Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
By I-Ching Logan
about Adekan and anri yoshiwara Created by Tsukiji Nao Published by SHINSHOKAN Publishing Co., Ltd. Magazine: WINGS - 5 volumes released in Japan; the first two are legally available in English from Jmanga (online only) Adekan, by Tsukiji Nao, is a historical shoujo manga set in the Meiji era, featuring Yoshiwara Shiro, and Yamada Kojiro. As a support character, Anri Yoshiwara is Shiro’s blood brother when they were both belonged to a criminal organisation. Anri is a weapon user, with gunfires on both his arms. He has many costumes in the manga and on the illustrations. The costume I made was chose from vol.4 ch.13, which he did a striptease for girls in the criminal organisation in order to attract organisation supervisors’ attention. This one has no weapons on the costume, which is rare in many of his costume, supposed he was doing a show for girls and shouldn’t have weapons in the costume. Apart from the costume, I also chose to make one white haori (Japanese kimono jacket) with peony prints, which has appeared in many chapters. The other prop I made is a shamisen. Anri played shamisen in vol.2 ch.6 once. In the vol.5 there is a personal profile page, also told Anri likes playing shamisen.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Costumes list • • • • • • • • • • • •
blonde fluffy hair pince-nez white haori (Japanese jacket) with peony prints collar vest gloves armours for arms hot pants chaps shoes binding to cover breast shamisen
About me I am orinigally from Taiwan, and started cosplaying since 1998. After working as a graphic designer and cosplayer for 5 years, I realised I have a passion on making costumes and I had a desire to learn professional costume making. Therefore I went to Milan in 2003 to study fashion design, and came to London in 2005. Now I am working as a high street fashion designer, and have the best hobby as a cosplayer. As I work full time, normally I only make costume on weekend and holiday. Weekdays I only have around 2-3 hours can make in the evening, so I tried to spend as much time as possible on making costumes. My aim is making 3-5 costumes in one year.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of Haori
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of Haori These are the information I learned from these reference pictures: It’s a white haori, with red peonies and green leaves all over the lower part of the garment. Since Anri is a pretty boy and difficult not to keep an eye on him, I decided use resplendent silk satin for this haori. Working period: 28 Feb - 24 May 28 Feb - 11 Mar When I decided to do this outfit, I started immediately from the haori. I have never done nor seen a haori before. Therefore, I bought a second hand haori and got all the measurements and pattern, and made a toile afterwards. 23 Mar - 27 Mar The haori has several huge peonies. I started from looking for the fabric. It’s not a common prints for fabric, so I gave up very early, and decided to print the fabric myself. I booked an appointment with the digital printing bereau in LCF on the 27th of Mar, started to draw peonies in Illustrator and Photoshop, placed the flowers on the toile I made, and finally made the pattern with peonies in digital file for digital printing. I received the fabric on the 5th of April.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of Haori
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of Haori 9 Apr - 16 Apr During the Easter holiday, I cut the fabric and stitched them together. 21 May - 24 May I was not satisfied with the haori I made earlier, as the lining was thicker than the silk satin. I unpicked the whole haori, added interfacing on the silk satin, and stitched it back. Now it looks much better than before.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
finding pince-nez Working period: 24 Mar and 31 Mar 24 Mar Anri is wearing a pince-nez. I started from looking on eBay. Luckily I found one and placed bid. 31 Mar Won the pince-nez and received on the 31st of Mar. Since I don’t have a proper nose bridge for the pince-nez, I practised couple of times to make it right.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Finding bust binding and ended making one Working period: 24 Mar and 27 Oct 24 Mar I found a bust binding on a Taiwanese shopping website, and asked friend to get it for me. It arrived on the 25th of April. The colour is lighter than my skin colour. I think it’s alright and at least people will see I wear something and wouldn’t think I am naked.
27 Oct In the 2nd day of Oct London MCM EXPO, I wore a semi-transparent latex costume, and noticed it was good for making binding. I made a latex binding in the evening and wore it in the next day, and was very satisfied how it looked on me.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of collar After I finished the haori toile, I started making the collar pattern. According to the reference photos, I decided to use black pleather, white satin, and gold trimmings. After looking for other Anri’s cosplay photos, I think it is necessary to have bones in the collar to make it look better.
Anri’s collar: it is in black and white, a pointing white inner collar can be seen around the neck, gold trimmings, red beads, and more trimming on the edge of the collar.
A leather collar with bones looks better than a plain one.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of collar Working period: 18 Mar - 6 Apr, 11 Nov 18 Mar I started from making paper pattern from the dress form. In the evening, the base collar in white satin with bones has finished.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of collar 31 Mar - 6 Apr After I sent the peony design for printing, I came back to the collar again. I went material shopping first, and luckily found similar trimmings for the extremely gorgerous collar. I placed the trimmings on the collar base, took photos, and stitched trimmings on the top collar. I chose black pleather, as I am going to use this fabric for the armours, hot pants, and chaps. I finished the collar on the 6th of April, and was very satified. 11 Nov After I wore this costume in May London MCM EXPO and Japan EXPO 2012, I realised the buckles for the ribbon were too small, and changed to bigger buckles.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of collar
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of hot pants and chaps Following by the collar, I continued using black pleather to make the hot pants and chaps. Other necessary materials are gold buckles and red tassels.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of hot pants and chaps Working period: 22 Apr - 19 May, 3-4 Nov 22 Apr - 29 Apr Since I have done the difficult parts of this costume, I chose making the bottom parts next. I made the hot pants on the 22nd and 23rd April, and the leggings for the chaps on the 28th and 29th April. These parts are very basic for fashion designer, and I am afraid I didn’t have working process photos but only the patterns to present.
Actually in the vol.4 ch.13, while Anri was doing the striptease, he took off his hot pants. From the picture, we can see the hot pants were opened at side. While I made the pattern, I also made the hot pants can open at side.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of hot pants and chaps
The leggings could be opened all the way down. However, they are too heavy for suspenders to hold them. I also lost weight after I did the leggings in 6 months time. While I altered the leggings at thigh by 4cm, I also added a inner power mesh to ensure the leggings will stay on my legs. (Altered at 3-4 Nov)
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of hot pants and chaps 19 May After I finished all the easy parts, I had to come back to these I left. I went to several trimming shops to see materials, and got the ideas to make the belt. The belt spent me one day to do, but came out very well. I can wear it with my casual wear.
The belt is designed can be separated in 3 pieces, and it opens under the tassels.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
MAKING OF gloves and ARMOURS Working period: 4-18 May and 6-9 Nov 4 May - 18 May Before I figured out how to make the belt for the chaps, I kept on making easy stuff. I started from making patterns for the gloves and armours for hand, wrist, and arms, placed the beads and trimmings on the pattern. I chose black pleather to make the armour. In oder to make it stronger, I added a layer of plastic lining in between 2 pieces of pleather. For the right shoulder armour, I used 2 bra pads since they have a nice shape for the shoulder. I am afraid I don’t have many photos for the arms, as they were not difficult to me, or I simply forgot to take photos. 6-9 Nov After the May London MCM EXPO and Japan EXPO 2012, the binding of armours were badly damaged. I unpicked all bindings and fixed them. Also I removed the bottom beads of the front arm armour. They were not in a proper place, and the wrist armour kept on rubbing them until coming off.
Left arm: fingerless glove to elbow, with front arm, wrist, and hand armour. On the upper arm with a rhombus shape armour. It seems like there is a big jewelry in the middle.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
MAKING OF gloves and ARMOURS
Right arm: fingerless glove to armpit, with front arm, wrist, and hand armour. On the upper arm with an armour similar to the front arm armour. There is a shoulder armour, which is made by one pair of brapad.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
making of blonde fluffy hair Working period: 5 May, 20 May, 3 Nov, and 10 Nov 5 May I know how to colour my hair, but I can’t cut for myself. I went to my hair dresser, showed her Anri’s picture, and asked her I needed this hair style for May London MCM EXPO and Japan EXPO 2012 in July. After 30 minutes, I got the hair style I needed.
20 May In order to have the best colour before the May London MCM EXPO, I decided to bleach my hair one week before the convention. After I bleached my hair, I practised making hair fluffy.
3 Nov Since I decided to do this ECG UK selection, I had my hair cut again. According to my photos in these months, the length in July looks the best, so I asked my hair dresser to cut in the length. 10 Nov I bleached my hair again in this day and now look like Anri again.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of vest Yes Anri wore a vest under the collar. From the front we can only see it formed of 2 belts, and 3 buckles. At the left bust side there are 2 beads and some ropes connect to the back. Working period: 12-14 May, 10 Nov 12 - 14 May There are 2 problems when I made the vest. The first one was I had a lot of troubles when looking for the buckles. It looks simple, but actually difficult to find them in right size and colour. The other problem was there was no reference picture of the back. Since it’s a costume for striptease, I decided to make it simple, with a trimming to match the collar. 10 Nov After the May London MCM EXPO and Japan EXPO 2012, the binding of vest were badly damaged. I unpicked all bindings and fixed them.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
making of shamisen SInce I decided to do the ECG UK selection, I was thinking I should add some props for performance. There is an Anri’s profile in vol.5 said he likes playing Shamisen, and actually he played Shamisen in vol.2 ch.6 once. So I decided to make a Shamisen.
peony print on the DOU
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
making of shamisen Working period: 12-21 Nov 12-15 Nov I spent 2 days for research, and 2 days for created CAD for lasercut. I have never seen a Shamisen before, and had no idea about all measurements. After checking many website in Japanese, Chinese, and English, I finally had a rough idea about the measurement. In order to finish the Shamisen in 10 days time, I desided to use lasercut. Just like Damien Hirst did, I sliced Shamisen, and created CAD file for cut.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
making of shamisen 16-18 Nov I chose 4mm MDF for lasercut. After cut the material, I started to glue them together. For the peony print, I printed on the iron-on paper, pressed on white pleather, and applied on the DOU. In order to carry the Shamisen to the convention easily, the SAO can be separated into 3 pieces.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
making of shamisen
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
making of shamisen 19-21 Nov The last 3 night I worked on the rest part. Since I made the Shamisen almost in the right way, suprisingly it can be played!
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
making of shamisen
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
making of shamisen 21 Nov Anri wears pointing heels. I have a pair of pretty shoes, which I think were just in Anri’s style. However, they are brown colour. I used black shoe polish to make the colour darker.
Making of Anri Yoshiwara
Making of Anri Yoshiwara