Silicon Valley Comic Con Spotlight: Kei Cosplay
By: ZeloOmegaIf imitation is the highest form of flattery, then cosplay must truly be an entirely different tier of adulation for an art. Every year thousands of people descend on conventions to show off their craft and appreciation for something they love. The cosplay community is truly a unique one dedicated to showing off how well they can replicate a character's design. Silicon Valley Comic Con was no different than the other cons throughout the US. We ran into Kei Cosplay at Silicon Valley Comic Con sporting a Lucian (Fire Emblem) and Alibaba (Magi) cosplay during the weekend. We decided to ask her about her love of cosplay, tips and tricks to share with the community, the time it takes to craft some of her cosplay, and what else she's done in the past. Join us as we explore the world of cosplay.[iframe id="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vJHYh0hnv_Q"]Kei Cosplay has been working her cosplay magic for the past two years and just recently decided to make an online presence to share her skills with the rest of the world. An exciting aspect to actually deciding to cosplay is being able to take something that you see on screen then designing and transforming it into a real world design. While some outfits are easy enough to replicate (such as L from Death Note) some have very intricate and unique designs that you would not imagine would translate into a realistic possibility (like Kerrigan from Star Craft) but cosplayers far and wide find a way to make it happen. That's what motivates Kei Cosplay, taking these characters that are awesome and carefully hand crafting every detail about their outfit. From the hair to the shoes, she makes sure to pay close attention to each part and ensure that it is accurate.[robo-gallery id="19193"]It's not just the creation that plays a big part in it though, it's also being able to show it off, and that's where the photographers come in. Kei Cosplay mentions that being able to work with photographers who can really help you bring the cosplay to life is an incredibly rewarding experience and after seeing some of these images, we can see why. Being accurate in your creation is one thing, but it's nothing without someone behind the camera to take a picture of you in the perfect setting. Whether it's in a field slashing at a rival, or sitting at a pond and pondering the bigger picture, a photographer is bringing out some of the best in your cosplay.So what has two years of cosplay creating actually allowed Kei Cosplay to create? Well the first one completed was Maka (Soul Eater), followed by Lucina (Fire Emblem), then Alibaba (Magi). Next year she'll be tackling Rory Mercury (Gate). Four cosplays in the span of two years, you'd imagine that a lot of time would be spent carefully detailing on putting them together, right? Well... Actually it only takes about a week once everything is ready to go, granted this is mainly due to procrastination, but as long as it gets done! By the way, favorite cosplay? The Lucina with a custom 3D printed sword, how awesome is that?For those looking to get into cosplay, or need some help, Kei Cosplay recommends a simple Google search or looking up tutorials on YouTube. The cosplay community is a friendly one and is always looking to help out those who are starting out or need help with their next big project. So what's next for her? Aside from finishing up Rory, you'll be able to catch her at Fanime (May 27 - 30, 2016). To keep up with where she'll be next, or just to check out her cosplays, be sure to like her Facebook page.