#28DaysOfBlackCosplay at The Mary Sue, Day Twenty
Meet Black Panthro Cosplay and Kuro Senpie
We’re now on day TWENTY of #28DaysOfBlackCosplay and, wow, can you believe that this is the second to last weekend of this wonderful cosplay celebration? We’re gonna keep the love going on this fine Saturday with today’s featured cosplayers.
Black Panthro Cosplay
Photo by Doctor Law’s Photo Lab.
Black Panthro Cosplay has been cosplaying for 7 years, inspired by the art and the creativity people put into their cosplays. You can check out Black Panthro Cosplay’s story below!
How do you decide what you’re going to cosplay?
A friend will help me decide.
What cosplay are you most proud of? And yes, it’s absolutely ok to say ALL.
All of them.
Photo by Danique Cosplay.
What’s a cosplay moment that you remember fondly?
I was in my Black Panther cosplay and a little girl hugged me after taking a picture with her and her siblings.
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 mostly listen to music to unwind. I listen to some Kid Cudi, A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Anderson .Paak, Lupe Fiasco, mostly some chill hop music.
Speaking of unwinding, who are your comfort characters? Who are you going to when you need a pick me up?
Black Panther, Green Lantern Corps, The Bat Family, and X-Men.
If you could live in a fictional universe where would it be and why?
The world of One Piece.
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 put my own spin on things. I just love to be different from other cosplayers. We seen some do the same character. Nothing is wrong with that and they do such amazing jobs and put in the work to bring them to life. I just love to do cosplays that no one never even thought of which is why I love doing mash-ups.
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 Penguin cosplay is number one on everyone’s hearts. It is my first cosplay and very proud of how people loved it. My mash-up of Coming to America/Black Panther is also a favorite of mine. Lastly, my mashup of a Blue Lantern and Raiden from Mortal Kombat.
Photo and edits by Marc Leary.
What do your 2021 cosplans look like? If you’re trying to keep it secret OR you have no plans, that’s fine!
I just finished making my Gunslinger Spawn cosplay and so excited to wear that at cons (when they are safe to open back up), I am also playing a new look for my Coming to America/Black Panther for the upcoming Coming 2 America movie. Lastly, I’m playing a mashup of an X-Men pirate of Storm.
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?
My dream cosplays would be Black Manta and a mashup group of the ninjas of Mortal Kombat and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
In yet another alternate universe, conventions are safe to return to, so where are you headed?
BlerDCon and/or SDCC.
What inspires you to stay active in the community, especially in these trying times? If you haven’t been active that’s fine, too!
I just keep reading comics lol.
What does #28DaysOfBlackCosplay mean to you?
It is a chance for everyone to see that Black people can do cosplays as well and that we look amazing doing it. It’s to show that it is ok to be different and that you should use your voice to say who you are and that you love creating art.
It’s March 1st, 2021, what would you like to see happen after the 28 days are over?
For COVID to be over so we can come back to cons lol. But seriously, I just want more Black cosplayers and photographers who have not been recognized or who don’t have a lot of followers to get more recognition.
How can the community (people, events, etc.) do better to represent you and other Black cosplayers?
Not to tell us we can’t cosplay a certain character because of how we look and try to force us into some bubble. This should be a community where we encourage people to go for whatever cosplay they want and not be judged for it.
Any tips for newcomers who are waffling on whether or not they should cosplay?
Never let people discourage you from cosplay because they think it’s silly, a waste of time, and not for grown-ups. If you think this is going to make you happy, go for it. Ignore the haters and do you.
What are you looking forward to in 2021? It doesn’t have to be cosplay-related, it can be anything.
Just to continue to make big moves in my life to make it better. Don’t just settle on something simple. I also look forward to my progress on doing better at crafting for my cosplaying.
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’m on Instagram and Facebook.
Kuro Senpie
Photo by Jacob McBride.
Kuro Senpie has been cosplaying for 3 years. She became interested in cosplay thanks to Yaya Han and seeing her on Heroes of Cosplay. At the time, Kuro Senpie was 13 years old. “She was so pretty and built amazing things. She also said anyone can cosplay no matter how you look.” Ever since then, she’s been focused on cosplay and hopes to be as amazing as Yaya. You can check out her story below!
How do you decide what you’re going to cosplay?
I usually decide by picking a name of a character from a box I made. I write down ALL the characters I want to cosplay on a little paper then put them in the box. Once the time comes, I pick a character from the box, and that’s my next cosplay!
What cosplay are you most proud of? And yes, it’s absolutely ok to say ALL.
ALL OF THEM! I put my heart and soul into all my cosplays. I love how detailed my most recent ones are. I came so far and seeing that amazes me. Every cosplay is special to me.
What’s a cosplay moment that you remember fondly?
I remember winning my first cosplay contest at Anime Getaway 2016. I cosplay Mimikyu from Pokémon Sun and Moon. I worked on that cosplay for 3 months and it was the first one I made. I remember going against a full Sailor Moon group. The outfits and weapons were amazing, but I took that first place home with a full smile on my face.
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?
Animal Crossing. It takes my mind off everything in general. The games calm my anxiety and help me get through a lot of stuff, which is amazing.
Photo by Jacob McBride.
Speaking of unwinding, who are your comfort characters? Who are you going to when you need a pick me up?
Shiny Chariot is my comfort character. I love how she is so cheerful and magical in her younger days. I cosplay her when I feel down and need to cheer up.
Photo by Jacob McBride.
If you could live in a fictional universe where would it be and why?
I honestly would live in My Hero Academia to be a hero costume designer. Being a hero would be nice, too, but I think I’d be better at staying back and making costumes for the new upcoming heroes. Have a whole operation and everything.
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 always add my own spin to the characters. For now on I make custom-made wigs to let the characters have that Black Girl Magic. I’m not comfortable wearing straight wigs. I feel like it don’t fit me. So I make wigs that do.
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?
So cruel indeed. My top 3 Cosplays are Miles Morales, Shiny Chariot, and Asuna from Sword Art Online. They all have one thing in common. They all work hard for the people they love.
What do your 2021 cosplans look like? If you’re trying to keep it secret OR you have no plans, that’s fine!
Everything is top secret! But mainly My Hero Academia and Nintendo characters this year.
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?
Ah, I would love to make this one character I want to enter for C2E2 competition. It’s top secret. Just know she wears a huge ball dress and her weapon is a huge canon!
In yet another alternate universe, conventions are safe to return to, so where are you headed?
I’m heading to Anime Next, Otakon, Anime Senpai, and Holiday Matsuri. All to enter competitions solo or with my Idol Group.
What inspires you to stay active in the community, especially in these trying times? If you haven’t been active that’s fine, too!
My husband and friends, they are my biggest cheerleaders and make me feel needed and wanted in the community.
What does #28DaysOfBlackCosplay mean to you?
Showing off beautiful cosplay work from people of color. We barely get noticed and we get bullied because of our skin color for cosplaying lighter characters. They act like we have a choice about our skin. But #28DaysOfBlackCosplay is our time to shine and celebrate! Celebrating that we never gave up and we are still here to be the Black kings and queens we are.
It’s March 1st, 2021, what would you like to see happen after the 28 days are over?
All the Black cosplayers being recognized and shown more support in the cosplay community.
How can the community (people, events, etc.) do better to represent you and other Black cosplayers?
Not saying we are the “black version” of a character. Like no. We are that character but with a little bit of magic.
Any tips for newcomers who are waffling on whether or not they should cosplay?
At least do it once! Cosplay is for everyone no matter your skin color, size, looks, etc. Do what you love because you want to. Don’t worry about numbers too much. That’s how most cosplayers quit and stop having fun.
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 another year of living and new open doors.
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’m on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube!
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That’s all for now, see everyone tomorrow!
(Image: Black Panthro Cosplay and Kuro Senpie)
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