[INTERVIEW] Tatsumi Inui ~ Sin Izumi ~ KANAME☆ at Chara Expo 2015

*PREVIEW*

Tatsumi Inui is one of the administrators for cosplay websites Cure and World Cosplay. Besides being one of the judges at the World Cosplay Submit Championship, he participates in various cosplay contests in the Asia and Europe regions. As a cosplayer, he often cosplays as middle-aged characters.

Sin Izumi has been surrounded by anime, manga and games since young, and started cosplaying since she was 10. She also appears as a talent on television, radio show, and many more. Since her active participation in cosplaying, she has received quite some attention from media, such as The Nikkei, gravure, etc.

KANAME☆ is a renowned Japanese cosplayer famous who frequently graces his presence at major anime and cosplay events in Southeast Asian countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong.

GUESS WHAT GUYS!!!!!!?

Kojacon Report got an interview chance with all of them at Chara Expo 2015!
So what’s that all about? Let’s check this out!

Hi everyone! Thanks for coming today! Please tell us your impression about Singapore and this event.

KANAME☆
This is very good event that not only fans from Singapore who gather here and join the event, but also from another country so it makes more enjoyable to everyone even for performer like me. I like this kind of anime event, and everytime I invited to this kind of event, I want to thank to all of you that comes here.  I see many people come to japanese event, and how they love anime, cosplay, and othe japanese culture, I appreciate it.

Sin Izumi
I like Singapore, you’re all so nice to me. The audiences’ crowd really makes me happy and enjoy the event. I’ll come again here someday. I’ll eat Singaporean foods for dinner later LOL

Tatsumi Inui
Singapore is very clean! I like it. And the scenery is just like, uhm.. photogenic? yeah! I want to take picture here and there in Singapore. This event is very cool! And you’re all very cool also!

How long does it take to prepare costume(s) for cosplaying in one event?

Sin Izumi
1 month to 6 months or more, depends on the costume I make and the detail itself. For this event i also take long time to prepare the material.

Tatsumi Inui
I ususally around 1 month. Sometimes 2 months. For this event, this is the new costume I specially made.

KANAME☆
For new cosplay, around 1 to 2 months. I think it’s very late but i ever made preparation for detail around half ~ 1 year

How could you maintain expenses for making cosplay costume and what is the difficulty of cosplaying itself?

Tatsumi Inui
I try to make good quality costume so I can use it again in the future. Because I like to cosplay, I think it doesn’t matter about how much does it cost to make new costume or two. The difficulty maybe just the detail of costume, like pattern, design or some kind like that.

KANAME☆
Now is kinda different for me. I feel like cosplaying is my job, so I can make money from cosplay and I’ll use that money again to another cosplay. There are so many unbelievable costume for 2D drawing like anime or game character. That’s very challenging! So I’m trying my best to create the similar one with the most suit material, I know it’s very difficult to find one. Special material like rubber sometimes could help.

Sin Izumi
I’m saving! Saving my money to cosplay! LOL That simple. For difficulty of course for detail. I’m searching over the official book and internet to find the hidden detail that cannot be found in TV or common magazine. I should look for the best similar material instead just try to make it quick with available cloth.

What do you think about quality of cosplayers who came today? How you decided the winner of previous cosplay contest?

Tatsumi Inui
Before the contest start today, I saw all the cosplayers in venue, and I was very surprised since there are not so much different with cosplay event in Japan. All cosplayers actually really good, I really appreciate them to make such a good quality of costume and join the contest. For the winners, I chose the best expression from the cosplayed character itself. Whether they really understand what they’re cosplaying or not.

KANAME☆
I came to cosplay event many times. As usual I saw many types of contestant. It depends on the atmosphere of the venue. Many cosplayers with good costume didn’t know what to do on stage or they felt shy to act in front of the audience, vice versa there are also contestant with common costume but they were very entertaining with their act or dialogue. That’s not an easy to choose one actually. I decided the winner who could impressed the audience both side.

Lately we often hear many good comments and bad comments about cosplay. What do you think about the meaning of cosplay itself? Is there any “do(s) and don’t(s)” or special rule to do the good cosplay?

Sin Izumi
It’s difficult question and the answer is also difficult. I understand cosplaying is difficult, but I know the excitement of doing cosplay, it’s really fun so I’m sure there’s many people out there want to do cosplay too. For new cosplayers, maybe they’re confuse how to do a good cosplay and how to make other people enjoy their cosplay. For me, it’s up to them to decide if my cosplay is bad or not good but as long as I enjoy my cosplay it doesn’t matter to me. So if you want to do cosplay just do it for fun and enjoy!

KANAME☆
Actually there are no rule for doing cosplay itself. Or even if there’s a rule, I don’t know LOL. If you like the character you just can do cosplay as you like. I ever heard about the wrong hairstyle, not good design, wrong pattern or something like that judged to new cosplayer. But for myself, I’m happy just see people cosplaying character they like. Not always perfect I know, but as long as they enjoy themselves, I also enjoy the cosplay. The most important thing is don’t be affraid to cosplay and don’t be irritated to see the cosplay you don’t like.

Special thanks to Chara Expo 2015 Committee