[Cosplayer: AJ (Eiji)] Even if I’m old and wrinkled, I will carry on

 

 

 

Is This DoujinWorld’s First Injury On Site?!

A man grows in the presence of a rival. Here at DoujinWorld we too want to find a good rival who challenges us in our writing, but is a good friend at heart and can take us to new heights. But… we’re sorry if we end up throwing punches at the river!

 

Just as we were thinking about this…

 

“Your next interview will be your last!!!”

 

It’s almost like the real thing…

 

For sure, this person is a formidable rival.

 

This is my first time doing such a terrifying interview. I started to feel like if I made the wrong move I might be struck down. But then I heard…. 

 

“Nice to meet you! I’m AJ (Eiji)!”

 

…in Nadeshiko Yamato’s voice. WHAT??? He’s a girl???

 

Ichigo Kurosaki from BLEACH (CN:ZOZO（@hZozok ））,  Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez CN:AJ 

Photographer: Arthur（Twitter：@Arthur_Gray）

 

 Cloud Strife from FINAL FANTASY VII ADVENT CHILDREN / Photographer: Arthur（Twitter：@Arthur_Gray）

 

 

I Like Men’s Clothing Because I’mA Bit Manly Myself

“I’m sorry! Please excuse me for grabbing my chest (laughs). But I wanted to get the right feel for the picture… There are so many male characters to cosplay. Today I am wearing Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez from BLEACH!”

 

Ah, I see… According to what I hear, your cosplay is almost exclusively male characters. Is the reason for that because you want to become a man or something similar?

 

“No, it’s not like that. It’s just that most of the characters I admire and like tend to be male. I have been reading shonen (English: boys’) manga for as long as I can remember and maybe the genre resonates with me because I am very strong-willed myself.”   

 

And this (cosplay) which is the result of pursuing that strong will, is almost better than the real thing. Just staring into those blue eyes while doing this interview is making me shake in my boots.

 

Shoto Todoroki from My Hero Academia / Photographer: Arthur（Twitter：@Arthur_Gray） 

 

“Thank you (laughs)! The contact lenses don’t let a lot of light through them, so they look pretty cool. Styling the wig in a slickback look was pretty difficult though. I bought a light blue wig and had to glue pieces of hair bit by bit on the hairline then finally I cut it. As for the mask, I bought it ready-made because I was able to find one that’s pretty good quality.” 

 

It’s really weird to think of such an intense character like Grimmjow, sitting at home meticulously making a costume. When I think about it, for some reason it makes me chuckle a little.    

 

“Actually, my first ever cosplay was also a male character. It was Mr.Toru from Tiger&Bunny. Not the hero costume with blue tights, but the casual outfit. I think that would’ve been in my second year of university. In my fourth year, I was into spending my Saturdays and Sundays going out in cosplay and doing photoshoots. I would cosplay my favourite characters one after the other from things like manga, games, even from light novels. I was voracious when it came to cosplay.”

 

Uta from Tokyo Ghoul／Photographer: Arthur (Twitter：@Arthur_Gray ）

 

 

Once The Camera Points At You, It’s A Rush

On another topic… The weather today for the interview is actually pretty chilly. And even so, your Grimmjow costume is wide open in the front… I tell myself not to look but I can’t help it, my eyes keep going there. 

 

“HAHAHA! It’s perfectly fine if you look. The temperature today isn’t bad at all. This is nothing!.”

 

Whoa, really…? This is long sleeve weather, no?

 

“Before I used to do photoshoots on snowy mountains basically half naked.”

 

That’s crazy….Were you some kind of Buddhist monk…?

 

“My friends who are into cosplay and I were talking about how fun it would be to do a photoshoot in the mountains. And luckily at that time we found a studio that did mountain shoots. And it just so happens that it was snowing when we went.”

 

Minomoto no Hiromasa from Onmyoji Authentic Fantasy RPG / Photographer: Arthur (Twitter: @Arthur_Gray)

 

Cosplaying at an event outside in winter in only light clothing and a piece of cloth. I have seen similar cosplayers before, but isn’t it cold?

 

“It’s freezing! Even when I leave my house I think it’s cold, then I change and step out of the changeroom and feel the cold all over again…. But when the camera turns my way I transform into the character and I can really focus. That’s why while we’re shooting it’s weird, but I don’t even feel the cold. It was the same in the mountains; I didn’t feel the cold then either. Maybe it’s the adrenaline.”

 

Hmmm…. I’m impressed at the resilience of the human body itself, more so than the cosplayer.  

 

Roy Mustang from Full Metal Alchemist / Photographer: Arthur (Twitter: @Arthur_Gray)

 

 

 

Qualms About the Difference Between Male Characters and Female Characters

I’ve heard you’ve recently started cosplaying female characters.

 

“Well yes, but they aren’t the typical cutesy female characters, a lot of them are more rough and tumble. Evenso, it’s tough to cosplay female characters. The poses, how to move your hips, your shoulders, etc. they are all totally different from male characters. Until now, with characters that I like if I imagine what they are like I can somehow pull it off, but with this even though the costume is right, I still have to do research for the female characters.” 

 

Even though you’re a female in essence, it’s still difficult to cosplay female characters. 

 

“I do shoots that aren’t for cosplay as well, but even then I find it easier to pose like a man. I am often instructed to pose as if I were a guy.”

 

Ashitaka from Princess Mononoke / Photographer: Arthur (Twitter: @Arthur_Gray)

 

 

When It Comes to Cosplay, Age Doesn’t Matter! If you can continue, do it!

You continue cosplaying our favourite character unhindered by anyone. It’s like you’re able to experience the full expression of cosplay and enjoy it to its fullest extent.

 

“ I think everyone has their own aspects of cosplay that they enjoy, but it’s important not to overdo it. For example, if you’re always worrying about the number of likes you’re getting on SNS, you’ll burn out. In the end, you’re prioritizing the wrong thing and you’ll start to drift away from the cosplay that you once enjoyed. Having fun with friends who share the same motivation; that’s the secret to continuing for a long time.”

 

It’s like you said, doujin is powered by one’s own will and it’s because of this that it’s “doujin”. When you say “for a long time”, how long do you mean?

 

“I used to playfully say that I can do cosplay until I am 30 years old, but the world has really been changing nowadays and age doesn’t really matter anymore. Even when I become an old, wrinkled grandma, I will find a character that I can cosplay that caters to that. That’s how I feel.”

 

Cosplay in this generation has become a lifelong hobby. From now until forever, continue to enjoy it!

 

Yugio Mutou from Yu-Gi-Oh! Event: Ikebukuro Halloween / Photographer: Arthur (Twitter: @Arthur_Gray)

 

• AJ

Twitter：@AJ_underbar

 

Niconico:（ID）18817150

 

 

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