Firstly, thank you for agreeing to do this interview for Silver Star!
If you'll start by telling us who you are. Real name or online alias is fine. :]
James, or Ilpala online
1. How long would you say you've been cosplaying, at a guess?
I started cosplaying in 2001, so about 8-9 years. Before
that I’d made a few LARP costumes though so I had a head start!
2. What was it that made you interested in cosplay? Was it an outside influence,
like friends? Or a natural course that occoured as you grew up?
When I started, the convention community was very small and the number of cosplayers even smaller.
For me the masquerade was still the highlight of the event though and after a few years of watching I really wanted to
take part.
I also love making things and I’ve found that cosplay is one of the best tests of ingenuity and creativity
going so it was probably a natural progression too :P
3. What do you find you cosplay from mostly? Games? Anime? Manga? Disney? Do you crossplay? If so, who?
Most of my costumes come from Anime but really it’s mostly about what’s inspiring me
at the time, so I tend to go through phases. Last year I made a lot of game costumes, a few years back it
was Trigun etc.
I’ve crossplayed once, as Chiyochan from Azumanga Diaoh. It was purely for laughs and I persuaded all of
my cosplay friends to also crossplay as Azumanga characters.
4. What are your favourite costumes to do? Colourful ones? Really complicated ones? And why?
Complicated and detailed ones, I love to challenge myself. I also much prefer to work
with props and armour than I do fabric, I can visualize how they go together much better.
I go for a lot of characters that wear big coats and cloaks too, being very tall they tend to suit me very
well and I like the look and feel!
5. Do you like to cosplay alone, or like to be involved in groups? Or both?
Mostly I cosplay as part of a group or with my girlfriend, Lunar_Kitten, it’s more fun that’s way :)
My local club, Wessex Anime often cosplays as a group and we put on a performance at Minamicon most years. We’ve done things like; Trigun,
Nadesico, Excel Saga, FFX, Samurai Pizza Cats, FMP and Transformers amongst others.
6. Do you have any dream cosplays or groups you'd like to do?
I could tell you but I would have to kill you :P
Most of my dream cosplays are fairly major projects and I like to surprise people. I’ve had a Ryuk
and a Knightmare costume on the drawing board for a while though.
7. What would you say was the best thing about cosplaying, personally? And what would be your best experience to date?
Cosplaying is an amazing hobby, it’s creative, teaches you many practical skills and involves
all sorts like problem solving, planning and acting too. Personally I also get a huge sense
of achievement from finishing a costume, and I tend to be quite proud of my handiwork.
Probably my best experience was the reception and recognition I got for my first major costume;
Vash the Stampede. As well as winning my first masquerade in it with my friends from Wessex Anime,
for our Trigun skit. We really didn’t expect that.
8. I know most people hate to do this, but out of the cosplays you've done, which ... three, say, are your favourites and why?
Ummm, three whole ones…… It would have to be;
Vash the Stampede for the memories,
Auron, for being my best all-round costume and the one that I enjoy wearing the most, and
Optimus Prime for being, well, 9ft tall and amazing!
9. For anyone looking to enter into the cosplay scene, what advice would you give?
Have fun, nothing else matters as much as this.
Cosplay is many things to many people, so concentrate on what you enjoy, be it construction, performing or just
wondering around and making friends. Don’t try to bite off so much that you get stressed ^_-
Cosplayer Photos
Alexander photograph taken by unknown
Angelo photograph taken by Redkun of CosplaySnap
Auron photograph taken by LunarKitten
Beaker photograph taken by Nert
Black Knight photograph taken by LunarKitten
Celestin photopgrah taken by LunarKitten
Cervantes photograph taken by Nert
Dracula photograph taken by Kazz
Flash photograph taken by LunarKitten
Gekiganger photograph taken by unknown
Gourry photograph taken by Kazz
Captain Harlock photograph taken by LunarKitten
Ilpalazzo photograph taken by unknown
Jack Skellington photograph taken by LunarKitten
Mitsurugi photograph taken by unknown
Optimus Prime photograph taken by Redkun of CosplaySnap
Santa Jack Skellington photograph taken by LunarKitten
Shannon photograph taken by LunarKitten
Wolfwood photograph taken by unknown
Zoro photograph taken by unknown
To find out more about Ilpala you can find him on: CosplayIsland
Contact
E Mail
LiveJournal
DeviantArt
Cosplay Island
Cosplay.com
Flickr
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Site by Silver. All costumes made by Silver unless stated otherwise.
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