Welcome to the first ever Feature Friday Roundup: a place where all the cosplayers featured for the quarter of Q3 of 2020 are showcased together. (This first post will be a little longer than future posts because it includes the extra month of June!) Here, you’ll find their bios and cosplays as they were posted on Instagram and/or Twitter. Enjoy!
@yakfrost
Siege AKA @Yakfrost is a 24yo black/filipino cosplayer. You may recognize them from their amazing Tiktoks! (Go follow on there immediately! You won’t regret it!)
Siege’s cosplay range is VAST and includes many fandoms, including by not limited to Shera, Castlevania, Dragon Age, and all things Disney.
When @yakfrost isn’t absolutely slaying in cosplay, they’re taking down bigoted scum on Twitter and the rest of the internet. If you haven’t lived under a rock this whole time, you’ll know that they created the now infamous list of cosplayers who have donned blackface/brownface/raceface, at great cost to themself. Creating this list put a target on their back, but Siege has continued to prove with every cosplay that the opinions of racists and racist apologists won’t stop them from doing their thing.
But don’t just follow Siege because they’re fighting the good fight. Do it because they’re a multi-talented (did I mention they also draw?) creative and passionate individual. Do it because you love the same fandoms as they do. (I, for one, love their Entrapta and Esmeralda cosplays.) Do it because They. Are. Awesome.
@midnightpursona
Kalika AKA @midnightpursona is a 28yo Black plus-size cosplayer. If you want a cosplayer with range, look no further than @midnightpursona because she can do it all.
Kalika’s fandoms include Animal Crossing, MHA, Super Marios Bros, Undertale, Star Wars and Kingdom Hearts, just to name a few.
Pictures alone, however, do not do her justice: to see Kalika in all her full glory, you must watch her videos, available on youtube and Tiktok. @midnightpursona shines when emulating her favorite characters and taking on their pursonas. (See what I did there?) But her talent doesn’t stop there: Kalika is as comfortable behind the camera as she is in front of it, taking incredible photos of a wide variety of cosplayers. (If you ever need photos, hit her up!)
When @midnightpursona isn’t serving up fresh makeup looks or making you fall in love with her as Isabelle on tiktok, she can be found streaming games on her Twitch channel. Lately she’s been showing off her #AnimalCrossing island, complete with impeccable color coordination and custom designs of her own creation!
@blackbettiecosplays
Jamila AKA @blackbettiecosplays is a plus size cosplayer, creator, and photographer from the PNW. They have been cosplaying for over 10 years and have made over 37 cosplays from a variety of movies, comic books and animated films.
Jamila’s fandoms include Legend of Zelda, JJBA, Promare, Borderlands, Revolutionary Girl Utena, and Lore Olympus, just to name a few.
Their favorite thing about cosplay is the challenge of bringing each character to life while learning new crafting techniques. They believe strongly that cosplay is for everyone and work hard to spread that message.
@Sadboimemes.cos
Lex AKA @Sadboimemes.cos is a 20yo LGBTQA+ disabled cosplayer. If you want a light-hearted, meme-tastic cosplayer, @sadboimemes.cos is the cosplayer for you.
Lex’s fandoms include MHA, Banana Fish, Killing Stalking, and Kamisama Kiss to name a few.
Lex is upfront about having a few different chronic illnesses, but those don’t stop them from cosplaying with their friends (although maybe a bit less right now with covid). @sadboimemes.cos would like to tell other cosplayers, “Never give up because peace will win and fear will lose.”
@ocha_bana
Anthea AKA @ocha_bana is a 30yo Black, POC, LGBTQA+, Plus-size cosplayer. Based in Texas, they have participated in a number of different panels at cons, most recently some MHA panels at My Hero Con: Texas Smash as Shoto and Midnight. (I actually attended both and Anthea transformed themselves so much between the two characters that I didn’t recognize that they were one and the same person until after the con! The power of cosplay and great acting!)
Anthea‘s fandoms include Boku no Hero Academia, Final Fantasy XV, Dramatical Murder, and Beastars, to name a few.
When it comes to speaking about issues in the cosplay community, Anthea isn’t shy. They’re a great resource for anyone who wants to be informed as well as a great source of positivity. @ocha_bana wants to stress to fellow cosplayers that “Cosplay is for everyone! If you have a body, your cosplay is valid. Anyone who thinks otherwise can kick rocks.”
@fangirlproductions.cos
@fangirlproductions.cos is a 24yo POC LGBTQA+ Texas-based cosplayer! But she’s not just a cosplayer; she’s a photographer, actress, and designer! A talented con panelist, she has the impeccable power of wrangling a large group of high energy cosplayers into some very well planned (and very popular!) panels. (Honestly, just being able to organize groups that large is a skill in itself.) I personally got to witness @fangirlproductions.cos’s Animfest 2019 MHA Jeopardy panel and then had the honor to help with the same panel for MyHeroCon 2020 in January.
@fangirlproductions.cos’s fandoms include MHA, Star Wars, Disney, Sailor Moon, and Miraculous Ladybug to name a few.
If you have the smallest inkling of an idea for a cosplay, panel, or skit, @fangirlproductions.cos is right there supporting you 100%. She is a tenacious cosplayer who goes and gets what she wants, while also being one of the kindest souls you could meet. When asked if she had anything she’d like to add, all she said was “nope, only thankful to have met Ash through @Kaseydidwhat <3” (The feeling is mutual! 😭❤️)
@aceofoctagon
Drew AKA @aceofoctagons is a black Texas-based cosplayer and videographer. Drew films cosplay music videos at cons (though not currently, of course) and also does reviews and other short videos on his youtube. I did a couple video clips with him at Anime Dallas last November and had a blast shooting with him!
Drew’s fandoms include Samurai Champloo, Devil May Cry, and Psycho-pass to name a few.
Drew has this to say to everybody in the cosplay community: “I’m taking a break from cosplay currently to pursue videography. But, I still want to be involved in the community doing photos and videos with other cosplayers! Reach out if you want to try to work on something with me!”
@_xaeri
@_xaeri is an 18yo POC and LGBTQA+ cosplayer based in Texas. Known for their Deku cosplay, @_xaeri has participated in a number of panels as Deku at cons (most recently Animefest 2019 and My Hero Con 2020 in January). They also regularly collaborate with other cosplayers on Instagram and Tiktok.
@_xaeri’s fandoms include My Hero Academia, Avatar the Last Airbender, and Full Metal Alchemist to name a few.
When they’re not working on cosplays, @_xaeri does their part to spread positivity in the cosplay community. They believe that cosplay is for everyone and will share cosplayers on their IG stories to help promote them. They’re also aware that the cosplay community isn’t perfect and will regularly share resources on ways to improve it from within. (Sharing PSA’s on how to treat fellow cosplayers and reminders of things you definitely shouldn’t do like blackface or the recent “foxy eye” trend.) They know by sharing these, it can help other cosplayers feel included in the community.
@whodigiya
Jarvis AKA @whodigiya is a 34yo Black/POC cosplayer with an affinity for fighting games, alpacas, Cranston from Animal Crossing (all hail Cranston) and Croconanas. He commissions pieces of his cosplays and makes sure every time to credit the cosplayers/artists involved, which is of course always appreciated. @whodigiya is no stranger to #cosfit and works hard on his own physical fitness to help him cosplay many characters from various fighting games.
Jarvis’s fandoms include The Boondocks, Animal Crossing, Sonic the Hedgehog, horror movies, and Garth Ennis comics and all things SNK to name a few.
When @whodigiya isn’t cosplaying, he’s a USO volunteer, helping boost troop morale and bringing smiles with all the different zany hats he has at his disposal (which is a lot apparently lol) Jarvis is a delight and I’ve only gotten to hang out with him at one con but I hope we can again once all this is over! (Also he sent me 2 ANCH penguin amiibo cards so I’m forever in his debt.)
@vespidcosplay
Vespid AKA @vespidcosplay is a non-binary LGBT cosplayer based in Texas. Vespid’s cosplays are vibrant and eye-catching, their make-up stunning and beautiful, their wigs gravity-defying and always perfectly placed. Looking at their instagram page is like looking upon a rainbow, the colors so bright and varied. @vespidcosplay truly transforms themself whenever they get into cosplay.
Vespid’s fandoms include RWBY, Steven Universe, and Gravity Falls to name a few.
Vespid has won an award once, been a cosplay guest twice, a contest judge once, and has hosted interactive panels at many conventions. Their most recent panel “Building Your Cosplay Brand” at Anime Dallas 2019 is actually what inspired me to get into paneling. And seeing them successfully guest at two cons really motivates me to give it a shot as well. Above all, Vespid is a great friend and one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. Their energy is so positive, you can’t help but feel happy in their presence. @vespidcosplay wants to remind everyone that “Cosplay is about fun! Never forget that!”
@Pohutukosplay
Caryl AKA @Pohutukosplay is an LGBTQA+ Filipina cosplayer from Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa (Wellington, New Zealand). She’s been cosplaying for ten years, with a mix of buying/commissioning, altering, and making the various components of each cosplay. Caryl mainly cosplays Western superheroes, video game heroines, and Disney princesses.
Since she grew up in a Western media landscape lacking in Filipino or even Southeast Asian representation, @Pohutukosplay cosplays partially to show people, especially children of color, that heroes and princesses don’t have to look like the white Western ideal of beauty – they can look like her.
Caryl not only cosplays, she coordinates other cosplayers as volunteers for Wellington Children’s Hospital’s annual street appeal and city Christmas festival fundraising. She acts as a liaison between this team of cosplayers and the hospitals, working to collect donations. Unfortunately this year, their street appeal scheduled for August 21st was cancelled due to New Zealand’s recent community transmission of coronavirus, so @Pohutukosplay is asking for online donations to the children’s hospital. You can donate online here: https://whf.org.nz/donate/ She adds “The New Zealand dollar is weaker than the currencies of the US, UK, and EU, so if you’re from one of those countries, a small donation would go further here!” Let’s help her raise some funds for this good cause! It’s obvious that @Pohutukosplay cares very much for her community and it’s an honor to feature such a selfless and caring cosplayer!
@ComicRumble
@ComicRumble is a 24yo Black cosplayer. She’s made some really incredible cosplays, including Trico from the Last Guardian and Meowscular Chef from Monster Hunter World. It’s obvious from her page that she is very talented when it comes to working with foam, fur, and larger than life characters! I can only imagine how spectacular these cosplays must look in person!
@ComicRumble’s fandoms include Persona/Shin Megami Tensei, Jojo, and Legend of Zelda to name a few.
She’s been cosplaying for 9 years, starting with fursuits in 2011 then moving onto anything and everything else. Along the way, she got a total of 9 awards! She also has a site that features some patterns for digital download as well as her build book for her Anja cosplay.
@RedBaranCosplay
Christie Baran AKA @RedbaranCosplay is a 27yo cosplayer who somehow has fewer than 2000 followers? What? That’s ridiculous and needs to be remedied immediately!
Christie’s fandoms include RWBY, Legend of Zelda, Dark Souls, Bioshock, and Madoka Magicka to name a few.
I’ve been following Christie ever since I found her through the #MariaCalaveraCosplay hashtag. She was the first Maria cosplayer I had seen ANYWHERE when I started mine and I looked at her page constantly to get inspiration. If you’ve been following me for my Maria cosplays, you should recognize her handle by now because I tag her in every post that has the skull mask because SHE MADE IT. It is so well-crafted and I will sing her praises for eternity and always recommend her work for anyone interested in it. She works so fast and is so talented in all of the cosplays she constructs.
@pinksunshinecos
Abby AKA @pinksunshinecos is a 25yo LGBTQIA+ cosplayer based in Texas. One of Abby’s favorite parts of cosplay is the PLAY part! Crossovers and alternate costumes are what really keep her going. But her most favorite part is meeting people and making friends! It can be hard to make friends as an adult, but having this hobby that comes with a lot of passion is a good place to start!
Abby’s fandoms include RWBY, My Hero Academia, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and Teen Titans to name a few.
Abby is very active in the local Texas con scene and is an admin for the Rooster Teeth DFW Chapter and has helped run their stream for Extra Life! It’s clear that @pinksunshinecos cares deeply about giving back to her community!
@ajbug_cosplay
AJ Bug Cosplay AKA @ajbug_cosplay is a 27yo LGBTQIA+, plus-size cosplayer. She has been cosplaying since 2011, going by and promoting the motto “Cosplay is for everyone” all the while. Her first guest appearance was in 2019 at County Pop Con, where she was a judge for the cosplay contest.
@ajbug_cosplay’s fandoms include Lord of the Rings, Super Sonico, Bleach, Inuyasha, and Overwatch to name a few.
AJ Bug Cosplay is more than just a cosplayer; she’s also an OF model, creator for Patreon, and an artist on Etsy! She encourages everyone to chase after their dreams and reminds them that cosplay is for anyone.
Ashweez Cosplay 
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