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. :]
I think most people will know me by Sjbonnar,
my online alias on several cosplay forums and websites!
1. How long would you say you've been cosplaying, at a guess?
I do believe I started cosplaying in 2005! So over three years now! I attended the London MCM Expo and
while there were not as many cosplayers then as there are now, I was caught up in it. The next one I attended, I had bought
a cosplay. The following time, being adamant about entering the masquerade, I made my own costumes!
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?
Oh dear, I really should learn to read ahead! Well, a small part of this can be answered in the last question, but
there is really a whole lot more to it than that. From quite a young age I began roleplaying, taking over certain characters in
text-based forums online and writing in-character as part of a larger story. I think that Cosplay is an evolution of that!
It takes a lot of skill, provides me with many challenges and stimulates me constantly. As such, I think it was part of a
natural course that I then stumbled into!
3. What do you find you cosplay from mostly? Games? Anime? Manga? Disney? Do you crossplay? If so, who?
For a long time it seemed to be animé only, quite varying ones although I started with some
mainstream shonen animé like Bleach and Naruto for cosplaying as some of the designs were catchy, but simple and
they were great starting points. Recently I am beginning to branch out more, having cosplayed from video games and
with more video game cosplays in the works at the moment as well as some movie-based cosplays...I really find it
hard to narrow it down since I am quite often looking to expand my own horizons!
4. What are your favourite costumes to do? Colourful ones? Really complicated ones? And why?
I think it started out as being simple but eye-catching. I generally need to love the actual character
as I try to get really into character when in costume as well. Recently I seem to be going for the more complicated ones,
or if they are simplistic characters, I tend to try and aim for the more complex of their costumes or make some extra props etc.
5. Do you like to cosplay alone, or like to be involved in groups? Or both?
I think it is definitely a mix of both. I have never really cosplayed fully alone, as my
girlfriend was always there with me in her own costume, but we started going after different series' and then
began cosplaying together more and more. Now we always seem to aim to compliment one another in our cosplay
choices! I have also cosplayed with my cosplay group Random Accent on several occassions, most recently in
our Hellsing group and then a number of us were part of a Steampunk group from my novel Flight of
the Valkyrie. I tend to try everything once!
6. Do you have any dream cosplays or groups you'd like to do?
I seem to be slowly getting through the dream cosplays! I wanted to do something from Dynasty or Samurai
Warriors, and am now making Fu Xi from Warriors Orochi 2 which is even better in my eyes. I always wanted to cosplay from Final
Fantasy and now I finally found a character I really wanted to do, Angeal Hewley from Final Fantasy VII:Crisis Core. But the
top of my dream list is one which I am hoping to finish for the end of the year. Totoro from My Neighbour Totoro!
7. What would you say was the best thing about cosplaying, personally? And what would be your best experience to date?
The best thing about cosplay is the amazing people that I have met. True, cosplay socialising
also equals more drama than a secondary school playground, but it really is worth it. I tend to be a recluse and
without cosplay, I really would not have many friends. As for the best experience cosplay wise...It would be close
between being told by Dave Wittenberg (Hatake Kakashi's dubbed voice actor) that my Jiraiya costume was amazing
and...the masquerade at Amecon this past year!
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?
1. Alucard from Hellsing. Alucard is one of those rare characters that is far deeper than many
people realise. In the space of one in-character photoshoot, I can be soulful, happy, evil,
insane, caring, grief-stricken, dead, alive and undead! It really is amazing! Plus his costume
is so striking!
2. Jiraiya from Naruto. I get to spend all day acting like a pervert! What more is there to
say? ;-) No, in all seriousness, Jiraiya is another complex character who is portrayed as so
simplistic at first, but the truth of who he is gets explored and ends up being very deep.
He's also one of the most amusing characters to date!
3. Count Louis de Theudubert from Flight of the Valkyrie. I love Steampunk with a passion.
Mixing Neo-Victoriana with science-fiction from the late 1800's is fantastic and the creativity
is so much fun! I'm still unsure if I would really class it as cosplaying, but I will definitely
include it here. The Count is everything I would want to be in a character and I designed him
myself, which means I have personal freedom, but also personal restrictions due to the novel!
9. For anyone looking to enter into the cosplay scene, what advice would you give?
Have an open mind! Try everything once! Don't be afraid to talk to people! If you need advice,
get in contact with anyone you think can help you. 9/10 cosplayers are amazingly friendly and will help you in any
way they can! Failing that, contact me and I'll do my best LOL
Cosplayer Photos
Alucard photograph taken by Seraphim Cry of CosplaySnap
Alucard and Baskerville photograph taken by Seraphim Cry of CosplaySnap
Jiraya photograph taken by Wayward Destiny Productions
Count Louis de Theudubert photograph taken by Christopher Patrick Lee
The Phantom photograph taken by Unknown
Uriel photograph taken by RedKun of CosplaySnap
Angeal photograph taken by Death-May-Die
Count Louis de Theudubert, Battle Armour photograph taken by a Death-May-Die
Major photograph taken by Unknown
Xemnas photograph taken by Death-May-Die
To find out more about SJBonnar you can find him on: CosplayIsland.co.uk
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