eMagi.co.uk: Feeding your Anime, Manga, Videogame and Japanese Culture needs!

We previously interviewed Potential Angel here at eMagi and we present the second round of interviews with the lovely TaroTard!

Hello! Thank you once more to be interviewed for eMagi.co.uk. Please state your name and current occupation
Ashlea Babb
Student at Cardiff University (Japanese and Business Studies)

Do you have any hobbies or interests?
Cosplay Japan, anime, manga, drama, movies, JRock/Pop/VK, skating, spending money! Chocolate and cake yum! Hanging out with friends and my smexy mancake >P

When did you first show interest in animé and more specifically cosplaying?
First got into anime properly in my first year of 6th form when I started watching Cardcaptors… I absolutely fell in love with that show. I did enjoy watching pokemon way before that but I really got into anime with cardcaptors. Anyway that was about 6/7 years ago now

I got into cosplay quite some time after that. My first ever cosplay was at Ayacon05 when I went as Ed Elric. I ordered the cosplay off eBay and was so excited when it came haha, I have done MANY cosplays since then.

Why cosplay at all? To some, people find it weird yet it is gaining more popularity in the UK due to various events and coverage. What do you enjoy the most about it?
When I’m in cosplay for some reason I get more confidence from somewhere! Normally the thought of wearing a weird costume in front of people would freak me out. But as soon as I’m in cosplay I don’t care. I run up to people and enjoy the strange looks haha and it’s really sweet when people recognise who you are or ask for your photo.

You get to be someone other than yourself for the day.

I also just love to dress up, when they stopped doing fancy dress when you go to secondary school I was gutted! Now I get the chance again haha

Which characters have you cosplayed thus far and your favourite amongst them?
Quite a few…

Ed Elric - Aya05
Byakuya Kuchiki and Wolfram Von Bielfeld - Ame06
Luke Fon Fabre and Natalia Lanvaldear - Ame07
Mina Tsukuda - Densha Otoko/ Getsumen to Heiki - Midlands Expo Sep 07
Haruhi Suzumiya - London Expo 07
Natalia Lanvaldear - London Expo May 08
Midori (GHIII) - Ame08
Astharoshe Asran (original outfit) - Midlands Expo Sep 08

And that’s it… my favourites were Midori and Natalia

I saw that Midori cosplay and thought it was very cool indeed! Also nice guitar! Hehe. Why is Midori and Natalia your favourite cosplays to date?
The outfits are the most fun and interesting. Midori… I did the red-haired version. Is full of colour and random items like she wears red and white stripe tights and then white kind of see through stockings over the top. She’s very bright and vibrant. Natalia’s outfit is classy looking, kind of appropriate for a Kingdom Princess, so it kinda made me feel proud to wear it, haha. I love both so much I just wish I had had a better wig for Natalia!!!

It looks like you have crossplayed previously, what are your opinions on this as it is quite popular it seems for females to do so?
I have no problem with crossplay on either side. These days I prefer to cosplay as girls because I like the cute outfits, but I’ve seen lots of girls cosplaying as boys who look fantastic and vice versa. It gets a lot of attention, especially when the boys dress as women, those are the cosplayers that are remembered the most ^_- and have forums started about them haha

Ever enlisted to be in a cosplay masquerade?
No, I wouldn’t think it fair really. I suppose I could have with my Midori cosplay. But most of my cosplays are brought off ebay and generally masquerades are for those who made their own, that’s what it seems to me anyway I think they usually ask? Not sure though as I’ve never been in one ^_^

How long on average was spent on your cosplay to create it?
Well most of my costumes I brought, I worked on my Mina, Midori and Astharoshe cosplays but none were that difficult. I guess about 20-40 hours

If there was one aspect of cosplay you would like to improve on, what would it be?
Definitely the making of it! I would love to be able to make my very own amazing cosplay, I think I need more determination really. I think if I had the materials out in front of me I might be motivated to get on with it. But by the time I go out to buy materials my motivation has gone and I get lazy ^^;

The eternal cosplay question – Make or Buy?
I’d prefer to make but I am not very good! Perhaps as I continue with cosplaying I will get better!!!

Any characters you would like to cosplay in the future?
I’d love to cosplay in Astharoshe’s battle outfit from Trinity Blood and Anissina from Kyo Kara Maou and Euphemia from Code Geass… maybe ^^

Most impressive cosplay you have seen?
I can’t remember her name but she cosplayed as Seth Nightroad at Amecon07 and London Expo 07 (I think… on the latter) she looked absolutely amazing!!! And she MADE her outfit! I envy her skills. Also I look in cosmode in awe at all the costumes ^^

Best anime related event you have been to thus far?
Ayacon 05 absolutely out of this world and cannot WAIT for the next one! Probably followed by Alcon08 and then maybe Ame07

Thank you for your time! Would you like to leave a little message to our readers?
Erm, Cosplay lots and have fun mina-saaaaaaan!!!

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