrate through the enemies and purify the miasma, is used to break the magic. On the other side, Arrow of Seal doesn’t take the monsters’ lives but can seal them up.
Ashe
Ashe, the Frost Archer is one of the most popular characters in League of Legends. Her weapon is an ancient icy bow with an enchanted crystal arrow. The arrow is a linear and colliding skill shot. Ashe fires a giant arrow in a straight line. If it hits an enemy, it will deal magic damage and stun that champion for seconds. She concentrates on every target, fights for the unity of Friel Chesterton tribes and devotes herself to make it a powerful nation. Ashe is definitely a heroine with cool outfit and ability.
As an athletic English archaeologist-adventurer in the video game series Tomb Raider, Lara is fairly good at shooting. In the game, her bow and arrow can be upgraded to different types according to the player’s different grades, which include rope arrow, fire arrow, napalm arrow, explosive arrow, penetrating arrow, etc. This game has adapted into movies and animations by the same name.
I always get a lot of questions regarding on how to prepare yourself for a cosplay shooting – as a beginner. As some of you know, I am neither a model nor a beauty who loves to stick around cameras. Actually, I still feel a little uncomfortable at photoshootings.
If you are new to cosplay, a little shy and have little to no experience at standing in front of a camera, this guide will be perfect for you.
Everyone else probably won’t learn anything new. Let’s start then, shall we? ^_^
Planning ahead
First of all, if you don’t know the photographer all that well, ask a friend you trust to come along with you on the date of the shooting.
If he’s a complete stranger, I also recommend bringing a tfp (time for prints) contract with you. Here’s a template: http://dpanswers.com/forms/contract_tfp.html
This is a basic contract usually used by amateur models to agree on the terms that the models as well as the photographer has the rights on the pictures, but none is allowed to use them for commercial purposes.
Things you should also do are talking over what you expect from the shooting. The location is just a basic aspect. Do you want your character to appear evil? Sexy? Cute? Have you seen a special picture you would like to imitate? The more the photographer knows, the better he can prepare!
Test your make up and some poses a few days before having your photos taken. Search fanarts of your character – you’ll get some of the best ideas for in-character poses there.
If you are insecure about a part of your body, you may want to tell the one taking your pictures. If they know, they can either help you to hide it or edit the pictures afterwards.
The day before
Check if all parts of your cosplay are still okay. Anything missing? Wig styled? Do you need to repair something? Also, try out all the poses you found by looking at fanarts in front of a mirror. Sometimes, it looks good as a drawing, but weird to do in real life.
At the shooting
Remember to eat and drink enough! Don’t underestimate a photoshooting – it can be very exhausting. If it is cold, never forget to bring a jacket or a blanket. If needed, ask the photographer for a break.If the photographer asks you to do a pose and you feel uncomfortable doing it – DON’T. If he is a professional, he will understand and drop the idea instantly. Remember that you’re doing this for fun – you don’t owe anyone anything! 🙂
Some basic model rules:
Use Make Up! The skin always shines in the light, so powdering it is a minimum to have natural-looking skin in the photos. Chin up, shoulders down! Posture is very important. It is a part of being in-character, if your character is shy, try to pose that way. Also, always try to show off your cosplay! Avoid weird poses and gestures that hide your beautiful cosplay! Always do something with your hands! Like fiddle with your hair, act like you’re looking in the sky, hold something you find on the location… Also, avoid doing the “peace” sign on every photo. Try to act in character! Start thinking like your character and doing stupid stuff. I always got the best results while doing so. There can always be moments, when you can act funny and out of character for a couple of pictures, if you discuss it with your photographer.
Months before the con, as you’re planning your cosplay, set goals. Be realistic with yourself about what you have time to do and what will happen if you don’t reach your goals. We’ve all set weight loss goals that we didn’t reach. Will you have to give up this cosplay if you’re shy of your goal?
I made sure to exercise, cut soda, and carb cycle before showing more skin as Subaru.
When you decide on your costume, give yourself plenty of time to lose weight in a healthful, safe way. Crash diets don’t work. Most healthy weight loss should be less than two pounds in a week. There are ways to lose weight faster than that, but it’s hard to keep going for a long time.
These are the best ways I’ve found for getting in better shape for cosplay!
Set an exercise schedule and stick to it.
I don’t like to work out in the morning because I work over 10 hours a day and I need to be alert at work. Some people don’t like to work out at night because they’ll make excuses not to exercise. Whatever works for you, schedule that time and don’t make exceptions.
Include weight training in your exercise routine.
This is especially important for us women. Women have been told that using weights will make them bulky, and that’s simply not true. Women won’t gain muscle the same way that men can. By including simple free weight training in your exercise plans, you’ll burn more fat. This page is a much more detailed account of strength training that beginners can do. I also love these workouts because they’re geek-themed and use body weight to build strength.
Reward yourself for working out.
I’m talking about giving yourself a reason to exercise. Maybe consider only allowing yourself to watch a favorite show or movie when you’re working out. For example, I don’t re-watch old favorite anime unless I’m at the gym or lifting weights at home. Or let yourself get coffee or tea with a friend once a week only if you stick to your exercise routine.
Work out with friends or join a class.
Having a workout buddy makes you stay accountable. You won’t want to disappoint your friend or waste their time! You might even be able to work your chosen sport or activity into your cosplay. There are lots of sports anime like Kuroko’s Basketball, and plenty of popular characters are cheerleaders or martial artists. Check out activities at a gym, or see if a local school or community center offers classes like spinning, dance, or karate.
Myself and one of my Ellipsis Cosplay workout buddies. We worked out with my friends for two months prior to cosplaying Haseo and Tokio.
Replace a heavy breakfast with smoothies.
They help keep you hydrated, and you can taste something sweet without eating a lot of sugar or carbohydrates. Fruit is great, but consider adding green vegetables too! Most people don’t get enough servings of veggies. This is also a time-saving breakfast, so you’ll have more time to work on cosplay. If you need inspiration, check here and here for ideas of different drinks you can make for breakfast (or snacks).
Avoid salty foods.
They make you retain water! You don’t want to look bloated in your costume. You also need to stay hydrated so you don’t look and feel tired. Remember that your skin will show when you don’t get enough water, and salty foods don’t help!
Drink water.
Not soda, not coffee (unless it’s black), not juice. Drink lots and lots of water. Tea is fine too, as long as it’s unsweetened, because it has antioxidants. But water is what you should drink all day, every day. I try to drink a minimum of 2L (about half a gallon) of water daily.
Try carb cycling.
One of my best short-term weight loss strategies for cosplay is carb cycling. This is where you change your diet on a three-day cycle. On day one, you eat a normal amount of carbohydrates – whole grain breads, brown rice, and fruits especially. On day two, you eat a low-carb diet. On the third day, you eat no carbs and load up on protein. Then the cycle restarts. I lost about 8 lbs (3.5 kg) in just two weeks doing this. It’s not a long-term solution, but it does help you drop weight if you only have a little time.
My final thoughts.
Ultimately, you should cosplay what you want and be happy with your body. Don’t starve yourself (you’ll only retain weight when you do eat) or hurt yourself by overdoing exercise. When you get injured, it’s easy to talk yourself out of going to the gym again.
Even if what works best for you is walking or bicycling more often, that’s still more activity than you were getting before. Keep at it! You’ll see results. If you’re not seeing results, change something else and try again.
Don’t be afraid to be a cosplay nerd who works out! By the way, we weekly share tutorials for cosplayers. Search for helpful blogs at Miccostumes where you can find Catwoman claws, Greg Teapot hat, Nezuko makeup, Santa hat, etc.
As a cosplayer, have you ever just wondered “Oh man, I wish I could meet more cosplayers and find out who likes what and who is going to the next convention”? Well I have too! But now there is no need to worry! Here are a few social media apps you can easily find cosplayers on! As a cosplayer, have you ever just wondered “Oh man, I wish I could meet more cosplayers and find out who likes what and who is going to the next convention”?
1.Instagram
The popular Instagram, known for posting photos for all over the world! While it is not only for cosplayers, after just one search in the section using the hashtag ‘cosplay’ or ‘cosplayers’, you can find millions of cosplayers from all around the world! Leave a comment telling them how cute they look or how they look just like the character, and you’ll be friends in no time!! For more specific cosplays, just search for the name of the series you want to find a cosplay from followed by the world ‘cosplay’. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!You can download Instagram on Apple app store or other android app stores.
2.Cosplyr
Cosplyr is a social media site made exclusively by cosplayers for cosplayers! It has thousands of cosplayers already just looking to make friends. There are filter options that you can use to find someone of the same or opposite gender to be friends with and links to cosplay blogs or photos of other cosplayers so you can get some inspiration too.
3.Anime Amino
Anime Amino is available for iPhone and it is made for anime and cosplay fans from around the world. It’s perfect for anyone looking to make friends with others who like the same animes and cosplay the same characters or from the same series. You can share photos of your cosplay costumes and tell people on the app all about your convention experiences. It is a easy and unique from most apps because it is made specifically for anime fans.
4.Tumblr
Tumblr is a popular blogging platform that comes with an app ready with all kinds of people and all different kinds of cosplayers. Tumblr is one of the biggest social media networks so there are millions of cosplayers on here. There are blogs full of helpful critique and sewing and prop-making techniques, as well as tons of friendly people who are only an ‘ask’ away. With it’s easy layout, making friends should happen in no time at all! Perfect for all those cosplayers who need some inspiration.
5.CosplayNet
CosplayNet, also known as The Cosplay Network, is a fast growing community for cosplayers. It is similar to instagram but made specifically for cosplayers. It’s perfect if you want to show off your beautiful new cosplay or even if you need help deciding on which cosplay to choose. You can just browse photos from other cosplayers or choose to submit your own. It has image editing, bookmarking for your favorite cosplayers, and private messaging. It even has an ‘offensive content blocker’. This app sounds like just the one you want if you’re trying to make new friends quickly. Avaliable on the iphone.
6.Cosplay Showcase
Just like the name, this app is for if you want to show off your great cosplay to others. It’s perfect for younger cosplayers if they just want to look at cute cosplays and get inspired to try to do one for themselves. Avaliable on the Android.
7.Cosplanner
This app is a life saver for cosplayers!! It helps you sort your cosplay plans into different sections from most important to future cosplans. You can type in the character and write down what you need to get and you can effectively cross off everything on your list until you’re all done. Everyone I know who cosplays has this app and it has done wonders for them! A must have for all cosplayers. Avaliable on the iphone and Android.
8.Facebook
Where would we be without one of the most original social media sites ever made? Facebook is used to keep in touch with old friends but you can also use it to make new ones, especially with all the suggested groups to join based on your area and interest. Facebook can connect you to other cosplayers in your area going to the same conventions you are so you can make friends before you go and you can have someone to talk about cosplay and convention plans with. Not to mention that most cosplayers and cosplay sites would love it if you ‘liked’ their page! You can upload cosplay/convention photos, make status messages, send instant messages and even join cosplay groups for more fun on your convention day.
