Trollolollolol

Well, I didn’t finish the red wig… But I might as well reveal that the costumes we are certainly going to make this year are female trolls from World of Warcraft. They weren’t mentioned in the post where I revolved around costume plans for this year. To be frank, I might as well delete the whole post because the content isn’t anyhow correct anymore. It seems that I’m at work for whole holiday season. So it's no for going to conventions or at least for two days, which means no competitions as they usually are held at Saturdays.

You’d think that I would be a wreck, but I’m not! I’m too excited about our trolls. They are going to be our characters for Tracon’s show competition, if that kind of contest is part of the repertory. Plans changed also on that front, because our original plan was to use characters from Star Wars universe. Not a bad switch, I’d say. Wow characters are certainly more familiar to the audience in roleplay/anime convention and show class gives nice freedom with the costume design and construction.

The construction part offers again new methods and materials. We are going to take our time and hopefully get the costumes in presentable stage in the summer. What I’ve noticed with some Wow cosplayers, the costumes are never really finished. They just keep upgrading, like in the game.

The red wig I presented in the previous entry was mine. Thanks to a nice flow I got going on yesterday evening, Yoki’s wig was finished just few hours ago. As my high tail up-do reached over my shoulders, I decided to make Yoki’s wig short.

It still needs some trimming and styling on the sides, but it has to wait because for that I need Yoki's head. The bone necklace is also something I made yesterday from leftover Das clay. The feathers were the result of an experimental dyeing process with disinfectant... Weird.

READ MORE - Trollolollolol

Characters for Desucon Frostbite

I have been so good! I actually managed to organize and pack our costumes more or less properly out from Yoki’s old room. Not few of them, but every single costume we have worn this year had been shoved there. But that is not the reason I’m writing a post, even if I feel that my effort is worth to mention. The true meaning of this is upcoming Desucon Frostbite, which is only seven weeks away. I think our convention season has never started this early!

To fit the time of the year we are trying to finish our Snowtroopers to be the primary costumes. But because of certain restrictions the costumes have, we thought to have secondary costumes as well. We haven’t had ones since 2007, when we wore Sasori and Deidara for the first day of convention and Mayuri and Akon for the second.


There are at least two reasons for this rare event. We are going to Lahti by car, so we can stuff it full of boxes and suits. The other is the program. Usually there are just few things we want to see, but Desucon Frostbite seems to keep its promise of interesting and high quality content. Snowtroopers aren’t the most convenient costumes. It’s hard to sit comfortably and you get tired rather easily. And then there is the thing that you don’t see too well or hear much either. To avoid utter exhaustion we reasoned that changing during the day would solve some problems.

We have toyed around an idea of making Disney cosplay at some point. Even if Desucon Frostbite is anime convention, we decided that now that we had the opportunity, we would use it. The duo we are going to construct is from Beauty and the Beast with big personalities; Lumiere and Cogsworth.


We are going to make the costumes based on their human forms. I’m going to exercise artistic freedom to make the costumes look interesting and for the sake of my sanity, to bring them to the same century. Really, I don’t know what they have been thinking while designing the look for the character. It’s like Lumiere is partially from 1500s as Cogsworth is from the late 1700s.


Even if I mentioned of bringing them to the same century, I’m not going to pinpoint the costumes to any era. I’m just going to balance the pieces of the costumes to coherent look. This week I tried styling the wigs for the characters. They still need some attention, but I'm getting there. I’ve also have drawn the patterns and bought fabrics for the costumes. I also have the shoes and some accessories ready. Now I’m going to sew… And sing “Be our guest” all along.

READ MORE - Characters for Desucon Frostbite

"Oh, how it pains me to do this!"

With the words of slightly lunatic back stabber and probably the most ill-used and unreliable second in command, I'll now present our up-coming costumes for Kawacon.

Princess Megs and her loyal servant Lady Star.

One boring afternoon I took a pencil and started drawing. Yoki being a Transformers fan and I'm also but in smaller scale, we've had few discussion about various themes around transforming robots. One circled around holoforms or human forms, I'm not sure which one is appropriate term. The result was these lady birds. I snapped a photo from the drawing with my phone and send it to Yoki, whose reply was: "...You have been officially infected by tf holoforms! Femme holoforms... Potential Kawacon duo~? :3"


And then after Desucon I found myself drawing mini shorts patterns. Now that I think of it, after agonizing work week, think I might have made too hasty schedule for the costumes. I really wanted to get over them quickly, because every passing day is off from making our competition costumes. The hurry have manifested as temper problems and common crankiness.

Yoki might think different, but I actually enjoy working with the costumes, because it's nice for a change to actually design something! Or modify, because half of the work was done already. I just had to transform (heh) blocky metal design into soft forms and fabric.

If the mood problems are forgotten, things are looking quite good. I only need to make Lady Star's legs and Yoki have her wings and head accessories under construction. Also our wigs needs some attention on styling department.

Talking about wigs, most disgusting thing happened today when we were trying the wig with the extras on Yoki. I tried to comb the wig from the forehead with my fingers, but actually stuck my thumb on Yoki's eyeball! It was squishy!


Because of Midsummer night celebration I'll have a free day from work tomorrow, which we will use finishing the costumes. We started with the costumes last Sunday, the same day we got back from Desucon. I took responsibility of patterns and sewing as usual. Yoki handled prop building and groundwork, because she has loads of knowledge from the source.

Maybe the costumes have something to do with a certain premiere here in Finland... Who knows?

READ MORE - "Oh, how it pains me to do this!"

Typical situation with changing plans

Changing plans with costumes, conventions or schedules must be one of the most typical situations (or problems) amongst cosplayers. We are no exception. After Tampere Kuplii we unanimously dropped Bakacon from our convention list because of Yoki’s exams. Now, after being somewhat crippled for weeks first by back problems and now with swollen knee and notorious spring flu, I’m completely assured that it was the right choice.

As a duo, it’s really easy to tell the other party if a costume idea doesn’t appeal too much or if you've had a change of heart. Dropped and changed costume plans happen so casually between us that we don’t even remember to report them. I think our long-term readers have noticed that. If I were to count all the costumes we have thought about doing, the list would possibly be at least double the length of the list of the actual costumes.

Crazy things have been introduced here on our blog with our possible projects. Talking about lists, I thought I could make one and try to clear out what new costumes we are going to do for this summer:

Luminara Unduli and Barriss Offee from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

That was short… These costumes we will wear at Desucon, which is the next convention we are going to attend to. Of course we have plans for the autumn, but at this point it’s too early to go there.

"I find the lack of your ergonomics, while constructing your lightsaber disturbing!"

READ MORE - Typical situation with changing plans

Upcoming cosplay from March Story

We got our costume plans for the summer conventions somewhat cleared last weekend. It seems that instead of Luminara and Barriss we are going solo to Bakacon. Yoki has been growing her hair out for Snufkin and I know she is dying to wear the costume again, so it’s Snufkin for Yoki! Now that I actually need to do a single cosplay I thought it would be good time to reveal my project, which I started last autumn as a time killer. I have done a lot for the costume and also have featured the making process here many times without giving series or character information out.

The character I’ve been working on is March from March Story. March Story is written and drawn by Koreans, but in my books it’s manga. The comic was first published in Sunday GX and first volume was released by VIZ last autumn. I’m looking forward April, because the second volume should be out then. I think March Story is one of the few comics I have fallen crazily in love with. Cosplay-wise it’s also the only costume I’m making based on a character which might or might not be recognized by anyone at all. The visual side of the manga is great, but the story is also good! If you are interested in tragic stories spiced with humor, carnivals and bloody and thorny things I think you should check the series out!

Cover of the first volume of March Story.

We laughed with Yoki some time ago, that our cosplays are rather monochromatic and March is no exception. It’s also bit challenging to do a costume based on only few colored covers and panels, which vary rather much. But then again, that’s the fun of it too! I’m now working on the jacket, which is coming together nicely. I’m doing the black shapes by appliquéing them. Only thing I’m feeling bit insecure is patterning the crazy hood. I’m not good with hoods. I tried to avoid them while back at school and now I’m feeling the consequences of not paying attention to them.

I’m going to make a better update from the costume in a week. By then I hope I have solved the problems with the silly hood. The earlier posts featuring this costume includes information about how I striped the pants, constructed the suitcase and did the buckles for colonial shoes.

In the convention post I stated that Snufkin and March have similarities. Don’t they?

READ MORE - Upcoming cosplay from March Story

Convention season 2011

It might be bit early to start rambling about this years conventions; first one is months away and we don’t know our other plans for summertime. But I got so exited by a certain envelope, which arrived in the mail!

Desucon is not the first con we are going to attend, but certainly it’s the most anticipated one. Even if it have been held twice before, we've never got ourselves transported to Lahti(-city). Now we have accommodation and transportation on the site assured, which is good if we even consider taking Whiteys there. I’m already having nightmares of how we travel with the costumes, yet try to cope with wearing and navigating in them when we are half-blind and numbed by plastic. Good that we have experience by then! We are going to wear the costumes publicly first time in the beginning of April.

The first happening is Tampere Kuplii, annual comic festival held 6-10.4. We chose Snowtroopers, because they fit the theme rather well and we might not fry in them at that time of the year. We are little hesitant though. We have our doubts for equation: city environment, spring and white costumes. Of course we will weather the costumes out at some point, but I would like to do it confined and with a precise plan.

The next event for us might be Bakacon at Pieksämäki. We are not yet totally sure about attending it, but “small town convention” feels just so damn appealing. Other duo we are going to do this year and have actually started is Jedi master Luminara Unduli and her padawan Barriss Offee. These two are strong candidates for Baka. Even with Luminara’s head piece the costumes are rather easy to travel with. But then again it might still be possible to wear Snowies in May as far as weather goes, so we might not introduce Luminara and Barriss before Desucon.

Desucon starts the series of summer conventions. We have thought about Kawacon in the beginning of July and Ropecon for old time sake in the end of the month. It really seems that we are compensating for the last con-dry years. In 2010 we attended one and in 2009 the magical number was two.

We can be counted as cosplayers who enjoy wearing old costumes, so costume-wise everything should be in control. We have Joxter and Muddler who we have worn only once. Yoki would like to wear Snufkin again, now that she has let her hair grow. I could join in with a cosplay of a rather similar character type. The costume is still unfinished, but I think I might be able to pull it together quickly. Or I could take Samara out for a walk and for her first real con. Yoki also has promised that she could consider Kirika Yuumura to go with Mireille. They would effortless solution for secondary costumes. We also have seriously thought about reintroducing Sasori and Deidara, but not only as basic ones… Ho-ho… About this I might write more in the coming months.

With new acquaintances Baka-, Kawa- and Desucon we'll meet our old friend in September. Tracon VI is held at Tampere in 3-4.9 and... there is little I can tell next to that. Our plans for Tracon are still quite open. We can't really choose the costumes before we know where the World Cosplay Summit preliminaries are being held. Costume selections for end of the season is determined by that.

In any case, we are thrilled! I think we have nice set of costumes to display both in conventions and on videos. Only things left is to make the costumes and wait for summer. Looking at the thermometer reminds me that it's still some way to go.

READ MORE - Convention season 2011

Three shoots in one bang

We have planned a photoshoot for holidays with our favorite duo up to date; Sasori and Deidara. We still aren't quite sure, which day it’s going to take part though. Even if we don’t shoot outside, the weather dictates the matter. We need sunny or at least bright weather to have a clean looking footage. With our second interview clip we were behind the planned schedule and our camera didn't like it. The “interview part” looks dark and unclean, because we had to work with artificial lights.


Next to following weather forecasts we have made scripts for three different sets; Akatsuki interviews, Sasori-Deidara moments and Christmas special. However, the Akatsuki interviews needs to be tweaked a little. Our memory was bit off with some details on Sasori's and Deidara's plots. I have also been combing and tuning our wigs after they went through a lot with us, rolling down the stairs for example. I can’t do much with Sasori’s wig; I will need Yoki’s head for it, but Deidara’s ponytail I have tried to upgrade. Emphasis on the word “tried”.


The wrapping around the ponytail can’t really even exist. Thank you for giving me a headache with your design, Kishimoto. This far I have tried three different methods with the wrapping and finally I think I have a solution. I need to cut the ribbon and wrap the short pieces separately around the ponytail. To get as close as possible to the reference picture, I couldn’t think of anything else. I even tried to use hilt wrapping instructions as references, but quickly came to a decision that it wasn’t helpful at all. Honestly, I didn’t know there were so many individual parts involved in it!


By the way, have I ever mentioned that I have a soft spot for cheap fabrics? I ended up buying the perfect fabric for Akatsuki pants… and for Deidara's belly shirt. The old ones are starting to rip apart and the color doesn’t appeal anymore. With this rate we might end up redoing these guys in whole. The progress this far surely suggests so.

Welcome for holidays, Yoki! You might end up wearing new pair of pants! No worries, only 3,90/meter.

READ MORE - Three shoots in one bang

The yksi

READ MORE - The yksi

"WCS? I don't know what you are talking about..."

Pair who will be representing Finland in World Cosplay Summit 2011 was chosen few weeks ago. Congratulations! I don’t recall many pairs with two male representatives in the two years time Finland has been one of the competing countries. Guys are commonly the underdogs amongst roaming chick hoard when speaking of cosplay, so it’s nice that Finland stands out with this setting. And I think that the finalist will represent Finnish cosplay well, not only because of testosterone.

This year was also bit different from the previous ones in few ways. One, Finnish cosplayers blog now. Two, they bravely speak their minds. The low number of participants on the WCS preliminaries has been one of the main subjects in many, many blogs and forum entries. I do agree that four is too few. But what can you do?

Participate! After quick recovering time Finnish cosplayers started to throw challenges to various directions and generally encourage people to step up and compete. I’m really looking forward to next year, because 2011 preliminaries will possibly be toughest one ever. Regarding that, I hope that there will be some kind of prequalification round or rather monitoring for the competitors, so that the last minute cancellations could somehow be minimized. Withdrawals are the greatest curse with cosplay competitions in our country. People seem to be too keen to sign up, but not being able to conquer their shyness, stage fright or what ever.

And what we are going to do? Participate! I threw the idea for Yoki last summer to chew up and we quickly came to decision that we just need to take part. After the preliminaries we were more certain that we will be there to increase the number of the competing pairs. That is, if we even fit in.

In the future there might not be as many posts here on our blog, at least costume construction updates and process pictures will decrease. I don’t want to leak precious plans to our opponents! Even if I’m really eager to do so.

READ MORE - "WCS? I don't know what you are talking about..."

Autumn thoughts

READ MORE - Autumn thoughts

Lack of ladies - solved

Hiron stated in the post 'something feminine' that we were looking for female characters with the right attitude and clothing. Mission impossible made a turn towards success as she found a game called Heavenly Sword. Yes, two great ladies with a fascinating and sad story. And of course showy and "not too minimalistic" clothing is also part of their fittings. I'm not sure am I allowed to make announcement like this, anyway we were quite sure that Nariko and Kai were going to be our plan for summer 2011.

Then something happened. Was it the geekiness or our linked minds, even Hiron's obsession towards tents or the fact that we've been watching too much Star Wars recently, I'm not sure. The result however, was that our next project, after finishing snowtroopers of course, is to make these beautiful ladies.

Copyright Lucasarts.

Jedi master Luminara Unduli and her (former) padawan Barriss Offee. Nothing beats the Jedi. I had thought the possibility of making Luminara's Clone wars version, not too long ago and suddenly Hiron comes to me and says: "Luminara and Barriss." It needn't much persuasion, only the picture of the jedi master's huge 'tent' with nice little details and leather decorations, when I shouted: "You'll be the master, you'll be the master!" This will be the first time ever when Hiron gets to be a character in a higher position than the one I'm cosplaying. She has already raided through our hometown's fabric stores three times during her search for perfect and accurate materials. My presence made Hiron's stress level to rice because I was constantly in the way blocking her path, even though I tried not to be.

-yoki out

READ MORE - Lack of ladies - solved

Live-action or animated?

Next year we will cosplay like never before. We will cosplay from movies faces exposed. This far all our costumes have either been made based on drawn characters or masked ones from films. Because of our up-coming project (which is almost too alluring, distracting us from what we should be doing) I have pondered the differences between these two sources and why it seems to be easier to cosplay from comics and animations.

When it comes to movie cosplays or costume imitations the quality and attributions of materials matters more for me. The textures and types of textiles can be identified with eyesight. Also how the fabric has been handled or constructed is easy to notice. For example, it’s not hard to spot from live image is the design on the fabric printed or woven. When making costumes based on animated model there are some margins to work in. Interpretation is more important than observation. The tools to use can be costume history, intuition or plainly the selection of the nearest fabric store. Imagination serves as a big factor, because the source is all made up also. But with movies, everything is real. The materials exist somewhere, even if you don't have the access to them.

That's why being as accurate as possible with the references plays bigger role with movie costumes. When construction is based on animation you can bend the rules a little according to your own taste. Because the materials can hardly be exactly the same as in the movies, the importance of details, cut lines, designs and close-enough textures are for me the main points to follow.

With movie costumes, finding references is not a problem. You don’t only have to rely on promotional pictures or the movies themselves to collect them, thanks to movie costume exhibitions. There is nothing in the animation sources which could be compared to them. I thought about original art or cover art as options, but in them the artist usually uses his freedom of expression and doesn’t necessary follow the “real” character design. Of course there are character sheets with detailed information but in the end, they are only paper or pixels. The reality is way more informative, even if in pictures.

Movie costumes don’t usually change. They stay the same, so you don’t get lost with different alternations. I bet every cosplayer knows the difference with elaborate manga and simplified anime designs. The costumes may get dirty or torn but the constructive side doesn’t alter. This way you are not made to choose between one or the other or combining the two, which for some seems to be rather big sin on cosplayers books. With only one true model, you really can’t go wrong or then again, you really can go wrong. Somehow I see movie costuming much stricter, which is why we also have been avoiding it, but not because of the materialistic side of it, but with the physical.

The main point is to look like the character, but with movie cosplays you are faced with another similarity aspect. With animation people interpret the features of the character always little different. Especially with Japanese production, where the amount of facial features is stripped to minimum. In movies, it’s not only about the characters appearance, but also the actors. Real human faces are naturally more easy and obvious to read. I don’t know am I viewing this too seriously, but I can’t see myself trying to portray a person, who I don’t resemble a bit gender-, posture- or facial-wise. We have been avoiding this issue with masks, which has worked really well.

With the project we were able to solve or dodge all the issues we have with movie costumes. Gladly, or perhaps because the previous points we chose characters with peculiar skin color and striking features. This way the actor’s facial structure and proportion plays much smaller role. Also we finally found a kick ass female duo, so no problems with the sex neither. But still, this new movie costuming project will be a challenge. An enjoyable one. The only problem for me is to suppress the desire to start working! I need a lot of Force to over-come my cravings…

READ MORE - Live-action or animated?

It's still hot! We need Hoth!

The weather didn't change much after my last post and I, if it's in any way avoidable, will not work in these circumstances. But now there are some signs in the air, that next week would be more bearable and I have few days off, so there is costume progress ahead of us... At last... Again...


To make this hiatus acceptable I can reveal what I have done in two weeks time. No, I haven't just sat on my behind, I have gone trough dozens of plastic bags and organized fabrics and other supplies. When we actually start to make something, we don't need to fight with serious mess. I also took a closer look on the things and details we need to redo for Snowtroopers. Even if we need to upgrade Yoki's costume and construct mine, we are more than half way there. All the clothes have been made and we can use the old molds for the armor after we fix them up a bit.


Last weekend we put on our rubber boots and went to the countryside. We were looking nice places where we could have a photoshoot for Joxter and Muddler. The scenery has already been seen on our Snufkin vid, but this time we will widen the view. As we hiked on the fields and forest we made a draft of the script. We might need some extras if we are going to follow the first version. Gladly our metal expert Esa has promised to make a cameo if needed!

All together, next month will be a busy one. We have planned a second part for Akatsuki interview and if we manage, we will film it next week. Joxter and Muddler we will shoot later, because we need to wait for the apples to ripen. Then of course the Snowtrooper costumes needs to be finished. And then... Yoki will move to study and leave me! Okay, it's only three hours by train, but still... So in the future, Yoki being busy with her studies it will be more me and less her, if it is in anyway possible. But let's work hard before that!

READ MORE - It's still hot! We need Hoth!

One convention confirmed!

Here we come, Tracon! I finally got myself to book us a hotel and buy tickets to our first convention we attend together in two years. Two years, people! I think we are out with all what has been happening in the Finnish cosplay scene these past few years. Still I have spotted people who I actually recognize and whose works I admire. Couple of them has their own blogs, so spying their progress and is quite easy. I thank you, dear internet.

Needless to say, we are going as Joxter and Muddler from Moomin. Next few weeks we are far away from our costume projects and it doesn’t help that we had a small hiatus this month, because of my commissions and Yoki's entrance exam. The finishing of the costumes is pushed back near to the convention. As always. I’m so happy, that they are in good shape compared to some other late constructions. But what would cosplay be without few frustrating, long nights.

Tracon is a Finnish roleplaying and anime convention held in Tampere, Finland. It has worked its way from a year starting, one day winter con to two day summer con. As a hobbyist from both of the genres, we just can't miss it. And as on our previous cosplay excursion we are accompanied by Karan. This year, we keep snacks with us as a first aid. No more collapsing cosplayers.

Yoki as Snowtrooper, Karan as Chaplin. Pic by Hiron 2010.

READ MORE - One convention confirmed!

Costumes for summer 2010 concluded

During the weekend we discussed about our costume plans for the summer. We decided to put our Snowtrooper costumes aside for the spring and work on them in summer. I’m relieved about that. First reason for my relief is that we won’t suffer horrible heatstroke. The Snowtrooper costume, with helmet and all equals HOT. Second one is purely construction related. In summer we can work outside. I think Yoki is still finding foam dust floating in her room and we worked with the foam over a month ago. Third is that we would be in a terrible hurry and I want to make the costumes perfect before taking them to public. Looking at our schedules for the next three months, the process would be scattered here and there. And for this costume its bad, with all the different requirements for space and materials. We noticed that it’s lot easier to work continually for two weeks than try to achieve something during the weekend, then put everything aside to take them out and start over the next weekend. According our current planning, the Snowtrooper duo will be debuted next autumn.

With this long explanation and convincing arguments, I think we are now justified to start working on new costumes, yes? Yes! We have a lift off!


Because our plans for conventions are still wide open, we chose two duos to be made. It might sound weird that instead of one and a half costume we have now four. But these ones don’t include plastic sheets or spray paint fumes. It’s mainly sewing, which sounds great to me. I have the structure and pattern plans almost done. And this gets better. We have the wigs ready for every costume, thanks to my collector soul! They need to be styled, but we don’t need to see the effort of finding nice wigs and use hilarious amount of money on them. The hardest part is finding shoes. Lately I have been really keen of observing the shoes used in cosplay here in Finland. I think having believable shoes for the character is one of those finishing touches beside things like cosmetic contact lenses… which are also on their way to the nearest post office.

I fight the urge to reveal our complete plans. I need to have some result before I can do that, like some pieces of clothing. But I dare to give some info and I’m actually quite sure that we’re going to finish these guys easily for the summer cons. Yes, guys. Yoki didn’t get to show her feminity still. One duo is actually listed on my earlier post. The second duo is from an older series and it’s going to be a nice splash of colour for our monotonic costume history. There is actually no plain black or white clothing on either person from the duo.

The result of spontaneous material shopping.

We have already collected some materials for our colourful duo. I have cut almost all main pieces for the clothes, while Yoki has started the knitting project. But the real work starts after Easter. We are going to jump on a plane and get a head start to spring, eat a lot of (English) chocolate and enjoy the holidays! Happy Easter everybody!

READ MORE - Costumes for summer 2010 concluded

New cosplay debute- Snowtrooper

Finished! Well, almost... but atleast it's wearable! We finished the costume eight hours before it was to be worn by Yoki. We dropped the backpack from this first version, but I think that Snowtrooper from Star Wars series is making an impact even without it. When we manage to finish my costume all the missing objects will be done... and also some adjustments for Yoki's armor. There were casualties. Yes, there were... Yoki might post about them, because I witnessed only some of them.

So this is the huge project we have been battling with three months. Some armor making changes occured during the construction. We planned doing the armor parts from fiberglass but ended up doing them from PETG plastic using vacuum forming method. It was new for us and a great learning experience. I will post more detailed information about this costume later on, possibly when we have both of them entirely done. We have also planned some shorts skits and hopefully we will be able to shoot them when we still have snow.

But I must say... Star Wars costuming is epic!

Yoki

READ MORE - New cosplay debute- Snowtrooper

New wig, new storage problem, new ideas

Yay, I have a new wig! Now I have a nice base to build Deidara's hairdo freshly. The previous one got partially send to where ever retired wigs go to... The part I could in anyway use have been fused with a similar one to be born as a short, boyish wig. The ponytail is from the original one and happens to be almost the right shade with the new one even though the producer isn't the same.

Not styled, only pinned to see how it would look like

After I have finished with the wig, we have planned with Yoki to do photoshoot with our crazy artists in their Akatsuki outfits. I think I will redo the undergarments also. They need some improvement and another choice in material. Current ones have uneven dye, which bothers me greatly and have suffered from seam ripping.

I don't know why, but I suddenly realized that we have some resemblance to these characters. Not only do I have long, blond hair and Yoki has short and spiky, we have some similar attributions in "art" as Deidara and Sasori. Well... I don't exacly blow up everything I have created, but Yoki is the more conscientous than me. In the series Sasori is portrayed as a teenager while Deidara looks like an young adult. I'm six years older than Yoki, but sometimes Yoki just acts more mature than I.

No wonder we picked up these guys from the bunch.

READ MORE - New wig, new storage problem, new ideas

Cosplay-might-happen-list

In the first post I asked what should we cosplay next. Then I remembered that I had this list about characters that we have thought about doing or planning to do when we get done with our current projects.

Here is the list. Tell us which pair would be cool to see done and made real!


Tokusa and Madarao from D.Gray-man



I so sympathize with these guys. They have so little air time in the manga even though they are interesting and complex characters. And in other hand they have kooky design and the fighting uniform would be rather easy and quick to do. And I'm fond of their personalities. Expecially Tokusa seems truly contrasting personality. I would like to portray him, but because I have hunch that he is shorter than Madarao I just can't see it happening... But hey, I think Madarao is cool with he's funky hairstyle and all. I would gladly cosplay as him.

Haine... Bishop and Giovanni from DOGS

DOGS is one of the few manga that we both actually read. I fell in love with Miwa Shirow's character design and story telling. First I thought that we should do Haine and Badou, but then Giovanni stole Badou's place. We actually got some stuff for this cosplay. I managed to style Giovannis wig and do the patterns for his suit. But then all progress stopped. We haven't planned of going to any convention and we were busy with other things. I don't know, maybe we try again later with these guys.


EDIT: Yoki suprised me! She had almost forgotten the existence of DOGS and read the few updates that she had missed. Now in Haine is history! The new guy is the all-so-bizarre Bishop!

Setsuna and Lockon from Gundam 00


I think this was fully my idea! I really tried to get Yoki to watch this series, but she didn't find it as interesting as I did. But these were my favorite characters. I like drama and I saw these two the most tragical characters. I think Gundam 00 has been my most upsetting anime experience so far. There is many great characters in these series, but because Setsuna and Lockon are linked more than in one way they'd be the couple we'd do (if Yoki would approve).

Yoshimitsu and Tira from Soul Calibur III

This pair have followed us two or three years now. We have made some blueprints for the armour pieces and patterns for the clothes but then we got short on money. I think that character designs in Soul Calibur games are... well... exraordinary, but with all the details and rich materials it gets really expencive. But I still think that we really need to bring these lunatics to life someday or they will hunt us for the rest of our lives. I love Tira. Yoki loves Yoshimitsu.

EDIT: Originally we chose outfits from Soul Calibur III, but then Soul Calibur IV were published. We were bit worried if Yoshimitsu were playable characters when first bits of information started leaking out and there were no mention about him. But he was! So both of our favorite characters from the series were included with new costumes and designs. Yep, it's hard to choose when you have so many alternatives...


Rush Sykes and David Nassau from The Last Remnant

Well... As you can see this game's character design is very pleasing. This is again my idea. Yoki was quite puzzled when I told her about this list and characters that I had included. I don't understand how she forgot. I chattered with her quite a bit when I first bumped to this game. I think that there is so many interesting patterns and material combinations that they just call me to make them.

Clef and Ascot from Magic Knight Rayearth

Magic Knight Rayearth is the one and only shoujo manga from which we might cosplay. I don't know how we chose these characters. I think it was only based on liking. There were also massive props and for me patterns and silhouettes that I really hadn't done before. All the previous we thought were worth trying and making. I really don't remember why we burried these gyus... But still... we never know what happens next.



There you go! This is my part of listing the characters we could or might cosplay. Yoki will do her own list and add the ones that I possibly have missed.

What do you think about these characters?

READ MORE - Cosplay-might-happen-list