#28DaysOfBlackCosplay at The Mary Sue, Day Eight
Meet Ki (Residentchaos) and Alaska (alaskajere_cosplay)
Welcome to the second week of #28DaysOfBlackCosplay here at The Mary Sue! I hope you’ve enjoyed all the features so far! On this fine, extremely cold Monday (the Midwest is amazing/end sarcasm) we’ve got two cosplayers to kick things off for us!
Ki (Residentchaos)
Ki (Residentchaos) has been cosplaying for about 7 years, having discovered it in middle school thanks to her friends and the anime club she was a part of. You can check out her story below.
How do you decide what you’re going to cosplay?
I determine what I cosplay through many different means. Sometimes I’ll ask for character suggestions from followers, other times there’ll be characters I love from my favorite series. From there I determine if it’s in my budget and if the look I’m going for is achievable.
What cosplay are you most proud of? And yes, it’s absolutely ok to say ALL.
So far I’m most proud of my Kanae!
What’s a cosplay moment that you remember fondly?
A cosplay moment I remember fondly is when a couple of children came up to me and talked to me as if I was Anna (Frozen), they didn’t even think twice about my skin color.
Hey, it’s time to take a break from making that cosplay or buying it off your wishlist, what are you watching/playing/reading to unwind?
You can usually catch me playing mobile games (Genshin Impact, Love Live, Pokémon Go & Masters). Sometimes I’ll hop on my switch to play Animal Crossing or Mario Kart.
Speaking of unwinding, who are your comfort characters? Who are you going to when you need a pick me up?
My comfort characters so far are Roxy (Winx Club), Klara (Pokémon Sword and Shield), and Toga Himiko (My Hero Academia).
Do you tend to cosplay the character/creature/entity as is or do you put your own spin on them? Any particular reason why? And yes, it’s perfectly ok to say “because I like to.”
I really used to be a stickler for accuracy, so I would often cosplay the character as is. But the older I got and the more people I met from the cosplay community, I realized that I could put my own spin on the characters I cosplay. So I’ve been taking more liberties lately.
It’s cruel to ask what your favorite cosplay is so what are your top three (at most)? Are they the ones being featured or are they different ones?
My top three have to be Klara, Starfire, and Toga. Mostly because they’re super comfortable to wear.
What do your 2021 cosplans look like? If you’re trying to keep it secret OR you have no plans, that’s fine!
My 2021 cosplans are pretty full. My current cosplans are Roxy (Winx Club), Violet Evergarden, Boosette (Super Mario fandom), Sailor Pluto (Sailor Moon), Paimon (Genshin Impact), Hex Maniac (Pokémon), Vanilla, and Jakuzure Nonnon (Kill la Kill).
In an alternate universe where money and resources are plentiful, all your bills are paid, and you’ve got nothing but time, what dream cosplays are you doing?
I have so many dream cosplans, but to narrow it down to two, it would have to be Blue Diamond (Steven Universe) and Erika (Barbie’s Princess and the Pauper).
In yet another alternate universe, conventions are safe to return to, so where are you headed?
I would go to SDCC, AX, ALA, SacAnime, and Wondercon if I could.
What inspires you to stay active in the community, especially in these trying times? If you haven’t been active that’s fine, too!
The friends and mutuals I’ve made from the community keep me going and motivated, seeing them post and rally me on to cosplay and post as well helps a ton. The followers I’ve gained help me keep on a schedule. Collaborations are also keeping me afloat as well. I’m happy to have had met them.
What does #28DaysOfBlackCosplay mean to you?
#28DaysOfBlackCosplay means finding more mutuals and friends in the cosplay community. It also means recognizing that the Black cosplay community is much bigger than people think.
It’s March 1st, 2021, what would you like to see happen after the 28 days are over?
I would like to see a steady stream of recognizing Black cosplayers for their amazing work all year, not just one month of the year.
How can the community (people, events, etc.) do better to represent you and other Black cosplayers?
I think conventions inviting more Black cos makers to be judges would help greatly. It’s intimidating when you barely see anyone of color judging masquerades and contests, it makes it less likely for other Black cosplayers to want to apply.
Any tips for newcomers who are waffling on whether or not they should cosplay?
A tip I have would be buying a cosplay of a character you’ve always loved and just wearing it around the house and getting used to cosplaying that way. I would recommend doing that before starting a social media account for cosplaying or even joining the community, as it can be overwhelming at first.
What are you looking forward to in 2021? It doesn’t have to be cosplay related, it can be anything.
I’m looking forward to maybe going outside more. Because of everything going on, it’s hard to stay positive when you’re inside all day every day. So I hope the year pans out well so that going outside isn’t such a risk.
Social media time! Tell us where we can find you! Give me as many links as you want. Twitter? TikTok? Patreon? I want it all!
I have a linktree with all my socials attached!
Alaska (alaskajere_cosplay)
Alaska (alaskajere_cosplay) just started cosplaying in August last year! Seeing someone inspired to cosplay in the middle of all that was 2020 is incredible! Alaska has ALWAYS had a fascination with dressing up and bringing a character to life, so cosplay helps tap into Alaska’s creative side. You can check out Alaska’s story below.
How do you decide what you’re going to cosplay?
Well, I have a long list of characters I wish to cosplay. If I have all the materials needed to cosplay a certain character, I usually get right to work on it! However, if I am missing a few things, I will move on to another character I have materials for at that time.
What cosplay are you most proud of? And yes, it’s absolutely ok to say ALL.
I am extremely proud of ALL my creations so far!
What’s a cosplay moment that you remember fondly?
My VERY FIRST COSPLAY EVER as Yumeko Jabami! My boyfriend’s daughter (who LOVES anime) just complete watching Kakegurui, so I cosplayed Yumeko to surprise her! She loved it, which made me want to continue my cosplay journey.
Hey, it’s time to take a break from making that cosplay or buying it off your wishlist, what are you watching/playing/reading to unwind?
I am finishing a 1,500 piece puzzle (slowly but surely), studying/practicing Sign Language, dancing, and reading Becoming by Michelle Obama.
Speaking of unwinding, who are your comfort characters? Who are you going to when you need a pick me up?
My comfort character is Vegeta from the Dragon Ball franchise simply because I have always loved him since I was 10 years old. As for a pick me up, I’m either calling my mom and/or my sister without any hesitation.
Do you tend to cosplay the character/creature/entity as is or do you put your own spin on them? Any particular reason why? And yes, it’s perfectly ok to say “because I like to.”
I enjoy putting my own spin on characters I cosplay simply because it gives me a chance to branch out of my comfort zone giving the character a different look. Also, it adds more own creativity towards my craft.
It’s cruel to ask what your favorite cosplay is so what are your top three (at most)? Are they the ones being featured or are they different ones?
I have one that is part of my featured cosplays and that’s HIM from The Powerpuff Girls. The other two are my Tuxedo Mask (Sailor Moon) and Dexter from Dexter’s Laboratory.
What do your 2021 cosplans look like? If you’re trying to keep it secret OR you have no plans, that’s fine!
I’m keeping most of my cosplans to myself, but every now and again I’ll post sneak peeks/behind the scenes to “tease” the upcoming cosplay.
In an alternate universe where money and resources are plentiful, all your bills are paid, and you’ve got nothing but time, what dream cosplays are you doing?
I would LOVE to cosplay as Perfect Cell from Dragon Ball Z! I would create my own costume somehow, someway.
In yet another alternate universe, conventions are safe to return to, so where are you headed?
I have NEVER been to a convention in my life, so wherever they are hosting them, I am there!
What inspires you to stay active in the community, especially in these trying times? If you haven’t been active that’s fine, too!
To be honest, I stay active in the (cosplay) community for my own mental health. It keeps me busy/happy, allows me to connect with others, and keeps my creative juices flowing.
What does #28DaysOfBlackCosplay mean to you?
It means 28 days of Black Excellences getting the recognition it deserves because BLACK PEOPLE CAN COSPLAY ANIME/ALL CHARACTERS! I am actually looking forward to seeing the amazing work from others within the cosplay community.
It’s March 1st, 2021, what would you like to see happen after the 28 days are over?
I would like to see more and more Black Cosplayers CONTINUE to shine despite the 28 days being over.
Any tips for newcomers who are waffling on whether or not they should cosplay?
Have fun with it! Do what makes you comfortable/happy and do NOT compare yourself to someone else/another cosplayer. Everyone has something amazing to offer, so do not let others kill your vibe. Take your time and just be YOU!
What are you looking forward to in 2021? It doesn’t have to be cosplay related, it can be anything.
Although I am looking forward to presenting more cosplay in 2021, I cannot wait to travel again and finally attend my FIRST anime convention! Also, continue working on my business plan to one day open my own dance studio/gymnastics center.
Social media time! Tell us where we can find you! Give me as many links as you want. Twitter? TikTok? Patreon? I want it all!
I am on Instagram, Snapchat (@ alaska_rich13), and Twitter!
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That’s all for today! See everyone tomorrow!
(Image: Ki/Residentchaos and Alaska/alaskajere_cosplay)
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