Lack of convention badges

[napoleana]

Well, the tops and shorts were a bit longer than I described, or they would've been told to go to their rooms and change, but you get the basic idea.

[Tigress]

First of all, the only reason we allow live steel is because we have dealers who sell them. I understand wanting authentic cosplay, but since you can't unsheath it, I can't for the life of me understand why these people won't get wood replicas or something. I mean swords cost hella money, and if you set something down for a second at a con, it's freaking gone. I would never bring something valuable to a con just to say, "Yeah, this sword you can't see? It's totally real. If I so much as showed you half an inch, I'd get kicked out. Yay!"

I've seen some very passable bokken than can easily be painted to look like real swords. And a black cloth scabbard isn't that hard to make. Sheesh.

Furthermore, someone's going to ask to see your sword. If they start horsing around with it, it's better that they break a $20-30 piece of wood than a $300 - 500 sword.

I carry around a guitar with my Haruko costume. People will make a snide remark about how it's not a bass, to which I reply: "Hey, it's blue and vaguely guitar shaped and it only cost me $20 off eBay." And I won't cry too much if it gets stolen.

At least most of the ones I've seen do have the body for it. But at least 3/4 of them are just cheap cosplay. They'll go around in an orange sports bra and black short-shorts and do their hair up in poby-tails and call themselves "sexy no jutsu." That's half-assed cosplay. I LOATHE half-assed cosplay.

One of the kids at Librari-Con was doing a Sexy Jutsu Diedara, with a ratty blond wig (the cap was clearly visible), a black sundress and felt clouds pinned to the dress. I was the only one that recognized what she was trying to do. She was 13 and looked like she was 90 pounds... soaking wet. It looked pretty pathetic.

I know the kids were still baby otaku and their parents didn't really "approve" of their obsession, so they were doing the best they could with what they had available. But... damn. Learn to sew, kids. It's not that hard.

I can't afford tailored costumes myself, but that's why I do fashion-cosplay or characters like Nana Oosaki (where I can get everything I need off the clearance rack at HotTopic).

I often make my own. I like Hot Topic, but it's way overpriced for cheap material that's rarely in my size. I can make my own Hot Topic-esque outfits that look better for much cheaper.

(Looks at the pattern book she bought and drools over the project she's currently working on.)

[napoleana]

I carry around a guitar with my Haruko costume. People will make a snide remark about how it's not a bass, to which I reply: "Hey, it's blue and vaguely guitar shaped and it only cost me $20 off eBay." And I won't cry too much if it gets stolen.

My dad builds more guitar/bass bodies than he ever buys the electronic parts for. He could probably sell props in the $20-30 range that look just like the real thing, only won't function. Thing is there's not enough demand for guitar/bass props for me to actually bother trying to inform him of this.

She was 13 and looked like she was 90 pounds... soaking wet. It looked pretty pathetic.

I know the kids were still baby otaku and their parents didn't really "approve" of their obsession, so they were doing the best they could with what they had available. But... damn. Learn to sew, kids. It's not that hard.

At the first con I attended (volunteering as the same job I now do as a director), I saw a girl who was 10-12, escorted by her dad. (Those under 13 must be escorted by a parent.) She was wearing a bikini, short-shorts, and a scarf. It was the scarf that made me sure she was doing a half-asses Riku (the colors were entirely wrong, and none of the accessories were there, and her hair was in an unstyled ponytail) and not merely a tramp-in-the-making. But this is a 12 year old escorted by her father dressed like this! I wanted to leave my spot just to bitch-slap the man who let his young daughter advertise herself in such a way.

I only saw them once again, later that day, and she was dressed more modestly. I hope it was because security had a talk with him, and I hope they were rude.

I often make my own. I like Hot Topic, but it's way overpriced for cheap material that's rarely in my size. I can make my own Hot Topic-esque outfits that look better for much cheaper.

(Looks at the pattern book she bought and drools over the project she's currently working on.)

Heh, note that I said "Clearance." The skirt was $7.50 (admittedly, not a color Nana wears, but hey, the style was right), and actually, I got almost everything else off eBay.

Otherwise, I am practically creating my own character, as that way I don't have to worry about accuracy and I have time to develop it. She wears well-made lolita. I refuse to dress as horribly as the cosplay lolitas at our con.

I am so super curious now about what you are up to, but I've gotten off-topic enough as it is. (And apologies for practically dominating someone else's topic! ^.^;; )

[Tigress]

I am so super curious now about what you are up to, but I've gotten off-topic enough as it is. (And apologies for practically dominating someone else's topic! ^.^;; )

My MySpace profile has updates on my latest project.

[Imogene]

It was the scarf that made me sure she was doing a half-asses Riku

Ah, my first con (mentioned earlier in the thread) I saw a girl who couldn't have been more than three, wearing Cutey Honey's leotard, with her mother, whom the only detail I can remember was that she was rather large, no clue on who she was attempting to be, and they were just standing at the corner of a hallway, not really interested in anything but standing there.

[Hon'ya-chan]

I must warn you that photos of such cosplayers could come close to breaking our no pornography rule. I do, however, accept such submissions via email

Rapscallion

Only if I become a moderator will you get them sunshine.

[lordlundar]

I must warn you that photos of such cosplayers could come close to breaking our no pornography rule. I do, however, accept such submissions via email

Rapscallion

SPOILSPORT!

Then again, after some of the costumes at these cons, it's probably better for all involved that they're not for public display.

[Dreamstalker]

I have a vague idea of what the "Sexy no Jutsu" concept is, and the image of that with the stereotypical otaku body type is bad enough

[Geek King]

I have a vague idea of what the "Sexy no Jutsu" concept is, and the image of that with the stereotypical otaku body type is bad enough

Frankly, it is the modern version of the yellow bikini with black magic marker tiger stripes.


***Bonus Content***

I have been reminded of a conversation I overheard at SugoiCon a few years back.

EO1: Elder Otaku One, easily in his 50-60s
EO2: Ditto EO1

EO1: Boy, things sure are different now.
EO2: Yeah...
EO1: I remember when we would sit in a dark room watching a fifth generation copy of a Gundam LD. <<LD = LaserDisk for the lingo-impaired>>
EO2: Yeah...
EO1: And there was some guy in the back corner translating, `cause no one subtittled back then.
EO2: Yeah...
EO1: Anime Conventions were usually held in some guy's living room.
EO2: Yeah...
<Faye Valentine cosplayer walks by>
EO1: Plus there are girls now...
EO2: <sighing> Yeahhh...

[Tigress]

I have a vague idea of what the "Sexy no Jutsu" concept is, and the image of that with the stereotypical otaku body type is bad enough

Basically, at the start of the Naruto series, Naruto's favorite ninja move is the "Sexy no Jutsu", where he transforms into an alluring female version of himself with only clouds covering the naughty bits. He uses it to confuse and embarrass his opponents.

Naruto cosplayers, usually the ones that are too lazy to make the original characters, try to do a "Sexy no Jutsu" version of every male character in the series, despite the fact that only two characters have this technique (the second being Konohamaru). Most of them suck and are often just an excuse for bimbos-in-training to dress like sluts.

The only one I was extremely impressed with was by my friend, who did a Sexy no Jutsu Kyuubi. (Naruto's Nine-tailed Fox Demon broke out after Naruto did the Sexy no Jutsu.) Complete with short kimono, fox ears, dyed red hair and 10 POUND FOX TAILS HANGING OFF HER BUTT. She was very popular this year and her tails made a handy pillow. But she regretted her decision to wear the little red slingbacks she had and kicked them off at every opportunity. Poor dear. And I thought my platform go-go boots for Haruko were murder.

[napoleana]

If you can see it (it's on my Facebook album), here is a really good sexy kyuubi, posing with a regular kyuubi, at our last convention. Notice the *gasp!* modesty, the fact that she's attractive to begin with, and that there's actually good quality with her cosplay. >.>

[Hon'ya-chan]

If you can see it (it's on my Facebook album), here is a really good sexy kyuubi, posing with a regular kyuubi, at our last convention. Notice the *gasp!* modesty, the fact that she's attractive to begin with, and that there's actually good quality with her cosplay. >.>

I'm sorry, but that girl looks like she's trying to cosplay an off-color Vulpix from Pokemon.

[napoleana]

ROFL. Or that. My point is that it's not craptastic. Most of your "interpretation" characters are done by people that seem determined to glue and duct tape their costumes together. Like I said, I don't sew (though I plan to start learning soon, as it's really sad not to have a little of that skill) and I'm cheap, but even I can avoid that...

[Tigress]

If you can see it (it's on my Facebook album), here is a really good sexy kyuubi, posing with a regular kyuubi, at our last convention. Notice the *gasp!* modesty, the fact that she's attractive to begin with, and that there's actually good quality with her cosplay. >.>

I know that Kyuubi! She wore the costume at Animazement last year. All three days... While it was 90 degrees out...

[napoleana]

I know that Kyuubi! She wore the costume at Animazement last year. All three days... While it was 90 degrees out...

If you figure out where I work, please don't rat me out. If the congoers knew I hated them, all would be ruined. Despite the stupidity, I really love the job.