I recently spoke with video game and anime cosplayer Kasea Vp. She discusses what got her into cosplaying, what happens to her costumes afterwards, and what it takes to be a good cosplayer.
What
got you interested in cosplaying to begin with?
Well,
I was always a nerdy person, even as a child. I had a huge admiration for video
games, comics, and drawing. I remember my sister and I would always love to
dress up and make our own costumes and our parents completely supported us and
our creativity.
As
I grew older, I found a new passion for manga and anime, I wanted to recreate
everything I ever loved in cosplay form. I started back in 2005 and I haven't
looked back since. I pride myself on creating my own high quality cosplays;
each time I make a new cosplay I learn something new and I love that. It's
really become a passion of mine!
So
do you make all your own costumes?
I
do indeed! A lot of my stuff is hand sewn, believe it or not. I do have a
sewing machine, but I'm just so used to sewing by hand. It's the way my dad
taught me growing up, so it's like second nature to me.
Is
Halloween your favorite holiday?
I
do love Halloween but what's funny is that I don't dress up on that day though.
It's like my day off. The rest of the world get to costume for the day and I'll
take over for the other 364days. Hahaha.
What
happens to an outfit after you are done wearing it?
All
my cosplays go into HUGE wardrobe of other cosplays. I would never want to sell
or give them away because each outfit is tailored to fit me and they mean so
much to me. I put so much blood, sweat and tears into each one. They're like my
kids or something!
What
are a few of your favorite animes?
My
top three favorite animes have to be Initial D, Sengoku Basara, and BECK-Mongolia
Chop Squad. No doubt about it though, Initial D is my favorite
hands down! I've watched the complete series over three times just this year
and I never get tired of it. I think I love it because it's very much like my
own life.
Are
you much of a gamer?
I
am a gamer! I wish I could play more often, but cosplaying and my real job do
take up a lot of my time. My favorite Xbox 360 game wuold have to be Gears
of War. I love my turrets!
What
are some non-nerdy things that you like to do in your spare time?
Hahaha,
in my spare time I love to be around my car. A six speed Mazda RX-8....that's
my baby. I call her Hachi. I've developed a huge passion for cars and drifting
so I like going to car meets and seeing other peoples' cars and what they've
done to them. I can't wait until my hubby gets his RX-7 up and running so we
can race! I also love to cook (I'm a grill master!), I love being outdoors
(hiking, kayaking, rock climbing), traveling, and doing gymnastics(was a
competitive gymnast for 12 years).
Is
there a character you haven’t cosplayed yet but want to in the future?
Oh
yeah, I wish I could cosplay Yuna's Floral Fallal Dress sphere from Final
Fantasy X-2. Of course the outfit seems doable, but I gotta figure out a
way to levitate! I would also love to make her Berserker dress sphere one day.
What
was your most embarrassing moment ever cosplaying at a con?
It
wasn't really MY embarrassing moment, but it was embarrassing for the other
person. My photographer friend, husband, and I were all doing a photo shoot in
a pool. This guy walks up out of nowhere, a complete stranger and he's
like,"Hey can I take you out to dinner?! You're hot!" I responded,
"Oh, well maybe you should ask my husband!" He looks at my husband
and walks away in shame. It was so funny and random though.
Speaking
of which, you recently cosplayed as Skarlet from Mortal Kombat at Anime Expo
2012. Weren’t you worried about a sudden breeze rolling in?
Yes,
I love Skarlet! I love being true to the character, however, I'm not wearing
just a thong under my loin cloth! I assure you the bottom I made is just like a
string bikini bottom. So even if there was a breeze, it wouldn't be that bad.
Last
question. Do you have any advice for someone who might be interested in
cosplaying but doesn’t know how to start?
The
best advice I can give anyone who is looking into cosplay is to just dive right
on in! There is no guide on how to cosplay, just do what you love and what you
are comfortable with. If you do need more advice or tips they have a ton of
tutorials and forums online or on Youtube. You can always ask me too at Kasea
VP Cosplay Fanpage (on Facebook) I'm always happy to help!:) Also, confidence
is key! I find that so attractive in any cosplayer!
Link
to my page:
