1. What is your name, and where do you hail from?
My real name is Shantel, but I go by Shiya a lot more! From Southern California (Fontana) middle of no where.

2. Tell us a little about yourself. Do you have any interesting hobbies outside of cosplay?
Outside of cosplay? I really love photography, modeling, and drawing, but I’m not really good at any of those! haha. I do love spending time with my boyfriend and closest friends. When I’m not at school or sewing,  I feel so relaxed around them.

3. How long have you been cosplaying?
Since early 2005, but with so little inexperience and a lot of frustration.

4. What initially drew you to cosplay?
My best friend mentioned it when I was going to plan a trip to visit her in Pennsylvania. She also asked me to make a costume, so I had a lady make one for me. This was for Otakon 2004, and I had no idea what conventions were like or anything, but I didn’t really start sewing on my own until 05.

5. What was the first character that you cosplayed?
Gunner Yuna from Final Fantasy X-2. That costume no longer exists.

6. What is your favorite thing about cosplay?
I love how much of a reward it feels to have worked so hard on something and get praise for it. I also use conventions to hang out with all of my friends (most of them I don’t get to see throughout the year).

7. What is your least favorite thing?
Drama. I don’t like to hear it. It makes people have miserable times.;

8. What was your most enjoyable cosplay experience?
It’s so hard to say. I’ve enjoyed so many, but he best conventions I went to happened to be with my best friend. She really is awesome!

9. And your least?
Latest would be Katsucon 2009. I had such a miserable time, and I tried not to think about it while I was there.

10. What is the last event at which you cosplayed, and what did you cosplay?
Anime LA, I cosplayed as Princess Kairi from Kingdom Hearts 2. It was an original design, and the only costume I really had time to make for this convention. I originally planned 3 total, but holidays were slowing me down.

11. What is the next event at which you plan to cosplay?
I think So. Cal Spring Gathering and Fanime

12 What do you have in the works for upcoming conventions or events?
I’m trying to figure it out. School kind of makes things hard for me! For sure, I have TouHou Flandre Scarlett, Megaman Zero– Ciel, Misao from Pretty Sammy, and one more CardCaptor Sakura outfit. Everything else will come whenever I have more time.

Thank you so much for talking to us!

Here are two last parting shots for everyone to look at in awe of Shiya’s incredible abilities.

I came to Tokyo Godfathers knowing only that it came highly recommended by both my Google search and the Netflix rating. (Yes I’m that lame.) I must have read the synopsis at some point, but I sure didn’t remember it, I thought it was going to be about the mafia or something. Which come to think of it was really stupid of me, just because the word “godfather” is in the title doesn’t mean that there is a crime syndicate. (Thanks Mr. Coppola for forever tying the two together forever in my mind.) What I wasn’t expecting was an incredibly touching yet incredibly entertaining and exciting romp through the streets of Tokyo with three bums and a baby.  Of course that’s about as close to capturing what the movie is really about as saying Kill Bill is about a chick with a sword.

Tokyo Godfathers is all about human connection, worth, and redemption set in Christmas time Tokyo. Our teacher/heroes in this lesson just so happen to be three bums who find a baby on Christmas Eve. That’s all I’m going to say. Maybe I’ve said too much, you should definitely come to this gem (yes I just used the word gem) of a film with as little forward knowledge as possible if for no other reason than its so much more fun that way.

4 Meh’s out of 5

A full gallery of photos can be seen here: http://photos.notinterested.org/v/yunasouth2009/

A complete gallery of this photoshoot can be seen here: http://photos.notinterested.org/v/totorosouth2009/

A full gallery of images can be seen here: http://photos.notinterested.org/v/buggysouth2009/

A full gallery of photos can be seen here: http://photos.notinterested.org/v/altairsouth2009/

Student can do?

ALA is a rather small local event that was held this year at the Marriot near the Los Angeles International Airport, it boasted several panels and events.

Saturday was steampunk day in which many of the cosplayers wore steampunk and several steampunk panels and events took place.

You can view a full gallery here: http://photos.notinterested.org/v/ALA2010/

Our Hot Cosplayer of the Month for January 2010 is Jessica Nova!

1. What is your name, and where do you hail from?
I am Jessica Nova, soon to be Jessica Carroll hehe. Lately I’ve been just called Nova :-D I am originally from Florida, Deltona to be exact right outside of Orlando, but moved to Dawsonville, GA in September.

2. Tell us a little about yourself. Do you have any interesting hobbies outside of cosplay?
I am a bizarre individual so I am told. I’m a super nerd so hobbies include playing video games, currently I’m addicted to pokemon diamond on the ds and the wii fit. Cosplaying and costuming is my biggest hobby, I spend most of my time either modeling or sewing for commission work if I’m not doing things for myself. I do enjoy cooking a lot though and photography. I love reading comic books in the bath tub and love love love working out.

3. How long have you been cosplaying?
Since I could walk haha! My first costume was Tinkerbell when I was very small and I don’t think I have ever stopped, officially I’ve been cosplaying for about 6 or 7 years now? I think I’m going on 7.

4. What initially drew you to cosplay?
I was intrigued by the idea of it, I love dressing up, I have a theatre background so it came naturally, atleast the thought process did, the skills I had to teach myself or have had wonderful helpful people that let me pick their brains for questions. I loved all these different characters, I spent so much time wanting to be them and now I finally could in an arena that it was acceptable to dress up.

5. What was the first character that you cosplayed?
The very character I cosplayed at a convention was Queen Beryl from Sailor Moon.

6. What is your favorite thing about cosplay?
The ability to be whoever and whatever I choose, from crazy clown to pokemon to super hero to super villian, it is without limits. I am a firm believer there is always a way to do a costume no matter how difficult it may seem.

7. What is your least favorite thing?
I am not a fan of the catty behavior of some of the crowd, but that happens anywhere and with anything, one simply has to learn to let it go.

8. What was your most enjoyable cosplay experience?
I love being Harley, it’s my absolute favorite character to be and I love when little kids come up to me and believe I am the real Harley, it’s as if I made one of their dreams come true. I love that aspect of it, making a world of make believe true.

9. And your least?
Wearing a costume when one isn’t feeling up to par is the worst experience. I was very sick at this years past Dragoncon and it wasn’t fun at all, I didn’t feel like I was doing any justice to my craft.

10. What is the last event at which you cosplayed, and what did you cosplay?
Dragoncon 2009, I was Harley Quinn, Ventress from Star Wars, Arkham Prisoner Harley Quinn, and The Dark Knight Joker. I had a couple of other costumes with me but didn’t get a chance to wear them.

11. What is the next event at which you plan to cosplay?
Either Coonooga TN or Megacon in Orlando.

12. What do you have in the works for upcoming conventions or events?
Oh my goodness, I always have 30 different things I am trying to work on. Currently I’m working on some commissions but as for things for myself upcoming costumes include a new version of Harley Quinn, Sailor Moon, Dr Quinzel, and probably a few other crazy assortment of things.

Thank you so much for talking to us!

Here is one last parting shot for all to enjoy.

A full gallery of photos can be seen here: http://photos.notinterested.org/v/GunnerYunaAnimeSouth2009/