We’re now presenting cosplayer interviews! The first one, shared from Cosplay Blog with a Brain, is an interview with Elffi! He’s a talented cosplayer from Finland, who has quite the array of costumes!

Elffi as Final Getsuga Tenshou Ichigo from Bleach, photo by Yayagami

What’s your cosplay alias and why did you choose it?
My cosplay alias is Elffi, but it’s not a cosplay alias only. I’ve been using my nickname for the past 10 years already. I have never had another nickname. I think I chose it because I’ve always been a great fan of elves, and at that time I was playing this game called Warhammer Fantasy Battle with an army of High Elves. That’s the history of my nickname!

How many years have you been cosplaying and what got you started?
I’ve been cosplaying for 6 years. I watched Bleach in 2006 and got influenced by it. I fell in love with this character called Kurosaki Ichigo, as I felt really similar to him. So my first cosplay was Ichigo’s Shinigami form in Animecon 2006, Helsinki, Finland.

Elffi as Jecht from Final Fantasy Dissidia, photo by Yayagami

What has been some of your favorite things to work with when constructing costumes and why?
I’ve always loved to craft things by my own hands. Sewing is also okay, but I’m more fascinated with armor and weapon making. I love to take big challenges, and that’s why I always make such huge weapons. I also have to wait for my artistic flow to pop out. That’s why I always start my costumes a few days, max one week, before a convention. I’ve never used more than one week to finish a costume.

What are you excited to be working with in the future and why?
I have some big projects coming up in the near future. Some costumes which will stretch the limitations of human body and cosplay. Other thing is moveable parts, with electricity, because I really wanna test and stretch my limits!

What are some of the traits you like to see in other costumes and who do you think does well in them?
I really appreciate well balanced cosplays, such as something where all the parts have been made properly. I have seen many costumes where the prop or main costume is EXCELLENT, but then the other parts might ruin the whole atmosphere. But I don’t really have any cosplayer whose work I would admire more than others. There are so many great cosplayers in this world.

What is your view of the “cosplay scene”?
I like to separate the Finnish and Worldwide cosplay scene. I think that the cosplay scene is a thing where you can be involved if you want, but it’s not a necessity. But if you get involved, you have to remember that no one is spared from critique. It’s a huge social system where you can learn and teach things if you want to. It is also a great place to achieve many great new friends. It has given me a lot. I’m really glad that I took cosplay as my hobby and met all the fascinating and inspiring friends all over the world!

Elffi as Gilgamesh from Fate/Stay Night, photo by Yayagami

What are some of the things you want to see change in the scene?
Hmm, well there are no big changes I would like to see. Maybe some slight changes in people’s behavior. New cosplayers should be taken care of with a friendlier attitude. And I’ve also seen and heard of many really harsh bullying cases in the cosplay scene. It would be cool if people would think more before acting and be friendlier to each other.

What is some advice you could give people starting to get into cosplay?
You cannot be perfect at the beginning. Cosplay is full of challenges and you will get better only by training and being open to new ideas and tips. Don’t be afraid and talk to new people at conventions! They are mostly really friendly and I bet that you can make some new friends easily!

What are some of your favorite conventions you’ve attended and why?
I have only attended Finnish conventions, WCS and Comiket in Japan. From Finnish conventions I really recommend Desucon. The convention place and atmosphere are wonderful! This year I’ll be also attending many foreign conventions. I’m really waiting to see how they differ from Finnish conventions!

Give a random fact about one of your costumes that you’re proud of!
You guys know my Vash the Stampede costume and that 4 meter long prop, Angel Arm, right? I’ll let you know that I made the whole thing in two days. Actually I was mostly drinking beer and doing it 24/7! Really inspiring moments of frustration and success! I also had to use frozen vegetable soup to freeze the hot glue as quick as possible!

Elffi as Vash from Trigun, photo by Jacob "Jacke" Åberg

Thanks for the interview, Elffi! You can see more of his work on his Deviantart and his Facebook!

Koi

A cosplayer for over a decade now, Yunie is a giant nerd who still pretends she’s cool. She runs several sites on her own, including Engi no Shouzoku! Cosplay, Cosplay Blog with a Brain, and her store, Yunie’s Designs. An avid fan of fellow nerds, Yunie loves attending conventions and dorking around in costumes with all types. Oh, and if there’s shenanigans, even better!

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