Two of the cosplay guests and CAGE judges share their point of views in cosplay diversity and motivation.

AsiaPop ComiCon Manila 2017 is just around the corner, and to spice things up, we managed to interview two of the cosplay guests and CAGE judges. It has been a tradition here in RF to interview some of the guests before the start of APCC Manila, so it was an honor to got a chance to interview Pion Kim and Philip Odango (Canvas Cosplay) and shared their advice in cosplaying.

Pion Kim

1. How did you feel knowing that have fans here in the Philippines?

I am very surprised because I never been to the Philippine before. I am thankful for all my fans and I will continue to create works that more people would like to like.

2. We loved your Sombra cosplay, any advice to cosplayers that want to cosplay characters with diversity?

I want to talk, don’t be afraid. If you want to express your love and want to express art for character. All cosplay photos have the people someone like that work, and have the people someone hate that work also. If you are not doing some immoral, do not fear to be afraid, and please make the ‘art’ that no one can make.

3. What’s next huge project for Pion Kim?

Top secret 🙂. It need to more time and more cosplayer. When the project will be finished and uploading everywhere, you will get to know

Philip Odango

1. What was your biggest challenge when making your costumes?

As a plus-size cosplayer, I’ve discovered that pre-made patterns don’t always work for my body type. As a result, I’ve learned to drape and design my own patterns that work with my body. This skill has allowed me to conceptualize a cosplay and translate it into sew-able components that fit me.

2. What there in any point of your life that you managed to motivate a person through cosplay?

My cosplay community is composed of a variety of artists in all skill levels, from beginner to expert, and we’re all united by the love the craft. As a cosplayer from humble beginnings, I had learned to be resourceful and inventive from a young age. Therefore, my cosplay journey resonates with cosplayers who may not have a lot of money to create outrageously expensive costumes with machines priced into the thousands of dollars. So, part of journey is to connect with cosplayers who’ve had to handsew their costumes because of a lack of access to a sewing machine, and celebrate their work. As SINGER Sewing Company’s brand ambassador, I hope to bridge this gap by providing access to affordable sewing machines.

3. What is your best advice to cosplayers who want to be more diverse in their cosplays?

Cosplay is a journey of creative self-expression that is cultivated over time through learning, trial, error and learning from one’s mistakes. For cosplayers who want to be more diverse in their cosplays, I recommend for them to approach it from two perspectives: storytelling and technical. What kind of stories inspire you — the hero, the villain or something in between? What is that unique personality aspect of that character that you’d like to see reflected in their costume? Then, study that costume for its design, detail and dimensions? Why do you think the designers chose those textures, colors and theme, and how does it relate to the character? How can you adapt it to you? Finally, think about what technical skills you’d need to learn to bring those details to life, and go and learn them. You’ll find that as you progressively improve your crafting skills with a variety of materials, you’ll feel more confident in exploring more challenging character designs.