Well I know I haven't posted for a while, but there was a sudden medical emergency in the family that took up my attention for most of a week and I got landed with more work hours around the same time so the result was, I forgot about this project for a while. It may yet be a while longer before you see any real updates here as my attention is currently focused on another project and my funding is more limited than usual due to recent events. Thanks for your patience!

Good thing I started on this early, huh? Hope to be back on track soon!

Wow, that was fast.

I just ordered a camo bag from ebay the other day... and it already arrived today. It took some modifying but I've managed to convert it into something like Tenho's bag. It's unfinished, but I'd like to show you my progress. :)

Here is what the bag looked like originally.







It's a large hand bag with two handles that closes with velcro.

This is Tenho's bag:



As you can see, it's a shoulder bag with one long camo-print strap. The strap has a belt closure. There is also a plate of some sort on the front.

So far, I've taken the two straps and sewn them together and pinned them in place on the bag as one long strap. I modified the velcro closuer so that it folds down, giving the bag the appearance of being shorter. I still need to add the belt closure on teh strap and the plate/label in the front, but otherwise it is coming along nicely.

Progress picture:

I may remove the mesh netting eventually, too, we'll see. But, I think it's coming along nicely!

Got a notice in the mail box today that says I have two more packages waiting at the post office. They may be cosplay stuff. I'll pick them up tomorrow,so we'll see then :)

OK, I spent a good portion of last week gathering materials, but most of them I snagged from the internet. So I'm waiting for it all to come in now. Until they come in, and I can see them in person/try them on, I can't be 100% sure they will work for my needs--the downside of internet shopping, I guess.

Here is a list of what I am waiting on:

Wide-collared turtleneck- snagged from ebay
It's gonna take some heavy mods but I think I can make this into Neku's shirt.

Wireless headphones and FM transmitter- snagged from ebay
Can probably be made into Neku's phones and MP3 player.

White Ralph Lauren shoes- snagged from ebay
Should work as Joshua's shoes.

Gold Razr display cell phone- snagged from ebay
It's a replica, like the ones they have in cell phone stores. Should work for Josh.

Orange case/faceplate for Razr cell phone- snagged from ebay
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out what this is for.

Gray flare jeans- Bought from Macy's website
For Joshua. These should hopefully work better than the ones I picked up at Ross.

Camoflauge bag- snagged form ebay
I think I can mod this into the shoulder bag for Tenho

Here is a list of what each costume consists of, when broken down. This is basically the first step I usually take when planning a cosplay--get a feel for everything I will need. I will mark a * (asterisk) next to any pieces I have already acquired or began working on, and a ** (double asterisk) next to those that have been completed.

Neku Sakuraba - Cosplayed by Hezaa




Listed from top to bottom.

Essentials:

Red-brown wig
Headphones
Crazy sleeveless man-eating turtleneck (seriously, look at it, it's totally carnivorous)
White lanyard and MP3 player (or replica MP3 player)
Yellow wristband
White cargo shorts
Black belt with military-style buckle*
Crazy shoes

Fun Extras:
Frilly lolita headband (you have to play the game to get this joke XD)


Comments: What is with Neku's outfit? I mean, seriously, he is totally not the fashionable type, and yet his headphones match his shirt, matches his shorts, match his shoes... Right down to the wristband and lanyard! What is with all this color coordinating?

Neku's outfit may give me the most trouble out of all of this, especially those shoes and that crazy man-eating collar... but I DO have an idea of how to go about it. I have a secret plan that I will reveal to you gradually as I go along--it's pretty out there, but I think it will work!

Joshua Kiryu -Coslayed by Affinite(yours truly)



Listed from top to bottom.

Essentials:

Messy gray wig
long, light grayish button-up shirt*
Dark gray flare jeans
White and gray shoes

Fun Extras:
Gun*
Orange flip phone
Frilly parasol
(once again, you'd have to play the game to understand these)

Comments: How can anyone wear that much GRAY?

At first glance, Joshua's cosplay looked incredibly easy to me. So easy that I resisted claiming it for a long time, despite how much I like the character. But once Hezaa talked me into it (by pointing out that making/finding the extra accessories would add a nice edge to the challenge,) I started to look at how to go about it... and it is a lot trickier than I thought. Gray is not a popular color, it seems, and finding a gray  button-up that long AND fitted with THAT kind of collar and NO POCKET... well, I gave up after the first twelve stores, and decided to try a different approach. It took a lot of searching but I may have found a pair of pants that work for this--I wont know until they ship in and I can try them on. More details to come!

Generic black-hooded Support Reaper/BJ -Cosplayed by Hezaa



From top to bottom:

Black pullover hoody with tribal designs
Red bandanna
Black wings
Brown fanny pack/waist pack
Large belt chain
Baggy, wide-legged green pants
Red shoes

Comments: You know what I love about the Support outfits? the convenience that both of them have a bag or pack to tote things around AS PART OF THE OUTFIT so it wont look out of place for us to carry them.

Haven't started this one yet, but for the most part, it's pretty simple. Though finding a black hoody with those exact designs (or even something close) is damned near impossible, so we're going to have to do some customizing. It's going to take a lot of reflecting to figure out what to do about those wings... =\

Generic red-hooded Support Reaper/Tenho -Cosplayed by Affinite



From top to bottom:

Red zip hoody**
Black visor**
Baggy, black, low-cut V neck shirt**
Camouflage shoulder bag
Baggy, wide-legged blue jeans**
Gray and white shoes

Fun Extras: Might add wings if the ones for the Black Support turn out nicely :)

Comments: Well, we didn't pick the Support Reapers because of the challenge of making them, that's for sure. We picked them because it is easily recognized and would be fun to play around the con in. As a side note, when I wear this costume I have no idea how it looks from the shoulders up because the damned visor blocks my peripheral vision. I can tilt my head up to look, but then it totally ruins the "mysterious hidden eyes" image. Damn.

This outfit is ridiculously simple and is already nearly complete. Finding the right camo bag is giving me some trouble, but I predict it is very temporary. :)


Well, that's all for now. I'll update another time with more for you!

Some people were showing an interest in my hunt-and-assemble method of cosplay... so this journal is for you guys! I'm going to post my progress as I go along.

Hunt-and-assemble is the process of searching out and modifying clothing and items from department stores, thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, and of course the internet, to make convincing cosplay. It is generally more round-about than making cosplay from scratch, and has both advantages and disadvantages. Luck and creativity are the largest factors in this process. It is little less time consuming and requires less refined sewing skills than sewing it from scratch. You have less control, but if you're still an amateaur seamstress and the clothes you make come out looking less than satisfying, this might be the way to go. It is less expesive and more interactive than having your cosplay made for you by a seamstress. It can be more or less expensive than sewing from scratch, depending on your luck and thouroughness.

The next con I'm hitting is in January. It's called Anime Addicts Con and it's Memphis' first anime convention. My cosplay party will consist of myself and my friend who I will reffer to as Hezaa. I am assembling both of our cosplays.

Hezaa and I have chosen to cosplay from the video game The World Ends With You.  We will cosplay two characters each (on different days). I am responsible for most of the Cosplay work for all four cosplays.

Our cosplays:

Hezaa:
Neku Sakuraba
- Gonna be tricky, but I have a plan!


Black Support Reaper/BJ
-Easy enough, but the designs on the hoody might give me some issues, as well as the wings...


Affinite(me):
Yoshiya "Joshua" Kiryu
-It LOOKS easy, but trust me, it will take a lot of work if I am going to really be satisfied with it.


Red Support Reaper/Tenho
-Super easy. Almost done already, and I just started.



I've got a few months to get it all done. I've just started, so wish me luck! I'll keep you updated on the process.