[Cosplayer: Azu-nee] Continue to break down your favorite costumes and evolve

 

 

I don’t know the gender of the cosplayer…

Cosplayers really can’t discern gender from their photos or names. Today’s guest, Azu-nee, is hmm…  A man? A lady? I thought when we started the interview, and then I heard “Hello” as a handsome voice rang out.

 

A man!!

 

 Grell Sutcliff from [Black Butler] (Photographer: cozy/@cozy1215)

 

“Yes, it’s hard to tell. I’m a man!”

 

…he said. But why does he have a feminine name such as “Azu-nee (Eng Translation: big sister, Azu)” Hmmm… maybe he’s a big sister?

 

“No!! I am not a big sister. it’s not you either. In university, my friend saw me looking for something in a store for women and from there gave me the name “Azu-nee” . That spread to my friends in high school and since then I haven’t been able to shake it. Since I had that name, the characters I cosplayed ended up being similar to this.” 

 

Impressions are scary… Many people are pretty particular about their cosplay name. They often add some wordplay, such as horizontal characters and the English alphabet.

 

Lupin III from [Lupin III] (Photographer: Akira/＠hakutaku091)

 

[Two people in the workplace who are too poisonous to the eyes] Hongo (Photographer: Reineko/@Thehatte_alice4)

 

“Yes, I really wanted to make a cooler name… However, my friends who aren’t cosplayers have already seen me as “Azu-nee”. I’m 185 cm tall and this image is “Azu-nee” already, so I have just given in to it.”

 

Uh, true.. but I think “Azu-nee” is a good name. It has a nice ring to it and it’s very welcoming!!

 

“I’m definitely trying to make sure that I don’t get found out in the workplace (with this name)”

 

 

 

The reason I got into cosplay was because I liked crafts

And so Azu-nee, who started cosplay in university along with adopting his out of character name of “Big sister, Azu”. But he was apparently not very into otaku culture. 

 

“I used to make props in the drama club when I was in high school. Baby’s faces, Jizo’s faces, etc. (laughs). Because I liked making props, I was asked by my cosplayer friend to make a real life apparatus from Attack on Titans. So I started to watch the anime and gradually from there I got more and more into cosplay.”

 

Fushimi Omi from [A3! ] (Photographer: Reineko/@Thehatte_alice4)

 

 

 

A two-dimensional pieces lose their function as clothing

There is a saying that goes “one is good at what they like”, however when I look at Azu-nee’s cosplay, I’m hit with the thought “He likes it that much!?” A particular example is Grell Sutcliff, a character from Black Butler that Azu-nee cosplayed for the interview.

 

Grell Sutcliff from [Black Butler] (Photographer: cozy/@cozy1215)

 

“I do also study by looking through art books, but I rather prefer to look at concrete examples. I think about how something changes when you take it from 2D to 3D. This coat actually doesn’t really work as a piece of clothing because you can’t really pull the sleeves up all the way, however in the interest of fashioning the coat as it appears on the character, it turned out like this. “

 

Oh, I see. It’s as he said, when taking the 2D into 3D, there is always the dilemma for cosplayers as to be faithful to the work or to the realism of the cosplay. It’s commendable that he dared to put aside the 3 dimensional functionality. 

 

Oscar Garcia from [Nishinotora-san (@ tortor2824) creative character] (Photographer: Akira/＠hakutaku091)

 

“Not just that, but the button part of the vest does not shift, and it looks awkward when I actually put a belt through it, so I made it to fit my body perfectly, so if I gain any weight I won’t be able to wear it anymore. I also remake the parts that I like over and over again. For today’s interview, I improved the ribbon and leather on the arms.”

 

Continually updating the costumes you made before… that is also a show of love for the characters. It’s like slowly simmering a soup, and it’s not exaggerating to say that it’s pretty unique.

 

Tatsuma Sakamoto from [Gintama] (Photographer: Nisshi/@kaorunisi)

 

 

 

Recreation bead by bead

“Another outfit that I was especially particular about was the drag queen, Laura, from the musical “Kinky Boots”. Her costume is a bright red dress with beads sewn to the fabric. As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to make it. I also wanted Laura’s other costumes in the musical, so I ended up making 6 costumes off of pure enthusiasm (laughs). “

 

Dedication to one character… No, the bond is amazing!

 

 Laura from the theatre show [Kinky Boots] (Cameraman: Akira/＠hakutaku091)

 

 

 

Thanks go out to the photographer for the wonderful photos!!

“Something when I upload a photo I get people telling me,”It’s wonderful!”, so I think it’s good that I am so particular about my costumes. However, I can’t take these “wonderful” photos all by myself. Even though “it’s all thanks to the photographer!!” , it’s hard to convey that and the cosplayers get all of the spotlight.”

 

Of course, the photographer is more of a behind the scenes presence when you think about it from the perspective of the person looking at the photo. It’s almost impossible for the focus of the photo not to be the cosplayer within it. 

 

Hirotaka Nito from [Love is difficult for Otaku] 

(Narumi Momose Cosplayer: Pinotaro, Photographer: Pinotaro/@PINO_pinotaro)

 

“But personally I think that the photographer should get a lot more credit. They are people who are kind and supportive to me, no matter what they have to do, no matter how dirty they get, they work their hardest for the sake of taking a good photo. For the 100% enthusiasm that the cosplayer brings to it, the photographer brings 120%. So please give the photographer some much due credit when you look at cosplay photos from now on!”

 

Cosplayers and photographers work together in order to create “a miraculous work that takes 2D to 3D” This interview really brought to the forefront and reminded us that everyone involved in creating a quality product is working with all of their heart to combine their skills and enthusiasm in order to pursue a quality piece.

 

Azumi (Agomi) from [Gintama] (Photographer: Akira/＠hakutaku091)

 

Noriza from [Hell’s Paradise] (Photographer: Akira/＠hakutaku091)

 

 

 

• Azu-nee

Twitter：@jag_alskar_cos

 

Instagram：jag_alskar_cos

 

Gyutaro from[Kimetsu no Yaiba] (Photographer: Akira/＠hakutaku091)

 

 

 

 

Follow @doujinworld