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I created my first dress in 1998 and, even I’m very busy now, I still sew, so I have been a cosplayer for.. let me think.. for about 12 years.

Q: What attracts you to cosplay?

The main attractive point is the crativity required. I like create things like dresses and accessories. When I was a child I loved drawing and made artworks at school. Growing up I decided to learn the basis of sewing. The “making of” of any cosplays begins just from that: a lot of handwork, and even if it’s the hardest part, I think it’s the funniest step of the process.
I also like create good photoshots with my costumes.

Q: How did you get into anime and what lead you into cosplay?

Since school I read manga and bought anime vhs, then I entered my first anime convention in 1997, it was the “Lucca Comics & Games”. In that occasion I found out the meaning of “cosplay”, thanks to some guys and girls dressed as Ranma 1/2 characters.
One year later my first costume was created by mum,a friend and me: Rei Ayanami.

Q: What has been your favourite cosplay?

My favuorite one at the moment is Etain from Shaiya Light and Darkness. It’s a costume I have wanted to create for long time, when finally I decided to work on it, the result was avesome, I like how it turned out: dresses, accessories, wig…
The tiara I created for it, required a welding skill I didn’t know to have.. so it has been a great goal for me.

Q: Most memorable moment whilst cosplaying?

The non competitive experience at the World Cosplay Summit in 2004 and the Expo Tnt in Mexico DF in 2006.
Two different but avesome experiences that allowed me to know a lot of funny and great persons.

Q: Have you had any cosplays go wrong/encountered problems whilst making cosplays?

Problems may happen. I do the costumes by myself for the most, helped by a good tailor that teaches me a lot during the work. I decide for the fabrics and the materials to use and how the costume has to turn out.
So if something doesn’t go as I want, I simply start again from the begining. It’s not strange for me doing the same accessory or part of costume 2 times until having the exact result. I’m very strict with myself.

Q: Have you ever regretted cosplaying?

No regrets during my cosplay adventure, apart now, maybe, having less time to spend creating costumes and making photoshoots. I usually have a very busy week, so it’s not simple to find free time for long. And it needs a lot of time for a costume and its accessories to be done.

Q: Do your cosplays have a particular theme to them?

Do you mean if I take inspiration for my costumes?
Yes, usually from videogames (the most), manga, anime or movies.

Q: Have you ever done group cosplay? If so how did you find that experience?

Yes, years ago, togheter with a huge group of cosplayer friends. We usually decided the anime or the videogame a lot of time before the convention. Every one worked on his own costumes for months and we met dressing our costumes only the the day of the con. I remember enjoying those moments very much because we were used to do very great jobs with our costumes.

Q: What cosplays are you planning?

Two cosplays in this period, one for Lucca Comics, and one for a photoshoot (at least till now).
Fhe first one is really comic and I like it very much, it’s Frau Blücher from Frankenstein Junior. The second one is a dark elf from Lineage II.

Q: Do you have a dream cosplay?

Not at the moment. I usually create what I’m able to do with my own skills. Being attracted by a costume I will never be able to do, it’s sadic! XD

Q: How are the professional photoshoots usually managed? Does the photographer have certain shots in mind and direct you or do they follow your visions of the scene?

I used to shot with professional photographers and my experience says that a good photographer has always a scene in mind before shooting. That idea however, may change a little and improve once you fisically are in the location, where new ideas can come out from the photographer himself or from the model. And when the two are able to think as one mind, the work turns out very very good.

Q: Do you have one piece of advice that you would give to cosplay newbies?

Yes, it’s: don’t take cosplay too seriously!
I have always thought that cosplay is a funny hobby that can give great satisfactions, but winning competitions is not the main goal.

Q: Do you have an account with the website Cosplay.com/other social networking sites?

Character: Skull Knight

From: Berserk

About the character:

The Skull Knight first appeared to warn Guts after he left the Band of the Hawks about the group’s future demise. His horse appears to be able to fly and jump upon trees. Over the course of Guts’ journey, he saved him several times and also seemed to manipulate events around Guts for his own purpose of revenge. He called Guts “struggler”, who forever is fighting against fate.
The Skull Knight kills apostles and monsters with ease and can fight evenly with Zodd even in his true demonic form. He swallows the behelits which he recovers from slain apostles. In doing so, he apparently destroys and reforms them as his Sword of Resonance, which can cut through space and time dimension.

Character: Lucifer

From: Angel Sanctuary

About the character:

The Demon Lord of Hell, his angelic name is Lucifel/Lucifael, varying according to translation. He is also the twin brother to the angel Michael. Just when he was exalted to the position of Morning Star, he was told by God that he was born with only one reason – to become the Prince of Darkness and rule the evils and demons. Angry with this revelation, he decided to go rape Alexiel in order to enrage God since in Heaven, it was believed that Alexiel was actually God’s “beloved daughter”. The reality was that YHWH/God actually only used her and wanted her out of the way so he could follow though his plan; Lucifer had no way of knowing this. However, he fell in love with her when he found out she was not the cold emotionless woman everyone believed her to be, but a woman who loved everything with a love that encompassed anything Lucifer had seen. He fell in love with the “woman with the same eyes as him”. He leaves Eden after kissing her and continues to stage a rebellion against God.

Character: Zaffina

From: Tekken

About the character:

Zafina, who has great spiritual powers, was born to a group of spiritual warriors with an ancient past.

Since childhood, Zafina was raised to be a protector of an imperial temple. Several years ago, a foreign army attacked the imperial temple she and her group were protecting, and Zafina single handedly wiped every single one of them out. Since then, the group’s guru appointed her to be its sole assassin.

In her public life, she uses her spiritual powers as an astrologist, but recently, she can only see evil omens, and her premonitions grow more and more intense day by day. Seeking to understand the meaning behind all of this, Zafina sought the advice of her guru, and he began to tell her an ancient tale passed down from generation to generation only to a select few. According to the tale, two evil stars will shake the world when they come into contact, and, inevitably, the two will unite with the sealed ancient evil being protected by her group, destroying the world. Zafina considered the meaning behind the guru’s tale and her premonitions well.

Setting out on a course that took her far east, to the place the evil stars were believed to be gathering, she wanted to see if the world was truly going to end.

Character: Angelus

From: Angelus

About the character:

The Angelus is one of the two primal forces of the universe. A female entity of light which represents order. She has been in a war with her natural male counterpart, The Darkness. However she and The Darkness created a sexual truce and conceived a child, The Witchblade.

Like The Darkness, The Angelus replaces the soul of a host (which can only be a female) in order to carry out her life’s mission on Earth. Her main goal is to rid the world of evil and darkness regardless of mortal rule or law. This has put her at odds with the current Darkness host, Jackie Estacado. Eventually The Angelus was defeated by Jackie, and was hostless for some time until Sonatine tried to convince the entity to join with Appolonia Franchetti. Because Appolonia desired the entity too much, The Angelus chose her catatonic mother, Lauren Franchetti, instead. Soon after, the newly reborn Angelus was fooled into thinking she had finally killed The Darkness, after Jackie made a copy of himself. She soon fled with Appolonia to an ancient temple in the Amazon rain forest, where Lauren gave herself completely to the Angelus entity. The Angelus came in contact with the Magdalena, Sister Mariella. Magdalena was seeking to reforge the Spear of Destiny which had been shattered during her first encounter with The Darkness. The fight ended with no clear winner but The Angelus ordered Appolonia to leave because she was touched too deeply by the Darkness (in this case evil) and that should they meet again she would kill her.

Character: vampires

From: Buffy the vampire slayer

In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.

This is my 4th year, time passed really fast!XD

Q: What attracts you to cosplay?

First the artistic aspect, I love drawing, sewing and making things. I met a lot of amazing people during conventions and cosplay event, this is one of the most important thing to me. ^^

Q: How did you get into anime and what lead you into cosplay?

I’m a great anime fan, since I was a kid. During a Conventions (in 2004) I saw a little group of cosplayers and I wanted to try.  My boyfriend and mom helped me with my first costume…and they still helping me!XD

Q: What has been your favourite cosplay?

Hard question, I have to say that Yoshimitsu really makes me proud but there are a lot of costume I want to make…so I don’t have a “very” favourite now!XD

Q: Most memorable moment whilst cosplaying?

I think the last Lucca Comics and Games with my Yoshimitsu cosplay, when I put a step on the stage I heard a lot of screams from the crowd, a lot of people ask me things about the costume and I won the Best Videogame character Award…I was frozen solid! O_O Also I only say “Thanks everybody”…I really was speechless! XD

Q: Have you had any cosplays go wrong/encountered problems whilst making cosplays?

Every costume I made had a lot of problems! XD

Q: Have you ever regretted cosplaying?

No, because I love making dress and take pictures but I know that somebody can see it as a waste of time or a strange hobby so I don’t display it a lot.

Q: Do your cosplays have a particular theme to them?

Well they’re characters I like personally, or characters that I look like….or characters that my boyfriend likes!XD

Q: Have you ever done group cosplay? If so how did you find that experience?

Yes and I really have fun, but I prefer small groups…just for organization.

Q: What cosplays are you planning?

Do I really have to answer this question?  XD A lot!
Actually I’m working on Rubicante from Final Fantasy IV.

Q: Do you have a dream cosplay?

Yep…well 3, not only one but I need a lot of free time! XD

Q: How are the professional photoshoots usually managed? Does the photographer have certain shots in mind and direct you or do they follow your visions of the scene?

My photographer is also my boyfriend, so we usually talk about the character a lot and decide what to do together. If I “work” with someone else…I hope he knows something about my character or about the series because I don’t like “out of character shoots”. XD

Q: Do you have one piece of advice that you would give to cosplay newbies?

Search a lot, find all the reference images and try your best!
Work with someone else can be helpful and very fun…and two heads work better than one!^^

Q: Do you have an account with the website Cosplay.com/other social networking sites?

Yes, this is my website: www.cosplayworkshop.altervista.org
My account on Cosplay.com; www.cosplay.com/member/52532/
My deviant art page: ecchiprincess.deviantart.com/

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I started cosplaying at 2003 when I was 11 years old. So for 7 years.

Q: What attracts you to cosplay?

Without any doubt I’m attracted by the performing and acting part. I love playing characters always different: villains, princesses, aliens, men, heroines, animals…that makes me easier to get the right expressions and gestures during the photoshoot or the performance. “I must be that character” becomes “I’m that character” =)

Q: How did you get into anime and what lead you into cosplay?

Everything thanks to my elder sister Verena. I’ve always read her comics and we always watched anime on tv together. She visited Lucca Comics and Games 2002 but that year I didn’t go with her. When she came back home she told me about cosplayers that were at the event and I remained enchanted!

Q: What has been your favourite cosplay?

I love my Xiao Mei’s costume from The House Of Flying Daggers! It’s identical to the original one =) Moreover I adore that character!

Q: Most memorable moment whilst cosplaying?

Everytime a child asks me a photo ^____^

Q: Have you had any cosplays go wrong/encountered problems whilst making cosplays?

Well, there’s always a problem because unfortunately I use to make a cosplay few time before the event! I remember my Poison Ivy costume…the boots and the gloves were too large, the catsuit wasn’t mellow and the wig from ebay didn’t arrive in time!

Q: Have you ever regretted cosplaying?

Yes, like everybody I think. Everything has a sweet part but also a bad one.
I remember when Selaine and I didn’t win for WCS at Romics 2008 with Kaleido Star cosplay.
Cosplay means also “gossip”, lies and falseness by other cosplayers.

Q: Do your cosplays have a particular theme to them?

I love movie characters especially. At the beginning I made anime cosplay but now I don’t like them very much, because they’re always “flat” characters.

Q: Have you ever done group cosplay? If so how did you find that experience?

I did a Dead Or Alive group at Rimini Comics 2007 and I enjoyed so much =)
But I prefer a duo, because there are more chances to prepare an amazing performance! My favourite ones are Kaleido Star with Selaine and Avatar with my boyfriend Fragatsu.

Q: What cosplays are you planning?

I’m planning Medusa from Pet Shop Of Horrors for our WCS selections with Selaine in October. Then I’ll work on Caska costume from Berserk…my favourite character!

Q: Do you have a dream cosplay?

Well, I dream to cosplay all Disney princesses!

Q: How are the professional photoshoots usually managed? Does the photographer have certain shots in mind and direct you or do they follow your visions of the scene?

I have no time to do a professional photoshoots…and moreover my favourite photographers live far from me. But when they photograph me during the conventions, I decide the gestures, positions obviously, even if sometimes they take me some advice =)

Q: Do you have one piece of advice that you would give to cosplay newbies?

Do cosplay to fun! Don’t search “glory” in this hobby XD it’s ridiculous! We aren’t Hollywood vips!

Q: Do you have an account with the website Cosplay.com/other social networking sites?

My cosplay.com account is http://www.cosplay.com/member/62509/
My temporary website is http://ginevracosplay.blogspot.com

Giorgia was one of the individual contestant’s of WCS 2005. She has won the best individual prize with her Silen Cosplay.

As for the winners of the groups act’s this was Italy too ^___^

It was a good year for Italy

What can I say about myself that I haven’t already? I’m just like any other girl with a special passion and no fear to pursue it.

Q: How old are you?

I’ve been 22 for such a long time I don’t remember

Q: When did you start cosplaying and how long for?

My very first cosplay was when I was 2 years old, but if you mean cosplaying at an adult age, I started cosplaying in March 1997. It was the spring edition of Lucca Comics & Games (it is not held anymore) and wearing my Sailormars costume I was among the few cosplayers attending the convention: we were the very first Italian cosplayers around.

Q: What attracts you to cosplay?

A: I like the chance to be someone else for a whole day. And it might sound crazy, but I do like the shopping phase, when you go hunting for the best fabrics or the perfect wig.

Q: What do you do outside of cosplay?

At the moment I’m studying to become a dubber.
I’ve got my graduation and now I’m doing some on job training.
Meanwhile I work as a show hostess for local events, introducing guests and performers to the audience.

Q: Can you tell us why you decided to enter the WCS preselection competition?

I had been knowing the WCS since it first started and I really wanted to go there. When the chance came, I put every effort in making the costume that would allow me to win the pre-selection. It was a very long and tiring year, but in the end it paid off.

Q: Was it your first time entering the preselection?

Yes, and it was the first time for many others, since it was the very first time pre-selection was held in Italy.

Q: How did it feel to be selected as the Italian representatives?

I was very proud. Getting to represent your Country is not something you can experience everyday.
I have been criticized by someone arguing that I was a little “overacting”, going to Japan with an over ambitious costume, but I could do nothing less: I was representing my Country, I was proud of it and I wanted my Country to be proud of me.
And giving my best was also some sort of respect toward the audience, the judges and even the other contestants.
Now look at what the WCS has become, with all those wonderful costumes.
I can’t help but thinking that we as the Italian Team of the WCS’05 set a standard for costumes and performances that has influenced the very evolution of WCS.

Q: Can you tell us about your experience in Japan?

It was wonderful: a week spent like a rock star. Everyone at the TV-Aichi staff was very kind and helpful and all in all it
is a lifetime experience which I will always remember fondly. Going to WCS is somewhat about competing in a World Cosplaying Contest, but most of all it is about the experience of getting in touch with other people from all around the world with whom you share the same passion.
Everyone who doesn’t realize this doesn’t deserve to go there.

Q: What was it like to meet representatives from other countries?

As I said, it is the real juice of the WCS. That said, we had our issues with some of them, but it worked very well with the others
(expecially the Japanese teams) and all in all I remember the experience positively.

Q: Have you kept in touch with any of the other representatives?

Beside Italian team,I sometimes hear from Spanish and French girls ^_^

Q: What are your cosplay plans for the future?

I have a lot of planned costumes and the list is ever changing. Beside that, I’m going through a complete overhaul of the website which has already spun off a community.

Q: What advice can you give other cosplayers for the Championship?

I think you’ll have to just live it, live the experience, enjoy the cultural exchange.
Don’t forget to give your best on stage, but don’t forget that WCS is about.

Q: Do you have a dream cosplay?

I have a couple, yes, but I’d prefer not to share the dream: it would make me feel like I was giving it away, making it harder to achieve

Q: Do you have one piece of advice that you would give to cosplay newbies?

Never give up. Never let envious people who will say that you look ridiculous or other nasty things to get in your way. Follow your passion and results will come.

Q: Do you have an account with the website Cosplay.com/other social networking sites?

Yes, I have an account on Cosplay.com and not one, but two (I hit the 5000 friends limit) on Facebook.
I also have a DeviantArt account and an AmericanCosplayParadise one.

My very first cosplay was when I was 2 years old, but if you mean cosplaying at an adult age, I started cosplaying in March 1997. It was the spring edition of Lucca Comics & Games (it is not held anymore) and
wearing my Sailormars costume I was among the few cosplayers attending the convention: we
were the very first Italian cosplayers around.

Q: What attracts you to cosplay?

I like the chance to be someone else for a whole day. And it might sound crazy, but I do like the shopping phase, when you go hunting for the best fabrics or the perfect wig.

Q: How did you get into anime and what lead you into cosplay?

I’ve always loved anime, since I was a little child. When the “second anime invasion” (mid 90s, the first one was in mid 70s) struck Italy, I started to go to comic conventions and I noticed the guys doing live
RPG and the Star Trek fans wearing their costumes, so I said to myself “if they can do this with their favorite characters, why shouldn’t I be able to pull it off with MY favorite chacarters”. At the time I didn’t even know that I was going to start cosplaying.

Q: What has been your favourite cosplay?

I must say Alcyone OAV version is my favorite because it allowed me to be selected for the WCS

Q: Most memorable moment whilst cosplaying?

Well, I could say meeting Go Nagai in my Ashura Baron outfit, or Monkey Punch in my Fujiko Mine
costume, or Tsukasa Hojo in my Hitomi leotard, but being awarded the first prize at WCS by Leiji Matsumoto tops everything else.

Q: Have you had any cosplays go wrong/encountered problems whilst making cosplays?

Have you seen “Shakespeare In Love”? Cosplay is like theatre: a long run towards disaster until everything works out at the very last minute. How? Nobody knows

Q: Have you ever regretted cosplaying?

Never. Cosplay is part of what I am and I will never let a bad moment to make me regret what I am.

Q: Do your cosplays have a particular theme to them?

I just try to choose characters which I fit in physically. So I go for mature women and I try to avoid little kawaii children.

Q: Have you ever done group cosplay? If so how did you find that experience?

I actually enjoy group cosplay a lot. I like to be the “pose director” for the photo sessions, putting everyone in the correct pose and position for the perfect photo. I like it so much I’ve sometimes found myself doing this for others’ cosplay groups ^^;;

Q: What cosplays are you planning?

I have a lot of planned costumes and the list is ever changing. Beside that, I’m going through a complete overhaul of the website which has already spun off a community.

Q: Do you have a dream cosplay?

I have a couple, yes, but I’d prefer not to share the dream: it would make me feel like I was giving it away, making it harder to achieve

Q: How are the professional photoshoots usually managed? Does the photographer have certain shots in mind and direct you or do they follow your visions of the scene?

I usually choose the location, trying to find a good background in which the character can fit naturally (like for example, Greek columns for Athena) and then I let the photographer do the magic.

Q: Do you have one piece of advice that you would give to cosplay newbies?

Never give up. Never let envious people who will say that you look ridiculous or other nasty things to get in your way. Follow your passion and results will come.

Q: Do you have an account with the website Cosplay.com/other social networking sites?

Yes, I have an account on Cosplay.com and not one, but two (I hit the 5000 friends limit) on Facebook.
I also have a DeviantArt account and an AmericanCosplayParadise one.

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