FiCS Issue 1 - Loki Heart by FiCS Magazine

Yuka Kuroyonagi

Veronica Manuel

Cosplay Features:

Cosplayer Speaks Cosplay Suggestions Cosplayer Profiles My Cosplay Story

ISSN: 2244-615X

Loki Heart:

A message before the hiatus

EDITORIAL Two years of planning, countless hours of thinking several photoshoots held, gathered and invited cosplayers for interview, an awful lot of disputes, a ton of scrutiny, financial shortages, wave after wave of discouragement, minimal support, and an unsurpassable amount of dedication; and here we are. The FiCS team proudly presents to everyone the very first issue of Filipino Cosplay Scene Magazine (FiCS)! So, what to expect on our first issue? Well, we have an awesome interview with one of the most respected cosplayers in the filipino cosplay community, ms Loki Heart! She will be sharing her outlook towards the cosplay community as we progress. We also feature Veronica Manuel, a cosplayer who travelled all the way from Zamboanga to Manila for her cosplay dreams! We also have Mayu Joaquin and Angel Lopez, for our Cospair section. The pair will tell us about how it feels to cosplay in pair. And we have Yuka Kuroyonagi cosplaying for the very first time! She will become an official part of the filipino cosplay community as she cosplays after years of dreaming for this opportunity! FiCS Magazine features not just cosplayers but the things that cosplayers encounter and embrace as a part of their lives as dedicated enthusiasts here in the Philippines. We feature outputs from cosplayers to showcase our array of talents as anime, gaming, movie and cartoon fans. We have stories written to fascinate and to motivate other people who possess talent and cosplay passion to show everyone that there is nothing bad in trying and that there are people who will appreciate your talent especially in the cosplay community.

The FiCS Team Editorial Consultant: Wivina Ferrer

Editor in Chief/Layout Artist: King Constantine Damaso

Art Directors:

Erwin Santos, Robin Chester Santos

Photographers:

JM Cruz , Aaron Panlaqui, Dee Jocson

Staff Writers:

Every segment of this magazine is dedicated to the cosplay community and the individuals that supports and gives life to it. We, the editorial team who are a group of writers, illustrators and photographers, are not just here only to make a magazine. We are a team of cosplayers and otakus as well that can proudly say to every reader of this magazine â&#x20AC;&#x153;made by cosplayers for the cosplayersâ&#x20AC;?!

Franz Caballero, Mary Joy Joaquin, Andrea Legaspi, Kimberly Sabino, Iveth Solevilla

This issue marks the beginning of a journey. A journey for the Filipino Cosplay Community to be recognized, to shed light on the cosplay scene far away to places where others think that cosplay will not thrive, tell amazing stories of cosplayers, be cleansed from any misconceptions, be appreciated and be respected. We are here to enjoy cosplaying and we will continue to grow against all odds!

Lhou Angeles, Alec Egido, Jovi Claire Farron, Erving Go, Jene Kirishima, Dexter Mirasol, Vincent Noir, Jump Pilapil, Smarticles Photography, Jio Verona, Marvin Verzosa, Roniel Yuzon

-Editor King

Cosplayer Coordinators:

Danica Casidsid, Jhimea Dy, Dexter Ellis Mirasol, Glaiza Sutilo

Contributors:

Contact:

dweavers.project@yahoo.com.ph

Table of Contents

Cosplayer Speaks: Verves

Crossdress: Andrea Legaspi

Cosplayer Speaks: Otaku: Alone?

Cosplayer Profiles: Rachelle

Cospair: Mayu and Angel

Loki's Heart: Conventions

Cosplay Feature: Veronica Manuel

Pick of the Month: Loki Heart

Cosplay Feature: Yuka Kuroyonagi

Cosplayer Speaks: Cosplay vs Parents

Cosplayer Profiles: Shin and Touya

Anime of the Month: Kill la Kill

Cosplayer Speaks: Which is Which?

My Cosplay Story: Yume Anzaki

Cosplayer Profiles: Kacy

Cosplay Events: NyanCos Reloaded

Gothic Lolita: Cyrille Castro

Cosplay Funnies

Cosplayer Speaks

Verves of being a Cosplayer: By Iveth Solevilla

olorful outfits, gravity defying hairstyles, stunning props, multicolored eyes, huge and detailed armors--who wouldn’t be shocked seeing someone wearing those inside a mall? Silly as it may seem to be, but it is called “Cosplay”. Nowadays, cosplay is starting to go mainstream because of popular figures in the showbiz industry. But the question is, what is cosplay? There’s more to it than just putting on costumes. Role-playing, costume-making process, make-up application, creating props, photography, photo editing, art manipulation and more!

Coining the term “Cosplay” Cosplaying is a Japanese subculture about dressing up as characters from anime, manga, video games, and films. It started in Japan in the 1980’s. Ms.Yuu Shomura, a cosplayer said, “Cosplay is fun, a hobby that requires passion.” Cosplaying is a hobby usually done to show admiration towards certain characters.It is more than just dressing up. It is bringing a character to life. Role-playing makes the cosplay different than just dressing up. Impersonating the character and memorizing their taglines and poses are a must in this art.

The Art of Cosplaying

Costumes worn by cosplayers reflect how dedicated they are to their passion. Like an artist who wants his masterpiece to be displayed at galleries, cosplayers want to showcase their costume for everyone to see in conventions or photo shoots.

the props and accessories need focus and painstaking dedication. Buying a wig abroad or locally and styling it is also tough. Studying every little detail of the costume is hard too. But cosplayers do all these to achieve perfection-- which is worth it.

In making costumes and props, being resourceful is the key. Cosplayers, most of the time, resort into using even the simplest things, forming them into props. “Art, because I make costumes, I do detailing. Tapos when it comes to making designs naman, for example making headgears, minsan wala kang gagayahan e so it’s up to you so you mix and match all those things.” As stated by Ms. Loki Heart, a cosplayer and at the same time, a costume maker.

But not all cosplayers are able to make their own costumes and props. Usually, online shops are accepting costume commissions. They create ready to wear costumes complete with accessories with a price range depending on the difficulty. Cosplay costume usually costs 1,000 php up to sky is the limit. Wigs prices vary from 300 – 2,500, contact lenses for 300 – 1,000. In a nutshell, cosplay is a pain in the wallet.

Cosplay = Money + Time + Effort

Cosplay, more fun in the Philippines!

Cosplaying in the Philippines began in Cosplaying can be an expensive hobby; the early 2000s. It was when many anime this is where being resourceful and creative series were shown on local tv, people started to explore. In the interview with enters. Ms. Loki warns aspiring cosplayers Ms. Carina Crisostomo, an administrator for to think many times if they want to enter cosplaying. “Minimum with wig and contact National Cosplayers Philippines (NCP), she said “I think Filipinos like cosplaying because lens and costume is 3,000. Pinakamahal they are young at heart. They genuinely like that I spent so far is 10,000. Ang mahal so to play games and to watch cartoons and children entering cosplay, think twice. No, anime. Filipinos are known to imitate what thrice. I don’t know, as many as you can. they see on TV.” Sometimes the wig and contact lens put together, mas mahal pa sila sa costume. According to Ms. Jin Joson(2010), Many people were inspired to cosplay Sobra.”Mr. John Rey Amuro, a costume a popular cosplayer in the Philippines, when Alodia Gosiengfiao entered the maker and cosplayer, said “Para sakin ang “Cosplay is a hobby that involves dressing up magastos lang talaga ay yung wig at contact limelight. Cosplay became acknowledged by as existing characters from different genres. lens. Ako kasi gumagawa ng costume ko kaya many. And today, the number of cosplayers The term is from the phrase ‘costume play’, tipid talaga. Naghahanap lang ako ng mga doubled when Myrtle Abigail Sarrosa the word ‘play’ pertaining to the act of role- materials sa bahay na pwede ko gamitin.” entered and won PBB Teen Edition 2012. playing, as opposed to plays of the theatrical Ms. Loki shared that, “So I think why we sort.” enjoy cosplay in the Philippines is because Cosplaying is time-consuming. it became a bandwagon; in the sense that it Cosplayers often prepare months before became a fad lately. Many people adapted their target date. It takes a lot of time to Cosplay in Public the fad that is happening again. And when search for fabrics in malls or Divisoria if they do that here, since many people are Cosplayers often showcase their costumes you want to buy at cheaper prices. Making doing it, they think it’s not weird anymore. at conventions (cons). Some of the largest That’s why people embraced the hobby.” anime conventions held internationally are Comic Con (SDCC), usually held in San Diego, California, Anime Festival Asia (AFA) in Pros and Cons Singapore and Indonesia, Tokyo International Anime Fair (TIAF) and Comic World in Hong People cosplay for their own reasons; Kong. In the Philippines, there are major some for enjoyment, meeting new friends, conventions held annually, to name some are experiencing new perspectives, earning Toy Convention, Cosplay Mania, Otakuzine: money or simply, for the love of the hobby. Otaku Expo and Fantasy Quest. Ms. Loki believed that there are 3 kinds of cosplayers namely: Hobbyists – they Before, conventions were rare in the do cosplay for the love of the hobby; Philippines. Often times, cosplayers wait for Entrepreneurs – cosplays to sell and endorse months. But as cosplay continued to expand, their product; Perfectionists – also known as nowadays, almost every weekend there are competitors. They are the ones who cosplay conventions cosplayers can attend to. to compete and to win.

Cosplay as an Art “Cosplay for me is an art form. It is the best expression of your artistic side.” – Yuu Shomura

All these cosplayers face the same difficulties. Ms. Carina mentioned, “One major factor would be people not understanding cosplayers because not everyone gets what we are doing. So they

tend to laugh at us, or they find us weird. Until now, there is still that discrimination. But fortunately, people are more openminded as time goes by.” “When you cosplay, you don’t expect everyone to say good things about you. Cosplay is hit and miss. Hit means you have a good cosplay, miss means tapon ang cosplay mo. Make it constructive criticism. Don’t let it bring you down. You’ve been criticized so make it better next time.” Ms. Loki Heart said. Also there are some instances where photos of cosplayers are being bashed and stolen. “When you cosplay, your picture will spread in the internet like wildfire. And when it happens, wala kang control, buti nga ngayon may cyber crime law na e.” says Ms. Loki.

Cosplay, stepping stone for fame One of the most common misconceptions about cosplay is that one can become popular by cosplaying. People think that cosplay is a stepping stone in becoming famous. Here are some of the opinions of the people in the cosplay community:“First of all, never enter anything thinking that you will be famous. Enter something you love because you love it. Not because it will make you rich, not because it will make you famous, but because it will make you happy.” – Kevin Louise Valdez, 3rd Year Journalism Student, President of Kyoushigen Letran

– Jin Joson, Cosplayer

Essence of Cosplaying Cosplaying is not an easy hobby. It takes a lot of money, time and effort; from the costume making process until wearing the full garb.

It is not just about putting on costumes. It is a hobby and should remain as it is. It is about enjoying yourself to be in the shoes of your favorite character. Some cosplayers do gain money from cosplay like selling costumes or accessories, but bear in mind that money is nothing compared to the feeling and experiencing cosplay yourself.

Cosplayers take pride in their costume. “Don’t let popularity be the motivation Criticism won’t hurt as long as it is constructive. It took them lots of struggle for you to pursue the hobby. If you want just to wear those costumes. So if ever you to be popular, don’t make cosplaying as see a costume not well done, cosplayers not your stepping stone to it. Hindi nadadaan sa ganda, sa costumes ang pagiging sikat. If wearing wig or contact lens, they might have you want to cosplay you make sure that you their own reasons. know the hobby by heart, you don’t cosplay And lastly, cosplay for the love of the because it’s the bandwagon.” – Loki Heart, Entrepreneur / Costume Maker hobby, not just because it is popular. “Nasa-sa-kanila naman yun e. Basta kami in-e-enjoy lang naming ang pagcocosplay.”

Andrea Legaspi cosplaying as Al Azif (Demonbane)

Meeting new friends Indeed, cosplaying alone can be quite lonely and sad. Ever since the popularity of cosplay became widespread, there are organizations formed by cosplayers to have friends around who share the same passion. One of the prominent organizations in the cosplay community is National Cosplayers Philippines (NCP). Ms. Carina futher explained what is NCP, “a group of cosplayers actually not only for cosplayers, we also have photographers and noncosplayer members who wants to help other people through outreach programs like gift giving, feeding programs.”NCP started doing outreach programs late last year. As of now, the group had already done 6 outreach programs. Because of the NCP’s goal, they are often invited to local tv shows like “Matanglawin” and “Medyo Late Night Show with Jojo” to cosplay. Cosplaying doesn’t only give delight to cosplayer but also to those people around them. Ms. Carina added, “For most of the cosplayers I’ve spoken to, they think or they feel that they give people happiness through cosplaying. So whenever we see children amazed by the costumes, that give them happiness.”

Veronica Manuel cosplaying as Belldandy (Ah! My Goddess!)

– John Amuro Rey, Cosplayer “That is one thing that the cosplay community is arguing about. When you cosplay, it’s not about the fame, not about the popularity but the dedication you give to the character you are portraying.” – Carina Crisostomo, NCP Admin “Cosplay is not about popularity or earning peoples’ approval, if you really want to give justice to the character you are portraying, then research and use all your abilities to make it a success. You should do it because it will make you happy. Be a fan that will do their best for their fandom.” – Yuu Shomura, Cosplayer “We’re not aiming to appease you or impress anyone. This is something we do for fun. We share our work to reach out to people who might share our love for this hobby or the series that we cosplay. If people like our work, then we’re thankful. If others don’t like it, then it’s totally okay. It’s only natural.”

References: Crisostomo, C. & Gravela, D. (2012, September). Verves of being a Cosplayer, The Art of Cosplaying. (I. Solevilla, & J. A. Salazar, Interviewers) Guzman, R. d. (2012, August). How “cosplaying” boosts a person’s creativity. (J. M. Elona, Interviewer) Heart, L. (2012, September). Verves of being a Cosplayer, The Art of Cosplaying. (I. Solevilla, & F. Young, Interviewers) Joson, J. (2010, August). What is cosplay? Retrieved September 2012, from DeviantArt: behindinfinity. deviantart.com Rey, J. A. (2012, September). Verves of being a Cosplayer, The Art of Cosplaying. (I. Solevilla, & J. A. Salazar, Interviewers) Shomura, Y. (2011). What is cosplay for noncosplayers? Retrieved from Jaroukasama’s Parade: http://jaroukaparade.blogspot.com/ Shomura, Y. (2011). Cosplay Myths BUSTED! Retrieved from Jaroukasama’s Parade: http://jaroukaparade. blogspot.com/ Valdez, K. L. (2012, September). Verves of being a Cosplayer, The Art of Cosplaying. (I. Solevilla, & J. A. Salazar, Interviewers)

Crossdress

Andrea Legaspi

Andrea Legaspi cosplaying as Priest Sha Mercahndise: Dream of Doll (Ball Jointed Dolls) Interview by Nobuhiro Ono And King Constantine Damaso 4

FiCS: Thank you for granting us time for an interview ms. Andrea, Can you give us a few details about you? Andrea: I’m Andrea Legaspi and my codename is Aizenhouen Raven. I got the name Raven from my favorite novel ‘Vampire kisses’ by Ellen Schreiber. I’m 70% female, 30% male. haha! I can’t say I’m all girly, well there are times that I am, when boredom strikes. A self proclaimed lazy angel from hell,a bully, a tsundere,a glutton, and a complete package of ironic existence. I’ve been a cosplayer since September of 2010.I love cats, drawing, coffee, and money.I hate spiders, dancing, innards, and math. I dreamt of being a “priest” Haha Yours truly is a naughty person whos hobby is to make lives of my friends as distracted as possible. FiCS: A bully who fools around her friends alot? Can you give us an example how you make people distracted? Andrea: Well, I bully them in a playful way. And one of my bad habit is literally hitting people when they try to bully me back and sometimes I hit them out of nowhere. I can’t seem to get the habit out of my system. but i’m trying to. Haha! FiCS: Honestly I kinda found it cute rather than unpleasant. Andrea: Haha! don’t know, I’m quite heavy handed and sometimes they said it hurts. FiCS: Talking about your punching habit, have you ever wished you were a boy? Andrea: Not really, and I never dreamed to be a boxer! haha! FiCS: What made you enter crossdressing then if you never wanted to be a boy? Andrea: Well, in watching animes, I always wanted the bishounen (pretty boy) type of guy and during conventions, I always look for people who cosplay my favorite bishuonen characters, but I can’t find any. So I decided to cosplay them myself! I wanted to try being “manly” for a change. FiCS: Manly for a change? What was your friends’ initial reaction when they first saw you looking like a guy? Andrea: Yep, manly for a change. I got tired of cosplaying girls that is why. And I saw awesome crossplayers that inspired me. They were like “oh my god is that you?”

FiCS: Do you think it’s a problem to your boyfriend or suitors that you might look much more handsome than they are when you are doing crossplay? Andrea: For me it’s not a problem. For them, I do not know. Haha! And I don’t have a boyfriend. FiCS: Whats your ideal guy by the way? Andrea: Hmm, I’ve been asked this many times but I can’t seem to find the right answer. I don’t have an ideal guy really, I just want someone who understands me. The “we get along-very good friends“ type I think. But if we’re talking about the looks, I want the guy to be taller than I am, singkit, and maputi. FiCS: Many times? It seems like you have broken alot of hearts? Andrea: Errr, that’s a secret. FiCS: Lets talk about your cosplay experience. What does it feel to cosplay and be admired by people? Andrea: Cosplaying is fun. You get to be the “character” itself. You meet people who share the same hobby, gain new friends and enjoy what you do. Being “admired” by people is fun too. They appreciate the hard work you’ve done to make that cosplay as good as possible. FiCS: We’ve seen cosplayers who are snobbish and thinks highly of themselves. Have you met cosplayers like that? Andrea: Hmm, let me think. As far as I can remember, all of the people i have met during conventions are all friendly. There are few that looks intimidating but once you get to know them better they’re actually fun people. Well, I have seen snobbish cosplayers but I haven’t actually approached them so I’m not in the position to judge them.

Fics: Tell us what happened during your first cosplay. Andrea: I founded a group a month before the event of Best of Anime. On the event itself, I met people who enjoy the same hobby. It’s a place where otakus gather and freedom of expression is unrestricted (that time if you watch anime and you are otaku you are labeled as weird). I was overwhelmed and very happy. From thereon, my circle of friends started growing and I continue to enjoy the hobby until now. Fics: How does it feel to cosplay a character from the opposite gender? Andrea: Challenging. It’s hard to be manly when your friends always joke around and make you laugh real girly. Being a girl, it’s hard to pose all manly too. FiCS: Some beauty are intimidating, like yours. If I’ve seen you in an event I might hesitate to approach you. Andrea: Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. If you want to be friends with people, approach them and say hi. If they did not pay attention to you, then get the clue. If they smile and wave then it’s great! Cosplayers are friendly, you can be friends but just don’t be push too far. Just remember that you won’t know until you try. FiCS: For the people who wants to crossdress but are a bit afraid to be judged by others, what advice would you give them? Andrea: Well, if you are planning to do something like crossdress, then be prepared to be judged. if you really want to do it, then go. But if you’re afraid of what people will say to you then don’t. Cosplaying is a passion. Something that the majority might never understand why we do it and they simply throw rude comments here and there, do not be discouraged if people react negatively. Keep on going as long as you enjoy what you do.

Cosplayer Speaks One Is Just Not Enough: An Otaku’s Battle of Being Forever Alone in the Classroom. by Andrea Legaspi

cosplaying until I was in 2nd year college when an otaku classmate invited me to attend an anime convention. I was so amazed that time for anime characters can really come to life, literally! Then after a convention or two I finally decided to have my own costume made The otaku/cosplay community has grown vast and tightly knitted. We have lots of people and at Best of Anime 2010, I officially became a cosplayer. to share our passion with especially online where we meet different people of varying otaku levels wherein some of whom we haven’t When I started cosplaying, I started to understand that there is much more to cosplay even met personally, at conventions where almost everyone is addicted to anime and most than just wearing a costume and portraying people know each other personally, by face or an anime character. With cosplay comes the name but what if we are offline, away from the labeling of people as weird. Well of course, cosplayers are not a common sight to see so conventions? What if we are at our back then so if my classmates wouldn’t be awed schools? by cosplaying they would label it as immature and weird. Some were simply curious and Some universities/colleges or even high want to try it out even once without knowing schools have anime clubs wherein anime anything about the hobby. I am not an outgoing enthusiasts and cosplayers alike can talk person that is why I only know a handful of freely with each other about the latest trend person in our school but I know for a fact that in the otaku/cosplay community but what if there are only a few otakus in our school and I you belong to a school where there are no am the only cosplayer in our class. otaku clubs, cosplayers, or anime addicted classmates? Who are you going to talk with about the latest upcoming anime, wig qualities, And because I have no one to talk to about that cosplayer you admire, and cosplay events? cosplay stuffs at school, I decided to establish a cosplay group with random people I met online at cosplay.ph. This is where I met awesome Sounds harsh right? But believe cosplayers- some were already veterans me there are instances like that and to the art and some were newbies just like I am sure some of you will be able me. They to relate with this as I myself were interested about the idea of was a loner before some of my establishing friends from the same school a cosplay group for camaraderie. I have started cosplaying. classmates whom I attend cons with but of course it is still different to have other When I was in high cosplayers along with you. school, I was already an anime fan but I continued cosplaying and it wasn’t I wasn’t involved until I was in 4th year college that with the cosplay some of my friends from the same community yet. My school officially entered the projects would almost world of cosplay. It’s fun to have always be anime inspired people to talk to about what and my classmates who you see at cons, share what you know only the common have learned, the fun and anime that time (Inu memorable experiences that Yasha, Sailormoon, or you would treasure at school. Dragonball) were always amazed with my “unique” Now school is exciting and projects. even less boring but there’s the usual hint of being labeled as When I entered college weird as people out of your circle and studied in Manila, can’t understand about what you talk to things got more open for me. I met each other but even of you are the odd one classmates who were interested out, don’t let that stop you from doing what in anime just as I am but none of you want. them really cosplayed. I didn’t start Have you ever had the urge to share otaku/ cosplay related stuffs but never had the chance because people around you wouldn’t understand, or worse no one cares about it?

Cosplayer Profiles In the proper hands, anything can become a weapon! -Kotomi Ichinose (Clannad)

Rachelle Sia

AKA: Rei Chii Age: 19 Location: Cavite Cosplaying: Sheryl Nome Anime: Macross Frontier Cosplaying Since: April 2012 Characters Cosplayed: 4 Otaku level: 80 % Cosplay Motivation: Love and admiration for the character Hobbies: Anime Marathon, Doing JPOP Covers and Perfume dances, Reading Novels, Watching stuff about photography Favorite Foods: Cookies n Cream, Pizza, Lasagna, Twister Fries, Chocolate Cake Favorite drink: Oreo non-coffee Ice Blend

Cospair

Angel and Mayu Mayu cosplaying as Will of the Abyss Angel cosplaying as Oz Vessalius Anime: Pandora Hearts Interview by Nobuhiro Ono

FiCS: Hello Mayu and Angel! Welcome to FiCS Magazine!

and was told by our parents to look after each other, we decided to just become a cospair. Though the characters we cosplayed aren’t really an official pair but a one-sided love on my character’s part, they came from the same anime so we still decided to pair.

Mayu: Hello and thank you so much for inviting us for an interview.

was the one who started cosplaying first. Then after that, we went together. Living in the same roof was also the reason why we started cosplaying together and ended up as a cospair

Angel:We really appreciate it!

Mayu:Yes!

Mayu: True!

FiCS: I see! So you two are really close. Talking about cosplaying, why did you FiCS: Aww! That’s a very sweet reason! decide to do pair cosplays rather But since both of you are girls, did you than just individual ones? had any arguments on who’s going to be the boy and who’s going to be the girl? Mayu: Yes, we two are really close. Actually we were individual Angel: Nope, not at all! I’m always the cosplayers at first who just attend guy because I’m handsome and she events together, but then whenever isn’t! Just kidding, I guess I just feel people takes a picture with only one more comfortable cosplaying male of us, the other one gets out-of-place characters because I’m a bit boyish and just stays on a corner, and there (both my face and voice) and I can are also other instances when we move freely. Unlike when cosplaying got separated for awhile during an as a girl, my movements would be event because one of us got invited limited and that's not cool. Besides, for a photoshoot while the other being a guy looks better on me! The one wasn’t. Sometimes, con-goers same goes for my cousin because she also take a picture of us together likes cosplaying as a girl more and she since we’re always together, but we looks pretty. realized that it’s weird because our characters has no connection with Mayu: Aww, I’m not that pretty, but each other. So to avoid that from thank you couz! Haha! happening since we often go together

FiCS: We also appreciate the time you have given us! First of all, tell us something about Mayu and Angel? How did you meet? Angel: Well, we are cousins! We are really close to each other since we were kids and being an otaku made us closer! Mayu: And right now we live in the same roof, because her parents are the ones looking after me when my Dad is overseas. And their house is closer to our school so yay! FiCS: Oh really? That’s great! So you guys basically started cosplaying together? Angel: Yup though I was the first one who started attending events and informing my cousin about it but she

FiCS: The two of you are literally like sisters! So the reason behind the pair cosplay is for the two of you to be always together. Had there been a time that you two had an argument to the point that you don’t want to be with each other in a event?

Angel

Angel: Never! Because we love each other! Haha! Mayu: My love for her is more than just a cousin! Haha! FiCS: How nice! So what does it take to successfully do a pair cosplay aside from having the costumes? Angel: Teamwork and good relationship! Mayu: Yes, because if you don’t have a good relationship with each other, you won’t be comfortable with each other and that would look awkward especially with the poses for the pictures. So we always do our best to help each other out to improve our cosplays. Moreover, Angel is very particular with details so it really helps if she noticed a small inaccurate detail in my costume and helps me fix it. I admit I’m not that good in noticing small details. FiCS: How do you help each other improve? Does it go like both of you facing the mirror and posing together? Angel: Well, for props and stuff, I usually do it for her and she lends me makeup in return. About the posing, we do individual researches about the poses of our characters but we also suggest poses for each other. Mayu: Yes, I’m not good in making props so she always helps me out with that, and also with fixing small details such as how to tie a certain part of a costume if it requires tying because I’m not good at it.

Mayu

FiCS: Talking about making props and costumes, do you spend a lot of money? and where do you get your budget for cosplaying? Angel: Money? Well, a bit but we usually use our savings. Mayu: Yes, we save up from our allowance in order to have our costumes made and also be able to buy materials for making props because our parents don’t support us with our hobby that much. FiCS: They don’t support you with your hobbies but they are not against cosplaying? We have met quite a handful people who have problems with their parents when it comes to their hobby. Mayu: Actually my dad is against my hobby of cosplaying because he thinks it’s a weird and expensive hobby, and that meeting different people whom I don’t really know that much is quite dangerous, seeing how hard it is to trust people

nowadays due to what he sees on the news, which makes him worried about me. He even told me to stop cosplaying and just focus on my studies first. However, I was still able to attend events because he can’t help but allow my requests sometimes because of my good performance in school. Haha! But that’s the reason why I can’t attend events all the time even though a photographer invited me for a photoshoot, because it really depends if my dad allowed me to go or not. Angel: Same here! FiCS: It looks like your families are against your hobbies after all. Do you see yourselves cosplaying years from now despite your parents’ opposition to cosplaying? Angel: Yup, especially when we already have work! Mayu: Same here. My father told me that I can do anything I want with my money once I already graduated and got a stable job, though he told me that it’s the time I would realize how hard it is to earn money. FiCS: As a cospair, what advice would you give people who are hoping to do it as well? Mayu: Always remember these two things: Teamwork and cooperation, because you’re a pair. A pair won’t work out if you try to be better than your partner, because a pair works together and therefore should help each other. FiCS: Thank you ladies for sharing us your cospair experiences! Angel: Thank you for interviewing us as well. Mayu: It’s a pleasure! You’re most welcome and thank you so much as well for spending time to have an interview with us!

Loki's Heart! Cosplay Conventions: A Booming Business! By Kimberly Sabino Ever wonder why cosplay conventions seem to occur monthly and all over the country? What once used to be a geeky and underground hobby for nerds and weirdos are now so mainstream that nowadays a lot of people flock into conventions like swarms of flies. Why, you ask? It's because marketing happened! What was once a geek culture is now so mainstream that people literally go crazy once a major convention happens within a year. For the newbies... What is a convention? It is an event that happens at least once a month in a certain venue where people go together (to convene), to have fun. Anime fans, video game fans, booth enthusiasts, cosplay competitions, art competitions, dance, singing, gaming all sorts of activities happen in one place. It is an event where people spend and earn money. An event that might be delightful to some but irritating to others. A convention is like a special event directed towards a specific fandom, examples of cons like these are Toy Conventions, Gaming Conventions, Comic Conventions, and of course Cosplay Conventions. As a previous congoer before, I can't help but to love the changes that happened now (convention-wise change that is) because a convention is like a "cool" thing nowadays and it ain't so geeky and weird anymore.

Now, with these changes of course two outcomes will always surface: The Good vs The Bad I have gathered these information from friends and from other people who usually look forward to and nag about these petty things during conventions. Petty for these things may seem trivial, but if these matters get serious, it may have a make or break potential for the con's organizers:

The Good Sides: 1. A bountiful loot bag. Bringing home a loot bag of items is always the joy from coming home after a con. All those hard earned cash gone but bringing home a good deal of items is totally worth the expenses. Those booths are also lucky since they also bring home tons of cash after the event. Now, what have you bought recently? 2. Meeting friends. Hanging out with non-cosplayer pals + cosplayer pals = The best time ever! Either you go to a con to spot an item, to watch a contest, to stalk your crush, or to hunt down an enemy all of these are worthless when you go alone. Spending time with the people you like surely is a great way to have truckloads of fun. 3. Taking home memories. Getting to meet a cosplay idol of yours, winning a competition or just having a blast with friends is the cherry on top.

Through the years i've noticed that certain conventions grew from uderground to widely advertised, from geeky to cool, from simple to extravagant. To the point that we even have international guests that visit our country and it's so cool for fanatics to finally meet them in person (let the idol worship commence!). In every change ofcourse there are always two sides: the good and the bad. Now hold your horses, I am not here to bash about conventions nor to sugar coat about it. I wrote this article using an unbiased point of view that I got from some people i have asked regarding their opinion about conventions.

Share your articles to the community by sending them at dweavers.project@yahoo.com.ph Let us make the community enligthened and entertained about the art of cosplaying!

The Bad Sides: 1. Ticket prices are sometimes way over the edge! There are some conventions that milk money from con goers starting from the entrance. A normal ticket that would be agreeable is between 100 pesos to 150 pesos but some conventions charge about 200-400 pesos per ticket, even higher! Mind you people, those events that ask for this price are usually BIG conventions. They say you get what you pay for once you're inside so i guess that evens the odds of over pricing. Personally speaking I think i spend about a minimum of 300 to a maximum of 2,000 pesos per convention. Add the insane ticket price and the total would even be higher. 2. Snake Lines. Yes it's true, do you see those long swirling lines many times during a convention? what makes it worse is that terrible mall security aggravates the problem. They sometimes work against the organizers by shoving off people on the aisle. It is usaully alright but it gets awful when guards act too rude. I guess if some conventions would fix this line problem, things would go smoothly and guards wouldn't be so rude. Pre-selling of tickets aided this problem a bit. 3. Not worth a penny! Some conventions ask too much but the congoers don't get compensated in some ways. Some conventions charge too much but there isn't much to see once they are inside. Some activities are boring and the guests are far from their reach to even meet and say hi. A total waste of time and money! Now what makes conventions a booming business? It's the people! Because whether you nag or not about the high prices or the irritating line, conventions will continue to flourish because of the people who enjoy attending and spending tons of cash. My advise is that you choose what convention to attend and make sure you have a lot of patience and cash because you never can tell how much you're willing to spend just to have "fun"!

Cosplay Feature

Veronica Manuel

Distance does not matter!

Veronica, aka dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Goddess Miaka is a cosplayer that came all the way from Zamboanga to Manila in order to fulfill her cosplay dreams. We, the FiCS team, have taken notice of this very admirable devotion for cosplay and asked her what it feels like to be in the cosplay scene after years of dreaming for this moment.

Veronica cosplaying as Belldandy Anime: Ah! My Goddess Interview by Nobuhiro Ono & King Constantine Damaso

FiCS: Hello and welcome to FiCS Magazine! First of all can you tell us something about Veronica Manuel? Veronica: I guess I’m not the ordinary girl, some say I’m weird and an otaku. But I’ve always been like this since childhood. I’m a dreamer, and a believer. FiCS: A dreamer and a believer of what? Veronica: A dreamer of things that others consider impossible and a believer that anything is possible if you work on it.

my main FB account, but I guess it did not work out well. I look up to international pinoy cosplayers like Alodia and Ashley Gosiengfiao, Jay Em Sison, and Jerry Polence. I’m a fangirl of John Rey Sabangan, David Delano, D’Angelo (Master Pogi), Ms. Loki Heart, my favorite Trunks cosplayer Tomas Jefferson Hernandez, my two cosbestfriends Jevelyn Domingo and Jet De Guzman and a lot more.

convention. I was all alone and without a camera. I was so amazed by the people I saw. They are ery passionate towards cosplaying. I wished that there will be an event like that in Zamboanga. Fics: Tell us what happened during your first cosplay. Veronica: I started last June 2011 at the very “awesome” Awesome Otaku Fest in Zamboanga City. It was the

FiCS: Wow you are quite a deep person. Have you ever done something that seem impossible to you before? Veronica: I guess One of those seemingly impossible things to do for me before was cosplaying. Back in Zamboanga, I never thought that there would be a cosplay event that is ever going to be held since it’s really something new for them back there. The first one was held back in 2011, and it was my dream to participate. I never realized that I could make my own props, nothing fabulous though. Thinking about it at first I thought it was an impossible task considering the limited resources we have available. Thinking about it now, I would still be amazed at my own work. With love and a little bit of effort, anything is possible! FiCS: And two years later you are now among the famous and admired people in the filipino cosplay community. Veronica: I wouldn’t say famous. haha! There are a lot of cosplayers here in Manila who I look up to, and I couldn’t compare myself to them yet. I have so FiCS: What inspired you to cosplay? much to improve in cosplaying and Veronica: What inspired me were the Still a long, long way to go. beautiful costumes. I think everyone who love anime should cosplay in a way FiCS: Having a fan page with more or another. They should try for the sake than 900 followers seems like a of trying because I really find it fun. renowned person to us though. Who Also, you get to meet nice people in are those cosplayers you look up to? conventions. You will see smiles when they take pictures with you, it’s really Veronica: Haha! I created the fanpage heartwarming. I have always wanted to cosplay. Last 2004, during one of to separate my cosplay life from my vacations in Manila, I attended a

first cosplay event held in Zamboanga City, sponsored by Mindanao Cable Television. I immediately registered for the competition and got my costume made. It was just a small event, but still, I had so much fun taking pictures with other otakus in Zamboanga. It was nerve-wrecking at first; I had no idea how to make a skit of Lala’s character. Then, I just thought that having fun was

what’s important. In the end, I won 3rd place in the competition! It was an amazing feeling. I was overwhelmed by everything that happened that day. It was a dream come true for me. FiCS: Spealing of competitions, what awards have you managed to win so far? Veronica: I won 3rd place at MCTV’s Awesome Otaku Fest 2011, cosplaying as Lala Deviluke from To Love Ru and 1st place at MCTV’s Movie Mania, cosplaying as Neytiri from the movie Avatar. FiCS: Nice resume! With all those exposure and followers, have you had any stalkers? We heard it was quite normal to have stalkers in the cosplay community especially if you are well known? Veronica: Oh my, Yes, I’ve heard of it too. But so far, I haven’t had any creepy stalkers or any stalkers that I’m aware of! hehe. FiCS: Does the limelight affect your relationship with your boyfriend? Veronica: Nope, it doesn’t. I’m lucky to have a boyfriend who’s supportive with what I do. He understands what I have to go through and expects that I have to work and be with other guys. FiCS: how about your family? Do they ask you about your hobby? Veronica: They do! They are somehow amused and they are supportive towards my hobby. They attend the competititons that i joined in back when I was in Zamboanga. FiCS: About Otaku and weird, why does weird usually describes an Otaku? And what is an Otaku in your point of view? Veronica: Ever since I could remember, I have been into anime. I collect anime items, VCDs, keychains, etc. Since I was a kid. I guess I have a hard time relating to people who can’t relate with the things I’m into.So sometimes I think that I’m not that normal. I’m different from the majority of people I’ve known throughout my life. I was weird. Haha! You’re branded as an otaku if you’re into anime, games, cosplay, japanese culture, etc. But I don’t think I’m one of those hardcore otakus. I consider myself as a balanced one. A little bit of everything!

FiCS: So, for the people who isn’t into Anime sees people like you as weird simply because you don’t share the same interest? Do you see people who doesn’t like anime weird then? Veronica: Some may think of it that way. It’s because some can not understand why we are into it. It’s a fact that we are all unique and we each all have our own little weird antics and likes. They would not be weird for me, but maybe there are some things too I would find weird in them. It is quite complicated, haha! FiCS: Let us switch the topic to your aspirations. What are your goals as a cosplayer? Veronica: I would like to be featured in a magazine, luckily it materialized here! I want to represent my city and make them proud. I would also like to judge in a cosplay competition someday. I want to experience all types of cosplays if I have the chance, I would also want to become an international cosplayer in the future Fics: Who else are the characters that you would like to cosplay in the future? Veronica: I’ve always wanted to cosplay Lulu from Final Fantasy X because I got attracted it to during the first convention that I attended. There’s Rias Gremory from Highschool DxD. I want to cosplay her because she’s cool and calm and very sexy. There’s also Victorique from Gosick, since I’ve always wanted to try Gothic Lolita fashion as well. FiCS: If you were to give advice to the people who wanted to cosplay but doesn’t have the confidence, what advice would you give them? Veronica: JUST DO IT! Life is too short to worry about “what if’s”! You just have to cosplay a character you love and there is nothing wrong with that! FiCS: And what can you say to the people who admires and support you? Veronica: A huge, fat, sugary, sprinkle-filled, THANK YOU for believing in me and supporting me all the way. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for their support! FiCS: Thank you Ms Veronica Manuel for giving us time for an interview! It was nice hearing about your cosplay journey! Veronica: Thank you so much too! It was my pleasure!

Cosplay Cover Feature

Loki Heart:

A message before the hiatus!

Loki Heart, A cosplayer that stands out in the community shares her thoughts on cosplaying, its changes and its possible future. Let us now listen to one of the few cosplay personas who dared to discuss the issues mentioned in this interview.

Real Name: Kimberly Sabino Birthday: December 24 Location: Valenzuela Cosplaying Since: 2010 Cosplay Awards:Ragnarรถk World Championship (Best Female Cosplayer), LU Live 2013 (Best NPC/Monster) Catch her latest updates at www.facebook.com/Ms.Loki 34

FiCS: Welcome to FiCS Magazine Ms Loki! To start this interview, where did you derive the nickname Loki Heart from?

FiCS: How does the “real” success of Loki’s Haven looks like then?

FiCS: Well, that’s quite unique for most cosplayers derive their nicknames from their favorite anime characters’ names. How did you start cosplaying?

Loki: I do not wear makeup! You can ask all my friends about that,. I only wear makeup because of cosplay. Im not girly. You can actually catch me outside wearing no makeup on, messy hair, wearing shorts and flip-flops. That’s how I am!

Loki I would like Loki’s haven to have a stall in a mall somewhere so that I can Loki: It was a name that I took from my reduce the frequency of meet ups because cosplay shop (Loki’s Haven) because I did it’s quite tiring especially now that I live not cosplay at all but I have my shop that deals with the art. Actually, it was also my in Valenzuela. Places that are common for meet ups became too far and time dog’s name and as a Ragnarök player, Loki consuming to go to. I also think I still need is my server! And for the heart, since part a lot of things to improve in my business of the reason of the name Loki is my shop, I (details, creativity, etc.). decided to use heart for who’s at the heart of my shop? It’s me! So there we are, Loki FiCS: Loki the individual is very simple and and Heart! “she’s not very girly” why is it?

Loki: I started cosplaying back in 2009 when I met JM Cruz and the gang. I’m not that much of an otaku, maybe you can call me a 90’s otaku for I only know animes of that decade like Bt’X, Thunder Jet, Sailor Moon, Ghost Fighter, Slam Dunk and the rest. I was a con goer back in 2002. After I graduated from college, I have nothing to do. Alodia was on the rise and I became a part of one of her events last 2009 where I served as a marshal. I saw good cosplayers at the event but the first Idea that came my mind was not to cosplay but establish my cosplay shop, giving birth to Loki’s Haven. My shop flourished and my clients started asking me to start cosplaying. I gave it a shot out of curiosity and the demand of my clients. I have a lot of dilemmas for I am afraid to wear wigs for I might look gay and I am also afraid that my cosplay may end up half baked. I spent a lot on my first cosplay amounting to nearly 7,000php. The efforts weren’t in vain for it ended up well. The next cosplay of mine followed six months later and from thereon, curiosity developed into hobby and passion. FiCS: One of your aspirations is to become a successful businesswoman. In the current state of Loki’s Haven, do you consider it as successful? Loki: Yes but hopefully the “real” success of Loki’s Haven will come in two or three more years to come!

FiCS: You also mentioned that you are boyish. In what way is Loki Heart boyish? Loki: I swear like a sailor especially when I’m mad! Haha! Don’t be deceived by my looks! I like street foods! Betamax, isaw, I eat stuffs like that! FiCS: As a child, have you experienced the average filipino childhood games and hobbies like flying a kite or something? Loki: About the kite, no I have not experienced it but the rest, like luksong tinik, well, I am quite good at it! FiCS: It’s a good thing that we have a cosplayer who was still able to experience the vanishing filipino traditional games. Loki: Yeah, and I’m proud of it! It is too bad that they are vanishing though. FiCS: There are rumors circulating around the community that you will be retiring as a cosplayer. Why is it? Loki: Yes it’s true well, because I want to alot my time for my family life. I can’t cosplay forever. At some point, soon, I’ll be old enough to let go of cosplaying and besides, I will remain at the community with my Loki’s Haven. Maybe when I become a grandmother, I’ll return to cosplay Jericho from Yu Yu Hakusho! Haha!

FiCS: You are renowned in the cosplay community! Every cosplayer featured in this magazine’s issue have included you in their top ten list of best Filipino cosplayers. What are your thoughts regarding that? Loki: I feel odd because throughout the years that I have been cosplaying, I never placed myself at any ranks and titles and I do not join competitions. In fact I only joined a competition once and it was due to peer pressure for my Ragnarök guild mates want me to join! They were after the prize! Haha! But the odd feeling is of course in a positive way because my efforts were noticed and appreciated! FiCS: What do you think made your name included to everyone’s top ten list of best cosplayers? Loki: I have no idea! Hahaha! Maybe what dragged my name to their lists is that I had a lot of photoshoots. Other than that, I no longer have anything that I can think of to make me one of the best. FiCS: It’s quite sad to hear that one of the most infuential cosplayers that we currently have is about to leave. Do you know that you are a leader figure to many of them? Everyone listens to the things you say about cosplaying. Loki: Really? That is quite flattering then! haha! I feel happy but more than the fact that I’m happy, I also feel good because people listen. It is not a common thing to have a lot of people listening to the thing that you post on your wall or say when you are in a convention. It’s a good thing that they listen because it

were also instances where I dress cosplayers but they didn't want to copy the character’s hairstyle because she wants to look pretty daw kasi! FiCS: How much do you think are the remaining passionate cosplayers in the community? Loki: Seriously, Below 20%! I can give names of those remaining passionate cosplayers but even if I mention them all, it’s not enough to make it pass 20%! FiCS: Then among those who remain passionate, who are the cosplayers that you look up to? Loki: Notable cosplayers that are prominent for me, Jin Joson and of means that they have an open course the sisters! Alodia mind unlike some of the newbies and Ashley Gosiengfiao! Without and the young ones. A lot of them the two of them, we are still in do not care about the gist of the the underground scene. I also hobby anymore. Some of them have Yuu Shomura on my list as cosplay only to get noticed and well as March Philippines and JM Sison. They are not frequent conI’m very sure you know what I goers but when they cosplay, they mean! cosplay with quality. FiCS: Since the community look FiCS: Cosplay and skin, tell us at you as a cosplay leader, we would like to hear your thoughts something about that. on the following issues beginning with this question: How thin do Loki: Well here what I can say you think is the margin between about it, first, go if the character really shows a lot of skin like in showbiz and cosplay? Japan, they do super sexy cosplays and of course, may binabagayan! Loki: Very thin! You know Second is if you’re not doing it for the wraps that they use in accuracy but for show off, it’s a no making lumpia? That thin! no! For me, if the character shows It is very evident among the skin like that then it’s fine but do new cosplayers. They proclaim it at your own risk! There are a lot themselves as cosplay prince, god, of “naughty ones” around! There king, etc.! Even if it’s a joke you is no denying it, the most basic must not give titles to yourself! I capital for cosplay is your face, really do not like titles but people your body and your skin! And the give titles to cosplayers because of last resort, if people don’t pay what they have accomplished but attention to you, show skin! Trust if you give it to yourself, it’s like me, after the convention, you’ll be the talk of the town for the whole showbiz! Gusto mong mapansin week that follows! kaya ka nagpapa-pansin! There

D,E

FiCS: Accuracy or passion? Loki: For me, passion because there are some things that we must avoid in cosplay events. For example, my last cosplay was Asuna from Sword Art Online yet during the event where I wore the costume I wear thick layers of undergarments. It’s not accurate. Why? Because it was a con, a public place right? And it’s inevitable that when you sacrifice passion for accuracy, there are a lot of people out there who will disrespect you and take advantage (people trying to take pictures below your skirt, grope you while taking pictures, etc.). My point is that sometimes you need to be less accurate ina coplay convention if accuracy will lead you to embarrassment or much worse, harassment. FiCS: What is your take on a cosplay magazine being published for the Filipinos and being included in it? Loki: Finally! There is a magazine published for the Filipinos out there who are still, I am sorry for the word “ignorant” of what cosplay really is. About being featured in the magazine, humbled and happy of course! At least before I leave The community, I have a memory to leave them with. FiCS: Do you think the Filipino cosplay community is centered on females? Loki: Honestly, 80% yes! Why? Is our cosplay icon male? That speaks for itself. Males lead on armor and being buff! Most of the market in cosplay were for females so, yeah, females. FiCS: Do you think that we will thrive minus the skin, the sexy girls and the short outfits? Loki: Ay! Naku! 50% yes! Hahaha! FiCS: Which is bigger, the male or the female audience of cosplaying? Loki: Male! Male! Male! Can I say it? There are a lot of naughty boys in the scene. They take advantage of the willingness of the cosplayers to be photographed and you know what happens next! FiCS: Speaking of the community, tell us something about the bashers. Loki: Well, I’ve been bashed before, what surprised me is that there were persons that I do not know that stood up for me! My only tip for the cosplayers getting bashed is to don’t

feel bad about it! When you cosplay, always take note that your cosplay will become public property. We can’t please everybody.

FiCS: How about the good sides of cosplaying?

FiCS: What’s the difference between the cosplay community of 2009 compared to that of the current period and what do you expect the community will look like next year based on what you see? Loki: you know what? I blame the bandwagon of misconceptions out there! It was their fault that cosplaying ended up looking like showbiz. A lot of girls out there cosplay to pursue the Myrtle cinderella type story. Sorry for saying this but slowly showbiz is taking the meaning of cosplay. On an escalating scale, people look at cosplay as a stepping stone to fame more and more by the minute. There were instances that cosplayers refuse to look like the character for their faces won’t be recognized. They refuse to become the character itself removing the very essence of cosplaying totally out of the equation. 2009 was the last year that people actually cosplayed out of passion. It was more than a hundred percent changed now. As for the community next year, it depends on the crowd. I think it’s getting worse.

like a mascot and I made a vow to never do it again. If you guys see me doing it again, I promise I’ll punish myself! Hahaha!

Loki: Yeah finally, we have so many bad stuffs currently clouding the community that more than half of this interview got consumed by it! Hahaha! Well of course cosplay is a good stress reliever. Cosplaying accuracy has improved as the community progress and expands. It’s a great community to meet new friends plus you get the chance to be the character that you like. FiCS: You don’t think that we’ll recover from this?

FiCS: Loki: Before you leave the community, what do you think is your greatest contribution to the community?

Loki: The Society wont but I can assure you that there will always be a handful of cosplayers who will remain true to the essence of Loki: I think the greatest contribution of mine will be this cosplaying. interview. I chose this interview FiCS: Models and Cosplayers, because by this interview, I can difference? send my message to a lot of current and upcoming cosplayers. Loki: A lot! I have been at both worlds. I know how both worlds FiCS: Send your message to the go and it’s very different. You cosplayers out there and for the should never act as a model when you’re cosplaying which is exactly aspiring cosplayers. what I do. When you cosplay Loki: Cosplay because you want you’re not a model, you are the character that you’re portraying. to, not because you have to. Cosplay the character that you FiCS: Cosplaying being tainted by love and that suits you. Respect FiCS: Do you think we’ll get money (cosplayers cosplaying for the character that you’ll cosplay through this? money). What can you say about it? and yourself. Prepare physically and mentally. Don’t be afraid of Loki: Oh my! If we’ll consider the community’s situation as a cancer, Loki: That is modeling in the guise trying and never be blinded by the I’ll say that it’s on the third stage of cosplaying. Actually I’m guilty of limelight. Passion fuels the soul! that but I only did it once. When I already next year. committed the crime, I really felt

Photo Credits: Jio Verona, Jovi Claire Farron, Jump Pilapil, Roniel Yuzon, Vincent Noir, Aaron Panlaqui, Ron, Naldo and Erving Go Loki's Cosplay Character List: A - Asuna Yuuki (Sword Art Online) Queen Titania Version B - Deelit (Lodoss War) C - Summoner Yuna (Final Fantasy X) D&E - Lenne x Yuna Final Fantasy X-2 F - Sheryl Nome together with Nikki Nikki as Ranka Lee (left) and John Rey Amuro as Alto Saotome (middle) - Macross Frontier G - Rinoa together with John Rey Amuro as Squall - Final Fantasy 8 H - Cater - Final Fantasy Class Zero I - Lightning (Final FantasyXIII) Interview by JM Cruz and King Constantine Damaso

Cosplay Feature

Yuka Kuroyonagi: A dream come true!

Meet Yuka, a model that has been dreaming to cosplay for a long time. We, the FiCS team, took the role of the Fairy Godmother and gave her the chance to cosplay. We will now ask her what it feels like to cosplay after years of dreaming of this opportunity.

Yuka cosplaying as Tsunade Anime: Naruto Interview by Nobuhiro Ono & King Constantine Damaso Photography by Dee Jocson and Aaron Panlaqui

FiCS: Welcome to FiCS Magazine Ms. Yuka! To start things off, we heard rumors that you have always wanted to cosplay for years now that lead to us inviting you for this interview. Are those rumors true? Yuka: Yeah! Actually since childhood. It was a dream of mine to cosplay at least one character. FiCS: At exactly what age was that? Yuka: 10! Haha! FiCS: If FiCS Magazine were not able to invite you for your cosplaying opportunity, would you have tried it at all? Yuka: No. Not because I do not care for the art but because of the hectic schedule that I have as a model. FiCS: As a child, was Yuka a fan of anime as well? Yuka: Yes! But the animes that I watched are mostly for boys like Slam Dunk and Ghost Fighter! FiCS: Who is your favorite anime character among those animes that you have watched? Yuka: Belldandy from Ah! My Goddess! FiCS: Is she a part of the reason why you call yourself a goddess? Yuka: Yes! She is very modest, super pretty and of course a goddess! She has a very charming face and when she speaks, It seems like every boy in town will fall for her! FiCS: How about an anime character that suits your personality? Yuka: I think that would be Sakura Kinomoto from Card Captor Sakura! Why her? Because she is bubbly just like me and she is always on a quite adventurous situation. I like that!

FiCS: A single word that will describe FiCS: You were first discovered at an online show called “Who’s That Girl?” in Yuka is? flippish.com and was given the title “The Most Daring Girl” and “Mt. Fuji”. What Yuka: Goddess! Hahaha! earned you those titles? Yuka: I basically started at “Men at Work” show from the same website and of course was wearing sexy outfits and one of the most obvious things for the audience to notice was the size of my bust. Since I am Japanese, they compared the size of my bust to a Japanese mountain, Mt. Fuji. FiCS: Then how about the “Most Daring Girl” title? Yuka: Was it really daring? Haha! FiCS: Well, that’s what everybody refers to you as.

FiCS: Why goddess? Yuka: Because when you are the goddess, you are the only one and the ultimate! I am the one! Haha! And I do not like other titles like queen and princess. FiCS: How did this cosplay shoot differ from your typical shoots as a model? Yuka: This shoot was very difficult because this is my first cosplay shoot. I have learned through this photoshoot that cosplaying and modeling are two completely different worlds for in modelling, we only emphasize our bodies, faces and outfits while in cosplaying, you become a different person! You become the character, not yourself and not the model!

Yuka: Hahaha! Well, I think it’s because despite the fact that I’m into sexy pictorials and online shows, I still look classy and lovely! Maybe, people saw me as daring because it is quite unique to see FiCS: Now that you have cosplayed, how a classy looking girl doing those kinds of does it feel after years of dreaming for this things. moment? FiCS: Weren’t you worried by the judgment of other people?

Yuka: Very, very grateful! Thank you so much FiCS Magazine!

Yuka: No I am not! I am too confident to be bothered of what others might say. I FiCS: Based on what you’ve experienced on am just being myself I do not care about this shoot, which do you prefer, a cosplay what others think and what matters is that shoot or a sexy shoot? I am comfortable with what I do! Yuka: I prefer both! Both of the shoots have their unique appeal to me. In cosplaying, I get to be the character that I like while in modeling, I get the chance to show off Yuka: I think it’s my vanity! Haha! Because while earning money at the same time. when you are vain, you know that “X factors” that you have and you know how to use it more than enough to just get by. FiCS: Talking about confidence, what are the factors that helped you gain the confidence that you currently have?

FiCS: As a first time cosplayer, what will be your message to the people out there who would like to try cosplaying as well? Yuka: You guys better try cosplaying! In this shoot alone, my self esteem boosted so much! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an exhilarating experience to be the character you admire! FiCS: If we will see you cosplaying again, who will the character be? Yuka: Belldandy! Haha! My Goddess! FiCS: Send your greetings to the cosplay community. Yuka: Hands down to the cosplay community! Keep up the good work. The passion that you dedicate to the art is simply immeasurable! FiCS: Thank you very much for the time that you have given us and hopefully we will see further cosplays from Yuka in the future. Yuka: Thank you! Thank you so much FiCS Magazine!

Cosplayer Speaks out to your parents when they just want you in the house doing nothing but chores and studying:

1) Your life would be plain boring.

You only live once so make the most out of it because time goes by real fast; you have to enjoy your youth.

2) Cosplay can make a person

responsible with budgeting, time management, and prioritization. Cosplay isn’t just about all the fun stuff; you need to learn the hard way too. Saving for costumes and wigs could be a hard task especially if you don’t have work yet. If you are a student, balancing cosplay and studies can be a little bit hard, too. Overall, I think it depends on the type of person you are on how you’ll grow as a cosplayer but for me, it did a wonderful job.

3) It can help you develop maturity.

A lot of people always label cosplayers as immature. But for me, it actually helped me grow as a person. My self-confidence boosted, and so did my social skills. Would you believe that years ago I was the kind of person who would not make friends and always sit alone in a corner, be bullied and cry even in the most simplest of things? Now I made lots of friends who enjoy the same hobby.

4) Cosplay opens up new opportunities.

Cosplay vs Parents

I really want to try cosplaying so I made up my mind to try it one By Andrea Legaspi time. I told my mom that cosplay won’t ruin my studies and I won’t Yes, the title says it all. This is a ask money from her as I will save common conflict between parents for the hobby myself through my and cosplayers who are still under allowance. And so I went under “probation” until my mom finally their parents' authorities. agreed and let me do what I want as long as I can balance cosplay and Why? college life. Of course, to cosplay, you will I was 17 when I started need time and money, you don’t cosplaying, but I have met younger just get things out of nowhere. ones who are also in this distressing From my own personal experience situation. I can see how torn they two years ago, I can still remember are. Of course, we wouldn’t want to how my mom got very angry after disagree with our parents but it is I told her how much I spent on my also heartbreaking to not do what you really want. very first wig and costume. She told me money isn’t something that they grow on trees, they work Parents usually don’t want hard for it. I actually felt guilt after their kids doing anything other that incident and so, my desire to than studying. So here are some of the things you can reason cosplay faltered but deep inside,

There are a lot of skilled costume and props makers, photographers, make up artists in the field of cosplay. Who knows? You might end up having part time cosplay-related jobs.

5) You can learn new things with

cosplay. I learned how put on make up. If I didn’t enter the world of cosplay, I won’t even know how to use face powder. I also learned how to travel on my own. Oh, and one more thing, If you ask money from your parents, don’t get angry if they don’t give you any. It’s not your money in the firstplace. Let’s just save from our allowance. So, to those who are in this tight situation, I advice you to talk to your parents, tell them the reason why you want to cosplay. If they are not convinced with your idea then ask for a chance. If they still won’t allow you, don’t push it. Maybe you can try cosplaying when you have finished your studies.

Cosplayer Profiles

Touya Faust

“If I don’t have to do it, I won’t. If I have to do it, I'll make it fast!” -Houtaro Oreki (Hyouka)

Shin Kiyono â&#x20AC;&#x153;Calm down, Just look for a time machine!â&#x20AC;?

-Gintoki Sakata (Gintama)

Nickname: Touya Faust Age: 16 Location: Taguig Cosplaying: Kamui Anime: Gintama Cosplaying Since: March 2011 Characters Cosplayed: 25+ Otaku Level: 89% Blood Type: BCosplay Motivation: Influence of my friends Hobbies: Watching Anime, Playing the violin, Playing Video Games, Cosplaying, Drawing Favorite Food: Anything spicy Favorite Drink: Milk

Nickname: VSR Shin Age: 16 Location: Mandaluyong Cosplaying: Takasugi Shinsuke Anime: Gintama Cosplaying Since: April 2008 Characters Cosplayed: 30+ Otaku Level: 90% Blood Type: O Cosplay Motivation: My love for Anime Hobbies: Cosplaying, Singing, Watching Anime, Reading Manga Favorite Foods: Lasagna, Pizza Favorite Drink: Coffee

Anime of the Month

Kill la KiIl By Franz Caballero

ÂŠTRIGGER, Kazuki Nakashima/Kill la Kill Partnership

Have you ever thought of coming in a school where your strength is the basis on what rank you could be and not with your witty brains? And what if, one day, your sailor uniform speaks to you and makes you transform into a sexy and hilarious outfit? You can find it on Kill la Kill! It is an anime television series that premiered in October 3, 2013 to March 27, 2014 and ran for 24 episodes, with a 25th OVA episode to be released in September 3, 2014. This became the topic of the crowd because of its great art, crazy and hilarious storyline and art style that impress the eyes of the viewers. With a slight ecchi scene and fanservice everyone can enjoy watching it non-stop! Kill la Kill took place at Honnoji Academy, a fictional high school in Tokyo Bay set in postapocalyptic Japan that is ruled by its fearsome student council which is led led by Satsuki Kiryuuin. The council members wear special uniforms called Goku Uniforms (high quality uniform, from gokusei + seifuku) that grant them superhuman abilities, which they use to defeat the rest of the school's students and staff. Ryuko Matoi, a student wielding half a scissor-shaped longsword, transfers to Honnoji Academy in search of the owner of the other half of the scissor blade, the person who killed her father. Defeated by the council after interrogating Satsuki over the killer's identity and whereabouts, Ryuko comes across a sentient sailor uniform she names Senketsu, who puts himself on Ryuko. Using Senketsu's special abilities, Ryuko stands up against Satsuki and her henchmen, the Elite Four, to liberate Honnoji Academy from their iron grip and find out the truth behind her father's murder. 61

The Characters Ryuko Matoi - The daughter of Isshin

Satsuki Kiryuin - The president of Honnoji Academy's Student Council and ruler of the surrounding land. She has absolute authority over the academy, and is regarded with reverence by many of its residents. She was the main antagonist for the first half of the series.

Mako Mankanshoku - The best friend of

Ryuko Matoi and tritagonist of Kill la Kill. She is a goofy girl who attends Honnoji Academy.

Nui Harime - She is a secondary antagonist in Kill la

Kill. She is the Grand Couturier of Revocs Corporation and the murderer of Isshin Matoi, and her strength makes even Satsuki Kiryuin wary around her. She was also the wielder of the purple Scissor Blade until Ryuko Matoi managed to reclaim it from her.

Ragyo Kiryuin - The wife of Soichiro Kiryuin, mother of

Satsuki Kiryuin and Ryuko Matoi, Revocs Corporation's CEO, a chair of Honnoji Academy's board of directors and the main antagonist of Kill la Kill.

The Elite Four

Matoi and the main protagonist of Kill la Kill. She transferred to Honnoji Academy searching for the twin of her red Scissor Blade and the person who used it to murder her father.

The Nudist Beach Nonon Jakuzure - She

regulates the school's non-athletic groups, such as the gardening and biology clubs. Nonon Jakuzure also runs the school's Rakugo Club, 100 Poet's Club, and likely the marching band. Nonon's ThreeStar Goku Uniform resembles that of a drum major. Her baton is not just for show, as Nonon is a conductor as well.

Aikuro Mikisugi

Ryuko and Mako's enigmatic homeroom teacher. Initially appearing dull and easily flustered, he secretly observes and aids Ryuko by leading her to Senketsu. He is working undercover at the school as a spy for the Nudist Beach rebel group.

Ira Gamagōri - Satsuki

Kiryūin's loyal, massive enforcer who leads the disciplinary committee at Honnōji Academy, and, being a member of the Elite Four, has a Three-Star Goku Uniform, and refers to himself under the title of Satsuki's "Impenetrable Shield".

Tsumugu Kinagase aims to purge the world of Life Fibers, after an incident involving them had cost his sister her life.

Hoka Inumuta - He

is the one in charge of Honnoji Academy's information and strategy committee, aiding the student council by analyzing information via his laptop. He is also in charge of analysis of the Goku uniforms research in the Sewing Club.

Uzu Sanageyama - He

regulates the athletic clubs at Honnōji Academy, including the boxing and tennis clubs.

Cosplayer Speaks The Crossplayer

Which is which?:

Identifying the different types of Cosplayers by Mary Joy Joaquin

Cosplaying, as we all know, is the art of paying homage to a certain character you love by portraying him/her, which also includes but not limited to, of course, wearing his/her costume, imitating his/ her hairstyle and hair color and emulating his/her personality. Characters can come from any anime, manga, movie, TV show, graphic novel and other canonical texts, you name it! As long as you admire the character then there’s no limit! Just don’t forget to check the rules of the cosplay event if you are planning to join the competition because there are some events who are only considering characters originating from Japan.

Crossplayers, on the other hand, are also cosplayers wearing costumes made of mostly fabric material,but the catch is, he/she is portraying a character of the opposite gender. Hence, even if the cosplayer is a girl, she’s portraying a male character, and even if the cosplayer is a guy, then she’s portraying a female character. Since cosplaying is an art and a way of self-expression, being a crossplayer doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a member of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transexual) community. Most of the time, crossplayers just love the character so much that they don’t mind it even if the character is that of the opposite gender.

However, do you know that cosplay is a very extensive way of art as it is categorized into different types? Yes, there are many different types of cosplayers so you should know what category is appropriate for your costume in case you are planning to enter it in a competition. So let’s begin by exploring each one of them!

Bea Glaze cosplaying as Grand Archer Rena (Elsword)

The Basic Cosplayer First of all, we have the usual cosplayer. These are the cosplayers who cosplay characters wearing costumes made of pure fabric material. Usually, this is categorized as “cloth” in some cosplay competitions. Usual cosplayers portray characters which are appropriate for their gender, e.g. cosplaying a female character if you’re a girl and vice versa.

Tantin Meneses cosplaying as Erza Scarlet (Fairy Tail)

The Armored Cosplayer Armored cosplayers, on the other hand, are those cosplayers who portray characters wearing armor. Usually, these characters’ roles are warriors and knights so it is still important to be able to do fighting stance poses while still in costume, which are also made of painted cardboards and rubber sheets most of the time.

The Furry Cosplayer Furries, also known as Kemono in Japanese subculture, are cosplayers interested in portraying anthropomorphic animal characters and are a part of the furry fandom, a group of people who adores animal characters that exhibits human characteristics or attributes. Usually, these cosplayers are clad in their costumes known as fursuits.

The Mecha Cosplayer

A random cosplayer cosplaying Elizabeth (Gintama)

A Random copslayer cosplaying as Bumblebee (Transformers)

Mecha cosplayers are those cosplayers who chose to bring the robots and machines we see on science fiction animes, movies and video games to life. Usually, their costumes are made of cardboards and painted rubber sheets which they crafted with their bare hands. Being a mecha cosplayer requires a lot of effort and hard work as these futuristic costumes seem really hard to construct and is also uncomfortable to wear at the same time. However, they’re doing it for the love of cosplay.

The Kirigumi Cosplayer

Al Glenn Tacorda on his Sentai Cosplay

The Sentai Cosplayer Sentai cosplayers portray popular costumed superheroes. with the literal meaning of “squadron”, “group” or “task force”, the most notable example of Sentai would be the characters from the famous Super Sentai series, and also those from the Kamen Rider and the Power Ranger series, which usually fights in a group.

Last but not the least, are the Kirigumi cosplayers, which are also called Dolliers. These are cosplayers who exhibit their artistic skills by wearing masks hand-painted with the face of the anime character they are cosplaying instead of putting make-up to their faces. Kirigumi cosplayers are unfortunately very rare in the Philippine cosplay community, but are more prominent in Japan and other countries that are also open to the art of cosplaying. Now, you guys already know the different types of cosplayers. So next time, if you attend a cosplay convention and crossed paths with a lot of cosplayers, try identifying which categories the character they are portraying belong with your friends. It will surely add to the fun of going to the event and the cosplayers will surely appreciate it since you also know something about the character they admire.

My Cosplay Story Yume Anzaki A 20 year old journalism student from the University of Sto. Tomas shares her cosplay story to the FiCS team. Yume Anzaki, speak! I officially started cosplaying last 2011. I’ve always wanted to cosplay, but I lack funds. I figured out that if I could get clothes that are similar to the character, I’d be ok. Boy was I wrong! I now understand why some people get mad at mediocre cosplays; their passion for this hobby is something very admirable, something that people can’t easily understand. My parents did not like this hobby when I was in highschool. They discouraged me about it and I got ashamed of asking money for costumes. Nevertheless, they allow me to attend conventions even if they show dislike towards it. I knew they supported me deep down.

Looking at cosplay photos, I was driven to try it out even more though I have insecurity issues. Until now, cosplay has been an outlet for me as I slowly see beauty within myself. There was still a big problem for me though, money. I could never ask my parents to pay for such lavish things that would only be stored in my closet and taken out once or twice a month. That was when I decided to get a job. I took a job which is perfect for me since I get to interact with alot of Japanese people. The monthly salary I get helps me support my cosplays without burdening my parents. I also was able to help them pay for some things, too. I also encounter problems at school, with the current “BOOM” of cosplaying in the Philippines and being the only cosplayer in my class. There are times when I don’t know if my classmates are mocking me or not. They think when they say something anime or cosplay related, I get offended so easily. I don’t understand them but I am happy with what I am doing. It may not look beneficial for them, but it brings me a lot of joy when people appreciate how I portray a character. Right now, I am currently improving all my cosplays. My goal is to be as good as those well-known cosplayers, not for the fame but to be able to give justice to the characters I portray. I like to think that what I do here is a tribute to the mangakas and animators who worked so hard for the animes and mangas we read. It is my way of thanking them for helping bring such wonderful characters into my world.

Share to the Filipino Cosplay Community your cosplay story! Just email your untold story at dweavers.project@yahoo.com.ph and we will have them included in the “My Cosplay Story” section of our magazine!

Cosplayer Profiles

y c a

Sugar is the most essential energy source of the brain. -L (Death Note)

A.K.A.: Kachii Age: 21 Location: Canada Cosplaying: Azusa Nakano Anime: K-On! Cosplaying Since: April 2009 Characters Cosplayed: 5 Otaku Level: 85% Blood Type: A Cosplay Motivation: Love for Anime! Hobbies: Watching Anime, Reading Manga, Surfing the net, Eating while doing other stuff. Favorite Foods: Italian pasta, Pizza, Cake, Strawberry! Favorite Drinks: Coffee, Milk Tea and Water

Cosplay Events Nyancos Reloaded: A Cosplay for Charity Event! By: Dexter Ellis Mirasol Who said charity could not be fun? Ha! Nyan Team Series kickstarted Nyancos Reloaded: A charity event for the P3 (Paper Pencil Project) for the students of the 1st Grade studying at Isaias S. Tapales Elementary School where the event was also held. The members of Antipolo Cosplayers gave their helping hand to make this charity project come to life. Antipolo cosplayers, founded by the league of cosplayers who reside Antipolo Rizal which lead to a small organization of cosplayers exclusive for the residents of the city helps the less fortunate citizen through charity programs. Now the mission of this organization continues and is growing on a fast and more diverse scale. Last 2013, the Nyan Team Series was founded with the coordination of Antipolo Cosplayers to help the mission and vision of Antipolo Cosplayers. Nyan team Series headed by yours truly, Dexter Ellis Mirasol and supervised by the members of Antipolo Cosplayers. Nyan Team Series named their event after the internet meme â&#x20AC;&#x153;nyancatâ&#x20AC;? because of the head's interest to Nyancat.

NyanCos Reloaded started around 1:00pm at Isaias S. Tapales Elementary School. Several cosplayers attended the said event to participate and to have fun at the same time.

Catwalk, quizzes, and raffle prizes were prepared for the awesome attendants. The prizes were generously sponsored by Perkee personalized items, Toy Network, Carlaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clay creations, and more. Together with the fun activities, Gundam and Magic: The Gathering (MTG) Players are also in the venue to provide their participation and enthusiasm towards cosplaying and charity.

The Winners Best Male Cosplayer: Joseph De Leon

Cosplaying as Superman (Justice League)

Best Female Cosplayer: Dunellyn Dionkno Cosplaying as Huntress (Justice League)

Best Loli: Mixhiu Mitsumia

Best Chibi Cosplayers: A Tie Between: Mary Fiona Dela Paz (Top) and

Cosplaying as Maid Kit Yishin Uy-Oco (bottom) Cosplaying as Annie 101

Photo Credits: Lhou Angeles, Alec Egido, Dexter Ellis Mirasol

The featured photographers in the event were given a special token of appreciation for attending the event. And of course! This event will not end without the winners! The Best male cosplayer award was taken by Joseph De Leon in his Superman costume and the Best female won by Dunellyn Dionkno in her Huntress of Justice League costume. The Chibi category was tied up by Mary Fiona Dela Paz in her maid costume and Kit Yishin Uy-Oco in her Annie 101. The best Loli category was nailed by Mixhiu Mitsumia in her kawaii attire on that day! The event went smoothly even with a few technical difficulties for the organizers. Rating this event on a 5-star scale, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll give this one 3 stars for it started late and the spirit of the event was somehow taken down by the heat. We would like to thank everyone who attended NyanCos Reloaded! Hope to see you guys soon to the next Nyan Team Series Project! Together, let us continue our passion for cosplaying and use it as a means for providing solace for the less fortunate. With your support and participation, we can always manage to organize events like these.

Gothic Lolita

Cy Castro Cy in her Gothic Lolita Outfit Interview by Nobuhiro Ono

FiCS: First of all what is Gothic Lolita for you? Cyrille: Gothic Lolita for me is wearing dolly clothes or dolly dresses with a touch of dark and 16th century European royalty clothing. FiCS: So for you it is more of a dark side type of fashion? Cyrille: A little bit. But it is actually based on the person who wears it. FiCS: As a cosplayer and a follower of the Gothic Lolita fashion, where do you get the designs of what you wear? Cyrille: Actually they are my own designs but sometimes, I search online for other details and styles. FiCS: Wow! At the age of 15 you design your own dresses? Then who makes the outfits after you create your designs? Cyrille: My Mom’s friend. She helps me in picking good fabrics and helps me in designing as well. FiCS: We can’t help but think that most Gothic Lolitas are a bit emotional or sad as they often wear black and red which symbolizes lack of love or emptiness. What are your thoughts on that concept as a follower of the fashion? Cyrille: Not every Gothic Lolita lacks love or anything about love. In my case, I just love wearing gothic dolly dresses. Maybe it’s because my favorite color is black and red! Haha! Just be what you want to be! Feel free to wear anything that you want. It is priceless! FiCS: Haha! That’s a cute reaction! How big do you think is the Gothic Lolita population here in the Philippines? Cyrille: In the United Kingdom, I saw a lot of Gothic Lolitas there so I think there are a lot in the Philippines as well. FiCS: You are the first ever Gothic Lolita to be featured in FiCS magazine, What would you like say to the people who aspires to wear Gothic Lolita?

Cyrille: Just like what I said earlier, feel free to wear anything you want. Just be who you are, follow your dreams and always pray to God!

Crossdress Bust!

Be a part of the fun. Send your funny cosplay stories to dweavers.project@yahoo.com.ph and together, let us make the cosplay community laugh one story at a time!

Cosplay Funnies Crossdress Voyeur!

I decided to do a crossdress of Xiao Yu from Tekken during an event that occurred at SM Megamall. While sitting at the stairs I saw people smiling at me so I had the idea that they liked my costume. After a few minutes, a pretty girl approached me. I smiled at her and she smiled back then pointed at my bottom and said “Kuya nakikita namin yung underwear mo”. I stood up and walked as fast as I could back to the comfort room and took off my costume!

-Jonathan of FEU Manila

Hey, Ms. Wrong Gal! It was Oh No! Manga convention at SM North Edsa last June of 2012 when we saw this girl that really looks like one of our acquaintances from the past. My friend told me that I should call her so that we can catch up on what’s what of our current lives. I walked towards her and gave her a quite heavy tap to her shoulders. She looked at me and the whole aura of the moment changed. Nostalgia quickly turned into complete embarrassment for she was not our acquaintance that we thought! She was totally far from our acquaintance’s appearance when she faced us! The worst part for me is not actually talking to the wrong girl, it was the annoying laughter that my friends gave that really made this a total klutz and shameful moment!

-Editor King

I was crossdressing Yuki Cross back in Toycon 2009 and I had the urge to try going home wearing my costume all the way to the MRT station together with my friends. While we are waiting for the train to arrive, one of the guards told me to fall in line at the female waiting area! Strike one for those who haven’t noticed me yet. So far, so good as the gimmick continues. The train was packed and my friends are pretending that they are protecting me from possible harassment for Yuki’s costume has a very short skirt. Everything was cool until we spotted this man who is trying to look between my legs! I guess I am quite good at crossdressing after all! haha! -04

Scythe seeing! I’m on my way home after cosplaying Maka Albarn from Soul Eater. I came from all the way from Bulacan so I have to take the provincial bus trip to go home. I do not want to carry my scythe inside the bus for there will be a lot of murmurs and whatnots that will transpire inside the bus as they stare at my scythe and it is a hindrance to the other passengers so I decided to tell the conductor to put my scythe at the compartment at the side of the bus. After giving my scythe to the conductor, he looked at it for a few seconds, called his fellow conductors and started fooling around with them using my scythe! They were totally oblivious to their jobs as they fooled around chasing each other with my scythe pretending as the grim reaper! I can’t help but smile as they fool around with my scythe. It’s a good thing that they did not break my scythe!

-04

Choker! I have a big crush with this girl that we’ll hide in the name of Taiga. I have always wanted to talk to her so I made the decision to man up and start a conversation with her. I walked towards her and said “Hi Taiga I’m Marky” she immediately replied “Hello po”. Suddenly I couldn’t think of anything to say and we just stared at each other for 5 seconds or so. She then turned around and walked away. Good news is that I managed to talk to her. Bad news?, that was the only time that I approached her in the past four years.

-Marky Lising

We, the Cosplay People!

Filipino Cosplay Scene Magazine /FiCSMagazine @FiCSMagazine www.ficsmagazine.com