Q&A Interview with Lilith Phaedra

Photo by BlizzardTerrak

How long have you been cosplaying?

I've been cosplaying since May 2014 and I made my debut at San Jose's FanimeCon. It's kind of funny when I tell people because for some reason they think I'm a veteran who has been at this a hell of a long time. But...I'm actually not!

What first attracted you to the hobby of cosplay?

I first heard about cosplaying when my friend Candytamer told me she did it and showed me pictures. I was confused at first. Then I wondered if I'd have fun doing it as well. At this time, I had the means as well as the passion to create my first cosplay and go to my first con. Been hooked ever since!

Who is your favorite champion in League of Legends?

I have been an avid Ezreal fan and player since August 2012. He was also my first cosplay! Ahri is a close second, though.

Which LoL champions have you cosplayed?

I have cosplayed five different Ezreal skins, Default Caitlyn, Kitty Cat Katarina, and Default Ahri. I’m probably forgetting one!

Photo by Blue Baby Productions

Tell me a bit about the process of creating a costume.

Honestly, the process varies depending on the costume. I don't consider myself particularly skilled when it comes to making my own cosplays, but if I can do it myself, I will. Kitty Cat Katarina is a prime example of this because I happened to have fur, belts, and foam lying around and I think it came out pretty well for being done in a day. Usually, though, if I have the funds, I just commission the parts that are too difficult for me and I have no shame in this, nor do I deny getting things commissioned. I'd rather pay more to have it done right the first time than possibly waste money on trial and error.

Ever had any embarrassing moments at cons?

Probably the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me at a con was at this year's SacAnime Winter 2016. For some reason, while cosplaying Caitlyn, I decided to try balancing my weight on my gun's tip. It ended up breaking in half. Twice. In front of a bunch of people! I was pretty mortified. Thankfully I was able to easily get it fixed because I found my prop making friend who had glue. Whew!

How do cosplayers clean their outfits after wearing them? I'd assume many aren't exactly washing machine safe.

I've actually cleaned a few outfits in the washing machine but only if I know it's durable enough or doesn't have any small parts that could fall off or stitches that could come loose. Overall, though, I'd say hand washing is always probably the best.

Proudest League of Legends moment/accomplishment?

Photo by Volfogg Cosplay Photos

Don't laugh, but I went 56/0 in a bot game once. Still counts, right? Hahaha. That or when I played an ARAM with a Rioter. I don't remember who it was but they were on my team and I got First Blood. Made me happy.

Favorite TV show?

I have not watched TV in probably a decade now. Couldn't tell you.

No TV huh? What are some things you do for fun? Aside from game and cosplay of course!

In today's day and age, I can find pretty much anything I want to watch (be it movies or videos) with the click of a button. Yay internet! Otherwise it's just generic stuff that everyone puts here. See my friends. See my partner. Read. Sleep. Eat lots of shrimp pasta. Go to cons. Work on cosplay, then play dress up with said cosplay. You know the rest.

Are you currently playing any games other than LoL?

Smash Bros., always. Now that I finally own a 3DS as well, though, I'm patiently awaiting Pokemon Sun & Moon.

Who do you plan on cosplaying next? Any upcoming convention plans?

I recently completed my first real "non-League" cosplay, which is a human version of Rouge the Bat from Sonic. I'm also working on a Pokemon cosplay as well. Obviously, there are no images yet of either of those two...because they've never been worn! My next cons require me to travel up and down my state and I will be attending FanimeCon, possibly Sacramento Wizard World, Anime Expo, and SacAnime Summer.

Photo by Jacksonrose Photography

You should totally ‘like’ Liliphae’s Facebook fan page for more images including a boudoir shoot she did recently!

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.

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