Thursday, March 31, 2016

Q&A Interview with Gilded Moon Cosplay



How long have you been cosplaying?

I have been cosplaying for four years now, started back in 2012.

What first interested you in the hobby?

Well I started off just wanting to try it out. It was a super small convention, SwampCon in Gainesville. The next year I cosplayed Homestuck with some friends and fell in love with how intricate and beautiful some of the costumes were and it made me want to get better!

Which League of Legends characters have you cosplayed?

I have cosplayed as Sona, both in her Arcade and Silent Night skins.

Who is your favorite champion to use when you're playing seriously? What about when just messing around?

I love playing Jinx, she's my go to champ for serious play. When messing around... I don't know! I love playing ultimate bravery with friends and seeing what ridiculous champ build I have to deal with!

What's the most difficult cosplay you've made/worn and what made it difficult?

I think Arcade Sona wins most difficult. I had never made a hoop skirt before, and there I was trying to make one that was so specifically shaped! The Etwahl for that costume was also the first major prop that I had ever made and I tried to make it so it would come apart for easy travel, which didn't turn out super awesome but it held together for all the conventions that I wanted to bring her to.

How does going to a convention to cosplay compare to just going as a fan / "normal" person?

Well, actually, I feel really weird going to conventions not in cosplay unless I'm working the artist alley. Because of how my schedule used to be with school I didn't get many opportunities to go to conventions other than the few big ones, so I like taking advantage of every opportunity I can.

If you could perma-ban one champion for being too OP who would it be and why?

It is probably an unpopular opinion, but either Corki or Dr. Mundo. Corki keeps getting buffed and since he's getting a lot of professional play people are just trying to copy those item sets and play styles in lower ELO and it makes me want to scream. Dr. Mundo is just broken because you can't kill him unless your team has perfect cohesion and focus!

What other video games do you like outside of League?

Oh boy, well I kind of cycle them out. When I was younger it was Roller Coaster Tycoon, Sims, Warcraft, World of Warcraft, and StarCraft. Nowadays I try to branch out with genres. I started playing Slime Rancher, I've played Skyrim, most of the Zelda games, and I love Splatoon!

Any other "nerdy" hobbies?

I play Pathfinder with a group of friends every week, I'm about to start rehearsing for two shows for a convention this summer, and I played Humans versus Zombies for a few years before being on the team that ran it at my university.

Is there such a thing as a "fake nerd"? 

Nah I don't believe that. I think that yeah there might be people who lie about interests in order to get friends or popularity, but whether they want to admit it or not, no one can try to pass completely as a "type" of person without knowing or liking that kind of stuff.

Any plans in the works for future cosplays?

Yes! Immediately I'm starting in Nona (Death Parade) and Tornado (One Punch Man). I hope to do Pool Party Draven over the summer but otherwise the last big one is Shiny Mega Gardevoir for DragonCon!

Anything else you’d like to add?

Hope to see some League friends at conventions this year!!

Check out Gilded Moon Cosplay on Facebook for more sweet pictures.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Q&A Interview with Miyuki Cosplay

Photograph by D.I.S/C Photogrpahy


How did you first get into cosplaying?

I actually cosplayed for the first time because my friend wanted a cosplay partner for Anime North 2012. I made my first costume overnight to meet the deadline, and just really enjoyed the experience and so I continued to cosplay!

Who is the first character you ever cosplayed as?

My first cosplay was FFX-2 Lenne songstress.

Which League of Legends characters have you cosplayed so far?

I have cosplayed Classic Ahri, Battle Bunny Riven, Heartseeker Akali (and a pool party version), and Secret Agent Miss Fortune.

Photograph by D.I.S/C Photography

Any plans for future LoL cosplays?


Yes! Sivir (Chinese splash art) is currently in the works.                       

Photo by Wilson Lau
Who is your favorite character in the game?

I have many favorite champions, mostly mages. At the moment, the one I play the most is Karma (mid and top). Other champions that I enjoy playing are Zyra, Lissandra, Swain, and Vel'koz. Poking as a mage is just too satisfying.

Which champion do you hate playing against the most?

Because I play squishy AP champions, I sometimes have a hard time laning against assassins. I always ban Zed if I get the chance!

Do you play ranked at all? What about alternative game modes other than Summoner's Rift?

I played rank in Season 4, and now I'm in the middle of my placements for S6. I play all games modes, and when we have enough people we do in-house Howling Abyss or Twisted Treeline. My favorite event mode in the past has been Ascension.

What are your thoughts on "genderbend" cosplays?

I love custom skins, and I think some genderbend concepts are very creative and fun. If I came across a cool genderbend concept, I would do it too.

Do you make all of your outfits yourself?

I make 90% of my costumes and props! I really enjoy making costumes because I get the chance to incorporate my creative flairs into the design.

Photo by D.I.S/C Photography

What are some of your other hobbies outside of video games and cosplaying?

It's really hard to find free time outside of my job and cosplaying. When I do get a break, I enjoy writing music, salsa dancing, and streaming.

Ah I was going to ask if you did streaming. How often do you typically stream?

I usually stream every Sunday at 7pm PST unless I'm out of town or working overtime. You can check My channel here.

You’re also getting a Ph.D?

I am a PhD candidate and I'm 3.5 years in (two years before I finish my degree). I'm studying molecular oncology, which is basically the study of cancer at the molecular scale. Specifically, I apply techniques from proteomics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology in order to understand the function of certain proteins and how they contribute to cancer-related processes. I am actually not looking to continue in pure science after I finish my degree. I have gained many invaluable skills (not just scientific method!) in graduate school and I hope to apply these skills either in consulting or in the video game industry.

Photo by D.I.S/C Photography

What are some of the challenges of cosplaying at conventions? I assume that some outfits can become uncomfortable to wear for prolonged periods of time.

Like you said, wearing costumes for a prolonged period of time can be painful or inconvenient, especially if said costume involves heels or wings. Bulky costumes or bodysuits are quite troublesome for the bathroom! Other challenges include lugging around heavy props, having to hold awkward poses with said props, and trying to avoid people taking photos of me when I'm eating... Yes, the life of a cosplayer is hard!

Anime fan? / Favorites?

Absolutely! Favorites: Shinsekai Yori, Death Note, Stein's Gate, Darker than Black. My favorite manga is Gantz.

Anything else you'd like to add?

TSM sucks.

For more images of Miyuki’s awesome cosplays be sure to like her Facebook page.

She can also be found on Twitter and Instagram as @MiyukiCosplay.

Photo by Dale L