Today we have Cosplay Sailor Mappy from Venezuela. She is a fairly new cosplay, but has some quality anime favorites.
Check out her DA Page here: http://sailormappy.deviantart.com/
Her Facebook Page here: https://www.facebook.com/SailorMappy
Her two awesome cosplay pages here: http://www.cosplay.com/member/229331/, http://es.worldcosplay.net/member/31616
Andy: What or Who got you into cosplaying? What was the first convention you cosplayed at?
Sailor Mappy: Since I was a kid I’ve always loved anime, as soon as I had access to the internet I discovered cosplay and loved it, but I never thought I could do it because there weren’t any conventions at my country. When I first learned there was going to be a con in my city, cosplaying was a natural choice, I didn’t even think about it! The first convention I assisted was ”ENAM”, at Barquisimeto, Venezuela.
A: Do you typically go to more than one convention in a year? Do you vary what costumes you wear?
SM:I normally try attend most conventions that are held at my city and use different cosplays.
A: What has been your general experience at conventions? What part of it do you like the most?
SM: I generally love it, it’s wonderful to see how much conventions have grown in Venezuela. Since I’ve attended cons since 2005 I’ve had the chance to see this culture evolve. I love meeting new people and making friends with common interests. It is always fun way to spend a weekend.
A: How do you choose the character which you will cosplay? What has been your favorite Character to Cosplay as so far? Why?
SM: Well I just have a long list of characters that I love. I feel that cosplaying characters that meant a lot to me when I was discovering anime is the most rewarding thing ever, also when I love a character that makes the cosplay seems easier. When it comes to choosing a character I keep in mind my body type and try to pick characters that I know I can represent. My favorite character to cosplay is Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon because portraying her means the world to me! Sailor Moon was the first anime I saw, everything related to that anime has a great meaning to me, especially her, because she’s one of my favorite fictional characters.
A: Do you sew your costumes or buy them or a combination of the two? What set of sewing skills are you hoping to learn or improve on?
SM: For my first couple of cosplays I went to a seamstress to make them, after that I started to make them myself. I want to learn a lot about sewing and making accessories, because I have been self-taught. In that aspect, I’ve “learned” to sew due to trial and errors, but I don’t know a lot of techniques.
A: You have cosplayed mainly as characters from anime, what or who first got you into anime? What is it about anime that keeps you coming back for more?
SM: When I was very young my sister used to watch Sailor Moon, one day I started watching it too, since then I watched every anime series that has been transmitted in my country. It’s been a part of my life since I could remember. The stories, design, and animation is what keeps me interested. There is always something in anime that you could not find in normal series or movie.
A: One of the anime you cosplayed as was Sailor Moon. What made you pick Sailor Moon to cosplay as? Who was the dashing Tuxedo Mask?
SM: I love Sailor Moon! That series helped me build my personality and got me into anime. It was an obvious cosplay for me. Sailor Moon will always mean a lot to me, it’s a beautiful experience to cosplay as her. My awesome Tuxedo Mask was my cosplay partner Jhon, here’s his DeviantART => http://jhonkunagm.deviantart.com/
A: Are there any characters you thought about cosplay as but didn’t because there outfits were too “exposed” or “risque”?
SM: Yes! It’s always an issue, for example, I never went to a convention with my Misty cosplay because I didn’t feel comfortable enough. I love Cere-Cere from Sailor Moon Super S but I don’t think I will cosplay her anytime because she’s wearing almost nothing.
A: How does you displaying your work on Deviant art and Facebook factor into your costume making?
SM: It makes me so happy to see that people from other countries appreciate my costumes. Getting that kind of exposure makes me want to do even more cool cosplays to show. It makes me extra proud, because I never imagined so many people would like my cosplays. When you expose yourself in that way on the internet you’re susceptible to a lot of criticism, so before I upload a picture I make sure I’m happy with it and try it to be even better than my last ones.
A: Have you ever made a costume that you felt wouldn’t be good for photographing? How do you decide the Photographer that will take your picture? If it is one person, how did you find that person?
SM: Not really, for every one of my costumes I think of the pictures I want to have, I love the variety of photography options you have when you
cosplay. There’s not too many photographers that are interested in cosplay here in my city, but I feel really comfortable with my friend Andy Valentine. She has been my friend for years and even though she doesn’t likes anime, she’s very good at these kind of shoots because she understands I want. She took my Misty pictures, I know that when she does a shoot it will make me look a million times better than I look in reality!
A: Any tips for beginning cosplayers on sewing a good costume together? What is the next costume you are making?
SM: Well, I just want to let them know that if they want it, they can do it. Just have creativity and a lot of patience! If it doesn’t comes out right at your first attempt, it will probably do at your second or third! Just have faith in yourselves, the feeling of wearing a cosplay that has been made by you is amazing. I think that the process of making it it’s even more fun than actually wearing it. I hope to do Asuka’s plugsuit from Evangelion this year, it’s my dream cosplay.
A: What Conventions will you be at in 2013?
SM: I want to be at Avalancha at Caracas really bad! I hope I can make it. And for sure I will attend Bam Shuukai at Barquisimeto.
