Summer Cosplay Hacks

With summer coming up, most cosplayers are getting ready for conventions and meetups, too excited to remember exactly how hot a wig and costume can get under the sun’s unforgiving rays. Going to Kuronekocon every August has given me plenty of experience with just how brutal cosplaying in 100-degree weather can be, but it’s also taught me some important tips and tricks for staying cool while cosplaying in the summer.

A lot of cosplayers may be tempted to tough the heat out, but heat stroke and heat exhaustion do happen and they are no joking matter. Planning for the heat may seem like a hassle, but it could make the difference between enjoying your con to the fullest or retreating back to your hotel sick and miserable after only a few hours.

To make sure you can enjoy cosplaying in the summer rather than suffer through it, here are a few things I’ve learned in order to deal with the inescapable heat:

Make or look for cosplays made from natural fibers. This might not seem like a big deal and it can potentially mean spending a little bit more, but believe me–you will feel a major difference just by doing this. Polyester traps heat and sweat against your skin. Sound pleasant? It’s not. And in severe heat with more layers than advisable, it can be dangerous. On the other hand, natural fibers such as cotton and linen will breathe and wick away sweat, letting you stay way cooler.

Stay hydrated. Seriously. Drinking water and stopping for bathroom breaks may seem like an inconvenience, but they are a lot less inconvenient than a heat migraine which can be debilitating and bring your whole day to a halt. Carry water with you if at all possible.

Speaking of staying hydrated, freeze half a bottle of water the night before con. In the morning you can fill it up the rest of the way and it will help ensure you have ice cold fluids all day long.

Replenish lost electrolytes. If you’re sweating, you’re losing electrolytes. And if you’re cosplaying in the heat, chances are pretty good that you’re going to sweat a lot. Replenishing those lost electrolytes will not only help protect you from heat-related illness, it will also make sure you feel your best and can enjoy cosplaying to the fullest. I like these single-serve electrolyte powder packs that you can just pour right into your water bottle. These ones have no added flavors, sugars, or any other fillers. It’s just the electrolytes you need, nothing else.

Pick heat-friendly cosplays. (Seriously.) Save your heavy faux-fur and wool cloak for winter cons and pick something a little lighter to wear during the summer. It is okay to have seasonal cosplays. I have cosplays I can only wear during the cooler months. And I have others that I’d freeze in during winter. If you’re not sure whether a cosplay will do well in the heat, wear it during a hot day for a trial run.

“Cheat” on layers. If you are stubborn enough to have a cosplay with several levels during the summer, remember that you can cheat a bit to stave off the heat. If your character wears a long-sleeve button-up shirt and a jacket for instance–opt for wearing a short-sleeved button-up shirt instead. No one will see the sleeve anyway, and it’ll save you a few degrees. You can also use faux collars sewn right onto vests and skip the undershirt all together. Also, if you are crazy enough to wear a cosplay with a coat during the summer, don’t be shy about taking it off. If you’re wandering around the vendor hall doing some shopping give yourself a break. You can always put the coat back on for photos.

That brings us to another point. Take breaks often. Limit your time outside in the heat, take frequent breaks to walk through some air-conditioning to cool down, and if you feel the start of a headache or experience any dizziness or just feel miserably hot, head to the bathroom and run some cold water over the inside of your wrists. This will help your body to cool down quickly.

Keep cool with a handheld spritzer fan or cooling towel. My good friends Danny and Cleo spend most of the hot, August convention here with spritzer fans in hand, spraying themselves down to survive the scorching heat. These little contraptions do work wonders to cool you down, and if you’re worried about messing up your makeup you can always spritz your neck, arms, legs, chest, or any other exposed skin. Plus you can use the fan as a regular fan, too. You can also use a cooling towel to keep the heat at bay even in the hottest cosplay. Putting one around the back of your neck does wonders to keep you cool.

That’s it for now–I’ll be putting these tricks to the test tomorrow for Lilac City Comicon (cosplaying Kageyama and Todoroki), so I will let you know how that goes in my next post!

Did I miss any tips for beating the heat in cosplay? Leave a comment and let me know below!

Have fun cosplaying this summer and above all else, stay safe!

Just as a heads up, there may be affiliate links in this post. These don’t cost you anything extra, but they help me earn a small commission and that helps me keep this blog running so that I can provide even more anime and game reviews plus cosplay tips and tricks!

Anime Review: Haikyuu!!

I’ll be honest with you guys–I was pretty shocked when I discovered I hadn’t properly reviewed Haikyuu!! yet. As you might have read in my previous posts about the new season of Haikyuu!! and how much I love cosplaying Kageyama, I adore Haikyuu!!. It is one of my favorite anime series of all time. I’ve rewatched it more than three times (and plan to do so again before the new season) and I’ve even picked up reading the manga.

When I first watched Haikyuu!! I was still fresh to the sports anime scene. Free! had introduced me to the world of beautiful character development and slice-of-life drama that sports anime is known for, and this time, going into Haikyuu!!, I was ready and excited to see what it would bring.

I fell down the rabbit hole hard.

Haikyuu!! follows the story of Hinata, a boy who fell in love with volleyball when he saw “The Little Giant” and Karasuno playing volleyball at nationals on TV. He was short, but “The Little Giant” was relatively small for a volleyball player, too–and seeing his prowess inspired Hinata to take up the sport despite his petite size.

Unfortunately, with no real volleyball club at his school, Hinata is forced to practice more or less alone. He eventually throws together a rag-tag team of friends who barely know how to play the sport in order to compete at a tournament. He’s faced by a powerhouse team right away, and despite his speed and reflexes, his team is systematically crushed by a team with a brilliant but terrifying setter, Kageyama.

In tears, he vows to take revenge and receives some surprisingly sincere advice from his newfound rival before they part ways… only to meet again in volleyball tryouts for the same team at the same high school: Karasuno.

Kageyama and Hinata truly struggle to get along at first. Hinata doesn’t know how to feel about teaming up with the one person he swore to defeat on the court, and Kageyama is still angry and deeply hurt from being abandoned by his team in the middle of a game. He’s antagonistic, unfriendly, and afraid to trust others and, I’ll be honest, at the beginning of the series I didn’t like him at all. That didn’t last long. Kageyama has some of the most incredible character development I’ve ever seen, and he went quickly from being my least favorite to my absolute favorite character in the series.

Haikyuu!! does a great job at showing how afraid and hurt he is, underneath all of the angry outbursts, and how Hinata with his candid words, incredible reflexes, and eagerness to hit any toss slowly changes Kageyama and teaches him how to trust and work in a team again.

They go from being archnemeses to best friends (or more? there’s a lot of chemistry there, just saying). Their rivalry goes from bitter and serious enough to brawl over to a fun competition and a way to better themselves and reach higher and higher.

Of course, change isn’t easy. Hinata has a lot to learn and despite his incredible jumps he had a lot of practicing to do to hone his skills. It takes time, a few bumps, and one bad fight for Kageyama to trust again, too. And while these two grow, the team grows with them. Asahi and Nishinoya must mend their broken relationship for him to return to the team as Karasuno’s ace. Suga and Daichi struggle to face old foes who destroyed them in games before.

Karasuno isn’t the only team that gets to shine in the limelight, either. One of the things I love about Haikyuu!! is that it gets inside of the head of so many different characters from so many different teams. It’s hard to know who to root for sometimes because you fall in love with both teams.

There is no real villain here–even though Aoba Johsai and Shiratorizawa come close. Instead, Haikyuu!! paints every team dreaming of going to nationals, sharing camaraderie with their teammates, and working hard to achieve their goals.

I’ll admit that the animation style was a bit hard to get used to at first, but the realism of Haikyuu!! (Karasuno is not perfect from the beginning) and the attention to the development of all of the main characters and virtually all of the side characters really makes it an incredible series.

Although the games are important, too, the main struggles of Haikyuu!! are internal. They are born of tense or broken relationships, or from past trauma.

And, Haikyuu!! is one of those incredible series that can have me doubled over laughing one minute and tearing up on the edge of my seat the next.

If you haven’t seen this gem already, be sure to check Haikyuu!! out and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Con Crud: Prevention and Recovery Tips

If you’ve never heard of con crud before, let me tell you right now that it’s no fun. It’s the sickness that can result from being exposed to a cocktail of viruses at a convention of thousands of other people coming from all different regions and environments.

Con crud can take a lot of different forms, and while I usually am able to prevent it… this year I got so sick after Sakura-con that I had to get x-rays and was diagnosed with pneumonia.

Although this year was a rough one for con crud, there are still ways to help protect yourself from catching it and tips for a quick recovery if you do happen to catch it.

Con Crud Prevention: Before the Convention

Half of the battle for preventing con crud is to make sure your immune system is at full strength before you hit the convention. There will be an absolute sea of germs there, so the stronger your immune system is when you attend, the better you’ll fare.

Get a flu shot at least ten days before the convention. Even if you do get the flu, getting a flu shot beforehand will diminish the intensity and the length of time you’re sick for. Consider getting a pneumonia shot if they are available, too. Most vaccines are thimerosal-free, now, too, which is good news to anyone sensitive to preservatives or worried about heavy metals.
Get plenty of sleep before the convention. In a perfect world, we would eat three square meals during con and get at least seven hours of sleep, but life happens. Time has a habit of getting away from you at con. Just in case you don’t get enough sleep while you’re attending, make sure to sleep extra the week before. Hit the convention well-rested. Not only will you have more fun, you’ll lower your chances of getting sick.
Allergies? Take care of them with a non-drowsy allergy pill. Seriously. This was possibly my major downfall this time. I stayed with a couple of awesome friends who have two very cute cats and while I’m mildly allergic to cats, it’s usually fine if I take a Zyrtec. Only… I ran out of Zyrtec after the first day of staying with them for a week. If your immune system is off having a hissy fit over seasonal or environmental allergies it might not do its job in protecting you from actual germs.
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water, and take some supplements (especially vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc) the week before. All of these help to boost your immune system so it can fight at full strength.
Increase the amount of spicy food, onions, and garlic in your diet. I didn’t get a chance to do that this time around, but usually just this step does a fantastic job at warding off sickness.
Hold off on the alcohol. Drinking, especially heavy drinking, can bog down your immune system so that it’s not at it’s best when you need it most.

Con Crud Prevention: During the Convention

When you’re at the convention, your health is the last thing on your mind. While you’re busy having fun, though, a few small steps can help prevent you from getting sick. The last thing you want is to have your con experience ruined with the flu, right?

Eat real food and drink water. I know, you’re busy and tempted to survive on only pocky and energy drinks the whole weekend, but you’ll feel a lot better during and after con if you make sure to get some real food here and there and drink water regularly. It doesn’t have to be full meals (though ideally, it would be)–even just crackers and cheese or healthy fruit snacks or a hardboiled egg can do wonders. Just make sure to refrigerate your snacks if you have anything perishable. Food poisoning is no fun at all. Carry a filtered water bottle with you during con, too, so you can fill up at any sink or water fountain and stay hydrated.
Wash your hands before you eat. If you can’t, use hand sanitizer. I know this should be common sense but it’s extra important during a convention. You’re touching merch that ten thousand other people have touched. You’re shaking hands, hugging, high-fiving, and cozying up for selfies with more people than you do any other weekend. Wash. Your. Hands.
Wash your hands before touching your face. Same as before, your hands end up crawling with germs at con. If you need to rub your eyes or nose, adjust your makeup, etc. wash your hands first.
Get some sleep, even if it’s not a full seven hours. Five is still better than zero. You’ll have a lot more fun at the convention if you get at least five or six hours of sleep, too. Seven is better, but I get it. Con is a crazy time. So, get at least five.

Con Crud Prevention: After the Convention

After the convention, chances are pretty good that you have a whole host of viruses running through your system. How well you take care of yourself in this time will make the difference in whether you deal with the germs effortlessly or wind up bedridden and miserable.

Catch up on sleep. In a perfect world, you would get at least seven hours of sleep a night at the convention. Let’s be realistic, though. You probably missed a few hours of z’s, so be sure to rest up after the convention.
Keep at it with the fruits and vegetables. Your body is likely craving real food after a weekend of snacks, junk food, and long hours on your feet. You burn a lot of calories at con and your body will be craving some real nutrients afterward.
Drink lots of water and take those vitamins (especially vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc). It’s easy to get dehydrated at con no matter how noble your intentions are, and the extra vitamins will give your fighting immune system an extra boost.
Turn up the heat with spicy food, onions, and garlic. Germs hate spicy food (including onions and garlic), so loading up on these helps give your immune system an advantage.
Replenish lost electrolytes. Long hours at con running around with friends and being over or underdressed for the weather in cosplay can result in some lost electrolytes. Add a little salt to your diet, keep at it with the water, and have a banana or two to build your electrolytes back up to where they should be.
Hold off on the alcohol… no really. Fight the temptation to have celebratory drinks after the convention. You might not be aware of it, but your immune system is already at war with all the pathogens you were exposed to. Alcohol will only drag your immune system down during these crucial moments.

What to Do If You Get Con Crud

Sometimes even with the best preventative measures, the con germs get you down. Cut your recovery time and get better fast by taking care of yourself if you get the crud.

Rest. A lot. There is no such thing as sleeping too much if you are sick. Sleep as much as you can while you’re sick to get better faster.
Don’t overdo it. If you’re sick, it’s not the time for exercise, a marathon, or a party. Even when you’re not sleeping take it easy. Let your body focus on fighting off the crud without pushing it to do other things.
Keep your germs to yourself. Resist the temptation to hang out with friends while you’re recovering. Focus on resting and save social time for after you feel better.
Load up on fruits and vegetables. These will keep your immune system running at full strength with all the vitamins packed into them.
Drink lots of water and take those vitamins (especially vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc). It’s easy to get dehydrated when you’re sick, but it’s also when your body needs water the most. Keep filled up on water and take vitamins to boost your immune system during its fight.
Turn up the heat with spicy food, onions, and garlic. These are not only good for prevention but also for recovery.
Replenish lost electrolytes. Make sure you’re getting a little bit of salt and potassium (bananas are great for this) while you’re recovering. You can lose a lot of electrolytes while sick no matter what form the sickness takes.
Hold off on the alcohol… no really. Although there are a few rumors about using liquor to fight off germs, resist the urge to imbibe while you’re sick. Not only does alcohol weaken your immune system, it can also further dehydrate you and flush out the electrolytes that you need.
If you don’t get better, see the doctor. This should be common sense, but if you get worse and worse and don’t get better, don’t tough it out. Get medical attention, because your con crud could be evolving into a secondary infection… like pneumonia. If it does (like mine did), you will have to take antibiotics in order to get better.

Conventions are a ton of fun but they are, admittedly, pretty tough on your body. The long hours up and about, traveling, being around huge crowds, and sleepless fasting periods spell trouble. So, whether you’re bolstering your immune system before a big con or looking for relief afterward, take care of yourself and rest up when you can.

Good luck and stay healthy!

Review: Sakura-con 2019

Hey guys! I’m back from Sakura-con and I had an amazing time! I stayed with a couple of very good friends on the outskirts of Seattle and had a blast cosplaying in a small group with them. There were a lot of hilarious shenanigans, some nice pictures, epic photobombs, and reunions with other faraway friends I haven’t seen in a while.

Day zero was pretty laid back, it took almost no time at all to pick up our badges (we pre-registered) and I said pretty comfortable cosplaying casual Todoroki. We also picked up some groceries that day to prep bento box lunches for the con this year! It was a lifesaver to have a real square meal midday and, to my surprise, we didn’t need to go out to eat even once the whole weekend. Battling the lines at fast food joints or sushi restaurants is a struggle unto itself, so I was glad to save the money and time. Cleo and Danny, the friends I stayed with, conspired to draw an adorable Kageyama on my milk which was too cute!

Day one we started with Stardew Valley cosplay, and I had a chance to cosplay Elliott! This was my second time officially cosplaying him, and it was a lot of fun. The wig is a bit of a handful, but not too bad. In the evening we switched over to Haikyuu cosplays for the rave and I had a chance to sport one of my favorite cosplays: Kageyama. This was just a casual round, but it was still a ton of fun to run around as him. There were quite a few less Haikyuu cosplayers this year, but I’m hoping they’ll resurge when season four is released.

Day two was a bit more chaotic, mostly because that’s when this year’s big cosplays came out. Cosplaying from Kamigami no Asobi was a lot of work, and it is the first time I’ve worn a very, very long wig. I’ll admit, I’ve gotten pretty used to short wigs that are light, stay (mostly) out of the way, but Balder’s wig was long and heavy. It was overwhelming, sometimes. It felt like I was being dragged backward by my head for at least part of the morning, and I kept getting caught on things. But, looking back on the weekend I really do love how the wig looked. It was a hard cosplay to walk around in, but we got a few very excited people complimenting us and asking for photos, and we had fun taking pictures out by the rose bushes, too.

After we were worn down, we switched back to Haikyuu cosplay, which was a really nice break from the difficult, somewhat restrictive outfits for Kamigami no Asobi.

I adore cosplaying Kageyama, and this was no exception. I brought my Molten volleyball with me, too, and passed the ball back and forth a bit in the park while catching up with friends. My elbow has been a bit touchy ever since a bad case of tendonitis in October (and reinjuring it a few times), but bumping and setting didn’t seem to bother it too much, so I’m hoping it’s slowly but surely mending.

The last day of the convention is always bittersweet, but I loved cosplaying Todoroki, and he has quickly surged through the ranks to become one of my favorite cosplays. The outfit is comfortable, I relate a lot to him, and he’s just a lot of fun to run around as. There were plenty of other BNHA / MHA cosplayers, too! Just rushing through the vendor hall in search of Danny (Midoriya) I had two love confessions from two separate Bakugos which was an awesome surprise, and got a hug from someone cosplaying Midoriya’s mom (along with her asking me to promise to protect her boy).

The one hiccup that I ran into with Todoroki is that his white boots slid down pretty easily… so that morning I sewed the boots to the pants out of sheer necessity. Just a couple stitches to keep them up. I’m excited to cosplay Todoroki in the future, too! Next time, though… maybe I’ll add some elastic to the top of the boots.

All in all, Sakura-con 2019 was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed going! And… for next year we just might be plotting some fun panels including a Haikyuu!! maid “cafe” panel. To raise funds for nationals, of course. I’m very much looking forward to cosplaying maid Kageyama, whacking Danny (Hinata) with my foam tray of treats whenever provoked, and preserving his dignity by running to block any straying eyes anytime he bends over. (Not that there’s any real danger with all the petticoat fluff and bloomers… but it’s the thought that counts.)

Do you guys have any fun cosplay plans you’re working on? I’d love to hear them!

Anime Review: Free!

Free! was the anime that introduced me to the sports anime genre. When it first came out, it was wildly popular and I just thought to myself… what in the world could be so interesting about a bunch of guys swimming competitively? The seemingly dull premise and the huge hype were in such incredible discord that I caved and watched it to find out what, exactly, was so special about the Iwatobi Swim Club.

Like many other sports animes, Free! puts great emphasis on character development, slice-of-life drama, gorgeous animation, and the looming shadow of emotional baggage. The sport itself and the competitions aren’t in the limelight. If anything, they are almost more of a metaphor for personal struggles and growth. And that, I think, is one big reason why I fell in love with Free! and then dove headfirst into another incredible sports anime afterward (Haikyuu!!).

The emotional baggage is present even before the first episode of Free! We meet Haru, a protege swimmer who ~~might be a merperson and~~ loves the water but hates feeling trapped by competitive swimming. His friends Makoto and Nagisa talk him into reviving the high school swim club so that they can swim together again even though Haru, despite his love of water, quit swimming in middle school. The reason why he quit walks right into their happy shenanigans in the form of an old-acquaintance-turned-enemy, Rin, who is furiously obsessed with beating Haru in the water to salvage his own, damaged self-worth.

Rei is dragged into this drama as a new member of the Iwatobi Swim Club and struggles to find his place among old friendship with dangerous fractures. I won’t go into too many details because you’ll want to see them for yourselves, but the character development and interactions in Free! are wonderful. The emotional tension is so thick in this that you could cut it with a knife, and the personal struggles of each character bleed into their performances in competitions, pushing them dangerously hard or halting their progress altogether.

The animation in Free! is stunning, too. It really spoiled me because, for a little while after, other anime styles were harder to get used to. The backgrounds, movement, and little details like the shining of eyes or splash of water are impeccable.

I really worried that Free! would get tired and redundant by the time season three came out. The first season had a great arc and story driven by Rin. The second one had a less well-rounded antagonist (Sousuke was very intimidating and interesting, but his vendetta against Haru seemed a bit petty compared to Rin’s)–but the other, small struggles that rose up to haunt the Iwatobi Swim Club more than made up for it. And, I was pleasantly surprised that season three was not another reiteration of “someone hates Haru and wants to beat him, at least until they realize they were projecting their emotional problems onto him the whole time.” It started out seeming like it might be… but things took a very unexpected twist, which was really nice. The only complaint I really had about season three is that it would have been even better if they split it into two separate seasons for the sake of cohesiveness and room to dig deeper. I really enjoyed it though, which was a pleasant surprise.

So, if you haven’t watched Free! yet, give it a shot. I enjoyed it so much that it completely upended my opinion on sports anime. It inspired some of my favorite cosplays (I have a blast cosplaying Nagisa), and if you read between the lines… there is a lot of fodder for fan theories… such as the possibility that Haru (and a couple others) may not be as human as Free! makes him out to be. There are some incredible surreal dream sequences, too. The teasing and subtext almost border on the magical realism genre. It’s just subtle enough to raise suspicion.

If anyone here has watched Free!, what did you think of it? Did you pick up on any unusual details that made you wonder if there was just a little bit of magic lurking inside this sports anime? I’d love to hear about it!

Cosplay Update: Todoroki (BNHA)

Hey guys! With Sakura-con coming up in just about one week, I finally had the chance to test out cosplaying Todoroki from Boku No Hero Academia / My Hero Academia (BNHA / MHA).

I’m still working on finishing up the jacket and vest for Balder from Kamigami no Asobi, but hope to be able to test run that cosplay soon as well!

In the meantime, here’s how Todoroki turned out:

All in all, I’m really happy with how the homemade scar makeup worked out! It turned out to be a decent color and was easy to work with.

I really thought that styling Todoroki’s wig and some aspects of the makeup were going to be a lot like cosplaying Kageyama–one of my favorite characters to cosplay–but I quickly found that I was way off with that assumption. The wigs operated completely differently, and the dual coloring and scar makeup was definitely a curve ball.

The eyebrows especially were tricky, being two different colors. I had to try to find a sweet spot between still looking symmetrical and a good match and being clearly two different colors. Next time, I think I would make the eyebrow on the scarred side a little darker even.

For Sakura-con, I’ll be cosplaying a casual version of Todoroki (on Day Zero) and will also be cosplaying him in his gym uniform on Sunday (Day Three). I got to test both out:

Casual Todoroki

Gym Uniform Todoroki

I wish that I could wear contacts, especially cosplaying characters with unusual eye colors such as Todoroki. Unfortunately, an allergy to a preservative in almost all contact solutions and eye drops makes it impossible… the last time I tried, I went to the eye doctor due to chronic pain only to be told I had abrasions across the surface of both eyes from the reaction.

So, no contacts for me. My eyes do sometimes change color though–they are usually blue-green but almost always turn gray when I cosplay Kageyama. I was curious to see what would happen with them when I cosplayed Todoroki since the makeup and wig are two-toned.

My usual eyecolor, blue-green with central heterochromia (the golden ring around my pupil) vs. the clear gray they turn when cosplaying Kageyama.

Fun fact: Todoroki has a form of heterochromia (complete heterochromia) that results in his two-tone eyecolor. I actually have heterochromia as well in a different form (central heterochromia). And while I was really hoping for two different-looking eye colors on each side… I didn’t get that. But, my own heterochromia seemed to stand out more while cosplaying him.

Instead of blue-green, they seemed to change almost to a pale blue, and the gold heterochromia that is usually pretty narrow spread out in a wide sunburst from the pupils.

Not exactly the two-tone look that Todoroki’s eyes have, but it was still interesting… and hopefully will look close enough to his natural gray and teal eyes in photos at the convention.

Anyway–back to sewing for me, I have a lot to do before the convention starts next week! What cosplays are you guys working on? I’d love to hear!

Anime Review: My Hero Academia (BNHA)

When I first started watching My Hero Academia, I had my fair share of misgivings. It is an incredibly popular anime and I wasn’t sure if it would live up to the hype. Season one was promising and exciting, but I had a few concerns, too–mostly with Deku’s continuous, self-destructive fighting style (and how it was praised by some) and Bakugo’s antagonistic but otherwise flat character development. Before you get up in arms–I knew that a lot could happen between season one of My Hero Academia and the ending of season three.

So, I reserved judgment.

And, I’m so glad that I did.

I loved My Hero Academia, and I can’t wait for the next season! I highly recommend it. Watching the rest of the series made me twenty times more excited to cosplay Todoroki at Sakura-con.

In my first post about My Hero Academia, I mentioned that this takes place in a world where 80% of the population have developed superhuman abilities, called Quirks. This has restructured society as a whole, giving criminals (villains) new and terrifying ways to wreak havoc on society. People die and small-time crime has evolved into epic heists with shocking collateral damage. Traffic is often held up by fights, people have become desensitized to violence (even against children) and violent deaths are, sadly, a normal part of everyday life. Buildings and streets are destroyed, and, in an effort to combat the brazen and powerful criminals that have laid siege to society as a whole, heroes have risen up to stop them.

Hero has become not just an ethereal title, but an actual job. Agencies sponsor them, schools train them, and they are bound to specific laws and regulations. And, the most popular hero of all, All Might, is slowly losing power.

In the search for a successor, All Might finds Midoriya (aka Deku), a Quirkless boy with a heart of gold who dreams of being a hero even though he has no special power of his own.

All Might takes Deku under his wing, passing his own Quirk–one that has been passed down from generation to generation–to Deku. With lots of training and guidance, Deku barely scrapes through the entrance exam to the prestigious hero academy, UA. His schooling is far from peaceful, though. His teacher is brutally strict, he endures constant fights and testing against truly impressive quirk users, and he has to learn to use a Quirk that breaks his body whenever he uses it. If that wasn’t enough, the slow decline of All Might has emboldened villains, who’ve set their sights on him and his students. Deku is dragged into very real, life-threatening fights and slowly realizes that there are no longer any safe places for any of them.

All of the concerns I had during the first season were put to rest as the story unfolded. Deku’s self-destructive tendencies developed real, serious consequences and instead of condoning his behavior his teachers and idols pushed him hard to find an alternative. With his education constantly interrupted by life and death battles between heroes and villains that involve or even target the students, he was forced to adapt and learn. The drive to protect those he cares about was called into action, inspiring him in ways that self-preservation never had.

It was really incredible to see him evolve from imitating All Might and suffering the results of that back to his careful, calculating self. I loved seeing him pick up nuances from other fighting styles like Gran Torino, Bakugo, and Iida. Even with the same quirk, Deku’s fighting style slowly evolved to become completely unique from All Might’s. It suits him better and takes full advantage of his natural cleverness and agility. Not only that–he began to prioritize his own well-being for the sake of others, taking care not to injure himself and changing his hero outfit to include braces to support his battered arms.

Deku isn’t the only one who got some beautiful character development. More of Bakugo’s motivations, hopes, dreams, and fears were revealed. He doesn’t exactly have a tragic backstory like Deku or Todoroki, but his admiration of other characters and desperation to keep up when he felt, more than anything, like he was falling behind really rounded him out. I warmed up to him a lot more when he was pressed into becoming a villain and absolutely refused. Even though he is violent and angry by nature, he held firm to his beliefs even in a life and death situation. He’s certainly an unorthodox hero (yelling “die” whenever he attacks anything), and he definitely has the attitude of a furious villain. However, deep down he yearns to be a hero and will do whatever it takes to make that dream come true.

Todoroki is another character that got some beautiful character development. Some of it was revealed right away from season one, but a lot of it came later, too. He really opens up and slowly learns to trust his fellow classmates, especially Deku. Not only does his frigid demeanor relax and warm up, but he learns how important cooperation is–even with people he can’t stand such as his father, Endeavor.

Todoroki’s rejection of his abusive father slowly shifts to something approaching closure. He slowly begins to integrate his fire into how he fights and moves, along with his signature ice. He starts to separate his dreams from Endeavor’s imposed will and live for himself instead of living to resist his father. Rather than holding his pain close and shutting himself off to everything else, Todoroki chases his dream of being a hero for reasons that are all his own.

Not only was the character development great–the storyline was, too. There is so much more at stake than class and grades. These students are in for the fight of their lives and forced to grow up fast as they confront villains right from the beginning. They face danger from more than one corner, from the puppet-master All-For-One sending carefully coordinated attacks and hoards of villains and mindless monsters after them to Stain, a villain of noble intentions twisted to something dark and sinister as he cuts down heroes one after the other.

I will say that the My Hero Academia movie (My Hero Academia: Two Heroes) was a little bit predictable and reiterated a lot that the anime already covers, but it is still a unique story unto itself and, though it was a bit cheesy and self-indulgent, I did still enjoy it.

If you get a chance to watch My Hero Academia or if you’ve been considering giving it a try, definitely give it a watch. Not all shows live up to the hype, but this one does and then some. I was on the edge of my seat watching it and look forward to rewatching it with a friend soon. This anime has so much going for it–it has the team bonding and character development that we love to see in sports anime plus the sort of high-stakes storyline and beautiful worldbuilding that I always love in fantasy stories of any kind.

Have you guys seen My Hero Academia yet? If so, what did you think?

Anime Review: Sirius the Jaeger

Put on your seatbelts for this one, guys. I’ve mostly been reviewing shows that I love and recommend–and I consider myself a pretty easy-to-please person when it comes to anime in general. Sirius the Jaeger is a different story, though. I wanted to like it. I wanted so badly to like it–it had so many good things going for it in the beginning, but sadly this anime really let me down.

Sirius the Jaeger starts out with a small cast of incredibly interesting characters full of promise. The main character, Yuliy, is a withdrawn but talented werewolf (Sirius) part of a group of Jaegers, who hunt vampires. His involvement in the group is complex, inspired partially by a painful past in which his family and hometown were brutally murdered by vampires, but also inspired by his search for something called the Ark of Sirius.

The other Jaegers are pretty interesting, too. Willard knows more than he lets on and is tied in with Yuliy’s messy past. Not much is let on about Dorothea and Fallon but they have wonderful banter and an excellent set of skills. Philip was, for me, right away one of the most interesting side characters out of the Jaegers. He plays the violin like I do, but more importantly, his family was murdered by Siriuses, and he carries that grudge with him against Yuliy, struggling to get along even as they work through life and death battles because of what Yuliy is. The two have a love-hate relationship going on. They trust each other to protect each other’s backs, but real, pained venom coils in every word Philip shoots at Yuliy because he sees his parent’s death in Yuliy’s eyes (even though he wasn’t involved).

That tension between Philip and Yuliy had so much potential. There was so much that could be done with it… but instead, a few episodes in, all of the side characters including Philip become a complete afterthought. They don’t elaborate on Philip’s past, and his relationship with Yuliy is magically fixed by a little girl who calls him out about it. Instead of working to build a real friendship after that, the two practically stop interacting at all. Philip is just there and the story becomes all about Yuliy and his ~~stalker~~ girlfriend and his long-lost brother.

Yuliy’s brother certainly provided an interesting twist. There is a lot of pain that Yuliy has to work through as he confronts his brother, is almost killed by his brother–the same brother that he’d thought he lost as a child.

To be completely honest, though, I did not like Ryoko at all. Her first interactions with the main characters were literally stalking Yuliy and obsessing over him with a girlish crush despite not even knowing his name at first or anything about him. This is believable enough–Yuliy is mysterious and good-looking, however, I expected the other Jaegers to step up and intervene when Ryoko began following Yuliy into life and death situations and showing signs of unhealthy obsession. Even if the other Jaegers didn’t care about Yuliy’s well-being (most friends wouldn’t enable a stalker to follow, spy on, and dig up information on their friend) they should at least have prevented an inept, innocent girl from getting involved in a war between Jaegers and vampires out of professional concern.

And yet, miraculously, the other side characters lose literally all their importance and personality (and most of their screentime) and virtually all they contribute after Ryoko’s appearance is baffling support of her stalker activities and inviting her openly into the group despite the fact that she is clearly a liability in battle (not to mention creepily obsessed with Yuliy).

Ryoko is the epitome of a Mary Sue character. She has nothing to do with the Jaegers before their appearance and nothing in common with them. When she meets them though, they are all full of love and support for her (including her unhealthy tendencies). She barely has any character development whatsoever. She is reduced to only her obsession with Yuliy and stubbornness. And, despite the fact that she is horribly unqualified, she is welcomed with open arms into the Jaeger’s group. She becomes instantaneously more important than the other Jaeger’s with the exception of Yuliy (he is the main character) and Willard who is important to Yuliy’s past.

The rest of the story takes bizarre turns into strained brother-versus-brother fights where Yuliy and his long-lost brother Mikhail switch between trying to kill each other (or more accurately, Mikhail trying to kill Yuliy) and trying to protect each other. Foreshadowing that was carefully set up in the beginning (Yuliy struggling to contain his Sirius side and the danger of losing control) is abandoned and new subplots hijack the story unexpectedly, and the long, drawn-out search for the Ark of Sirius feels anti-climactic as the Ark was in plain sight all along.

I wanted to like Sirius the Jaeger. I did. I loved Yuliy as a character, I thought the other Jaegers were full of so much potential, but ultimately felt like the incredible story this could have become fell very, very flat.

If you are looking for a good wolf shifter anime, try Wolf’s Rain or Wolf Children instead. If you’re looking for vampires, try Owari no Seraph, Blood+, Hellsing, or Trinity Blood. And if you’re looking for intrigue, rampant corruption, dangerous secrets, and drama-filled revelations try Full Metal Alchemist.

What have you guys been watching lately? Any recommendations?

Ultimate Convention & Cosplay Packing Checklist

With Sakura-con looming on the horizon, I’ve been sewing, packing, and crafting up a storm for the cosplays I’m working on. As I print out my cosplay packing checklist for the convention, I wanted to share a modified version of it with all of you! Remembering to bring a crucial piece of a cosplay–like a wig!–can make or break a convention. If you travel for cons, whether they are on the other side of town, the other side of the state, or the other side of the country, make sure you’re prepared with this checklist.

The Ultimate Convention Packing List

Important Documents

Convention Registration Receipt / Documents
Hotel Booking Confirmation
Flight, Bus, or Train Rickets (departure and return)
Driver’s License or Valid ID
Reference Pictures of the Characters You’re Cosplaying

Wig and Hair Care

Wig heads, Stands, and T-pins (as needed)
Got2BGlued Hairspray (works on wigs and real hair!)
Hair Ties
Wig Caps
Gentle Detangling Brush for Wigs
Wig Pins and Bobby Pins

Makeup

Foundation, Primer, Blush, and Setting Powder (if needed)
Plain Chapstick
Angle Brush (these are perfect for eyebrows)
Eyeliner, Mascara, Lipstick, Eyeshadow, etc. (as needed)
Makeup Remover Wipes
Compact Mirror

General Hygeine

Shampoo and Conditioner
Deodorant
Dry Shampoo (if desired)
Soap
Hair Brush
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Floss
Feminine Hygiene Products (even if you don’t think you’ll need them! You might, and someone else might)
Travel-Size Bottle of Laundry Detergent
Tweezers
Nail Clippers
Razor(s)

Electronics

Cellphone
Phone Charger
Portable Charger for phone (with cord)
Camera
Extra SD card
Camera charger

First Aid

Benadryl
Zyrtec (if needed)
EpiPen (if needed)
Ibuprofen
Band-aids
Any Prescriptions

Casual / Street Clothes

Pajamas
Bras and Underwear
Socks
Shirts
Sweater, Coat, Gloves, etc. for the Weather
Jeans or Comfortable Pants
Swimsuit (for the pool!)

Food

Filtered Water Bottle (so you can fill it up anywhere!)
Fruit Leather (easy to pack around with you)
Brown Rice Rollers (also easy to pack around with you)
String Cheese (also easy to pack around with you)
Yogurt and Bananas (for a quick breakfast on the go!)
Dark Chocolate (when you’re tired and need a pick-me-up)
Bread, cheese, and deli meat (for a quick sandwich between changes or after coming back from a long day at the convention–you can use jam and peanut butter if you prefer, too)

Miscellaneous

Cash (for food, merchandise, and fun–I put mine in separate envelopes for each day–this prevents running out of cash (and starving) the last day of the convention)
A Small Wallet
Breakaway Lanyard (You can easily pull these off without lifting them over your head! Perfect for not disturbing a carefully-styled wig, hat, armor, etc. when asked for photos.)
Compact Umbrella
Contacts, Contact Case, and Solution (if needed)
Eyeglasses (if needed)
Sewing Kit (for cosplay emergency repair)
Safety Pins
Emergency Flats (trust me, these will save your feet from those awesome but painful cosplay shoes)
Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks (for cosplay emergency repair)
Large Trash Bag (for dirty clothes)

For Each Cosplay:

Binders, if needed
Shoes or Boots
Socks
Pants, Skirt, or Dress
Shirt, Vest, Jacket, Cloaks, or Cape
Wig
Jewelry (earrings, necklace, bracelets, armlets, circlets)
Crowns, Hats, Helms, Veils, or Headdresses
Gloves
Belts, Ties, Scarves, Sashes, or Cravats
Bag, Backpack, or Purse
Props: Animal Companions, Swords, Staffs, Volleyballs, Books, etc
Eye Accessories (glasses, monocles, goggles, blindfolds, etc)

One last packing tip…

There is one more thing I do when packing for a convention that helps a lot, especially during rushed mornings and frantic costume changes. Store everything you’ll need for each cosplay in a vacuum-seal bag. Use one bag for each cosplay, then shove all the bags in your luggage. You don’t need a vacuum to seal or unseal them–they are basically just enormous ziplock bags. You can squish any excess air out of them simply by pressing down or rolling, which helps save space.

By doing this, you can grab the bag for the cosplay you’re putting on and save time rummaging and searching for each piece. These bags work wonders for storing your cosplays later, too.

If you are flying or taking the train or bus, make sure that your luggage fits their requirements (and make sure your shampoo, makeup, and any other liquids are packed according to TSA guidelines). Always tell someone where you’ll be staying and how to get ahold of you, and if you are meeting up with a group be sure to schedule meeting times and places in advance.

I also highly recommend doing a dry run and trying your cosplays out before you pack and leave for the convention to make sure everything works, everything fits, and you haven’t forgotten a crucial piece….

Whether you are traveling near or far, be safe, have fun, and check your packing list twice before you leave!

Did I forget anything on here? Let me know in the comments!

Sakura-con Cosplay Lineup

Hey everyone! As I finish watching My Hero Academia, I’ve been hard at work on getting my cosplays together for Sakura-con. It’s hard to believe the convention is only about a month away, now! I am excited to share my cosplay lineup with all of you and can’t wait to debut a few new cosplays (as well as some of my old favorites).

On Day Zero, I’ll be cosplaying casual Todoroki (My Hero Academia / BNHA), on the morning of Day One I’ll cosplay Elliott (Stardew Valley), and in the afternoon will switch to Kageyama (Haikyuu!!) which is always one of my favorites. Day Two brings Balder (Kamigami no Asobi), and Day Three will be Todoroki again–this time in the UA athletic uniform.

This will be my first time cosplaying Todoroki and Balder, which is very exciting!

Balder and Todorki have both presented interesting challenges that I’ve been hard at work on. Todoroki’s outfit is straightforward, but thanks to my allergies I’m extremely limited in what cosmetics I can use. I ended up mixing together makeup for the scar by hand. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out! Simply mixing some red mica pigment and French red clay with my existing foundation did wonders! It swatched well and I can’t wait to try it out in a makeup test.

Balder has been a challenge for different reasons–sewing ones, mostly. I’m creating nearly the whole cosplay from scratch and it is… complicated, to say the least. The white jacket is riddled with gray accents and panels, and it is embellished with gold trim in various designs. I’m not using a pattern for either. Instead, I simply folded a shirt in half that fit well, set it onto the fabric, and traced around it essentially four times. The sleeves will come later.

Because I’m working without a pattern, I gave myself generous wiggle room (about an inch or two all the way around) and after pinning everything together… started moving the pins in, cutting the collar while I had it on, and getting one side just right before copying the adjustments onto the other side. It’s a round-about way to do things but it usually works well!

I finished the ear cuff for Balder, as well! It just slips right onto my ear, no piercings required. I bent the metal rays of the sun with pliers and used clear silicone glue to adhere it to the cuff. Gluing metal is always tricky, but the silicone seems to be doing the trick so far.

Before the convention, I will definitely be doing a trial run of the two new cosplays. I’ll post pictures when I do! In the meantime… I still have a lot of work to do on Balder’s jacket, and I have a volleyball to pump up.

Any conventions that you guys are preparing for, or cosplays that you’re working on? I’d love to hear about it!