Trinity Blood: Cain Nightroad

The elder twin brother of Abel Nightroad and the main Antagonist of the story, Cain is the oldest of the Test Tube Babies who was once the beloved leader of the Mars Colonization project.

Because of an accident, his younger brother Seth injected him with Crusnik nanomachines, a sort of vaccine that turns normal humans into vampires that feed on the blood of other vampires. This saved Cain’s life, but it also drew him into insanity. His decision to support the Vampire Returners and to murder prototype Lilith Sahl angered Abel and Seth, killing Cain in the process. But it seems even turning Cain’s Crusnik body into ashes is still not enough to stop him, as he is able to regenerate later on in the series.

This is a most impressive cosplay of Cain! It’s rather controversial that Cain looks angelic and Abel looks demonic, when the two of them play opposite roles! But you really have to love the details of his armor!

Technorati tags: nanao, research, cosplay, trinity blood, cain, nightroad, twin, brother, seth, abel, marshmallow, colonization, project, crusnik, vampire, blood, insanity, vampire returners, lilith, sahl, regenerate, controversy, angel, demon, armor

Holiday Cosplay Goals

I'm finally done with finals hell, so I can focus on cosplay for a few weeks! That is, between seeing my friends and family and doing holiday activities. *sigh*

My biggest goal for this time period is making Suigintou's sword for my costume (see crappy picture to the left).

I registered for Anime Boston at the nice low rate of $35. I plan on entering the Hall Contest, I think, because I'm a little concerned with the masquerade taking up too much time (like Connecticon, though I'm sure it will be run better at AB), but I still want to enter the costume in a contest. It seems to be a good middle ground.

I'm planning on making the sword handle out of wood. I'm going to use two pieces, one for the front and one for the back. I'm going to cut them out and dremel the same design into each one. Then I'll sandwich the blade between the two halves of the hilt.

I'm going to construct the blade out of a (insulation) foam core that I will cover with plastic. I chose this method to comply with convention regulations. Many events absolutely do not allow wooden swords, so I figure this way I won't really have to worry about whatever convention I take it to. I made Zabuza's sword out of plastic covered foam last year, and that was huge, so I know they will allow it. In my opinion it's better to be safe than sorry with this kind of thing, lest you be left without the amazing prop you spent so much time working on.

At least that's the plan.

I'm going to try to make an instructable for the sword, or at least take photos and share them.

My second goal is to fix the wig for the Suigintou costume. It's a bit wonky right now. I got a curling iron with adjustable temperature so I think that will help coax the wig into doing my bidding. I'm also going to fix the cut. It's a little strange.

I'll be happy if I can get those things done while I'm here.

I'm in the process of making instructions for my Izumi goggles. I figure even if you never make an Izumi costume, it could be helpful for if you have to make any kind of goggles or similar item.

D.N.Angel: Dark Mousy

Jesuke really know how to do her cosplays…

This character is Dark Mousy from D.N.Angel. He is the alter ego of Niwa Daisuke, a shy and reserved 14-year-old typical school boy.

Dark is a phantom thief who steals the harmful Hikari Family art pieces. Although he always gives warnings as to when and where a particular robbery will occur, he has never been caught.

There are several different pictures of Jesuke as Dark Mousy in her Deviant Art account. Please have a visit there as well. I had to choose this picture because of the wing details… It’s quite impressive, don’t you think?

Technorati tags: nanao, research, cosplay, costume, jesuke, deviant art, dark, mousy, d.n.angel, angel, dna, d.n.a., thief, hikari, art, piece, niwa, daisuke, character, wing

Gundam Seed: Natarle Badriguel

Natarle Badeiguel, one of the few survivors of ZAFT’s Le Creuset’s raid to seize the new weapons of the colony, is one of Earth Alliance’s most loyal and promising young officers. She is the executive officer of the Archangel, a ship headed by Captain Murrue Ramius. She is a superb tactical analyst, a fine trait that made her a captain of her own ship, Dominion, after her former captain began to question the Earth Alliance’s actions.

Natarle is one of my favorite character in the series. Most people don’t really like her because of her cold nature, but I believe that’s what makes her such a fine officer in the first place. Besides, I respect characters like her better than the Damsel in Distress types.

Sadly, she perished in Archangel’s hands because of her blind loyalty to the Earth Alliance.

Pretty accurate cosplayer though, isn’t she?

Technorati tags: nanao, research, gundam, gundam seed, seed, natarle, badriguel, zaft, earth alliance, le creuset, weapons, colony, executive officer, archangel, captain, murrue, ramius, tactical analyst, dominion, damsel in distress, cagalli, yula, athha, cosplay, cosplayer

Yu Yu Hakusho: Youko Kurama and Hiei

Oh my… I didn’t think there’ll be more Yu Yu Hakusho cosplays that are being done recently… But according to this picture, it was uploaded December 10, 2007 on High King’s Flickr account.

The demon Youko is good, though I think wearing the wings made of petals and vines he used to fly around the Demon World may be a bit much… What I’m really impressed with is Hiei! The cosplayer’s got the look and attitude just right!

Of course, I was hunting for a Hiei cosplayer especially for Shadow Cat. I didn’t get the particular Hiei look that she requested, but I think she’ll be happy with this anyway…

Hope you like it, Shadow Cat!

Technorati tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, youko, yoko, kurama, demon, fox, hiei, fire, yu yu hakusho, yyh, shadowcat, shadow, cat

Trinity Blood: Dietrich von Lohengrin

The sadistic Puppet Master who thinks of people as merely his toys, Dietrich von Lohengrin is described to be a genius with an angelic face and a demonic heart. He is also the only known Terran in the Rosen Kreuz Orden.

As a young child, his father had realized Dietrich’s evil nature and tried to kill him. Dietrich ended up killing his father as well as his entire family at a young age. He joined Rosen Kreuz Orden later at the age of 7 and became a high ranking official in the age of 10.

Such an impressive cosplay! I found this in a website that features a ton of Trinity Blood cosplays! Make sure you guys visit! I’ll post a few more from them soon.

Technorati tags: nanao, research, cosplay, trinity blood, dietrich, non, lohengrin, rosen, kreuz, orden, puppet master, genius, angel chao, devil, terran, murder, slaughter

Get Backers: Mido Ban

Speaking of people with dangerous pointy hair, here’s a character who has such messy (and pointy!) hair that he is often nicknamed “urchin head”!

The rude, and often arrogant Mido Ban, if the descendent of the Last Witch of the 20th Century. He is a genius in battle, and a natural born leader. And, though he’ll never admit it, he is very sentimental towards his friends and even those he is rude with.

That is the most awesome looking Mida Ban hair! Another case of abusing hair cement like Kakashi? I heard using raw egg whites will also get you that result.

Technorati tags: nanao, research, get backers, getbackers, mido, ban, kakashi, urchin head, messy, rude, arrogant, descendent, last witch, witch, 20th century, egg, egg white

Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Music Video

Ivy’s Sonata of Temptation shows an excellent reenactment of a scene from Final Fantasy VII, Advent Children. But from what I hear, Square is suing them for not asking permission to use Final Fantasy Advent Children references.

Well… regardless of the politics, it’s an awesome cosplay! I don’t really care much for the music though… I just like the cosplay…

Technorati tags: nanao, research, music video, korean, final fantasy, advent children, final fantasy 7, tifa, lockhart, cosplay, square, politics

Tenjou Tenge: Natsume Maya 03

The third challenger of the Natsume Maya cosplay! I believe she wins hands down… But I’m not really one to judge, since I have no idea whether or not Maya actually appeared in an outfit such as this…

Makes me think of Kill Bill or Charlie’s Angels for some reason…

Anyway, you guys be the judge who looks most like Maya. This is where you’ll find the first cosplayer and here is where you’ll find the second.

Technorati tags: nanao, research, cosplay, cosplayer, tenjou tenge, tenjho tenge, natsume, maya, first, second, photobucket, samurai, sword, kill bill, charlie’s angels

Naruto: Hatake Kakashi

Naruto’s sensei or “teacher” Kakashi is a genius shinobi who has never revealed his face, nor his true personality. He no longer has any close family or relatives and is often times thought to be arrogant and emotionless… Which is quite the opposite, really.

He acquired his Sharigan eye from his dying friend, Uchiha Obito. The two had an arguement with regards as to whether they should prioritze their mission or rescuing Rin. Unfortunately, after the two had made up, Kakashi lost his left eye to protect Obita, and Obita perished saving Kakashi’s life when rocks nearly crushed him. It was during this time that Rin performed her duties as a medical ninja, and transferred Obita’s eye to replace Kakashi’s damaged one as a final gift.

I would just like to say… I wonder how much hair cement this cosplayer used to get the hair that way?

Technorati tags: nanao, research, naruto, cosplay, cosplayer, hair cement, kakashi, hatake, obita, uchiha, rin, shinobi, medic, ninja, sensei, teacher, photobucketket

Final Fantasy X-2: Rikku 03

I found a blog post from Ying Dong about an amazing Rikku cosplay. Ying Dong seems to like this cosplayer because of the “natural fit”, meaning she’s a natural blonde so it fits her to be Rikku perfectly.

I’d have to agree with Ying Dong. I like cosplayers who have that natural look/fit as well. If it just so happens that their natural hair color is the same as the character’s, then it’s plus points!

That said, I decided to post a Rikku who is not your typical Asian cosplayer, but still looks great as well! I found this photo from Movie Tome. There are other cosplays from there I want to feature, but I think this will do for now.

Does this cosplayer rival the Rikku from Ying Dong’s blog? Or maybe the first X-2 Rikku I posted? The 2nd one? I don’t know, I can’t decide. I think they’re all great!

Technorati tags: nanao, research, cosplay, final fantasy x-2, final fantasy, rikku, cosplayer, ying dong, natural, blonde, movie tome, asian

Gundam Seed Destiny: Cagalli Yula Athha

It was in Gundam Seed Destiny that I began to hate Cagalli. I suppose suddenly becoming the “sort of” president of a country is extremely stressful, as well as having to marry someone for diplomatic means…

But I don’t like it that she has to cry so much and ask for so much pity and support from everyone.

Even though I don’t like the character, this cosplayer is so pretty! Though I think I actually like the first cosplayer that I posted then this one (which is a first!). Still… I love the cosplayer, the pose, and the photo! Great Job!

Technorati tags: nanao, research, gundam seed destiny, seed destiny, seed, gundam, destiny, cagalli, yula, athha, president, diplomat, self-pity, cosplayer, cosplay, photo, asato, ros, photobucket

Trinity Blood: Father Tres Iqus

The mechanical soldier created by Vatican Scientist, Professor Gepetto Garibaldi, Father Tres Iqus is one of ten “Killing Dolls” to be used for an attempted rebellion. He was spared from destruction and recruited by Cardinal Caterina Sfroza for AX, the Minister of Holy Affairs’ Special Operations Group.

Father Tres is part mechanical and part organic, and he maintains his body by taking vitamins. You can tell straight off that he’s a cyborg, because he always answers questions with either “negative” or “positive”, though there are times when he shows some emotions and even a sense of humor.

Lovely cosplay! Especially the guns..! I’m not sure if Father Tres wears sunglasses though… Hm…

Technorati tags: nanao, research, trinity blood, cosplay, father tres iqus, father, tres, iqus, vatican, scientist, professor, gepetto, garibaldi, killing dolls, rebellion, cardinal, caterina, sfroza, ax, destruction, minister, holy affairs, special operations group, cybord, mechanical, organic

Gundam Seed Destiny: Stella Loussier

Stella Loussier is one of the 3 experiments of the Naturals, labeled as an “Extended Human”, someone who is born naturally, but could fight in the same efficiency as a Coordinator. Extended Humans do not have their DNA altered like Coordinators; rather, they use other means such as drugs to enhance their fighting ability.

Stella, or “Stellar” in some markets, is a gifted Gundam Pilot who suffers from a personality disorder. She is generally sweet and child-like when she is surrounded by people who are most important to her. But when she is in danger, or hears the word “death”, she becomes a totally different person, a ruthless killer who kills and destroys everything in her way.

Such a cute Stella! Oh, I cropped the original image from Photobucket. You can view the original by clicking the image.

Technorati tags: nanao, research, cosplay, gundam, seed destiny, gundam seed destiny, stella, stellar, loussier, naturals, extended humans, coordinators, drugs, pilots, child-like, personality disorder, photobucket, death, ruthless, killer

Full Metal Alchemist: Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes

Important notes:

• Cosplayer is cosplaying the character accurately.
• Cosplayer is male.
• Cosplayer does not appear to be Asian.
• Cosplayer knows exactly what he’s doing

And therefore:

• He looks awesome.

A little bit about the character, Lt. Colonel Maes Hughes is a member of the Investigations Division. He is not only good at what he does, but he is also a good father, and a loving husband. He is also a good friend of Colonel Roy Musatang and the Elric Brothers.

This is definitely one of the rare photos of lovely male cosplayers.

Technorati tags: nanao, research, fullmetal alchemist, full metal alchemist, alchemist, lieutenant, colonel, maes, hughes, maes hughes, cosplay, cosplayer, cosplaying, male, guys, roy mustang, roy, mustang, elric, brothers, investigations, division, father, husband

Gundam Seed: Lacus Clyne 02

I have a secret and I’m not telling…

At least… That’s what the photo looks like it’s saying…

I think I like this Lacus Clyne a lot more than the previous one. Her blue eye shadow really does the trick! She really looks like a singer/idol.

Great job on this! I wonder what her name is…

Technorati tags: nanao, research, gundam, gundam seed, seed destiny, seed, lacus, clyne, singer, idol, cosplay, cute, secret

Metroid Prime: Samus Aran

First, a confession…

I seemed to have clicked “save” instead of “publish” in my blog editor… So technically, this should have been posted yesterday… Deepest apologies.

It seems ever since a couple of friends of mine have seen this cosplayer in Kotaku, they’ve been bugging me to post her in this blog too!

Indeed, I have the strangest people for friends, and yet, I am not complaining one bit.

Honestly speaking, I have no idea how accurate this girl’s cosplay is. I do know that this girl is Jenni Källberg. You can find more of her cosplays in Pixel Ninja.

Really love the effect she did with her armor… And that blood gash on her abdomen looks very realistic… Anyone care to chare their thoughts on this?

Technorati tags: nanao, research, metroid, metroid prime, samus aran, kotaku, friends, pixelninja, pixel ninja, Jenni Källberg

Death Note: Amane Misa 03

Whoa… I just noticed all of my Death Note cosplay features so far are of Misa-Misa…

But you have to admit… Amane Misa is such an adorable character to cosplay…

And Kipi makes a great cosplay of her…

Actually, now I’m finding it hard to choose which Misa-Misa I like best… The first Misa whom I have no idea what the name is, the Alodia version of Misa, or this Kipi version…

I’ll let you guys decide.

Technorati tags: nanao, research, death note, amane, misa, misa-misa, kipi, alodia, first, cosplay

Darkstalkers: Felicia

Oh dear…

Who would have thought you could find a decent looking Felicia cosplay that is actually safe for child viewing?

I mean, really…

The original version of this character has a more revealing look.

But anyway…

Felicia is a cat girl character who first appeared in the game “Darkstalkers” aka “Vampires” in Japan. In the game, she is raised by a Catholic nun named Rose. When Rose died, Felicia went off to fulfill her dream of becoming a musical performer. She eventually finds other cat girls like herself and was able to create a band.

In the events of Darkstalkers 3, she began to think more about others than herself. It’s then that Rose’s influence came to light, as Felicia eventually became a nun herself and created an orphanage named “Felicity House”.

In the words of the loyal White-haired Journalist himself: “What madness is this?!”

Technorati tags: nanao, research, felicia, darkstalkers, dark stalkers, vampires, catgirl, cat girl, nun, catholic, orphanage, felicity house, musical, performer, white-haired journalist

Naruto: Momochi Zabuza and Haku

Is there a more tragic story than that of Zabuza and Haku from Naruto?

Though I actually feel more sorry for Haku… I can’t understand how parents can actually hate their own child. But I suppose it was more of fear than hatred…

And after that trauma you only find purpose in becoming someone’s tool?

Harsh…

But anyway… This is a really impressive cosplay of Momochi Zabuza and Haku! From the image, it says that the cosplayer’s real names are Ran Shao (Zabuza) and Piyaya (Haku). And this image was apparently taken in Zhong Shan Park in Shanghai back in July 9, 2004.

Pretty impressive, hm?

Technorati tags: nanao, research, naruto, cosplay, cosplayer, momochi, zabuza, haku, trauma, ranshao, ran shao, piyaya, zhong shan park, zhongshanpark, shanghai, china, chinese, 2004

Ragnarok Online: Sohee (and a side rant)

I’ve been seeing a couple of blogs taking my articles… without giving me credit..! It’s made me a little upset… even though the pictures are not all mine (the picture of Zagato was taken by me), all the writings in this blog were done by me, and I give credit to the people who cosplay as well as the photographers…

I wish people who post my articles on their site would give me credit too. Otherwise, plagiarism is still stealing…

Anyway… Enough ranting! I went to Flickr to search for some cosplay photos and found something recent… Comiket 72 was held in Tokyo Big Sight last 17th to 19th of August this year. A particular album by a-mole caught my eye with its fabulous gallery of cosplays! This one I love, because Ragnarok Online is a pioneer MMORPG game!

Sohee is actually a monster in Ragnarok which, if you’re lucky, you can capture as a pet! I haven’t played Ragnarok Online before, so I’m not entirely sure about what a Sohee is and what it can do… I do know, however, that this cosplay is really done well!

Here is a short description of what a Sohee is from Wickedly Cute:

A sohee is a monster that can be found on level four and five of the Payon Caves. According to Ragnarok the Animation the Sohee (along with Bonguns and Munaks) were once people of old Payon City and the reason for their aggression is that the Moonlight Flower disturbs their souls and will not let them rest. With a Silver Knife of Chastity you can tame and hatch a Sohee egg for your own cute-pet demon virgin.

Thanks for sharing us your gallery, a-mole! I’ll post other pictures I like from him soon. Make sure you check out his gallery when you have the time!

Technorati tags: nanao, research, plagiarism, stealing, rant, cosplay, comiket72, comiket, 2007, sohee, ragnarok, ragnarok online, mmorpg, monster, pet, payon, payon caves, bongun, munak, payon city, moonlight flower, silver knife of chastity, a-mole, zagato, magic knight rayearth, wickedly cute, fanlisting

Bleach: Inoue Orihime 02

I’ve recently shown a nice cosplay of Inoue in her Shinigami disguise… Now how about a school uniform version?

She has the most striking blue eyes I’ve ever seen… Although her eyes are supposedly brown in the manga and grey in the anime series… Hm…

I forgot to mention before that Inoue is actually an orphan in the Bleach series. She apparently ran away from her abusive home along with her older brother, Sora. Orihime was bullied when she was a child because of her hair, so Sora decided to give her hairpins. Orihime refused to wear them, thinking they were childish. Unfortunately, on that same day, Sora was killed by a car accident, and Orihime wore the hairpins ever since.

Anyway… Isn’t she cute? Fair white skin!

Technorati tags: nanao, research, bleach, cosplay, cosplayer, orihime, inoue, shinigami, healer, sora, anime, manga

Yu Yu Hakusho: Kurama 03

I did not expect to see any recent cosplay pictures of Youko Kurama in conventions… But this cosplayer is from Taiwan and appeared in the Fancy Frontier 9 & Comic World in Taiwan 15 on February 24th, earlier this year…

Yes, the fangirl screams for Kurama never dies.

Interesting costume though. I’m not sure where this cosplayer got the idea from… Maybe from the manga, because I’ve never seen such a costume in the anime before… But I am most certain this is Kurama. Because I don’t think anyone else has a rose whip for a weapon in the anime universe…

Thanks to Swanky from Flickr for the photo! Check out other cosplay photos by Swanky in his Flickr account!

Technorati tags: nanao, research, kurama, yu yu hakusho, shuichi, minamino, youko, yoko, thief, king, cosplay, cosplayer, anime, manga, taiwan, fancy frontier 9, comic world, taiwan 15

Final Fantasy VIII: Rinoa Heartilly

What can I say about this picture? Not much of the costume is shown but Shibata Ina makes such a good Rinoa she doesn’t even need a costume!

Outspoken and stubborn, Rinoa Heartilly is the main female character in Final Fantasy VIII. She is a popular icon for the Final Fantasy universe being the “cute girl-next-door” type instead of the usual “gorgeous” females of Final Fantasy. Because of this, and the simplicity of her costume, she is often cosplayed in Anime Conventions all over the world.

Honestly? I love Shibata Ina’s version… Being Rinoa suits Shiba so well! I hope she’ll do a whole lot more cosplays in the future.

Technorati Tags: nanao , research , final fantasy , rinoa , rinoa heartilly , heartilly , final fantasy viii , final fantasy 8 , shiba , shibata ina

Rozen Maiden: Shinku 02

Oh…
My…
Goodness!

She is probably the most adorable Shinku I’ve ever seen! She looks so young and so… doll-like! I want to just pick her up and bring her home!

Erm… Ok, that would technically be kidnapping, but I hope you guys know what I actually meant…

She’s just so cute! This will be a tough Shinku cosplay to beat, even for Arisa Mizuhara’s version of Shinku!

Wouldn’t it be adorable to see someone carrying her around like the way Sakurada Jun carries Shinku?

Ah, yes… I am blinded by cuteness… Kids cosplaying is always the best.

Technorati Tags: nanao , research , rozen maiden , arisa mizuhara , shinku , cosplay , cosplayer , cute , sakurada , jun

Tenjou Tenge: Natsume Maya 02

High demand for Natsume Maya cosplay these days… I wonder why..?

I can’t understand what the hype about her is, but that’s probably because I’ve never seen Tenjou Tenge before… Heck, I would have never known who Nagi Souichirou or where he was from if my friend had not told me who that guy was cosplaying…

…ok, ok, I admit it… I have a couple of pictures of Japanese and Asian cosplaying guys in my hard-drive whom I totally don’t know and my only reason for keeping them is because they are cute! I am a girl after all! But I usually let the guys drool in this cosplay blog anyway…

Aren’t you glad?

So here’s Natsume Maya in her school uniform. Isn’t it an awesome cosplay? Love the lighting on this picture… Very impressive!

Technorati Tags: nanao , research , cosplay , tenjou tenge , tenjho tenge , nagi , souichirou , japanese , asian

Naruto: Shizune

Ah… I finally found this cosplay picture after a long arduous of searching… I remember wanting to cosplay the same character in an anime convention, but never really had the guts to do so…

Her name is Shizune, assistant to Tsunade and a very talented Medic-nen who uses needles and poison in combat. She is often seen with a little pig known as “Tonton”, Tsunade’s pet pig.

Too bad we can’t see much of the cosplayer’s face in this picture, but wow, is it ever impressive! Nice job, girl! I love the Shikomishindan weapons she has. The only thing missing is Tonton and Tsunade!

Technorati Tags: nanao , research , shizune , naruto , cosplayer , cosplay , tonton , tsunade , medic-nen , medic , pet , pig , shikomishindan , weapon , needle , poison

Full Metal Alchemist: Winry Rockbell

The beautiful and caring genius mechanic of the Full Metal Alchemist series, Winry Rockbell is the person Ed calls whenever his automail arm and leg are in need of repair. Though the anime depicts her as an “older sister” to the Elric brothers, the manga gives her a more prominent role, as the secret love interest of Ed.

She’s so pretty isn’t she? Beauty and brains… What more can a guy ask for?

Technorati Tags: nanao , research , full metal alchemist , winry , rockbell , fma , fullmetal alchemist , fullmetal , full metal , alchemist , mechanic , genius , anime , manga , cosplay , automail , love

Phoenix Wright: Justice for All

I just finished the second installment of the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney series for Nintendo DS, and I had to write to say how amazing I think it is.

It's even more fun than the first one, more exciting, and more amusing (and I thought the first one was great). They expanded on the game's system to make solving the crimes even more exciting.

If you have never played or heard of Phoenix Wright, now is a great time to start; the third installment was recently released in the US. I'm waiting for my boyfriend to finish so I can borrow his. :3

PW is a "visual novel" type game. It is mostly text based. As a defense attorney, you have to defend your clients, scouring for clues and presenting evidence to prove them innocent. If you like solving mysteries, figuring out puzzles, and/or participating in an interesting and engaging story with a wealth of great characters, you will like this game.

I'd like to cosplay as Franziska von Karma some day. She's sassy as hell.

Costume Profile - Izumi from Genshiken

Okay, I've been failing pretty hard at updating, but in my defense, I had a bunch of school work and I also threw a bridal shower for my sister back home.

Anyway.

Here is the profile of my Izumi costume.

Character Name: Izumi
Series: Genshiken
Worn to: Tokyo Kid Cosplay Contest (Boston, MA); Will probably be worn the Sunday of Anime Boston 2008

Total Time: About 25-30 hours
Total Cost: About $70

Easiest things about this costume: The hat was incredibly easy. The black shirt I bought and modified.

Most difficult things about this costume: The shoes, which my boyfriend helped out a lot on... lots of gluing involved and I didn't have time for that. The skirt was also ridiculously hard.

Materials Used and Price Breakdown:

- Jacket, skirt, and hat: Plain blue cotton, $3.95/yd, Winmil Fabrics.

- White detailing on skirt, jacket, and shoes: White cotton/poly, $2.95/yd, Winmil Fabrics.

- Shoes: Yellow stretch synthetic fabric, $5/yd; Orange vinyl, $3/yd; White buttons, $1.30/2 pack; Fabritac, $7; all from Winmil Fabrics.
Felt (for structure), free (leftover from a long time ago).
"Kung-fu" shoes, $5, Chinatown.

- Shirt: Silk knit (yeah, I don't know why that exists, either) sweater, $.90 at the Dollar-a-pound at the Garment District.

- Mah-Jong tiles: Sculpy clay, $1.50(ish), Utrecht Art Supplies. Lovingly painted by my boyfriend. ^^

- Collar, Shoe, and Hat Stuffing: I stuffed these things with a combination of leftover polar fleece, felt, and foam from projects long past. The fleece made the hat really snuggly. ^^

- Other misc. elements, such as the zipper and elastic, were purchased at Winmil Fabrics or found in my sewing box.

- Wig: Chinadoll green wig, $27, Dorothy's Costume

- Goggles: Black vinyl, $5/yd; Black elastic; Buckle, $2; all from Winmil Fabrics.
Basswood for main construction, $2 for the size and thickness I purchased; Model maker's tin sheet, about $2; Model maker's plastic, $1.50 for the sheet; all at Utrecht Art Supplies.

Bleach: Inoue Orihime

This cosplayer of Inoue Orihime actually reminds me of someone I know… She actually blogs in Sanriotown, but I won’t mention who…

Anyway… Inoue is the most powerful healer in the Bleach Universe, as she is able to return a body back to its original state no matter how severe the injury. This ability made her a target by Aizen’s Arrancar group, who thinks of her as a sort of "god".

I love Orihime in her Shinigami disguise. Black looks so good on her! And I really think I know who this cosplayer is… Hm…

Technorati Tags: nanao , research , bleach , cosplay , cosplayer , orihime , inoue , sanriotown , photobucket , aizen , sosuke , arrancar , god , shinigami , healer , healing

Ouran High School Host Club: Otori Kyouya, Fujioka Haruhi, and Suo Tamaki

Picture this… A girl who accidentally breaks an expensive vase suddenly becomes part of most popular club in school in order to pay for her debt… And she’s made to dress up like a boy because the club is all about hosting.

Sounds like a roller coaster ride doesn’t it?

Well, That’s the life of Fujioka Haruhi for you! Everyday, she’s surrounded by the beautiful female students of Ouran High School as well as the beautiful guys of the Host Club.

Suo Tamaki (the blond guy in the picture), the president of the Host Club and self-proclaimed “father figure” to Haruhi is an out-going narcissist who is actually in love with Haruhi. He’s completely different from vice president Otori Kyouya, who is extremely intelligent and serious, able to manipulate any situation to his advantage.

Aren’t they all so cute? Lovely, lovely cosplays!

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Naruto: Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto

When the kids cosplay, it’s almost always an instant hit….

But what if the babies are the ones cosplaying well known characters?

Instant cute! I guess Sasuke is trying to find out how Naruto trains so that he can become stronger than Naruto… Rivals at such a young age… how cute!

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Hunter x Hunter: Feitan

One of the original members of Ryuseigai “Phantom Troupe”, Feitan is a mysterious character who resembles a true thief. He became a member and temporary head of the Genei Ryodan, aka “Phantom Troupe”. He rarely speaks but when he does, there’s always a word or two missing. And since he is proficient in reading Chinese, then Chinese is probably his first language, not Japanese.

I love this cosplayer’s eyes. The red contacts are quite dramatic, and I love the hand-painted skull on his scarf. Beautiful and most impressive cosplay! Bravo!

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Tenjou Tenge: Natsume Maya

A girl, Natsume Maya, who seeks revenge on her own ex-boyfriend, Takayanagi Mitsuomi, due to the death of her older brother, Natsume Shin…

Add to that the ability of the girl to control her body by shrinking it to appear like an 8-year-old…

All the elements of the makings of a really good anime!

I adjusted the brightness of this image from the original picture because it was a bit too dark. You will be redirected to the original look once you click on the image.

Technorati Tags: nanao , research , cosplayer , tenjou tenge , tenjho tenge , natsume , maya , ex-boyfriend , takayanagi , mitsuomi , shin , cosplay

Bleach: Ishida Uryuu

Remember what I said about Filipinoes cosplaying really well?

Well, this is a good opportunity to introduce Jin, a cosplayer that rivals even Philippine Idol Alodia.

Jin is apparently from the Philippines, but the cosplaying is on the same class as the really good Japanese ones most people practically worship. This is a really nice cosplay of Ishida Uryuu from Bleach. I’m not sure if it’s the lighting or the photography, but it looks really good!

Nice job, Jin. Giving a shout out to El Angeles for great photography and special thanks to Moon Crest for giving me the links! Check our Jin’s DeviantArt account for more of her awesome cosplays! (And I’ll be sure to add more of her photos on this blog too!)

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Rozen Maiden: Shinku

You didn’t think I would forget about Arisa Mizuhara, did you?

Yeah I know I’m featuring her too much, and I’m such a fanatic that I made a category in my blog exclusively for her…

But I can’t help it. She’s cosplaying the characters that I adore, how could I resist? Though one can argue that the expression in her photos remain the same, it’s not really a bad thing all together.

It really suits her to cosplay as a Rozen Maiden… She has the qualities of a real live doll. Though I think she could probably look a bit more snobbish, since Shinku is the doll who embodies the traditional Victorian aristocrat…

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Full Metal Alchemist: Envy

I am assuming those are incomplete Philosopher’s Stones that she is looking at. Envy is one of the homunculi after all, and they need the stone’s power to assume the alchemist’s intended appearance.

I am also aware that no matter how androgynous he looks, Envy is a guy, but I think it’s safe to assume that this cosplayer is a girl.

Indeed… Sometimes… Simple is Best.

Technorati Tags: nanao , research , cosplay , cosplayer , full metal alchemist , androgynous , envy , homunculi , alchemist , philosopher’s stone , photobucket

Samurai Shodown 3: Shizumaru Hisame

Samurai Shodown, also known as “Samurai Spirits” is one of SNK’s more popular fighting games. The character this cosplayer is portraying is probably not too familiar with most, but he is my favorite character.

Shizumaru Hisame first appeared in Samurai Shodown 3. The first time I got the play the game series was on the Sony Playstation. It was also around the time when I was still addicted to Rurouni Kenshin.

Don’t you think Shizumaru-kun resembles Kenshin a lot?And no, the fact that he uses an umbrella as his weapon has nothing to do with the reason why he amuses me so. After all, “how would I know? I’m just a kid!”

Here’s a trivia: Did you know SNK purposely removed the “w” in the word “showdown” to save programing time? You see, removing the “w” made the number of letters in “Spirits” matched “Shodown” and it was much easier to simply change the character rather than adding an additional character.

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Yu Yu Hakusho: Kurama and Hiei

I never thought I’d see the day when I’d find a cool looking Kurama and Hiei cosplay. Photobucket really has its wonders.

Though I believe both cosplayers are females.

Here’s a trivia for you… Did you know that Kurama is named "Denis" and Hiei is names "Vincent" in the Filipino dubs? Worse, they first gave Kurama a female voice, saying that he is a girl when he is in the human world, and a guy when he is in the demon world.

*shudders*

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Naruto: Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto, and Uchiha Sasuke

Team cosplays is something that I don’t usually feature in this blog… I just happen to like portrait pictures better than groups.

But this is is not bad at all… It’s not to often that you get to see a nice group cosplay of Naruto where all three people in the team look absolutely stunning. I like the short-haired Sakura better than when she had long hair.

Nice group cosplay you guys! Original image can be found in Photobucket.

Technorati Tags: nanao , research , cosplay , cosplayer , group , naruto , uzumaki , haruno , sakura , uchiha , sasuke , photobucket

Full Metal Alchemist: Alex Louis Armstrong

I am actually very impressed with the accuracy of this cosplay… It’s so accurate that it’s scary really…

Alex Louis Armstrong, the strong arm alchemist who is only fully clothed about 3 minutes at a time because he loves showing off his “beautiful body”. Don’t let his looks fool you though… He is quite a gentle man who was nearly prevented from being promoted due to his sentimentalism.

Not something you would expect to see from a grown man right? I suppose that’s the role of a comic relief for you…

Wonderful, impressive cosplay! Makes most people’s jaw drop at the similarities, I’m sure…

Originally from Photobucket.

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Shakugan no Shana: Shana

It seems that Kipi is more popular than I had imagined… She has a fan base that is probably one of the biggest I have ever seen! And she’s cosplayed (I estimate) about 20 or so characters already.

This is one of my personal favorites… Shakugan no Shana, a girl who kills by fire. This anime is pretty popular, and it’s already on its 2nd season.

I’m craving for Melon Pan now… I need to finish watching the first season quickly…

Photos from Kipi’s fan site. Shana dancing the Lucky Star dance from Random Otaku.

Technorati tags: nanao, research, shakugan no shana, shana, cosplay, kipi, melon pan, melon bread, lucky star, random otaku, kooh, japan