ns eee Na) Page 1 Honoring Essential Cosplayers: Anissa “ACG Cosplay” Garci Page 2 Kingdom Hearts Cosplayer Profiles: Electro Cosplay - Page 5-6 Enduring Sunflower - Page 7-8 Joey Rosa - Page 9-10 Laura Tuffery - Page 11-12 N3rdy R3trO - Page 13-14 ShibaLove Cosplay - Page 15-16 Koh Koh Puff - Page 17-18 Iri De Jesus and Michael Williams - Page 19-23 Dr Span - Page 24 Kingdom Hearts Hall Photos: Page 25-27 Kingdom Hearts Group Shoot: Page 28 Cosplayer of the Month Hall of Fame: Page 29-31 Cosplayer of the Month: ManaKnight Cosplay - Pages 29-44 Cosplay Couple Showcases: Concussion Cosplay - Page 46 Mujiruri Cosplay - Page 47 ShibaLove Cosplay - Page 48 Firey Constellation - Page 49 ‘Squidlyuwu Cosplay - Page 50 WildSpice Cosplay - Page 51 @MyHeroNathan - Page 52 Laeythis Cosplay - Page 53 Whimsy Cosplay - Page 54 ATribeCalledCosplay - Page 55 Clockwork Carousel - Page 56 Sailor Xstasy - Page 57 Vulture Cosplay - Page 58 @Cloudnot - Page 59 Toshinkavin and Tenguprince - Page 60 Mr. and Mrs. Rizuki - Page 61 Staff - Page 62 Photo Credits - Page 63-65 Freeze Frame Foto and Whinoza Multimedia Artist Ads - Back Cover Wima2ikane DSHIKKARICON ES eas) Lar DOUBLETREE SUITES BY HILTON HOTEL PHILADELPHIA WEST ee TEU sa NCR) WWW.SHIKKARICON.COM ba Waste tae BARS RVI a UAIKY *VENDORS & ARTIST ALLEY Vy HOSE NAb de oa NOT Ua Mee AOU aS pe Ta FUSES AN aT EN a 15 CHILDREN SIXTEEN AND UNDER De U7 (bas AUREUS LGC Uae) CONCHAIR@SHIKKARICON.COMEOSPRLAYNYE, MAGAZINE: ONES ESSENTIAL COSPLAYERS ANISSLYCARCILVAKAWWACEYEOSPLEAY, IPROJECTIPENE WAL YINC:/BRIDEINGYACCESS}TO)CARE NING’ ‘The year was 1986 and the AIDS/HIV epidemic had reached worldwide levels with numbers in New York greatly on the rise. The Brooklyn AIDS Task Force was created, tasked with assisting those diagnosed with the disease to find medical, housing and other services. Today, now known as Bridging Access to Care Inc (BAC), the nonprofit continues its goals with the expansion to helping families affected by AIDS/HIV. Anissa Garcia travels around New York City as a case manager and one of many who visit clients and provide assistance to them, when needed. “I am assigned a caseload of 12 families in which I am required to. visit at their homes once a week to discuss their goals and utilize their strengths to help them reach the ultimate goal of true independent living. Additionally, I work with a team of specialists who assist the clients in all aspects that relate to this same goal, including employment, education, child development, mental health, and housing. The clients are essentially learning how to move on from the mindset that was developed while residing in the shelter system and developing the skills needed to live on their own while raising their families.” Perhaps the most essential service Anissa provides to her clients is an “open-door policy. Although she works hard five days a week, she feels being available off-the-clock to those who need help is paramount to their futures. “Aan emergency can always happen at any given time (i.e. ACS/CPS reports, self-harm life threatening incidents, etc.). This means that they are allowed to contact me at any ti stress though that their message may be answered the next day depending on the severity of the reason.” ‘Anissa’s knowledge of the inner workings of shelters, what many of her BAC clients have been through and what they need came from working for Project Renewal Inc (PRI) for three years before moving on to BAC. PRI has provided services ranging from sheltering and drug/alcohol rehab to job training and therpy programs since the late 1960s. Throughout her time with PRI, which included all of last year’s COVID months, she assisted 30 clients by visiting them every two weeks and helping them to become more independent. “I assisted them with qualifying for housing units referred by the NYC Department of Homeless. Services. I also explored independent living on their own. Finally, I assist them with managing their alcohol or i substance (drug) use by referring them to drug programs or strategized ways they could manage it on their own.” When asked how she felt about working as a case manager for BAC, Anissa sighed and recall past cases that made her truly appreciate the work. “To see the strength and resilience the clients endure in addition to witnessing them grow from who they once were is the most amazing feeling I have ever experienced. And, to say I had a hand in their growth is, I just have no words to describe it. It’s an honor, humbling,and it’s almost as if you're watching your child grow into the person they see themselves as after being told they can’t be that person. I remember getting the news of one of my client's moving out from the shelter and I ran all the way to his bedside to tell him the news. The tears he shed that day made all the sweat, blood and tears we all poured into this job worth it. To remind him that he did all that work to get himself to that goal was beautiful, and I'd say the most rewarding feeling I had ever experienced. With the outbreak of COVID, residents in shelters, rehab centers, halfway houses and many other public service homes found themselves trying to balance having roofs of their heads while maintaining health and wellbeing. “Even during the height of the COVID19 pandemic, the resilience that was demonstrated from these clients was unbelievable and I have to give them their credit,” said Anissa. "All of my clients, former and current, have all demonstrated strength, courage, and resilience during this pandemic and it motivates me more to do my part to provide the best care and guidance to help them with their life goals. And, more importantly, their main goal of having their own place to call home. The clients learn things from me but I learn a lot from them too. We create a unique bond to get the work done and have fun while doing so. The job does take a toll on mental health and that's the reason why I make it my mission to make the clients laugh and have fun while being roductive. They've gone through enough and I believe laughter is always the best medi I'm able to get my clients to laugh for the day or at least smile, then my work is done.” When Anissa is not helping people to leave the shelter system and get back on their feet, she may be found at various New York City conventions and other events as ACG Cosplay. Her cosplay closet has grown since she attended 2011’s New York Comic Con/AnimeFest as Yuuki Cross from Vampire Knight, her first cosplay experience. Since then she has geared up to become Black Butler's Alois Trancy, Mikaela Hyakuya from Seraph of the End, Dramatical Murder’s Mizuki, Sombra from Overwatch, Legend of Zelda's Majora’s Mask, Judar from Magi: Labyrinth of Magic and Soul Eater's Marie Mjolnir. She was also part of a very successful Black Butler panel featured at Castle Point Anime Con in Hoboken, NJ and SpringFest in Brooklyn, NY. The panel, consisting of cosplayers for every character of the series, explained what the anime was while remaining in character. They even ran the post-panel Q&As in character. Vampire Knight Judar - Magi Labyrinth of Magic Marie Mjotnir - Soul Eater Mikaela Hyakuya - Seraph of the EndAre there any worlds and/or characters you wish Square Enix would add to future games? want to see cameos from characters of all Final Fantasy (FF) games, even if they were just NPCs passing on the background during a cutscene. I didn't like the lack of FF in KH3. What is your honest opinion of Donald Duck in KH? "This LOOKS Like a GrEaT SpOt To FiNd SoMe InGrEdIeNts.” Are there plans to cosplay as any other Kingdom Hearts or versions of ones you have already in the future? I want to make Aqua's full armor, but currently that’s out of my skill set, out of my storage capability, and out of my budget. So, it will have to wait. Do you have any fun stories of interacting with KH fans or other KH cosplayers while in one of your KH cosplays? never have the luck of running into a Terra or Ventus while dressed as Aqua. I always only find them the day after or the day before. It feels like it's the game all over again. Maybe some day I will finally find those too. May thelr hearts be their guiding key. Sac pe a A AEnduring Sunflower (© @enduring.sunflower When did you start cosplaying and why did you decide to try it? I started cosplaying in 2013. I tried it out because I had friends talk about it in an anime club I was part of at school. I hadn't heard of cosplay until T was in my junior year of high school. It honestly sounded like fun so I really wanted to try it out for myself. Who was your first character and from what? My first cosplay was Xion from Kingdom Hearts because at the time I was getting into the series and really felt Xion was perfect for me. What was the first event/con you cosplayed at and how did it feel to cosplay in a crowd the first time? My first convention was Anime Mid-Atlantic 2013. It was a graduation gift from my parents to get me the ticket, cosplay, and give me money to buy things there. I didn’t know what to expect at all. The moment I was there it was like a whole other world I just stepped into. I was so nervous and shy walking in. To my surprise I was immediately stopped by someone who really loved my Xion. That Just made the whole experience so much more comfortable and inviting. As I walked around I kept ‘getting stopped and everyone was so nice. I was surprised. I wasn't used to so many compliments and kindness from others. I ended up meeting someone there who I later became friends with and to this day we still are. That one experience changed a lot for me and opened a lot of doors. What do you like about the Kingdom Hearts games and why did you decide to cosplay from ive honestly love the many different worlds you get to explore in the game but also the friendships between the characters. The story Is so sweet and the game play is just so much fun to me! I decided to cosplay from it because I really related to the character Xion and it's actually the cosplay that got me into being a cosplayer in the first place. Have you completed any of the games? Thave finished almost all the games. One that I have finished more than once is Kingdom Hearts 2! Why did you choose the specific KH characters you've cosplayed as? picked Xion because Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days was my very first Kingdom Hearts game and what started it all for me. I relate so much to Xion and saw a lot of myself in her. I've also been told I look like her so that just got me to really commit and cosplay her, and continue improving on her because she’s my favorite. The reason I picked Aqua is because I really love her design and hair, and she’s such a cool character to cosplay. I love how much she cherishes her friends, because I do too. “)My reason for picking Sora is because I just really love him as a character overall. He's a happy, dorky kid with a big heart. I tend to pick characters to cosplay that I relate to and, aside from Xion, Sora was really relatable for me, especially in Kingdom Hearts 3. I also just love his design in Kingdom Hearts 3 and thought It would be a cool one to do! Which is your favorite world in KH and why? My favorite world has always been Haloween Town, and that's really just because I love Jack from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas. Getting to fight alongside him and interact was really nice and the world design is really cool! Plus Sora’s design in that world is my favorite out of all of his outfits! Are there any worlds and/or characters you wish Square Enix would add to future games? Treasure Planet hands down. I have been waiting for the day a Kingdom Hearts game would finally have Treasure Planet as a world. Sora and Jim Hawkins would get along so well and it can really work for Kingdom Hearts. I can imagine that John Silver would be the final boss after getting possessed by darkness. It just would be a cool world to explore on the glider too. So many opportunities! What is your honest opinion of Donald Duck in KH? (Oh. He has let me down so many times in-game and I was surprised that he actually helped me in KH3, He's an alright Duck. Just not reliable. Are there plans to cosplay as any other Kingdom Hearts or versions of ones you have already in the future? T would love to cosplay Roxas at some point! I also really want to finally get around to cosplaying Halloween Town Sora since I really love that design. Kairi from KH3 would be nice. I love her design there and that they actually gave her more character. I think I want to cosplay too many! Do you have any fun stories of interacting with KH fans or other KH cosplayers while in one of your KH cosplays? remember my first time going to Otakon and I was nervous walking around in my Sora cosplay. 1 was surprised by the reaction it got, and through 2 crowd of people I spotted Riku. I chased him down and kept yelling Riku and the Riku cosplayer noticed who I was. We got to the side together to take pictures. It was so funny to me that I actually found him in a crowd as Sora. A bunch of people started to surround us cause Riku had the Combined Keyblade and we kept posing there for a while. ‘And became friends on Instagram!Joey Rosa When did you start cosplaying and why did you decide to try it? I started around 2010 but it was something I wanted to do back in 2008. I didn't have high enough courage to go with it in 2008 since i didn't have friends who cosplayed yet. When I made friends with cosplayers that’s what got me motivated to try It Who was your first character and from what? The first character I cosplayed was Pain from Naruto Shippuden. What was the first event/con you cosplayed at and how the first tim The first event was a Halloween hang out, which made it somewhat easy to cosplay without worrying about people. The first con I cosplayed at was Springfest 2011 and I was nervous taking a bus full of people who looked at me weird in my cosplay. Overall I overcame that and enjoyed it afterwards. What do you like about the Kingdom Hearts games and why did you decide to cosplay from iv? Tve been a huge Kingdom Hearts Fan since the first game came out for the PlayStation 2. I just love the story of it and the mix of Disney and Final Fantasy all together. Have you completed any of the games? Thave completed every Kingdom Hearts game except for Kingdom Hearts 3, Union x Cross, and Melody of Memory. I do have these games but I just have to find time to play and beat them. Why did you choose the specific KH characters you've cosplayed as? When it came to Terra from Birth by Sleep, I loved his character and his story. I felt a strong connection to this character but also I felt Birth by Sleep wasn't getting too much love like the other games. I fet ike I needed to show people and cosplayers that Birth by Sleep was still Ioved by kingdom Hearts fans. Which is your favorite world in KH and why? Wow, if I have to choose one world as my favorite it’s between Twilight Town cause of how calm and ‘smooth world to go to and Atlantic because of the jamming music. Are there any worlds and/or characters you wish Square Enix would add to future games? Shibuya from The World Ends With You, Moana, Chicken Little, Incredibles, Inside Out, and A Bug's Life.What is your honest opinion of Donald Duck in KH? He's not that bad. If you set up his commands then he's good. If you don’t set them up then he is. horrible to have on your team. Are there plans to cosplay as any other Kingdom Hearts or versions of ones you have already in the future? T do plan on bringing back Terra but also trying to do one of the Union Leaders from Kingdom Hearts Union x Cross. Do you have any fun stories of interacting with KH fans or other KH cosplayers while in one of your KH cosplays? Thave two stories. One was from my first Otakon in 2012. I cosplayed as Terra and was at the Kingdom Hearts photoshoot. I was the only Terra and there were three Aquas. When I took a pic with all of them people kept shouting out “Look It's Pimp Terral” To this day Aqua Cosplayers still call me that. ‘The other story was from AnimeNEXT 2013 when I was heading to the Kingdom Hearts photoshoot as Terra. Apparently there was a hotel room where people were partying and drinking since 10am. When. T was waiting for the elevator the group came out and was trying to help a drunk friend. That drunk uy saw me and screamed "TERRAAAAAAAA|" I just started laughing and told my friends, who I was rooming with, about it. They started laughing and they will always mention that whenever we're at a convention.Laura Tuffery When did you start cosplaying and why did you decide to try it? My first time cosplaying was in 2015 and it was just so I could carry my keyblade. Who was your first character and from what? My husband and I cosplayed as Riku and Kairi from Kingdom Hearts, What was the first event/con you cosplayed at and how did it feel to cosplay in a crowd the first time? (Our first convention was Dublin Comic-Con. We both felt like low level beginners compared to big cosplays but we were happy to be part of it What do you like about the Kingdom Hearts games and why did you decide to cosplay from ive Kingdom Hearts is my favourite video game. I am not a big gamer, especially compared to my husband, but I love everything In KH. The story is well written and the music Is great. Have you completed any of the games? finished KH1, KH2, 365/2 Days and Union X on my phone. Sadly I don't have the platforms for the ‘other games but I got Melody of Memory for Christmas so I hope to catch up with the missing story lines. Why did you choose the specific KH characters you've cosplayed as? I first wanted to go for Naminé and Roxas, my favourite characters. Then I realised that my wardrobe ‘would allow me to get a better cosplay of Kairi and I thought a keyblade barer would make more sense. Also with Kairi, Riku would make more sense than Roxas. Which is your favorite world in KH and why? Twilight Town is the best! It's a big place that feels empty when you start the second game, and this is attached to the feeling of the character. Also the White Manar is very impressive. When Sora wakes up the music is suddenly more bitter sweet. It’s less entertaining and more into the emotion, and I think the most important moment of the transition for Roxas/Sora. This is the where the friendship between Roxas, Axel and Xion grows and evolves. Are there any worlds and/or characters you wish Square Enix would add to future games? Since Disney bought Fox, Marvel and Star Wars there is now an infinity of great new possibilities. It's tough to decide. Maybe something in the vibe of Spiderman into the Spiderverse.What is your honest opinion of Donald Duck in KH? Donald is part of the story and makes it the way it is. KH would lose a bit of its innocence without him and he is kind of badass at some point! Are there plans to cosplay as any other Kingdom Hearts or versions of ones you have already in the future? If T cosplay KH characters it will have to be Naminé or Roxas, maybe Xion. But right now I am ‘working on several other cosplays including Kaylee Frye from Firefly (casual and ball version), Alex Fiero from Rick Riordan’s Chase Chronicle, and SpiderGwen, Do you have any fun stories of interacting with KH fans or other KH cosplayers whi fone of your KH cosplays? I didn't have the chance to interact too much with KH fans but recently I read a novel written by a uy that had Roxas profile picture. When I asked ifit was Roxas we had a fun and passionate chat!(©) N3rdy_R3trO When did you start cosplaying and why did you decide to try it? I started cosplaying around 2013 and I started because it was something different. I thought it would be fun. Who was your first character and from what? ‘The first character I cosplayed was a Miqo'te from Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. What was the first event/con you cosplayed at and how the first time? My first con was NY Comic Con 2013. I was cosplaying as a generic school girl from a zombie themed anime. Being in a crowd was weird at first but I became very comfortable when I saw so many ask for pictures and hugs, and were so friendly. What do you like about the Kingdom Hearts games and why did you decide to cosplay from it? ‘ingdom Hearts was the very first video game I ever finished by myself. It has a special place in my heart and I loved the characters. I chose to cosplay from this game because it was my favorite. Have you completed any of the games? Thave completed all Kingdom Hearts games thus far. Why did you choose the specific KH characters you've cosplayed as? When I chose Sora it was mostly because I had clothing that gave a similar color scheme, and I had the hair for him, I had never worn a wig before. To me Sora was the easiest to cosplay and my favorite keyblade back then. Even now my favorite is still the Heartless Key/Key of Hearts. Which is your favorite world in KH and why? My favorite world in the KH games is Atlantica from KH1. As for original worlds I love End of The World. It's just a huge maze and it's awesome. Are there any worlds and/or characters you wish Square Enix would add to future games? Thope they add at least one Final Fantasy world. Let it be dark and gritty. It'll be a nice change to the happy go lucky feel KH3 gave me. What is your honest opinion of Donald Duck in KH? Donald needs to heal more when it’s necessary!Are there plans to cosplay as any other Kingdom Hearts or versions of ones you have already in the future? Ido plan on redoing Terra, Terranort, and Vanitas in the future. But I'm also looking forward to trying my hands on Master Ava from Union X. Do you have any fun stories of interacting with KH fans or other KH cosplayers while in one of your KH cosplays? ‘At Katsucon 2020 I went with my friends as Terra, Ventus and Vanitas. We found an Aqua and every five seconds we were stopped while trying to find some friends. We ended up losing them completely.ShibaLove Cosplay (@@Shibalove_Cosplay Editor Note: ShibaLove Cosplay was first in the November/December 2020 issue. To learn ‘more about them, go to cosplaynyc.wordpress.com, "Magazine '20 to Present,” and click ‘on NovDec 2020. Scroll to page 7. For more of their cosplays, go to pages 5, 11, 16 and 41. ‘What do you like about the Kingdom Hearts games and why did you decide to cosplay from them? I love the character designs and it seemed really interesting. I watched a friend play some of the ‘games before getting one of the games myself and playing. I ended up really loving Roxas so I ended Up getting the jacket, making a Keyblade, and styling the wig for him so I could cosplay him! Have you completed any of the games? Yep! 358/2 Days was my favorite! Why did you choose the specific KH characters you've cosplayed as? I really loved Roxas’ story and character as well as his design. His wig ended up being the first fully styled wig I did from scratch, although I had some help from a friend with the bangs! I was also very excited to make the Kingdom Key as a prop. Demyx is another character on my list since he’s hilarious. He and Roxas are easily tied for my favorite character! Which is your favorite world in KH and why? Probably either the Pride Lands or Neverland. I love any game where you can fly so Neverland is a given. The Lion King is one of my favorite Disney movies so it’s hard not to love the Pride Lands. Are there any worlds and/or characters you wish Square Enix would add to future games? I think i'd be cute to have a Lady and the Tramp world! Although I’m not too sure what the plot would be there, What is your honest opinion of Donald Duck in KH? just want to know why he can’t heal me on time. Are there plans to cosplay as any other Kingdom Hearts or versions of ones you have already in the future? Demyx is definitely a cosplan. I just need to style my wig! I'd love to do Roxas’ KH2 outfit too! Do you have any fun stories of interacting with KH fans or other KH cosplayers while in one of your KH cosplays? Imade many good friends while cosplaying Roxas at Another Anime Con and Anime Boston years ‘gol I can think of any specific instances but do have plenty of good memories from cosplaying rom KH!Koh Koh Puff @Koh_Koh_Puff When did you start cosplaying and why did you decide to try it? I started in 2005. A friend of mine went to a convention beforehand and it sounded like a lot of fun. 1 really wanted the experience. ‘Who was your first character and from what? Kuja from Final Fantasy IX. What was the first event/con you cosplayed at and how did it feel to cosplay in a crowd the first time? The first convention I went to was Anime Boston and I adored it. It was one of the few times I actually enjoyed attention, What do you like about the Kingdom Hearts games and why did you decide to cosplay from them? really love the characters and the fact they were able to incorporate both Disney and Square Enix characters into one series. I always wanted to do a character from the games and ultimately made Sora Have you completed any of the games? Yes! Primarily the main series along with Birth by Sleep, Chain of Memories and Dream Drop Distance, Why did you choose the specific KH characters you've cosplayed as? Sora is my favorite character due to his high energy and kind attitude he has towards others. He's such a fun character and he instantly became my favorite. Which is your favorite world in KH and why? Most likely Atlantica from the first Kingdom Hearts, I've always had a fondness for mermaids, and dolphins are my favorite animals, Are there any worlds and/or characters you wish Square Enix would add to future games? Tid love Treasure Planet as a world. If they ever added Gargoyles I'd be extremely happy What is your honest opinion of Donald Duck in KH? I'm honestly indifferent. Other than him being weak early game I never had issues with him.Aare there plans to cosplay as any other Kingdom Hearts or versions of ones you have already in the future’ FR Fle 2 Ye verte pase me afl aferereonina ous for Sora pare, Do you have any fun stories of interacting with KH fans or other KH cosplayers while in one of your KH cosplays? T've made so many wonderful friends through the Kingdom Hearts community and simply getting together at photoshoots or going out to eat as a group dressed as characters from the series always brings fond memories.Iri De Jesus When did you start cosplaying and why did you decide to try it? I started cosplaying around 2010. I discovered that people actually dressed up as anime characters when I attended a convention for the first time. I was amazed that this was something you could do and I wanted to be part of it. Who was your first character and from what? My first character was Larxene from Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories. I made a terrible set of knives from Papier-maché. My mom bought it for me and I still own i What was the first event/con you cosplayed at and how did it feel to cosplay in a crowd the first time? I cosplayed for the first time at NY Anime Fest. My friends all dressed up as different members of Organization XIII from Kingdom Hearts. We actually had 10 members! The attention was a bit hard to get used to but the fun we had kept my mind off of it. What do you like about the Kingdom Hearts games and why did you decide to cosplay from them? Kingdom Hearts is one of the first games I played with my cousin when we were young, I loved exploring the different Disney worlds and seeing Mickey be a boss. I decided to cosplay from it because I've always liked villains and Kingdom Hearts made a great set. Have you completed any of the games? Sadly no. I'm not the best gamer. I end up planet hopping and hanging around. Why did you choose the specific KH characters you've cosplayed as? Aqua is a strong female character, and seeing her with a dark side made me fall in love. This was especially true when I realized her keyblade belonged to King Mickey. Although she didn't like the experience, I truly resonated with the new aesthetic. I even took the liberty of flipping the heart on her chest upside down to denote the change in her character. Which is your favorite world in KH and why? My favorite world has to be Halloween Town. Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorite movies so being able to visit as a child was special. Not only are the streets well designed but so was the Halloween outfit we received. It made our good boy [Sora] look like a baddie..Are there any worlds and/or characters you wish Square Enix would add to future games? Twould like to see Tiana or Moana play some kind of role. Let Tiana have a series of resturants in different worlds plus Dr. Facilier is an Iconic villian. What is your honest opinion of Donald Duck in KH? honestly do not mind him. Donald's character Is true to how he was in the show. He might be a bit passive aggressive but he cares deeply for his friends. Are there plans to cosplay as any other Kingdom Hearts or versions of ones you have already in the future? ve been thinking of perhaps the different kinds of Heartless or even Replica Riku. I feel that antagonists help bring the game together and give you experience through battle difficulties. Do you have any fun stories of interacting with KH fans or other KH cosplayers while in one of your KH cosplays? My favorite thing about KH cosplayers is that no matter what character you are, you must point your keyblade at each other in acknowledgment. It's like a secret handshake we all get to share.Michael Williams When did you start cosplaying and why did you decide to try it? The first time I cosplayed was around 2010. Who was your first character and from what? ‘The character I did was Marluxia from Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories. What was the first event/con you cosplayed at and how did it feel to cosplay in a crowd the first time? It took place at NY Anime Fest, and at first it was awkward for me, but because I was In a group doing Organization XIII it made it easier. What do you like about the Kingdom Hearts games and why did you decide to cosplay from them? love the character designs the most from Kingdom Hearts and really like the Idea of wearing those outfits. Have you completed any of the games? T've beaten Kingdom Hearts 1.5, 2.5, 2.8, and 3. Currently working on Melody of Memory. Why did you choose the specific KH characters you've cosplayed as? I chose to cosplay Terra Xehanort because I thought it'd be cool to do a duo of corrupted versions from the Birth By Sleep characters with Iri. Which is your favorite world in KH and why? ‘My favorite world in the KH universe is The World That Never Was. Are there any worlds and/or characters you wish Square Enix would add to future games? My hope for future games we might be able to explore Final Fantasy worlds or other Square Enix titles What is your honest opinion of Donald Duck in KH? Well, he's ok. A little obnoxious sometimes but ok. Are there plans to cosplay as any other Kingdom Hearts or versions of ones you have already in the future? I may do Young Xehanort someday.Do you have any fun stories of interacting with KH fans or other KH cosplayers while in one of your KH cosplays? Seeing Roxas and Ventus cosplayers was always fun. It was very easy to interact with them and hit it Cpa‘Anti-Aqua[Dr{Span) (@span\cosplay, | AogDeetoCosplay o © HALLOF FAME ) oCosplay o (@© HALL OF FAME 3) oCosplay o (© HALLOF FAME 3) ojanaKnight © Cosplay ~™ Cosplayer = ofthe aaa Month When did you start cosplaying and why did you decide to try it? started cosplaying in 2011. I have followed cosplay going back to 2003, ever since I heard people {g0 to conventions to dress up as anime and game characters. ‘What was the first event/con you cosplayed at and how did it feel to cosplay in a crowd the first time? wanted to cosplay at Otakon 2010 and Katsu 2011, but the cons came up too fast so it happened ‘at Otakon 2011. Honestly, at first I was not the most comfortable In cosplay and felt a little odd in the crowd. The comfort went up over time, especially by NekoCon 2012. Do you make your own cosplays, weapons, props, etc? I make the majority of my props, styled all my wigs but two (came styled or kept messing one up so I had a friend do it), make some armor pieces, various accessories, and even make some shoe covers by sewing them. Do you follow a plan from character choice to finished product? Honestly T just pick a character I feel like doing. Usually pick a costume I can find that I can work with (one sold online), then modify it to my liking if I need to. Then I work on making the prop, all ‘accessories, sometimes shoe covers. I save the wig for last always because it’s what I hate doing the most. A wig can either be perfect or a disaster in the end.‘Which cosplay was the most challenging and why? Bakugo from My Hero Academia. At the time I started him, around early 2017, there were no tutorials or patterns how to make the grenade bracers. I had to think of a totally random/bogus/inefficient way of making them which layered foam around mailing tubes. Even when I managed to make the grenade bracers, other pieces of his cosplay were an interesting challenge making hold. It took two cons for me to wear Bakugo without any help. Which cosplay do you wish you had made better and plan to remake in the future? definitely wish I remade Bakugo and did him differently, but I doubt I'd bother at this point. I did remake Kingdom Hearts Cloud which was satisfying. Which is your all time favorite cosplay? Kingdom Hearts Cloud. Cloud Strife is my favorite character. Kingdom Hearts is my favorite to cosplay. The two together in such an awesome design and you have it. Twant to say over 140. I need to check. It’s a lot. Currently over 100 in my closet What do you find intriguing about Kingdom Hearts? {fell in love with Kingdom Hearts back in 2003 because I loved Final Fantasy and Disney, Plus ‘Sora, Kairi, and Riku are such loveable characters. I finally decided to cosplay Roxas as my ‘seventh cosplay in 2013. I held off Kingdom Hearts for years, worried I would not pull it off, But a friend wanted to do Namine so I did it. It was so much fun cosplaying Kingdom Hearts at multipleWhy did you choose the specific characters you've cosplayed as? {typically like choosing the hero of an RPG video game. I just like being the hero that saves the world. I pick other characters I like who fit the personality or that have a design I like. Sora and Cloud are two characters I loved for years so I had to do them. T also enjoy cosplaying giris who are cute/kawall or ones that give off a serious vibe. Are there plans to cosplay as any other KH characters or versions of ones you have Iready in the future? T.am looking into cosplaying Yozora possibly, Aqua, a few more versions of Riku like the Replica and kingdom Hearts III version. Do you have any future cosplay plans besides from KH? T mostly have plans for Legend of Zelda, more Final Fantasy, Fate, Genshin Impact, and lots of anime. Do you have any fun stories of interacting with KH fans or other KH cosplayers whi one of your KH cosplays? Kingdom Hearts is where I made the majority of my close cosplay friends in the community like I met Sora copslayers while I was Roxas or vice versa. Some of my top memories were at Sakura-Con where I met ArtTheKidCosplays as Sora while I was wearing Roxas. Also that con was’2 meeting of a long time friend from Canada who was cosplaying Riku while I did Roxas. But the ‘most surprising was meeting my friend EV (yourguidingx) who said "Roxas" and I turned around, and she was a Xion dressed in the matching casual clothes that goes with Roxas Twilight Town. We chatted, took a selfie, and now she is one of my best friends. Also made memories with friends like Roze (Roxas and Namine), Dani (Terra and Kairi), Maddie (Ventus and Aqua), and even became friends with the person who tagged my Sora keyblade prop at PAX East. I cannot forget doing Christmas Town Sora with a Christmas Aqua (Maddie) and Kairi (Aubrey). Have you ever competed in masquerade or other cosplay contests? One time I was cosplaying as Gaara from Naruto at a con and staff told me I should enter my Gourd in the contest. I was like "naw, it's nothing amazing.” I ended up winning first place in the cosplay contest for Best Prop! Have you met a voice actor dressed as either their character or one from the same fandom, and if so, can you tell that story? Shockingly I never did, although I cosplayed over 10 characters voiced by Bryce Papenbrook. I did though cosplay as Cloud when I got to meet Nobuo Uematsu, the composer of Final Fantasy. ‘That was amazing and I still have that photo. Are there any other hobbies/sports/etc. you enjoy besides cosplaying? Tenjoy biking, snowboarding, shopping at malls, makeup and makeup products. Honestly I usually think I am the person who is unlike anyone in the world (laughs).Colyer Talrslatela} XIII Riku Organization XIII RoxasGee cutnt iad CF) pp Pa “e iPCDAKYUD BYVSAYT EYES ¢ a © Love Is In The Air § “@ ForCosplayNYC 9% Q nn rl a Magazine's g & Poe Couple g g Showcase d © & J i} 7) v Q A. & P _ » > DP, oe Q® ~~ YY r~e PEDAKYVS LVSANTVHVESLady, Deadpool Fresno and DeadpoolfresnoCSE Eee at PROM eT unr) rr Hanyuu and Rika Furude from raed W[Higurashi no Naku Koro NiKawaiiZombie|Cosplay/as Kagome [Inuyashalfrom}Inuyasha |UE LT | Mae asy Akane Tsunemori and Shinya PSYCHO-PASS Kogami from Psycho Pass i Nye ye Yonaland GET tio) Naar no Yona yAf oa Be Raia) Dieucue noc ered i ‘i : DSF sThe) Doctor and|Clockwork. ULL {from\Doctor,Who |\\ CiaMoniquejand|C! Wanamaker, fas|Rainbow]Brite\&\Krys|from) [Rainbow]Briteland|the|StarStealer,Mikadojand|Masaomi Gem TrEre PTE UO Crt from Noyemyi olejOliva and Dennis/a: PX. Sleeping!Beauty, and I Gone dali Paes Scorn from OCT Tel GeesAlthemia from |Dragalial [Vostfand ‘Pgon”Casi Eri ir) “S™Yur Yu HakushoCOSPLAY NYC CosplayNYC is a cosplay magazine based in New York City with the goal to showcase all facets of the world of costume playing. Every issue highlights cosplay throughout all fanverses and media from casual convention attendees to professional designers. We also bring you many things that interest cosplayers from Asian music to food and the cinema. Founders Sereene Brown Henry Jason Linetsky Jason Linetsky Writers Pedro De La Rosa Jason Linetsky Photographers Jason Linetsky Interviewers Jason Linetsky Marielena Pagan Graphic Artists Whitney Espinoza Margarita Kotsoni/ Volume}? }Issuet# 5) Nan Feby20241) oe NA LG Hint Gaiis Note: Cosplay images within these pages have been taken by our photographers or submitted by the cosplayer(s) featured in them. Credits for images not taken by our photographers have also been submitted by the cosplayer(s) featured in them. All convention and event logos are courtesy of their respect @ organizers. All media logos are courtesy of their respective production companies. CosplayNYC logo by Margarita Kotsoni For corrections, please email them to CosplayNYC@gmail.com. Cover: Yenra Photography Table of Contents: Left - Freeze Frame Foto Center - Freeze Frame Foto Right - Freeze Frame Foto Page 2: Anissa Garcia Page 3: Freeze Frame Foto Page 5: Electro Cosplay Page 6: Electro Cosplay Page 7: @Colossalxstudios Page 8: @Enduring.Sunflower, @Colossalxstudios, @photoleyan Page 9: A. G. Vask Page 1 Freeze Frame Foto, A. G. Vask, Omar Cogle, Joey Rosa Page 11: @tuffery! Page 12: @tufferyl Page 13: Freeze Frame Foto Page 14: Freeze Frame Foto, Jefferies Herrera Page 15: @cloudnot Page 16: @cloudnot Page 17: Nightlight Photography Page 18: Nightlight Photography Page 19: Freeze Frame Foto Page 20: Freeze Frame Foto Page 21: Freeze Frame Foto Page 22: Freeze Frame Foto Page 23: Freeze Frame Fotoy COSPLAY NYC Velma 2 ikea Nov/Dec?2020) ehotolGredits{Continued| Page 24: @elizabeth_richelle, @span.cosplay, @henteko.jpg Page 25: Jefferies Herrera Page 26: Freeze Frame Foto, Jefferies Herrera Page 2: Freeze Frame Foto, Ashton Photography Page 28: NightLight Photography Page 32: Yenra Photography Page 3: Yenra Photography Page 34: Felix Wong Photography Page 35: Felix Wong Photography Page 36: Felix Wong Photography Page 37: Felix Wong Photography Page 38: ManaKnight Cosplay Page 39: Manaknight Cosplay Page 40: @dtjaaaam/David Ngo, Felix Wong Photography, Yenra Photography Page 41: Sumiko.foto Photography, District of Photography, Papanotzzi, Quiznatodd Page 42: @dtjaaaam/David Ngo, Boundless Perception Page 43: @dtjaaaam/David Ngo, Dre 80 Photography Page 44: ManaKnight Cosplay Page 46: Patrick Malone, Nathan, Heidi Montalvo Page 47: Freeze Frame Foto, @ymarkerphotos/Yellow Marker Photos Page 48: KawaiiZombie Cosplay Page 49: Seychelle Page 50: Obscura Vista, GooJunky Photography Page 51: Debadeep Sen Photography, Belle of the Box Cosplay and Photography Page 52: RxSuperstar/ Volume}? }Issuey#4) Nov/Dect2020) el JENA Thato Gratis Gantimad) Page 53: Monique Wanamaker Page 54: ShibaLove Cosplay and @cloudnot Page 55: Freeze Frame Foto Page 56: Freeze Frame Foto Page 57: Freeze Frame Foto Page 58: Freeze Frame Foto Page 59: Freze Frame Foto Page 60: LindseyLeigh Photography Page 61: Knightmare6 PhotographyJason Linetsky Owner Cell: (929) 275-1598 Email: JasonLinetsky@gmail.com ‘Web Site: ffphotojimdo.com Facebook: FreezeFrameNYC Noel 1 a bern MULTIMEDIA ARTIST To} PO UVAN CE Ney 2. KoconU]