Cosplaying isn’t a skill you develop in a day; instead, it is an integration of many other skills together, starting from makeup, sewing, and gradually building up the character from screen to reality. Even if for a few moments, the character we love flashes right in front of us, and it’s all possible because of cosplayers. It isn’t a one-day performance but a job that requires days and maybe even months of handwork and planning just to put up the cosplay for a moment or a day.
Cosplaying requires a thorough knowledge of the character you are portraying to accurately portray that character on social media or in any other context. Art forms like cosmetics and embroidery are necessary in order to bring the character’s spirit to life. This is how we found F.ukuro. She is a fantastic individual who agreed to an interview and shared a part of her journey with us at OtakuKart.
One of the early videos of F.ukuro’s that we came across was a Kakegurui cosplay. This viral tik-tok video of one person portraying six different characters from the same show is all that it requires to remind one of the beauty in cosplaying. F.ukuro is a 23-year-old streamer and cosplayer based in the UK. She uses her vast platform of millions of followers to spread awareness against malicious cons and stands firm for causes that she believes in.
Despite her busy schedule, she agreed to our interview and even gave us some very insightful answers about the art we know as cosplaying.
Hello F.ukuro, first of all, glad that you have agreed to the interview. Jumping to the first question, could you tell us what sparked your interest in the field of cosplay?
F.ukuro: I became a cosplayer back when I was 15-16, my brothers Scott & Kurt used to watch anime like Dragon Ball Z and Pokémon, so I was already into the style of it all. While I was in school, some friends showed me Death Note and Black Butler, and I became so interested in watching more anime that I got sucked into the world of it. I met a friend online (still my friend to this day, her name is Bebe), and she showed me the world of cosplay. A few months later, my eldest brother took me to my first convention – London MCM October 2014, and I saw a cosplay guest by the name of Jessica Nigri. Her talent for cosplay and crafting was inspiring, and I knew that was what I wanted to be like in the future.
Question: You have been cosplaying for so long, what are some of the challenges you have faced?
F.ukuro: You face challenges every day. If it isn’t someone online trying to hate on you and insult you – you’re criticizing yourself instead. It’s one of the hardest things. Unfortunately, you have to get used to it. The best way is to get yourself into a more selfish mindset. These haters clearly have nothing better to do than to waste their time leaving hateful comments on YOUR posts, which means that you are obviously so much more important than whatever else they could be doing with their time. It is also stemmed a lot from jealousy. As long as you are the best version of yourself that you can be, you aren’t hurting anybody, and you are happy in yourself – no one else’s opinion should matter.
Question: Could you share with us some of the unforgettable moments you have had as a cosplayer that make you smile back to the good times?
F.ukuro: It has to be meeting my followers. Attending conventions or events, or even visiting places like London or other busy cities – when someone comes up to you and says that they follow you and you inspired them, it just warms you from the inside out. I recently attended London MCM October 2021, and the number of people I met who told me I inspired them and are the reason they cosplay had me on the brink of tears every time. It never gets old, and it is the most rewarding part of all of this.
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Question: You have so many experiences as a cosplayer, so what is your source of motivation behind cosplaying?
F.ukuro: Definitely seeing my friends and followers creating their own cosplays and content. I often find myself inspired by seeing other cosplayers, and it gives me more ideas, and then more ideas stem from those. It’s so much fun to collaborate with friends as well, coming up with ideas and bringing them to life.
Question: With all the challenges and the complexity of creating a character, did it ever give you a vibe of giving up?
F.ukuro: Once or twice. I took a long break back in 2017 for a year, and while I do regret it, I wouldn’t go back and change it as I may not be where I am now. I only wanted to stop due to things in my life-changing and then some things going terribly there. I’m glad I wasn’t cosplaying, as I think I would look at it negatively. I have nearly quit, but I’m so glad I haven’t.
Question: Among all the cosplays you have done, what do you think was the most fun while creating?
F.ukuro: I love creating the Genshin Impact characters. I’m not very good at sewing or crafting props – but I love adding my own spin on a character in the makeup I do. The Genshin Impact characters have such different styles and vibrant colors in them, plus intricate backstories and relationships that suck you in. It’s safe to say I am obsessed with the game and everything in it, haha! I love being able to get creative with them and bring my own personality into each one.
Question: So, what do you think was the hardest for you to create?
F.ukuro: Definitely my Jinx cosplay from League of Legends back in 2019. I was already struggling with getting my wig right, but the costume I had purchased was nothing like what they showed in the images. I luckily got a refund and managed to get my costume commissioned from my friend Mimichiix. I also had the props commissioned, and then the costume was ready for the convention in OCTOBER. I was absolutely freezing on the day that I wore Jinx and actually had to take her off halfway into the day as I was starting to get too cold!
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Question: Well now that we have asked you plenty of questions concerning cosplays, tell us your favorite anime or TV Shows?
F.ukuro: I am obsessed with Demon Slayer at the moment. I also love Attack on Titan, as it is my all-time favorite; however, my current favorite has to be Demon Slayer!
Question: Besides cosplay, what other hobbies interest you or things you have considered pursuing?
F.ukuro: I enjoy gaming quite a lot, with Genshin Impact & Overwatch being my main two. I am also a manga and figure collector, so I read a lot of manga and collect figures from anime, games, movies, etc.
Question: While cosplaying, do you give preference to any particular kind of character? If so, what is your type or the characters you like cosplaying?
F.ukuro: I mainly prefer female/more feminine characters – this is just because I find them easier to portray in my videos and photos. I also love characters that are more evil and villainous; this is again because I find them more fun to portray, and I feel like you can really over-exaggerate your expressions for them!
Question: Could you tell us something about the characters you are planning to cosplay in the near future?
F.ukuro: I have several plans from Genshin Impact as well as some projects that are still unfinished, like Evelynn and Ahri from League of Legends! I have a highlight on my Instagram of characters I plan to cosplay!
Question: Have you ever been to a con? What’s the biggest con you’ve been to? Could you share a bit of your experience?
F.ukuro: I try to attend the MCM conventions across the year in London & Birmingham! I have also attended London Film & Comic Con by Showmasters and the Hyper Japan events as well. I really enjoy attending conventions because I get to see my friends from across the country as well as friends that fly in internationally. The stalls are endless, and I feel like you come back each day, and there is something new. However, the best part has to be meeting followers and sometimes even their families! Meeting who I’ve inspired is genuinely the most amazing experience, and it always gives me the same feeling!
Question: When it comes to cosplay, what is your favorite part? What is it about it that keeps you going?
F.ukuro: I love being able to show my favorite characters how I would picture them. It’s just so much fun to throw on a costume and pretend to be the character for a few hours! They’re not real, unfortunately, haha, so being able to bring them to life is amazing. For some of us, these characters are life-changing, and it’s a surreal feeling to see yourself as them.
Question: Now that you have come this far, what will be your advice to people who want to become a cosplayer someday or your followers in general?
F.ukuro: As long as you are happy in your cosplay – that’s what matters. I said this in another answer but: “As long as you are the best version of yourself that you can be, you aren’t hurting anybody, and you are happy in yourself – no one else’s opinion should matter.” It’s a hard thing to get used to thinking, but no one else can affect you once you do. Posting things online especially opens up a world of nasty-minded people who will try and hurt you for fun, but just remember that you are the bigger person, and you are braver for sharing your amazing cosplays online.
There is also no such thing as a “better” cosplayer. Everyone has different skills, specialties, and levels of experience. Cosplay isn’t a competition unless you are quite literally entering a cosplay competition to be judged – you are not competing against anyone, and you should only compare yourself to yourself.
This was truly inspiring, and I bet several other cosplayers and even people, in general, would love to learn more about cosplaying from your experiences and opinions. Now that we have come to an end to our interview, Could you link your socials to the interview?
You can add me on my Instagram, Tiktok, Twitter, and Twitch.
