Issue
04
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Year 1 www.facebook.com/cosplayersquito n
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Get To Know...
INTERNATIONAL INTERVIEW:
YUKIGODBLESS / THAILAND MAO / VENEZUELA CQ INTERVIEW:
Fernando (Nanfer) Arias
Small profile of international cosplayers
Correspondent
Is cosplay just a fad? Yunnale, contestant of WCS, gives us her opinion
Tips & Tricks
Want to make wings? Learn how with this tutorial
EDITORIAL TEAM
General Edition: Guillermo Guevara Style Correction: Ana María Guevara Translations: Annie Jiménez / Andrea Parra / Marlina Sánchez / Ana María Guevara Design and Layout: Guillermo Guevara Writers: <International Interview> Andrea Parra / Santiago Vásquez <Get to Know...> Annie Jiménez <Metronome> Santiago Villamizar <Tips & Tricks> Wang Shih Chin <Achievement Unlocked> Santiago Vásquez <Next Stop> Daniel Quezada <Photo Gallery> Andrea Parra <CQ Interview> Annie Jiménez <Correspondent> Kiren Liddell (México), Yunnale (México) <Random Question> Annie Jiménez Contact: cosplayersquito@gmail.com Web: www.facebook.com/cosplayersquito A Publication by CQ MAGAZINE
INDEX INTERNATIONAL INTERVIEW 4 GET TO KNOW...
12
14 NEXT STOP 16 METRONOME 20 TIPS & TRICKS 24 CQ INTERVIEW 28 PHOTO GALLERY ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED 36 38 CORRESPONDENT 42 RANDOM QUESTION CQ MAGAZINE
INTERNATIONAL INTERVIEW In this section you will meet many personalities in the cosplay world
YUKIGODBLESS
C
osplay is a bond that gathers all kinds of people around the world, small or big countries are the homes of cosplayers showing their talent to the community in which they live and overseas. In this occasion CQ-Magazine has traveled to the other side of the world to show you the work of an amazing cosplayer, her name, YukiGodbless. With 23 years old, this Thai cosplayer has blown us away with the incredible talent projected on each one of her cosplays, and knowing that she made them all by herself is even more impressive. She started making cosplay 7 years ago and the reason why she began , was because, when she was 15 she planned to do her first cosplay for the Japanese band “Glay” concert that never arrived, but this just encouraged her to continue with her dream to do cosplay and three years later she met “JiakiDarkness”. She saw him on stage performing and this was a really important moment in her life, she saw how much he enjoyed been on stage, she was able to see how much love and effort he put on his presentation, “I wanted to be like him, I 4 CQ MAGAZINE
MYURIA < S TA R O C E A N 4 : T H E L A S T H O P E >
wanted to show him what I love, Who I love now” She loves armors and for this she learned how to use a material call EVA that is craft foam. When she started to do cosplay she had to make some big wings and Jiaki suggested that she could use EVA, and as it was a complete strange material for her she worked hard to learn how to use it, with a lot of trial she managed to accomplish her goal and now EVA is her favorite material, every time that she sees the sheets of this material laying on the floor is a new mission that she has to adventure in. Even though sometimes is hard for her when the character that she is going to make is not popular and there is not enough background of it, and manage to make the armor hard enough to handle the skit and the stun skills of Jiaki. As a cosplayer not only money but time is an important factor to take into account when planning a project, Yuki studies but luckily for her she attends a Blended Learning course that allows her to work in her art studio, study and complete her cosplay projects. At the moment of choosing a character
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if they are from a video game, she prefers those bosses that might be hard to defeat and in some cases impossible but that catches her attention, if they are from a manga or anime she chooses the ones she fell in love with.
changed my world so I wanted people to see him and get the same inspiration that I had”, for this they choose to make Frey and Freya from Zangeki no Reginleiv.
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CQ MAGAZINE 5
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MIKU RACING QUEEN 2012 <VOCALOIDS>
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Yuki is also a WCS former contestant she and her partner JiakiDarkness where Thailand 2011 representatives. The reason why she decided to participate in this contest was because Jiaki, he told her that been at the WCS is a dream that he had for a long time and she decided to give him that chance “I have to bring him to this spotlight because he gave me the inspiration to do cosplay and he
CQ Interview
The experience at the WCS was incredible for them, As a Thai famous cosplayer, Yuki has been a they got to meet a lot of new friends, and it was judge at some events, she thinks that for this it is an 11 days dream. What she liked the most was important to know the cosplay that the contestant the fact that all contestants and the staff weren’t is portraying, so you can see not only the costume concerned in the competition itself and to defeat the but how much effort is she or he showing on stage other teams but doing the best they can, have fun, of what they love “How beautiful are the costumes is not the big part for me, they have to show me all of the effort that they’ve put on their costume so I can also fell in love with them.” She told us that in Thailand cosplay events are so colorful, people look so excited and she loves to see them participating at the activities of the event with their friends, just like a party. “Sometimes people think that we have to show our character’s role all the time on the event, but I think the best part is that I can still see them smile with their friends and how happy they are to be cosplayers”.
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B L AC K L OT US <ACCEL WORLD>
enjoy this amazing show, and meeting new friends on the way. She loved the effort that the WCS staff did to make them feel like home and to carry this huge event, she even told us that the last day they were at Japan she talked to the staff and with tears on her eyes she thank them for being so kind and professional. “They work with their heart ”
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INTERNATIONAL INTERVIEW dress to me. So now they are so happy to see me doing cosplay”, but not everything is good, what she doesn’t like about cosplay is the fact that “sometimes people bring me to a public space that I don’t want to, like some websites that start to talk things that aren’t true about my cosplay, they don’t even know what cosplay is. Some people in some countries think that cosplayers are public people but I’m not, there are a lot of cosplayers who cosplay just for their own happiness and they don’t care about the reputation that people assumed. I think we should respect people by words and mind in private or even in public places.” For her future plans she wishes to participate once again at the WCS, we wish her the best of luck and thank her to give us this opportunity to show her work to all our readers. If you want to know more about her, we encourage you to visit herweb sites: KAGAMINE RIN <VOCALOIDS>
Yuki traveled to Japan just when the tsunami situation occurred so for her it was so important to be part of one of the reasons of bringing hope and a smile to the Japanese population. For her, Japanese people are so strong and had shown to her how to be stronger. She really liked her experience at Japan and for Yuki, it was like walking in a scene of her favorite animes from Ghibli Studios.
www.facebook.com/pages/YukiGodbless-FC/128280893850359 yukigodbless.wix.com/cosplay yukigodbless.deviantart.com.
What she loves the most about cosplay is making the costumes because she feels even closer to her favorite character and has also giving her the chance to meet new friends not only in Thailand but around the world in fact she has many friends in Ecuador so she would love to travel there someday. Cosplay has made her travel to Hongkong, Phillipines, Indonesia and more, “Cosplay has brought me such beautiful and meaningful memories to my life.” The cosplayer that she admires the most is obviously her partner JiakiDarkness the one that gives her the inspiration to do cosplay, but besides Jiaki’s help she also has the support of her family that even now helps her to get dress and go with her to the conventions, “when I was young my family were the first ones to show me this culture to me. When I was 4 years old my mom and dad make the sailor moon 6 CQ MAGAZINE
MARIA <KNIGHTS IN THE NIGHTMARE>
INTERNATIONAL INTERVIEW International Interview Get to Know... Next Stop HERETIC < B AT T L E O F T H E I M M O R TA L S >
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B L AC K R O C K S HO OT E R < B L AC K R O C K S HO OT E R >
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CQ MAGAZINE 7
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ORIGINAL CHARACTER FROM BELETH <LINEAGE 2 ONLINE>
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MAO
PRINCESS ZELDA <THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE TWILIGHT PRINCESS>
<Interviewed by Solid>
I
have always said that people can do what they wish, if they have previous knowledge and dedication, so they will be able to achieve what they are searching for. Isabella Lillo, a young Venezuelan cosplayer shows us all these in the edition that today I’m sharing with you all. She started in the first conventions of Valencia city, as most of other cosplayers, her first cosplay was a school uniform a little improvised (Saya of Blood +), she added some extra details like the blood on her face and a real katana. She tells us that this thing impressed the people a lot, because cosplay wasn’t a well known culture in that time and neither was gore. Choosing a character is always a headache. It’s not enough to like a character and its personality, also you have to pay attention to your appearance, if you are able to perform as this character and also if you are able to make the costume. Isabella tells us that when she chooses a character, she pays attention to the personality of it, and if it’s similar to hers or not. “I identify myself with many characters that I choose; actually, I used to choose them 8 CQ MAGAZINE
according to their physical appearance and personality. If they have something in common with me. I’d say that my mood is impulsive like Asuka’s, but I’m innocent as Ayanami. One part of me is very playful, and that’s why I identify myself with Loki, who by being a Nordic God he seems to be always playing around, nevertheless I don’t identify with his lies! I’m a very honest person. Loki is misunderstood person and that’s why I like him”.
PIKACHU GIJINKA <POKÉMON>
INTERNATIONAL INTERVIEW International Interview
I met Isabella in the Avalancha of 2012. I remember that she was with a group of girls with the theme of Avengers doing crossplay of Loki. She recalled my attention due to the great details that her costume had; even the makeup was so perfectly done that I thought she totally resembled Loki. A little intimidated, I approached her and I asked for a picture which she accepted very nicely (even though her eyes were telling me something like “Never!!”) After taking the picture, I was able to ask her how was the process of making her costume, as she answered: “Making some parts of the costume was difficult. For example, the sleeves of Loki’s shirt were a torture; it needed a lot of patience. That piece (each sleeve) it’s composed by a couple of straps that were over attached. In other words, you had to sew strap by strap; it was an endless job”.
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Another detail that I keep in my mind is that in that same convention she was on stage and she did an amazing performance. Even some people kneel over her. Days after I asked her what did she feel L O K I < T H E AV E N G E R S > in that moment: “Performing as Loki has been one of the most funny things I’ve ever done. My have been a lot, from leather to microtex, passing inner Loki was proud”. through PVC and some aluminium sheets, but the prize to the most complex material with which I The accessories are very important for the have worked for an accessory is the embossing costume, even working on them can be annoying. aluminium. It’s a delicate material and you have to Isabella tells us that the materials that she has used work carefully to shape it and make the designs
Achievement Correspondent Unlocked Random Question L O K I < T H E AV E N G E R S >
CQ MAGAZINE 9
that you want. Fortunately, Isabella tells us that her boyfriend, who is an industrial designer and who helps her by choosing the materials and working with them. As he has knowledge in this area, he not only shares this with her, but also helps her making the accessories. There are some ways to judge a cosplayer: 40% is the costume (it can be made by other person or bought) and 60% the performance. The attitude is a very important fact as all the effort that a cosplayer can put in the costume and accessories becomes nothing is that person doesn’t know how to perform as the character. Isabella tells us that performing is one of her strengths and that’s the reason why she does cosplay. She tells us that when she was a young girl she was in a theater and she learnt some performing techniques. Performing allows her to do something different from her routine and to be another person at least for a brief moment. It’s a fun and relaxing activity. One of the pleasures of being a cosplayer is traveling to different cities of your country for being able to visit some events and conventions. Isabella says that her favorite city is Caracas. You travel and also you are able to meet new friends that like the same things and you get the opportunity to see the quality of the work of other
MISAO MAKIMACHI <RUROUNI KENSHIN>
people. By asking her opinion about cosplay in the country and how to improve it, she said: “The cosplayer’s community in Venezuela has become bigger through the time, but it’s still small if we compare it with other countries communities. Here the majority of cosplayers know each other, for good and bad. There is a lot of rivalry and a lot of discussions and lies. Not everything is nice and it won’t be nice the whole time in a cosplayer’s community; what you’ll always find is drama. But there are always good things, very creative and kind people, whom you’d like to talk to again and become friends. You need to be mature and leave behind some rivalries if you want to keep things cool. At the very end, this is a hobby and you do it for fun”. This incredible cosplayer is not only beautiful, handy at knitting, carving and many other things, she is also an excellent illustrator. Her works can be appreciated in deviantart and some of them were also in a convention’s wall as a piece of art. Her excellent work at posing, taking and editing her own pictures have taken her to be part of some websites and magazines, between some of them Nintendo Gamer.
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Other of her talents is writing. This girl talks about her experiences in cosplay or simple stories about her life in a very epic and entertaining way (you can read a small anecdote in the section of Achievement Unlocked in this magazine). Some of her friends also mentioned that she is pretty good at sports. 10 CQ MAGAZINE
PRINCE ZUKO < AVATA R : T H E L A S A I R B E N D E R >
INTERNATIONAL INTERVIEW International Interview
After talking with her, I commented about her appearance in the magazine, and I asked her to say a couple of words to all our readers. She very surprised and excited said: “Thanks a lot for this opportunity! I’m more than glad to be part of this. To all the cosplayers who read this, all I can say is Keep it up! with perseverance and patience you can achieve whatever you want. Never let offensive comments of other people discourage you. Keep on going!”.
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Don’t forget to visit her deviantart, so you can see some of her excellent works: http://fraulein-mao.deviantart.com/
HOWL < H O W L’ S M O V I N G C A S T L E >
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Deidara – Naruto Shippuden. Makimachi Misao – Rurouni Kenshin Sakura Hime (Versión Tokyo Revelations) – Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles. Sora (Versión Halloween Town) – Kingdom Hearts II Pikachu (Versión Gijinka) – Pokémon Princess Zelda – Super Smash Bros. Brawl Version Bianchi – Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
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Some of the costumes done by Mao:
Photo Gallery Achievement Correspondent Unlocked POISON IVY < B AT M A N >
CQ MAGAZINE 11
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PA N T Y < PA N T Y & S T O C K I N G >
GET TO KNOW... In this section of our Magazine we will have a little peak on some International Cosplayers. NAME:
JULIANA
NICKNAME:
JU TSUKINO
COUNTRY:
BRAZIL
YEARS DOING COSPLAY:
14 YEARS
FIRST COSPLAY:
CHII <CHOBITS>
FAVORITE CHARACTE
SAILOR MOON *.*
TO COSPLAY FAVORITE ANIME:
SAILOR MOON =P WWW.JUTSUKINO.COM.BR/
WEBSITES: FACEBOOK.COM/ JUTSUKINO.COSPLAY
You can show some support visiting their pages. Share cosplay madness all over the world!
CLOUD STRIFE < F I N A L F A N TA S Y A D V E N T C H I L D R E N > P HOTO BY E R IC A S U Z U K I
12 CQ MAGAZINE
SUCCUBUS < C A S T L E VA N I A S I M P H O N Y O F T H E N I G H T > P H O T O B Y C O S P L AY E R S . N E T
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CAMMY WHITE <STREET FIGHTER 2> P HOTO BY E R IC A S U Z U K I
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NEXT STOP Experiences of people traveling from and to many locations of the world
DANTE H. CLOUD
Member of Cosplayers Quito and Founder of Federación Ecuatoriana de Pokémon ‘FEP’ (Ecuador’s Pokémon Federation). He has spread the Japanese culture and language since 2008 and he has helped in the organization of anime and comic events and conventions, both independently and with the clubs he belonged to. Currently he is focused on other social juvenile aspects.
An Otaku
in J apan
(Part 2 of 3)
Hello again everyone!
T
okyo is a wonderful and an unique city in the world. This city has many facades. A district for each person, and otakus and cosplayers have <AKIHABARA> their own space in this city . In this article, you can meet in few words some features of the three most became an electronics and appliances market, but otaku districts in Tokyo. in the nineties the stores in the market started to offer anime and manga merchandise with new and big stores and many specialized stores. One day is <AKIHABARA> not enough to visit this district. The most recognized otaku neighborhood is in the heart of the city in Chiyoda district. To reach Akihabara you have to take Chuo-Sobu train line (Japan Railways -JR-) or the Hibiya line of Tokyo Metro, but there are at least 5 stations nearby of Akihabara in 15 minutes walk.
Most of the stores are in the main street The big ones have many floors, each one specialized in manga, anime, action figures, doujin, music, used and brand new video games. Also, you can find the Tokyo Anime Center, the recommended first step in Akihabara, because you can find maps, guides and interesting stuff there.
Akihabara is the worldwide trade otaku center. In the past, this neighborhood was a grocery Akihabara is the first display for the new tendencies and vegetables market and later, in the eighties in the anime and manga world, that way you will find 14 CQ MAGAZINE
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MUST go stores in the area: The specialized stores in anime and manga are in the commercial street district (Shotengai). You can find the Mandarake HQ and a few of specialized stores from Manga and Action Figures to Auto Models and Model Trains. You have to go deeper in this district to find something convenient and cheap.
CQ MAGAZINE 15
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In the surroundings of Sunshine 60 you can find restaurants and a neko cafe.The fans of Durarara!! visit the district to recognize and compare with the In other district of Tokyo are specialized stores. In district in the anime series. the next issue: specialized stores for otakus and cosplayers. See you soon!
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You can find some interesting places for girls in this area. There are some butlers cafe but they are not easy to recognize. In this area is the HQ of Animate, but most manga stores in Ikebukuro are specialized in Yaoi or BL manga and doujin.
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In the western Tokyo, taking the Chuo-Sobu JR line or Tozai line of Tokyo Metro you can reach One of the latest trendy otaku district in Tokyo, Nakano, the original otaku district. Small compared Ikebukuro is the heart of the northwestern Tokyo to Akihabara, this district is lost in time with area. To reach this district you can take Saikyo, vintage manga and anime merchandise . Finding Shonan-Shinjuku and Yamanote lines of JR and something from eighties or nineties in this district Marunouchi, Yurakucho and Fukutoshin lines of is easier than Akihabara (but this stuff in this area the Tokyo Metro. is expensive).
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<IKEBUKURO>
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MUST go stores in this area: ALL, but each store are strong in certain merchandise. Yodobashi Camera, the biggest in Akihabara is specialized in electronics, appliances, cameras and the best stock in Gundam model kits. Softmap, in the main street, is the best in videogames (new and used) but most of videogames software in Japan is not compatible with western videogames hardware. Toranoana is a manga store with two buildings, each one specialized for men or women manga and doujinshi. Animate, Toranoanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next door, has general merchandise and Mandarake, in the western side of Akihabara, sells used video games and action figures. Kotobukiya, near the train station, sells the most famous action figures of the same name. In the same building, there is another specialized action figure manufacturer: Kaiyodo. At south of the neighborhood is Gamers, this store also sells models of weapons. The district is also the home of the Gundam CafĂŠ and Don Quijote, the 100-yen store that has in the last floor an specialized area and theater for AKB48. <NAKANO>
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different stuff every week. If you find something you like, it is probably that you will not find it the next week.
METRONOME Read the news about asian artists and music and their representatives around the world
YOKO KANNO LIFE THROUGH MUSIC
<GHIBRIL.COM>
W
hen we talk about anime soundtracks, the first thing that comes to our minds are the names of famous bands and singers who made the openings and endings of our favorite series. Artists like Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arc - en - Ciel, Pierrot, High and Mighty Color or Asian Kung Fu Generation have provided their help to give an exclusive and personal touch to the different OVA that makes them known and recognized but; What about the rest of the music?
scene may lose its strength and emotion and thus losing the interest of viewers. There are many excellent anime soundtracks composers but these days, the one who stands above the rest is Yoko Kanno.
No matter how good an opening or ending song might be, the essence of a soundtrack is found in the background melodies heard in the series, without the appropriate music an action or drama
<ANGELFIRE.COM>
YOKO KANNO LIVE <DARKMIRAGE.COM>
16 CQ MAGAZINE
Born on March 19th, 1964, Yoko Kanno was recognized as an excellent pianist since she started playing at a professional level with her first band Tetsu 100% and this allowed her to perform several contributions in NHK programs and contributions in soundtracks films however, her reputation began to grow since 1994 when she composed
METRONOME
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In 1998, she developed her best known work in the anime industry. Cowboy Bebop was certainly a series that highlighted in that time and still does today, had a very stylized character design and somewhat oblivious to what had been seen within the canons of the anime at the time, majestic backgrounds drawn with such detail that even seem real and a story that was never monotonous or predictable however, the best element of these series was its incredible soundtrack. Composed mainly of jazz and blues arrangements with elements of Western movies, Yoko Kanno was < D E AT H A N I M E . C O M > able to combine elements totally unrelated to the The Vision Of Escaflowne was her second work of subject and still turn them into melodies that not great importance and the best according to many of only were coupled perfectly with the chapters of her admirers. This soundtrack was created by Yoko the series but in some cases, gave the impression
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Kanno along with Hajime Mizoguchi, the soundtrack style was basically orchestral compositions based on Russian compositions, cappella choirs and also electro-pop features in some of these songs. For the preparation of this soundtrack, she worked with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and singer Maaya Sakamoto as the singer for the Opening and Ending of the series. The music of this anime managed a melancholic touch in its songs either soft or aggressive compositions, giving each one and the series its own identity.
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the soundtrack for Macross Plus. Creating soft melodies that could transmit emotions with the images seen on screen and themes with speed percussion parts and strength in their guitars that made the displayed action more vivid, this soundtrack introduced the viewer within the series and made him feel part of the story.
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< C O N E X I O N - E T H O S . B L O G S P O T. C O M >
CQ MAGAZINE 17
that these chapters had been developed based on the soundtrack. Among the albums that came out for both the series and the movie, you can find different kinds of songs, including English ballads with classic elegance,active jazz reminiscent of the old American detective series and even a fusion of guitar, violin, flute and saxophone accompanied by singing hip hop and ambient sounds in a contemporary city, all this without the elements overshadow each other and work according to a joint composition. <CONSANGUIN.NET>
For the development of such a complex soundtrack, she created the group “The Seatbelts” who were responsible for developing most of tracks. She also had the help of Mai Yamane, Masaaki Endoh, Ilaria Graziano and Steve Conte for vocals and other artists.
Champloo where she surprised the world by generating a mixture of traditional Japanese music with elements of hip hop compositions creating delusional and very suitable for a series that sought to amalgamate two elements so different and for many it was considered a sin to try to merge.
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< TOY S N J OY S . C O M > <HUMANERRORPROCESSOR.COM>
Her newest featured work have been the soundtrack of Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex which manages a futuristic building on the electronics and the generation of rhythms and beats from a synthesizer and distorted vocals, the music of Wolf’s Rain where she worked with various artists in different parts of the world to give it a more international sound to her compositions and thus relating the soundtrack to the trip and the history of the series. And the soundtrack of Samurai 18 CQ MAGAZINE
Undoubtedly, what makes Yoko Kanno stand out from other modern composers it’s her versatility and ease of adapting to any musical trend without decreasing quality work. In the music world as well as in the art world is essential to have a unique style and a characteristic, but the variety, experimentation and renewal of Yoko Kanno is the seal that marks her excellent work and that has led her to the level at which is she is right now. The level at which the music ceases to be heard and starts to be felt and experienced.
METRĂ&#x201C;NOMO
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CQ MAGAZINE 19
TIPS & TRICKS Tips and tricks from cosplayers to cosplayers
HOW TO MAKE WINGS Hello dear readers! This time, CQ-magazine wants to feature an awesome wing tutorial by Leetah (http://elenaleetah.deviantart.com/) and Desler (http://erikdesler.deviantart.com/), both awesome Russian cosplayers. When we planned to make Lineage II Fencing scene with our cosband Hide-Out, we came across with a problem: The only fencing race was winged. Feather wings are heavy and get you a little off balance (moving around with the rapier being slightly off balanced means risk of getting hurt) and hard (especially when they hit you in the face and when we turned around during fencing). So we decided to make our wings as light weighted and with as little inner structure as possible (and it turned out to be a smart move). It was the best way to make wings and we were asked many times how we made ours, thus I’m making this tutorial.
REFERENCE IMAGE
What you’ll need: • Lots of polyethylene foam (“Isolon”) for the feathers • Rough fabric for the base • Steel wire for the inner shape and wing holder • Hot glue gun • A pair of scissors • Pen or marker • Some paper for the pattern • Painting for the finishing touches
20 CQ MAGAZINE
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First of all, make a pattern of your wings. What you Now it´s time for scissoring! You need to make 2 need is the general shape of the wing and it´s relative sets of layers for each wing. size. Look at the full body picture of the character you’re cosplaying and then look at your back in the mirror; decide the length of the wing and then draw it on a piece of paper.
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Then, get some sturdy steel wire and shape it around the top curve of your wing. Don’t forget to leave some extra wire on the base to have it fixed to the harness.
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For the feathered layers: There are several notable layers on our wings, so we tried different lengths and shapes for each feathered layer and we painted the approximate lengths on our pattern.
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L AY E R S O F F E AT H E R M A D E O F P O LY E T H Y L E N E F O A M
CQ MAGAZINE 21
CONSTRUCTION Now you have the complete set of layers for your wings, the shaped wire and a huge mess in your room (I hate the little bits of polyethylene foam! They were everywhere!). Here we decided two things: • We needed a base fabric layer; one for each wing. It is shaped like the second layer; you can see it on my pattern picture; no feather shapes here for it’ll all be inside the foam layers. • The top of the wing was way too thick, so we had to cut the top of each layer so that it would end just a little bit higher than the end of upper layer. It was 1 am so I stopped taking pictures of each step, sorry!
F E AT H E R L AY E R S W I T H F A B R I C B A S E
We needed the fabric base layer simply because we could not glue two layers of polyethylene foam together. Well, it’s possible, but it comes off rather easily. We planned to move swiftly in our wings and travel to other cities by train for the festival, so we needed something that would never come off.
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We used hot glue and it melted the polyethylene foam. Get some hot glue on the fabric base and then wait for it to cool a bit so it won´t melt the foam. Then, put the foam layer on its place. You may actually avoid cutting the top of each layer; it will look more natural and will be sturdier, but our goal was to make wings “as light as possible”, so we cut them and it helped us glue the foam layers to the fabric base. You’ll need many fabric in-lays for the glue. But then again, you can use some other glue and just glue the foam layers together so it won´t come off during a lazy stroll or during a photo shoot.
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Almost finished! The wings are almost ready. All assembled layers should look like this: 22 CQ MAGAZINE
W I N G T E S T W I T H O U T PA I N T
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W I N G T E S T W I T H O U T PA I N T
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As you can see, there’s a mess on the base of the wing and the top curve is showing the foam layers (the wire itself is covered by the base fabric layer, but still). So now for the finishing touches: We need to cover the top curve and shape the base of the wing.
F I N A L R E S U LT E L E N A L E E TA H . D E V I A N TA R T. C O M / G A L L E R Y / 3 4 0 7 3 7 5 9
CQ MAGAZINE 23
Random Question
What we made was Kamael’s wings. Yes, they’re one winged, but we needed two for us both. It took 12 hours to make one wing rack and 2 wings. Yep, we made those with our four hands, but we tried several glues and made several wrong turns while making those, so I think one complete set (holder + 2 average wings) will take you about 10 hours to make. Good luck in your projects!
Achievement Correspondent Unlocked
Don´t use feathers of any other material to cover the top of the polyethylene foam wing. Please, shape some foam for floccus, fold in two and glue over the top curve. That’ll look way better. Paint you wing if needed.
CQ INTERVIEW
Getting to know the members of Cosplayers Quito
NANFER F
ernando Arias (Nanfer) is one of the first members in Cosplayers Quito. He goes on the convention trips, and it´s an active member of CQ-rity team (protective group, in case of rescue and emergency situations in CQ). Also he was our trainer (like pokemon trainer) when we still thought that we could do exercise every week. He manages his free time between his studies and job, to also be able to save the world.
NANFER <GANTZ> P HOTO BY A L E X A N D E R U R B I N A EDITED BY ANNIE JIMÉNEZ
message, shortened his nickname “Nandofer” as “Nanfer”. Seems that it was so funny for her, that she decided to call him like that the entire year that they studied together, even though against his own will. Many months had to pass by till his anger disappeared and he ended up liking his artistic name.
We know in CQ that he is a regular fan of Dragon Ball. He thinks that was his first contact with the His artistic name appeared when a friend of his; world of anime. He clearly remembers the first time Benedicte, while trying not to use an extra text he saw this anime. After weeks of promotion that was done for the premiere of a new “cartoon” in television, the expectation grew so much “Speaking seriously, as cosplay broadcast that for the very first time in his childhood, he is considered as a hobby, and organized his schedule for not missing any chapter. many only see it as a fashion, you ¨And from the first time I saw it, I was fascinated with that and later I discovered that it was called should always think on doing it anime.¨
well, taking into account every detail that makes this type of expression an art”.
24 CQ MAGAZINE
His first experience with Cosplayers Quito was in a photoshoot organized by the group. It was the first official event in which we did an open invitation
CQ INTERVIEW International Interview
to every single cosplayer who were interested in having edited pictures of their cosplays. “I lost my fear after discovering that in my city there were more people who enjoyed cosplay and I decided to show my ‘Zabuza Momochi’ cosplay.”
Get to Know... HEI <DARKER THAN BLACK> P HOTO BY M A R L I N A S Á N C H E Z
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CQ MAGAZINE 25
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BLACK & RED<ANGRY BIRDS> P HOTO BY M A R L I N A S Á N C H E Z
It is well known that Nanfer is a fan of all derivatives of the medium (anime, manga, cosmaker, comics,
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“Personally, I remember my first steps in cosplay, when it was for the fun of it, and the idea of being able to meet more people, with the same taste, share the excitement together for it. But I did not consider that as time passes by, relationships become so strong that it involves not only the taste, or the joy of doing something, it also contains all the problems that trusting someone involves. I think we should go back to basics, to when we all did cosplay for that joy of it, not with the intention of creating prejudice against others. I like cosplay, and while there is respect, I will uphold and applaud whom does well”.
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considered as a hobby, and many only see it as a fashion, you should always think on doing it well, taking into account every detail that makes this type of expression an art”. He thinks that, as any social organization, every single member is vulnerable.
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From that day onwards, Nanfer actively participated in group activities and his projects of cosplay also expanded. When choosing the characters the first thing he sees is the visual impact, and from there, he checks what are the real chances to do it well, and not least, he identifies with the character’s personality to know how to personify him well. Regarding to Cosplay as a hobby in our country Nanfer says: “Speaking seriously, as cosplay is
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“I think we should go back to basics, to when we all did cosplay for that joy of it, not with the intention of creating prejudice against others. I like cosplay, and while there is respect, I will uphold and applaud whom does well”.
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Z A B U Z A MO MO C H I < N A R U TO > EDITED BY ANNIE JIMÉNEZ
occasional games, etc.), so you’ll get a good recommendation from him. Also, he sings and during a time, he was part of Zetsubou; a band of anime cover from Quito. He practices choreography, performs physical training and he always shares the desire to travel. He practices choreography in the comfort of his house and he tries to improve his technique. However, while he is with his ipod listening to music, in some cases he can’t avoid doing one or two steps of a choreography while in the street or taking the bus, without even noticing he is doing that. “I hope to improve each time, so I can participate actively in choreography groups.” It is always important to mention that we also appreciate his understanding of K-pop. One topic that has become popular in recent years in our country. Their events have gained strength and likewise followers of all ages. Being a big fan, we asked what does he like and he answered: “Everything! (laughs) I consider it a great mixture of artistic expression, both voices, rhythms, choreography. Little is understood but we enjoy it a lot. That, together with the ability to meet all the variety of artists that are seen naturally 26 CQ MAGAZINE
through variety programs. Through empathy makes one have as much fun as when they are on the stage, encouraging a natural attachment to their personalities and their music. Of course, regardless of what we may listen and watch (videos) in these songs xD”.
RANDOM FACTS: -Favorite Anime: From School Rumble through Dragon Ball, Bleach, FMA to Toradora, Naruto, and Arakawa Under The Bridge, but the list continues. -Favorite Manga: Gantz by Oku Hiroya -Favorite Food: Nothing beats a well done ‘Fritada’ -Favorite Book: “Ensayo sobre la ceguera” by José Saramango. -Color Preferido: Green on many of its shades.
CQ INTERVIEW International Interview Get to Know... Next Stop J O H N D O E < D R E A M E AT E R M E R R Y > P HOTO BY MARLINA SÁNCHEZ
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P E Y OT E < S H A M A N K I N G > P HOTO BY MARLINA SÁNCHEZ
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CQ MAGAZINE 27
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N A N F E R Z O M B I E < Z O M B I E WA L K - Q U I T O 2 0 1 1 > P HOTO BY M A R L I N A S Á N C H E Z
PHOTO GALLERY
Cosplayer: YUE Country: INDONESIA 28 CQ MAGAZINE
Character: SAKURA KINOMOTO <SAKURA CARD CAPTORS> Photographer: CHERISH
PHOTO GALLERY
Cosplayers: ZEV Country: KOREA
Characters: CLOUD STRIFE <FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVENT CHILDREN> Photographer: SHOOTING CQ MAGAZINE 29
PHOTO GALLERY
^ Cosplayers:
紅月凌 小不點 牛奶 深雪萌
影萱 JOYA 玨 YURIKA
Country: TAIWAN Character: SAILOR SCOUTS <SAILOR MOON> Photographer: 鱔魚麵
30 CQ MAGAZINE
祐司 小妖 麻櫻 御貓
PHOTO GALLERY
Cosplayers: VITTORIO TRUFFARELLI NATASCIA BRUNELLO JESSICA CICCOLONE Country: ITALY Characters: MOUSSE UKYO KUONJI RANMA SAOTOME BOY
SONIA MANIERO ANDREW WEILLSCHMIDT
RANMA SAOTOME GIRL TATEWAKI KUNO
Photographer: ALESSANDRO CASINI
CQ MAGAZINE 31
^
PHOTO GALLERY
Cosplayer: ALEX GAITAI Country: ITALY 32 CQ MAGAZINE
Character: GOKU SUPER SAIYAN <DRAGON BALL Z> Photographer: ZEROPUNTOSEDIC
PHOTO GALLERY
Cosplayer: MEANMUG713 Country: USA
Character: BLACK RANGER <MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS> Photographer: JESSI MARI BECKER CQ MAGAZINE 33
PHOTO GALLERY
Cosplayer: AYA Country: TAIWAN 34 CQ MAGAZINE
Character: SAILOR MOON <SAILOR MOON> Photographer: 野人大師
PHOTO GALLERY
Cosplayers: INUSHIO Country: THAILAND
Character: AYANAMI REI <EVANGELION> Photographer: DEKTON CQ MAGAZINE 35
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED Gamer section with opinions, news and more! Greetings gamers! In this ocassion I wrote an article about the gamer’s habits and whims that perhaps many of us share and don’t realize how important they are when we are on our gaming sessions. You have a special one? I’ll tell you about mine. S O L I D S Q UA L L < V E N E Z U E L A >
Music Something that some of my friends criticize is that I listen to music while I play, but I only do it while playing RPG, fighting or FPS. Why do you do that, Solidsquall? Well, I’m the kind of person that I can get bored very easily if something is repetitive and monotone. In the case of the RPGs, battling with lots of enemies can take you hours when you want to upgrade the level. So for not getting bored, I listen to my favorite music, the Power Metal, so in that way, I can easily “level up” and “farm”.
Greetings gamers! I’m not sure about you, but when I play an offline game, I do it to release stress that playing online can produce me. I always try to make the gaming sessions during my free days, like Saturdays, in which I take all the time I need for me and my precious games. And it’s true that I’m a little demanding while I play: some of my demands are very common that I’m sure most of you have similars. And they aren’t the typical habits of opening my mouth while playing or moving the hands while trying to turn or jump. GARYNULL.WS/POPULAR-MUSIC/
Junk Food!
Couch
Without doubts this is one of the most common among gamers. We all need something to eat while we are crashing Bowser or playing in some planet, dimension or parallel world. What I enjoy the most are the potato chips, cookies, and if I have enough time and patience, sandwiches. But something that can never be forgotten is liquid, it can be water, a soda, juice or in some strange cases, a beer (I don’t drink much alcohol).
36 CQ MAGAZINE
W W W. T U M B L R . C O M
I always search for a good seat, because I know that I’ll be hours in the same place. In that way, I avoid hurting myself and I’ll avoid being more tired than usual. Always try to find a good couch. Your body will thank you.
GARYNULL.WS/POPULAR-MUSIC/
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED The
Dictionary
¿Remember Isabella (MAO) from Internationa Interview in this same issue? she told us a little about her private life as a gamer and which are some of the gaming habits:
CQ Interview
IPHONEROS.COM
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W W W. K C C O M P U T E R M A S T E R S . C O M
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Thanks to my family and my job, I have a LED and an excellent 5.1 audio to obtain the best experience as possible. I’m not that picky with the giant screens, but it’s important to have a good video quality to appreciate every detail. However, I consider that the audio is mandatory. Listening to everything makes you appreciate the game in an adequate way and makes you get involved better, that’s why I choose the home theater.
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Many people get mad at me because I never answer the text messages, and it’s because in my moments of playing games, are those specific moments that I want to use just for myself. I’m not going to socialize in any social network in the middle of a battle. And referring to calls, I only answer the ones that are made by my family. Due to my job, I require to be connected for a long time to these things because I usually speak with my clients using these devices, I try not to use them when it’s not necessary. However, I answer the messages that people leave me in PSN or Xbox Live, as is the only moment that I check these accounts, but I don’t usually do it that often!
best audio and video
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Cellphones
next to me !
What are your gamer habits? Tell us on Cosplayers Quito’s facebook page! H T T P : / / W W W. S T M A R Y S - C A . E D U
CQ MAGAZINE 37
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Some of the habits may be very common and some may not, but every gamer will have their own way to enjoy gaming and make this a great experience.
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Without a second thought, we should always have extra batteries with us.
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“One of the best and funniest experiences that I have It’s always good to have a dictionary next to you. had at the moment of playing some videogame are Sometimes, I don’t remember certain words in English when I was playing Twilight Princess for the very first and to be sure and understand everything properly, time. It was morning time, around 1 or 2am and I was about to challenge the boss (the one of “Lakebed the best option is to have a dictionary near. Temple”). In that moment, the batteries of my Wiimote ran out of power and I didn’t have a replacement ones. I was stressed out (laughs) and I had to go out with my mother to a “Farmatodo”, a 24 hours store and buy some batteries because I didn’t even save the game”.
CORRESPONDENT Interviews and news from our collaborators from another cities and countries
YUNNALE <MEXICO>
Greetings fellow readers of CQ Magazine! In this issue we’ll read an opinion column written by Yunnale from Mexico. She was one of the contestants in the World Cosplay Summit and many times she talks about cosplay in her webpages. Yunnale has been summoned as jury in many competitions.
¿Is cosplay a fad? In this globalized times where information flows as quickly as speed light, it’s easy to thing that everything is ephemeral and very temporary. I have been a cosplayer for more than 11 years, and although I don’t belong to the first generation, I was a cosplayer without knowing what it implied; i.e. I went to conventions without knowing that the word “cosplay” existed. I started being a fan of Japanese animation and I spent lots of time drawing the characters of the series that I loved and I dreamed of dressing up as some of them. After all those years, I know it wasn’t a fad for me. I could say that the environment in which these comic conventions developed 10 years ago was rather underground. As everything that is underground, it has to emerge, be touched, be overused and maybe even “stained”. Only a few of the people who have seen cosplay since the beginning think the later, since it’s hard
38 CQ MAGAZINE
to see how the essence we felt in love with changes. “Every cloud has a silver lining.” Maybe we don’t like certain changes, but it is good that this activity is now reaching to more people who consider it as a fun alternative. Though, it doesn’t always sound so good, does it? Some of us appreciated it so much that it upsets us that cosplay is shown with an image so different to what we had been seeing for some years. Usually, when a fad reaches its peak and tries to keep itself in the highest point to prevent the downfall, many unfavorable alternatives appear. About this matter, I think that cosplay has tend to transform in a desperate intent to be ultra-flashy and cosplayers have passed from loving the character’s design, from struggling to make them and from passing through a creative process, to being a group of cosplayers that want to take out their clothes and be confused as playmates. I don’t want to imply that cosplay is free of fetishes and that it is far from sex symbols. On the contrary, there’s a lot to say about this topic. Unfortunately, the line is so thin that it’s easy to lose that essence when it’s done by big masses. But, do you know what’s good about this? That those of us who aren’t really in this because it’s a fad will see how cosplay transform itself and we will keep enjoying it without hurries and without demands. We will never have to announce our “farewell as cosplayers” because we’ll surely keep on doing it for our whole lives each time we want and in our own way. It is not a religion nor do we have to assist to all the events as if it was a mass.
CORRESPONDENT
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can you make a
living from it?
CQ MAGAZINE 39
Random Question
KIREN LIDDELL <MEXICO>
First of all, you need to be 100% sure that you want to turn your hobby -cosplay in this case- into a regular job with everything it implies. Also, you need to be honest about your work as a cosplayer, (“Do my costumes/ props have a professional touch so people want to buy them?”) so you can start thinking on a business plan.
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But, if you want to have a business involving cosplay, you have to keep in mind several aspects:
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All this made me realize that cosplay is often seen as “just a hobby where you wear costumes and attend events”, but what about the hard work and effort behind those costumes? If a cosplayer -or more like a cosmaker- has skills and is capable of making amazing things, why don’t take advantage of that? After all, there’s a lot of people who are more dedicated to their hobbies than their regular jobs, even earn more money!
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I few weeks ago I made a question on my Facebook page: “can a person make a living doing cosplay?”. G O D S AV E T H E Q U E E N F A S H I O N < U S A > The answers I got were somewhat varied and gave me F A C E B O O K . C O M / G S T Q F A S H I O N S an idea of how people and cosplayers alike perceive wouldn’t earn enough to pay the bills, although it the cosplay occupationally speaking. would indeed boost your income. Very few were the ones who thought it’s possible to live off cosplay, A lot of people told me that it’s not possible; even giving examples of established cosmakers and if you happen to be famous and have sponsors you propmakers who do commissions for a fee on a freelance basis.
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Cosplay:
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KIREN LIDDELL <MEXICO>
Again we have Kiren Liddell as our collaborator. In this issue she gives her opinion about a question asked many times in the cosplay community. Let’s read her point of view about this topic which can be analyzed widely.
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Second: how much of your time are you willing to invest? Note that you will now have deadlines and people depending on your services. You won’t have time to make costumes for you, unless you organize your time wisely; keep in mind that customers are first and one of your main goals should be keeping them happy. This is why you have to be absolutely sure about turn cosplay into a serious job.
to know what most people think about cosplay and costumes in general, because you could expand your services to theater companies and schools if you want more jobs and gain experience.
Fourth: materials and resources. How easy it is for you to get the materials you need for costumes, props or accessories? When doing cosplay for ourselves, we are free to choose any kind of materials we want regardless of their price, even ordering them from Third: demand. Are there enough people who will other countries. But when working on a commission pay for what you do? Let’s say you’re very good it’s a little bit more complicated -what would you do making intricate gowns, armor even. Obviously, if the costume or prop you’re going to make needs making a XV century gown -for instance- takes a lot to be done as fast as possible?- To avoid situations of time and effort, and it’s natural wanting to charge like this, you should establish something from the fairly enough after the hard work put on it. Is there very beginning of your business: policies. But let’s someone who will be willing to pay what you ask for talk about them later. or be shocked just hearing the price (regardless of the quality)? Of course, it depends on whether your Now, do you have a workshop or a designated business is local or offers international shipping. place to work? What about your tools, do you have The difference? In places like The United States or everything you need to take commissions without England, for instance, are people who pay well for any problem? And if you decide to have staff to help good quality products (costumes or replicas in this you, do you know where to find candidates and how case); whereas in Mexico is custom to haggle over to choose them? prices, especially to freelancers. As you can see, there are many questions you Therefore it’s important to know the demand in your need to answer in order to plan your business city or country, and other places as well. Also get and making it work. I know all this may be 40 CQ MAGAZINE
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overwhelming at first, so it’s best to be patient and take it slow! Plan everything carefully and take one step at a time. See why we need to be sure from the beginning?
CQ MAGAZINE 41
Random Question
If you really want to turn cosplay into a way to make a living, get in touch with experienced and established cosmakers or propmakers, ask them any questions you may have; read their policies and conditions on their sites. Once you open your commission services, try to always innovate and focus more on the quality rather than quantity. You’ll have a successful business in no time, doing something that you really love.
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With all these points mentioned above, how can you really know if opening a commissions business will succeed? Well, if many people have asked you if you take commissions or would like to purchase a wig styled by you, it’s a good start. That means your work gets the attention of the audience and consider you good enough to want something made by you.
Going back to the question: “can you make a living from cosplay?”, everyone has their own opinion on whether it is possible or not. IMHO (in my humble opinion) I do think is possible, but should be something that we choose ourselves. Because it involves a lot of effort and sacrifice like any other business.
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That’s why it’s really important that everybody knows what your policies and conditions are, to avoid complaints thus giving your business a bad name.
If you are already working full or part time, you can save money from your salary in order to invest in your starting business. But please, don’t quit your job until your business goes well and gets established enough.
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Well, now let’s talk about policies. These are guidelines or rules that you and your business follow to function properly. For example, a policy you have specifies that you’re free to choose or decline projects (yes, there are propmakers with this kind of policy). Another one -used by a lot of cosmakers- it’s to accept orders if they’re made in advance (three or six months before the actual event, at least); and they don’t take “urgent” commissions, let’s say a week or three days before a convention.
You can start with small projects for friends and gain experience with deadlines and shipping services; specially if you study or already have a full or part time job. Also you’ll see how capable you are to meet others’ expectations.
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VOLPIN PROPS <USA> FACEBOOK.COM/VOLPINPROPS
RANDOM QUESTION
Learn a little more about cosplay and what it represents for many young people in the world; the activities and opinions that help us carry out this colorful and cheerful hobby Many people, normal people who assist conventions, bully and criticize cosplayers for what they do or how they look. What do you think about bullying because of cosplay? Has it happen to you? What did you do to solve it?
I
think bullying cosplayers is absolutely ridiculous, especially at a convention. The people who attend conventions are all there for the same reason; we are all nerds who love and appreciate an art form that is not always widely loved or accepted in the “real world.” Many people do cosplay to escape and they feel more comfortable at conventions because that’s where cosplaying is widely accepted as normal. Bullying is NEVER okay, but I feel that if you bully a cosplayer or a ‘nerd’ at a convention, it really ruins a place that should be a safe haven for people who has such a hobby. I myself have never been bullied at a convention, but I have been bullied at school, and I know that it’s an experience that I do not wish on anyone else. Cosplayers are not always praised or loved, but ruining a place that is meant to be safe and fun is something that I find extremely hurtful and something that should not be tolerated in any shape or form. We’re all nerds who are celebrating the same thing, so why harass someone that you should instead love and appreciate as an equal?
Yiri Cosplay <USA>
L
uckily, I have never been harassed in an aggressive way for using cosplay. In some occasions, some people have yelled me things on the street when doing a photoshoot or going out from a convention wearing cosplay. Sincerely, I try not to pay them attention! The only way to solve this is to inform about cosplay; it is just a hobby to have fun in a very healthy way. Sometimes people get aggressive just because they don’t understand what they are seeing. I have seen people that don’t know what we do and sometimes they come to ask, that’s when I try to explain them about what we do.
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Eriol <Argentina>
RANDOM QUESTION
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ChexamaKeyRen <Ecuador>
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T
o be honest, I have never been through this, but I think people criticize because of ignorance, because they don’t know what we are or what we do. The only way to solve this is to inform. By the other hand, there will always be envy in every group and nobody is safe from that. It´s something you can’t fight back, but it should not make you feel intimidated. You do cosplay because you like it and no one can do something to change that. Friends are important too because they will be helping if something goes wrong. I have seen this only on social networks (though I have had stalkers), but the important point is to ignore them all. If you do cosplay as a cute girl or a recognized character, it is impossible not to attract attention. Almost every convention here has free entrance so anyone can go even if they are not otakus, nerds, or gamers so you have to take care.
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Alexa Madden <Venezuela>
International Interview
I
think non constructive criticism that tries to hurt people are not logical or mature. Nowadays, bullying has taken place on the internet, which gives people the chance to harass others without showing their faces, which makes things easier for them. I have been victim of bullying and it´s not nice, but now it is so common that I don’t pay any attention to bad comments. I keep on with my life and I keep making my cosplays.
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I
ctually, I’ve experienced bullying a few times myself and I think it is normal because nobody can please everyone. There will always be people who don’t like your work or what you do, so I think the best you can do is to keep doing what you like and to keep enjoying it, no one else is going to do it for you!
don’t agree with bullying someone only because they do cosplay. I don’t experience it as often anymore, since here in the U.S., cosplay is becoming the center of a lot of mainstream curiosity. “Normal people” seem to be more inquisitive about it than anything. The main bullying I see these days comes from within the cosplay community itself, and it needs to stop!
A
CQ MAGAZINE 43
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Ley Yamaguy <Portugal>
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Princess Mentality <USA>
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Contact and Info
cosplayersquito@gmail.com www.facebook.com/cosplayersquito