[Note: This is Part Five of a five-part series being published this week. Be sure to check out Part I, Part II, Part III, and Part IV.]
As I continued to wonder the halls, streets, and hotels of DragonCon 2015, I stumbled upon a photoshoot that was assembling for a little-known anime called Dragonball Z. There were Gokus, Vagetas, and Bulmas everywhere. As I waded through the crowd…I saw him.
Majinn Buu. In all his large, pink glory. Naturally, I had to interview him about his cosplay.
What is your name?
Nick.
Alright Nick, who are you cosplaying as today?
Majin Buu from DragonBall Z.
Did you make this costume yourself?
Yes.
How long did it take and how did you make this? How did you do the body work on it?
My friend Marcie and I took about a month to get it all together and everything. The body work is basically just pillows made to make the ‘fat suit’ with it. And then the pink is just some stretch over it.
And the mask itself?
EVA foam [Note: Ethylene-vinyl acetate] has a helmet in it, and then the same stuff in it and its just airbrushed for the design.
This is really well done. Have you cosplayed before?
Yes, I have, actually.
About how long have you been cosplaying for and what have you done in the past?
It’s [been] about fourteen years now. My first costume was Ramna from Ramna 1/2. I’ve done various anime, video games, and comics. Scarlet Spider’s one. Chrono and Robo both from Chrono Trigger. Nash from Lunar: Silver Star Story [Complete], Zabuza [Momochi] from Naruto, things like that.
Why do you cosplay? What got you into it?
The very first time I saw cosplay at the con, the very first con I went to, I was reading on the forums about it. And I just got into it. Then I met so many great people the first time, it just [kept] going. Because it’s a great conversation starter with the costume, you make a lot of friends doing different costumes. So that’s why I do it.
What’s been your favorite cosplay that you’ve done?
That’s a hard one. Probably Chrono from Chrono Trigger. Because that is my favorite video game. Being the main protagonist from that has always been one I’ve loved to do. I love that costume.
Since you’ve been doing this for fourteen years, how have you seen the cosplay scene change or evolve?
Back in 2001 when I started this, it was a lot different because it was so hard to find any information on doing your own costume, pendant, [or] anything like that. So you were a lot in the dark. But nowadays, there’s so many tutorials and great videos and things that help you and so many resources to actually make your own stuff now.
Its just a really fun hobby. Everyone should do it if they want to. It should be – anyone can do it. It doesn’t matter what you roleplay, what you do. Its just fun.
Now, looking to the future: What cosplay are you looking at doing in the upcoming months and years?
Next one I’m actually going to start working on -there are two- is Chrom from Fire Emblem: Awakening and then Alphonse [Elric] from Fullmetal Alchemist.
Brotherhood or Regular?
Brotherhood.
Is there anything else you want to tell me about your cosplay or about cosplaying in general?
Its just a really fun hobby. Everyone should do it if they want to. It should be – anyone can do it. It doesn’t matter what you roleplay, what you do. It’s just fun.
Its not that hard to get into?
No, no. And even if you don’t make your own, there’s plenty of places where you can get one online and everything. Its a lot of fun to just walk around in a costume.
Alright, thank you for your time.
No problem!
This is Part Five of a five-part series about cosplay at DragonCon 2015.
