<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[animeotakuculture]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://animeotakuculture.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[animeotakuculture]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://animeotakuculture.wordpress.com/author/animeotakuculture/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Cosplayer Profiles AnimeUSA&nbsp;2013]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>Attending conventions and <a title="urban dictionary, cosplay, cosplaying, costume," href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cosplay" target="_blank">cosplay</a> are very important social aspects of the Anime Community. While not everyone at a convention is a cosplayer and some people like just take pictures of other&#8217;s costumes, cosplay is still one of the most enjoyable parts of an anime convention. Because of this I decided to interview two cosplayers at AnimeUSA, who happen to be my friends, to learn a bit about their costuming passions.</p>
<p>Haley has been cosplaying for 7 years and has attended 14 conventions, and Mandy has been cosplaying for 2 years and has attended 7 conventions. I used pictures of their &#8216;Favorite Currently In-Use Cosplay&#8221;, Haley&#8217;s Winter Sawsbuck (<em>Pokemon</em> <a title="pokemon, gijinka, urban dictionary" href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gijinka" target="_blank">Gijinka</a>) and Mandy&#8217;s Pit from <em>Kid Icarus</em>.</p>
<div data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_380" style="width: 343px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/winter-sawsbuck.jpg"><img loading="lazy" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-380" data-attachment-id="380" data-permalink="https://animeotakuculture.wordpress.com/2013/10/18/cosplayer-profiles-animeusa-2013/winter-sawsbuck/" data-orig-file="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/winter-sawsbuck.jpg" data-orig-size="657,708" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="winter sawsbuck" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Haley as Winter Sawsbuck (Pokemon gijinka)&lt;/p&gt;
" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Haley as Winter Sawsbuck (Pokemon gijinka)&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/winter-sawsbuck.jpg?w=278" data-large-file="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/winter-sawsbuck.jpg?w=657" class=" wp-image-380   " alt="Haley as Winter Sawsbuck (Pokemon gijinka)" src="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/winter-sawsbuck.jpg?w=333&#038;h=355" width="333" height="355" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-380" class="wp-caption-text">Haley as Winter Sawsbuck (Pokemon gijinka)</p></div>
<div data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_381" style="width: 290px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pit-kid-icarus.jpg"><img loading="lazy" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-381" data-attachment-id="381" data-permalink="https://animeotakuculture.wordpress.com/2013/10/18/cosplayer-profiles-animeusa-2013/pit-kid-icarus/" data-orig-file="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pit-kid-icarus.jpg" data-orig-size="720,960" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="mandy as pit kid icarus" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Mandy as Pit from Kid Icarus&lt;/p&gt;
" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Mandy as Pit from Kid Icarus&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pit-kid-icarus.jpg?w=225" data-large-file="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pit-kid-icarus.jpg?w=720" class=" wp-image-381   " alt="Mandy as Pit from Kid Icarus" src="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pit-kid-icarus.jpg?w=280&#038;h=355" width="280" height="355" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-381" class="wp-caption-text">Mandy as Pit from Kid Icarus</p></div>
<div data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_386" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/cosplay-yay.jpg"><img loading="lazy" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-386" data-attachment-id="386" data-permalink="https://animeotakuculture.wordpress.com/2013/10/18/cosplayer-profiles-animeusa-2013/cosplay-yay/" data-orig-file="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/cosplay-yay.jpg" data-orig-size="960,720" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Our AnimeUSA group" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Our AnimeUSA group (plus a random OnePIece cosplayer on the far right)&lt;/p&gt;
" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Our AnimeUSA group (plus a random OnePIece cosplayer on the far right)&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/cosplay-yay.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/cosplay-yay.jpg?w=960" class="size-medium wp-image-386 " title="Our AnimeUSA group, I'm on Haley's right (plus a random OnePIece cosplayer on the far right)" alt="Our AnimeUSA group, I'm on Haley's right (plus a random OnePIece cosplayer on the far right)" src="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/cosplay-yay.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/cosplay-yay.jpg?w=300&amp;h=225 300w, https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/cosplay-yay.jpg?w=600&amp;h=450 600w, https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/cosplay-yay.jpg?w=150&amp;h=113 150w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-386" class="wp-caption-text">Our AnimeUSA group, I&#8217;m on Haley&#8217;s right as a Fennkein Pokemon Gijinka (plus a random OnePIece cosplayer on the far right)</p></div>
<p><strong>Q.  What is the weirdest material you&#8217;ve used?</strong></p>
<blockquote><p>Haley- a door stopper, for a prop for Kira Kosuke from the anime <em>Btooom!</em></p>
<p>Mandy- cans of Mountain Dew, to make the laurels for my Pit cosplay</p></blockquote>
<p><strong>Q. for Mandy: What inspires you to make a new cosplay?</strong></p>
<p>Mandy- I want to show my love for my favorite  characters, and to show appreciation to their creator.</p>
<p><strong>Q. What is the hardest piece  that you&#8217;ve very made for a costume?</strong></p>
<p>Haley- altering a sweater for a Halloween version of Estonia from the anime <em>Hetalia</em></p>
<p>Mandy- toga for Pit from the game <em>Kid Icarus</em>, since there was no pattern</p>
<p><strong>Q. What originally got you into  cosplay?</strong></p>
<p>Haley- People who cosplay at conventions get talked to more, so its easier to make new friends while wearing a costume.</p>
<p>Mandy- my friends go to conventions and most people cosplay, so it seemed fun, and if someone recognizes your costume, you know that you have a shared interest with them</p>
<p>Q. for Haley: You&#8217;ve been to a lot of conventions, whats that like?</p>
<p>Haley- going to conventions is really fun, but I&#8217;ve been to so many that it&#8217;s hard to keep my exact count accurate!</p>
<p><strong> Q. What is your favorite Convention snack?</strong></p>
<p>Haley- Chocolate Pocky and Strawberry Ramune</p>
<p>Mandy- Strawberry Pocky</p>
<div data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_408" style="width: 297px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pocky.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-408" data-attachment-id="408" data-permalink="https://animeotakuculture.wordpress.com/2013/10/18/cosplayer-profiles-animeusa-2013/pocky/" data-orig-file="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pocky.jpeg" data-orig-size="287,176" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="pocky" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Chocolate Pocky&lt;/p&gt;
" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Chocolate Pocky&lt;/p&gt;
" data-medium-file="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pocky.jpeg?w=287" data-large-file="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pocky.jpeg?w=287" class="size-full wp-image-408" alt="Chocolate Pocky" src="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pocky.jpeg?w=287&#038;h=176" width="287" height="176" srcset="https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pocky.jpeg 287w, https://animeotakuculture.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/pocky.jpeg?w=150&amp;h=92 150w" sizes="(max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-408" class="wp-caption-text">Chocolate Pocky</p></div>
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