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2021.07.01

[Model Creator: Sawako] Decisiveness without the fear of failure

 

 

In order to achieve anything you have to be prepared to fail at something multiple times… In fact, that’s exactly what the “ki-” in “kihon (Eng. translation: fundamentals)” means. Once you come to terms with this idea, you really start to feel good about the process. Our guest today, Sawako, is a model creator and she’s a person that really reminds me of this concept. 

 

  

 

The Shock of Participating in an Event for the First Time

“At first the failures kept on coming.”

 

… Sawako began. Currently, she focuses on models with active technology designed to grab the attention of viewers, however when she started it was a completely different story.

 

Ortho Shroud (Ignihide Gear) from [Twisted Wonderland] (Cameraman: inori / @inori_design)

 

“When I was attending a school that specialised in manga, classmates asked me “Won’t you cosplay?” It stayed with me because for some reason I found it amusing that they had asked me in such a formal manner (laughs). There were a lot of people around me then that had a strong understanding of my major. I cosplayed at things like the school festival and I also went to the Tokyo Game Show.”

 

It was there that she received a big shock.

 

“I wore a premade costume; the fabric was poofy and the wig was mussed up, but there were a lot of amazing cosplayers around me. And what did I think when I saw them all?! I wanted to try that too! And so, I started looking into cosplay more.” 

 

Sawako, who is quick to decide and quick to act, searched through magazines and scoured the internet to find out how to make cosplay costumes. 

 

Ortho Shroud (Architype Gear) from [Twisted Wonderland] (Cameraman: inori / @inori_design)

 

 

 

A Series of failures kicked it all off

“I used to like making crafts, but even so it didn’t go as well as I expected at first; I melted styrofoam with adhesive, and so on. Nowadays it’s natural to me to fail here and there, so I buy cosplay boards in bulk. I always have stock (laughs)”

 

Ortho Shroud (Stargaze Gear) from [Twisted Wonderland] (Cameraman: inori / @inori_design)

 

That being said… from what I can see in these pictures, the quality is breathtaking. 

 

“Costumes for many of the characters I want to cosplay aren’t sold in stores, so I have to make them. Even if for instance they were being sold, some of the weapons may not fit my stature. I want to make sure that I take the size and overall balance into account, so in the end I just end up making them myself… “

 

Red Riding Hood from [Sinoalice] 

 

According to her, Sawako doesn’t seem to be very good at making costumes. But… I find that completely unbelievable…???

 

Time Travel Army Wakizashi from [Touken Ranbu] (Cameraman: Arthur / @Arthur_Gray)

 

 

 

The inspirational character cosplay I just had to make

“I’m not good at sewing. I like working with clay, but…but I have no other choice but to sew to make the costumes I want to wear.” 

 

That is especially with the cosplay that got her most attention, Ichigo Hoshimiya for “Aikatsu!”

 

Ichigo Hoshimiya from [Aikatsu!] (Star Festival coordination)

 

“I was having a rough time at work then… “Aikatsu!” gave my heart strength. It was like Ichigo Hoshimiya helped me, and because of that I really wanted to cosplay the character. That became my purpose. I thought I cannot die without at least doing this cosplay!!! And I fulfilled that wish with that feeling in mind.”

 

That feeling… I also came to understand it. And… with that exact feeling, I also want to try and create costumes and models.

 

[Shaman King] Iron Maiden Jeanne

 

 

 

I want to be a person who can convey a message

“Thank you for that sentiment. That’s exactly it, and my goal is to become a person who presents opportunities. Creating cosplay comes with continuous failures and since it does seem very difficult there are a lot of people who find it very difficult to get started. But if you never try, you’ll never get started. I hope that I can be able to support that effort which is why I started to distribute my work on Tiktok.”

 

Shizuku Murasaki from [HUNTER x HUNTER] (Cameraman: Shibuya / @shibuya_012)

 

Apparently, Sawako will post slides of photographs of the costume being produced until it is complete. You should definitely check it out!!

 

 

 

Making horns at home!?

Actually, Sawako is the creator of horns. But seeing is believing…. So take a look at the picture below.

 

The room is filled to the brim… horns wherever you look

 

So many horns… too many horns!!!

 

“Before, I was showing these accessories at Design Fest and that is where I saw a person with horns. I mean think about it, when you go to an amusement park, you undoubtedly put ears on your head, right? I look at horns in the same light; I want to wear them and I want to make them. I sort of wanted to use them for cosplay photography so I started making them.”

 

Groovy Candy from Twisted Wonderland

 

And just like Sawako always does, she jumped right into it, looking up how to make the horns and get started. Of course she had to go through failure after failure, but she continued on making them… and amazingly she had 80 sets for that Design Festa… I mean it’s a set of two, right and left, so she actually made 160 horns in all, and apparently the recorded sales were just as high.

 

“It has been around 3 years since I started making horns… I was even able to register myself on a site called “Cosplay Counter” where people can commission custom made cosplay.”

 

Sawako’s dedication and high ambitions for her model skills really left an impression on us. We hope that she will continue to convey that same spirit of craftsmanship to as many people as possible going forward.

 

Roxas  from [Kingdom Hearts] (Cameraman: Dice / @saikoro3415)

 

Kasane Kasane from [Kimetsu no Yaiba] (Cameraman: Arthur /@Arthur_Gray)

 

 

 

  • Sawako

Twitter:@sawawa_touken

 

tiktok:sawawax

 

BOOTH:Sawawa Kobou(https://sawawa-koubou.booth.pm/

 

pococha:https://www.pococha.com/app/users/6d664098-aeb5-4388-a49e-d65f031fc1fa

 

 

 




Writer

Shiro Sato

Translator

Rhiannon Charles


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