lithe-fider

What got you into cosplay?
Anime and Videogames. But really, who doesn't like dressing up in awesome clothes? :)
What was your first costume and why?
My first anime-related costume was in 1999, it was Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog for Halloween. It was updated and worn at Otakon 2002 as my first cosplay at my first con. I chose Tails because I liked him a lot from the videogames of my childhood, and wanted to dress up as him in homage. I have been making my own costumes since kindergarten... X3 Every year Halloween was an event and I had to make a cool / bizarre new costume. One year I was “The Solar System” and had 9 Styrofoam planets hanging off an apparatus on my back on wires. Another year I was “A Rainbow” (That was interesting… X3). My dad/mom would sew them back then, and nowadays I do all the sewing myself and dad helps build the mechanics for things like wings or headgear.
What is your favorite costume and why?
It's hard to choose one. I like them all. XD But I do have a special place in my heart for the Yue Bunny costume. It was my first really professional cosplay. I spent a long time making it, and got help from my father making the headgear and wing harness. So it's really special to me because we did it together.
Do you have a dream costume you'd like to make?
Beelzemon (Digimon Tamers), Okami, Kyubimon on-all-fours cosplay fursuit. One day I'll do it!
What has been your most memorable cosplay experience?
There ARE MANY. Here are some that come to mind: I was playing DDR as Yami at AnimeBoston 2003, and had to strip down so I would not die of heat stroke. So there I was in Yami hair, bondage pants, and my little tank top undershirt with a bunny on it. Some little boy playing in the Yu-Gi-OH tournament next door saw me and had this look on his face like “Yami is a GIRL?!” like he really was seeing the real Yami. LOL! At Otakon 2006 I was in my Shino cosplay for the first time, and me and my friends were people watching near the reg. area at the end of Sunday, and I was sitting in a chair, very tired, and falling asleep...but because of my collar and glasses you couldn't tell at all. This really nice Sexy no Jutsu Lee ran up and was like "Shino Shino yay! Can I have your picture!!" And I jerked awake all like "WTF...huh? Where am I?" She felt REALLY bad and we still joke about it to this day (we became friends after that). As Aburame Shibi I have fooled a TON of people that I am a guy until I talk. My facial hair makeup is very convincing and I have the facial structure for it :D So I'll be there standing and someone will come up like "Can I has a photo?" and I talk and they are like "OMG I thought you were a dude!" or I get ones like "Holy crap you're a chick" when I come up and talk to them or something :'D . I never get tired of that.
Do you participate in masquerades?
Only once so far - AnimeBoston 2003. Me and two friends did a cute skit involving Tama-chan (Love Hina), Yue (CCS) and Tomb raider Yami Bakura (Yugioh)....it was an anime variant of the Tortoise and the Hare. :P I want to do more someday...
What was your best masquerade experience?
Well, considering I only was IN one, I'd say it was GOOD! We did it total last minute and it went all pretty smoothly and people laughed. All the backstage hoo-ha was obnoxious tho.
Have you won any awards for your costumes?
My Yue Bunny won honorable mention for technical merit (costume mechanics/construction). I really don't take the time to enter contests ever...Too much waiting around and trouble...I would rather spend my time running around with friends. XD I cosplay for my personal enjoyment and bringing characters to life for all the fans of that character out there. I love seeing the look in their eyes and their happiness when they see a character brought to life in such a loving and detailed manner. As if that character has become real for a few hours.
Tell us a little about yourself
I went to SCAD art college in Savannah GA and graduated in 2008 with a BFA in Animation. I still do lots of art, I sell crafts and do commissions for clay figures and plush and stuff. I am trying to get into the puppetry / animation studio industry , and want to publish a comic and or book of my characters! :) I keep busy with doing all my art and hang with my friends and stuff. I also love nature and swimming.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
I like to get as detailed as possible with my costumes, I go for accuracy to the original character design, right down to the fabric type and where the seams are. I also try to go for more obscure characters or variant outfits, or if it is a character that has been done a lot, I like to try and do it better than most have done. :) I also go for durability and functionality. I want a cosplay coat or whatever to be wearable outside of the costume as CLOTHING. I want wings or ears etc... to STAY on and hold up to running around. I can't go to a con without donning a costume. X3 It's my main reason for going.
My favorite anime
(subtitled version plz-) Cardcaptor Sakura, Naruto, Mushi-Shi, Trigun, Arjuna, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Yu-Gi-OH!, Love Hina, Cutey Honey, Digimon seasons 1, 2, and Tamers, any of the Miyazaki movies, Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch....and more
My favorite game(s)
(Top favs, as there are many) Sonic the Hedgehog (almost all of them), Ecco the Dolphin, DDR, Katamari, Magic Pengel and Graffiti Kingdom, Okami, Soul Calibur, Rival Schools: Project Justice, Jet Set Radio, Chrono Cross, Para Para Paradise, Spyro (The original PS games), Cool Cool Toon, Jet Set Radio, Kingdom Hearts, and NiGHTS Journey of Dreams.