Happy Friday and Happy New Year! To ring in the new year, let’s take a look back at our Feature Friday cosplayers for the last quarter of 2020. I want to thank everyone who has submitted to be featured. Below, you’ll find all the featured cosplayers as they were posted on Instagram and/or Twitter. Enjoy!
@_man_of_doom
Man of Doom AKA @_man_of_doom is a 24yo POC, disabled cosplayer (he/they). Man of Doom is on the autism spectrum and set to be featured in Cosplay Realm Magazine’s Halloween 2020 issue. (Congrats!)
Man of Doom’s fandoms include Doom, JJBA, Berserk, “boomer shooters”, and Mortal Kombat to name a few.
A reason why @_man_of_doom got into cosplay was because it initially provided an escape from a very dark time in their life. Cosplay has continued to provide them with–not just motivation–but also a therapeutic serenity they’ve rarely felt. Man of Doom still feels somewhat new to cosplay, after only doing two variants of the same character, but they’re branching out in ways they didn’t expect. As of late, they’ve been in the process of figuring themselves out and who they really are, and their more recent cosplay work has helped factor into that. Cosplay has earned them more friends in the last 3-4 years than in the preceding ten. @_man_of_doom wants to tell cosplayers: “It doesn’t have to be all about followers or clout; cosplay can provide an escape and even several circles of friends.”
@mafioso_bae
Aclairic AKA @mafioso_bae is a Black, LGBTQIA+, Plus-size cosplayer based in Dallas, TX. Aclairic’s fandoms include BNHA, Final Fantasy 15, and xxxHolic to name a few.
When they started cosplaying at cons in 2003, they just did it because they loved costumes and being someone else. However, it changed when–during a Naruto photoshoot–Aclairic was told that “no one wants to take photos with a Black Naruto”. It made them hesitant to cosplay, even with friends. @mafioso_bae still has a hard time asking friends to take pictures with them, and tend to stay behind the lens. (This is also why they usually take their own photos and don’t ask a photographer to do it). Aclairic went years thinking that they’d ruin their friends’ photo, simply by being black. It was only in this past year–after meeting new people and getting into BNHA–that they started really trying to get themselves out there more. @mafioso_bae tries not to worry about what they look like and ignores when people tell them how they should feel. @mafioso_bae advice to cosplayers struggling is to “Cry a little, then cosplay a lot. It will help.”
As far as Aclaire’s cosplay-based accomplishments go, they’ve risen the weeb ranks and are now Assistant Director of Programming for Animefest Dallas! 💖 Not only that, they have their own YouTube Channel, Brat Prince Productions, which is shaping up to be a nerdy variety channel of podcasts, cosplay cooking shows, ASMR, and more! Please check it out! They also have an Etsy, and have written for That Nerd Show. They’re a very busy cosplayer!
@Batbushka
Taylor AKA @Batbushka is a 26yo LGBTQIA+, disabled cosplayer! @Batbushka cosplays because it mixes all their skills into a single hobby. If it weren’t for cosplay, they wouldn’t have the chance to use makeup in such creative ways. They also enjoy showing their love for something by bringing it to life and giving it a special personal touch. Taylor likes to use patterned and textured fabrics or add glitter and jewels to costumes that otherwise might not have them. They are motivated to now create looks and costumes that have a little touch of themselves to them.
Taylor’s fandoms include DC Comics, Overwatch, and Inuyasha to name a few.
@batbushka as a disability advocate, knowing first hand the experiences of living with a disability. They run disability panels and in fact will be co-running a cosplay podcast called “Kigu Talk” starting November 21st. Make sure you tune in for that! It’ll be streamed live on Twitch and later posted to youtube with an audio transcript later for people who are HoH/Deaf.
All photos by @FairylunaPhotography
@CupofPre
Pre AKA @CupofPre is a 23yo POC plus-sized LGBTQIA+ cosplayer based out of the East Coast of the U.S. Pre cosplays because it is the only creative outlet and this is how she artistically expresses her love for her favorite shows and JRPGs. It gives her an escape from the woes of everyday life (as a student pharmacist)! As for what motivates her to cosplay, @CupofPre would say it’s a little different. The people—whether they’ve been supporting cosplay and her from the very beginning or just complimented her cosplay(s) a mere few hours ago—are what motivates her. One thing that has recently really driven her to cosplay (more than she ever has in the two years she’s cosplayed) is when other cosplayers call her takes on controversial cosplay community issues on Twitter “relatable” or “inspirational.”
Pre’s fandoms include Tales of, Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, NieR and Avatar the Last Airbender to name a few.
@CupofPre has this message for other cosplayers: “Think of cosplay as a part of YOU and your body. Now, the only person that has a right to that aspect of yourself is well: you. Regardless of your skin color, gender identity, body shape, if you’re disabled, trans, if you’re from ANY marginalized group: NO ONE else has a right to say what you can and cannot cosplay besides you.”
Photo creds in order:
1) @Tnguyenphotos
2) @dapple_mii
3, 4) @vampiriaphotography_cosplay
5) @karamelphotography
@Lissandela
Alexandria AKA @Lissandela is a 33yo Black cosplayer based out of Mississippi. @Lissandela cosplays for self expression and to work out the bad feelings. She’s always been a creative person of sorts, whether it was writing stories and poetry or attempting to draw. Each cosplay is an expression of herself. When Alexandria first started, it was her motivating herself. But as she’s grown, seeing people be inspired by her—or even seeing other peoples’ complicated builds and progress—motivates her to keep on her journey.
Alexandria’s fandoms include FF14 and anything magical girl related.
@Lissandela has been featured in the Final Fantasy issue of Cosplay Realm Magazine, as one of the many cosplays representing FFXIV. She also recently started a podcast with two of her closest mutuals, talking about cosplay and the cosplay community. The podcast is called @kigutalk and airs on the Kigu Talk Twitch channel Fridays at 6pm Central Time, with vods coming out with CC afterwards.
Photo creds in order:
1,2) @josephlane_photo
@ViperCorp Cos
Codence AKA @vipercorpcos is a 25yo Georgia-based LGBTQIA+ and plus-size cosplayer!
Codence’s fandoms include RWBY, Star Wars, Assassin’s Creed, Destiny, and Dead by Daylight to name a few.
Codence loves making cosplays, being creative, and getting to do group cosplays with her friends. The sense of accomplishment and community that cosplay gives her is a really big point of accomplishment for her and she enjoys the feeling of being successful.
Be sure to check out the links in @vipercorpcos’s bio for where else you can support her!
Photo creds in order:
1) @patricksunphoto
2) @vipercorpcos’s husband
3) @tjw_creations
4) @marc.overcash.photography
5) @phantomstarphotography
Ashweez Cosplay 
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