More than just ‘playing dress up’

As some one who’s cosplay career is most likely limited to “the fat one out of the Blues Brothers” I have nevertheless always been quite fascinated by people with the guts and devotion to dress like their favourite video game, comic book and movie heroes. Even more so when the people in question have the the skills and dedication to make their costumes themselves.

For one reason or another I have recently had several close encounters with the world of cosplay. At Video Games Live in Glasgow we were charged with running the cosplay contest, there were some excellent entries with my favourite being Mya and Mia from the Ace Attorney series.

At the Battle of Destiny we were joined by our very own Skaura “Shaz” Kasugano, a choice that proved VERY popular with the photo snapping public! And just today, whilst surfing my RSS feeds from around the web I came across http://pixelninja.se, the website of Jenni Källberg. Jenni is an artist and a cosplay… umm… I think the correct title would be Cosplay Master. If you are a fan of Miss Samus Aran then you need to check out her Zero Suit and Varia Suit costumes, all made my herself, including a Metroid that is ‘mostly made out of soap‘.


Whilst I was browsing the pictures just now Ready Up Jr. Max popped his head over my shoulder and commented “those look really real”, now as anyone that spent time with him at EIF will know, this is a boy that does not hand out praise easily. Normally everything is ‘rubbish’.

Another thing that has cosplay firmly on my radar is the upcoming London Expo, we’ll hopfully be heading to this awesome event to give it the usual Ready Up treatment. So expect interviews, photos and video features. For more info on the London Expo head over to http://www.londonexpo.com/, the show runs over the weekend of 25th/26th of October at the London ExCeL Center as part of the London Games Festival.

Maybe we’ll see you there, I might even dress up as Yangus, apparently I have the right accent!

Guv’nor!


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10 responses to “More than just ‘playing dress up’”

  1. Nick avatar
    Nick

    If you go to the London Expo you MUST make a thousand videos! Seriously that is one of the biggest events in London I’ve always wished to go to!

  2. Shaz avatar

    Keeping my eye on this one! 😀

  3. Alex avatar
    Alex

    I would absolutely *love* to have a go at cosplaying. But I’m not sure I’d be good enough with a sewing machine! ;D

  4. Ben avatar
    Ben

    My only experience of using a sewing machine was in school, but then we were racing them to see who stitch things the fastest.

    That actually sounds a lot better than it is, but just think of some young lads, flooring a sewing machine to the brink of it smoking and giving of more revs than a 90’s NFS game.

    Cosplay front, don’t think I’d ever have the guts to do it but if I ever did, Team Fortress 2 would make some great cosplay outfits.

  5. Tony avatar
    Tony

    Come on Dan, this was just an excuse to publish pictures of a woman in a skintight outfit, right?

    By the way, where does the word “cosplay” come from? I’ve never heard it before.

    As for if I was to dress up like a games character, I’d probably cheat and go as the main chracter from GTA III, as it’s an easy outfit. Although I can’t keep my mouth shut like he could…

  6. Nick avatar
    Nick

    Ah Cosplay came from the Japanese who like to turn everything in smaller words. For example Macdonalds is simply called Makku. Costume + Play = Cosplay or Kosupure if you really want to be finicky. But no one wants to be finicky.

  7. Michael avatar
    Michael

    Cosplay=Costume Play.

    A costume made of soap? What the hell is that about?!

  8. Dan avatar

    A ‘Metroid’ is that thing she is holding.

  9. Michael avatar
    Michael

    Oh, right; I must’ve, erm, missed that…

    I could probably pass for a really bad version of Wakka.

  10. RetroGT.com avatar
    RetroGT.com

    Wehey! We’ll be at the London Expo – and yes, it is cosplay central – See you there!

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