Cosplay Updates

Greetings! I just wanted to share some updates for my cosplay! So, as mentioned previously, I am cosplaying as Yuna from FFX-2. My costume isn't done, but my props are coming along. My props are actually being commissioned. So I'm getting my Tiny Bees and my hairtail commissioned.

A young woman approached me on CosCom---which is short for Cosplay.com, a site where cosplayers come together for tips, commissions and good ol' conversation---named Havenaims approached my ad for a commissioner for my Tiny Bees and hairtail. She gave me an awesome price, so I was like, "Let's do it!" The Tiny Bees were done within two weeks. Here they are!

They were made with a laser cutter, chipboard, and hand-painted. And might I say, they look awesome!!

This is the progress of my hairtrail! So far, so good!

It's made from lightweight rope, with red weaving.

If you are interested in speaking with Havenaims about a commission, or just checking out her work, her gallery is found here.

My Cosplay for AWA 2012

This year, I will be cosplaying as Yuna from Final Fantasy X-2, in her default gunner dressphere.

According to the Final Fantasy Wiki, Yuna is the female protagonist of Final Fantasy X and the main protagonist of Final Fantasy X-2. She is the daughter of High Summoner Braska and an unnamed Al Bhed woman, who died when Sin attacked her ship at sea. Yuna's mother was the sister of Cid, who is the father of Rikku and Brother, Yuna's cousins.

A powerful summoner like her father, she embarks on a quest in Final Fantasy X to expel Sin; meeting Tidus, who teaches her that there is more to life than sacrifice. In Final Fantasy X-2, she embarks on another quest, to uncover the mystery behind a movie sphere containing the image of a man resembling her lost love. She embarks on this quest with Rikku, and the mysterious Paine.

My reasoning for cosplaying as Yuna is actually a bit odd. I hated her character in Final Fantasy X. I was a LuLu fan, and Yuna just seemed like the typical female protagonist; she was the empathetic character who had sooo much on her plate. I just knew I was going to dislike her, but then her character developed, particularly because of her pilgrimage. At the end of Final Fantasy X, she became one of my favorite FF characters.

When Final Fantasy X-2 slipped into my Playstation 2, I saw Yuna's gunner dressphere and was in awe. It was colorful, it was fierce, it was sexy. I knew I had to do it one day.

To celebrate the end of my 5-year hiatus, I chose to cosplay as Yuna. ^_^ Cosplay is being commissioned by Alanna Dawn, a.k.a. DestinysEnding.

Who are you cosplaying as, and what character are you hoping to see at AWA this year?

What is an Anime Convention? What is AWA?

Some of you are not familiar with terms like "Otaku" and "Con". So you're looking around, at all the anime nerds wondering what the hell is going on. Allow me to provide a quick run-down.

An otaku is an avid anime fan. See, there are anime fans...and otaku. Otaku are a bit more extreme. In dictionary term, "otaku" is a Japanese slang word which means someone who has a hobby that they spend more time, money, and effort on than normal people do.

An anime convention is a convention where otaku come from all parts of the world to one central location to celebrate Japanese animation and manga, and Japanese culture. Anime conventions have cosplay, (people dress as their favorite anime/manga/game/comic character) panels, special guests, and workshops, and video rooms; usually, a cosplay contest, rave and ball.

They are usually multi-day events that are held throughout the year, and in various parts of the world.

Anime Weekend Atlanta is the largest southeast anime/manga convention. It is usually held at the end of September, at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel and Cobb Galleria.

According to the official website, AWA was first organized in 1994, with the first convention held in 1995. Since then, AWA has been recognized as one of the most popular Japanese Animation conventions in the United States, and one of the top ten attended anime conventions in North America. It is a family-friendly convention, but has programs and panels strictly for adults.

Anime conventions have become a place where fans can meet other fans, and a lot of times, meet long-lasting friends. They are a great way to socialize and be around many people with your same interests!

Introductions!

Greetings!

My name is Jemiella Ayala, known to the online world as EcuadorianEyezz. Welcome to my blog, entitled, "ROAD TO ANIME WEEKEND ATLANTA."

This blog is created to be a bit of a memoir, with me counting down until Anime Weekend Atlanta 2012 (AWA 2012) To start off, I'll provide the boring part: How did it start?

Well, I first fell in love with anime at an early age, when I first started watching Sailor Moon in 1997. I've never seen anything like it, from the big eyes to the short skirts. I was like, "Ooooh what's this?!"

Then came Pokemon....then came DragonBallZ. All of a sudden, I was consumed with everything Japanese animation, and Japanese culture. From then on, it was history.

When I got into high school, I discovered anime conventions. I had no idea what it was about, but I did my research, as I always did. Upon my research, I discovered big ballers like Anime Expo, Anime Boston....and Anime Weekend Atlanta.

...Wait, rewind! Anime Weekend ATLANTA?! There's an anime con here, and I had no idea about it?! I noticed the 2004 date had passed, so I vowed to make it to 2005's date.

It was an amazing experience. The panels, the cosplay, the guests...the dealer's room!! I will never forget my first AWA. I was 15 years old.

In 2007, I did my first cosplay. I was LuLu from Final Fantasy X! It was one thing to be taking pictures of all the cosplay, but it was another to be on the other side! I loved being approached on how nice my costume was, and for pictures! I loved the fact that people came up to me, saying I was their favorite character and how much they loved it. It was so humbling, and an awesome experience.

I've been out of the game since then, and this will be my first time con-going in 5 years. Thank you for taking this journey with me, and watching my Road to Anime Weekend Atlanta.

If you'd like, feel free to add me on CosCom or Deviant Art, for more pictures along the way! S'N: EcuadorianEyezz