[INTERVIEW] REIKA, CHARMING COSPLAYER FROM JAPAN

 ”コスは一人では出来ないと思うので、
友達を大切にして欲しいなと思います。
一人でやるより皆でやる方が楽しいと思います！”- Reika

 ”Please cherish your friends as you can not Cosplay alone.
I think doing cosplay together is more fun than doing it alone!” – Reika

Reika, popular Japanese cosplayer and our cosplay guest at AFA Singapore 2012, was able to spare us some time with an interview! We are very honoured to have known such a passionate cosplayer such as Reika. She is known for her accuracy in her cosplays and stunning portrayal of the characters in her photos. She creates each costume with much care and diligence and spends a lot of time of getting her wigs styled right and getting her make-up as close to perfection!

Along with her gorgeous features, Reika also has a very warm and beautiful personality. We were very touched by her views on cosplay and we are more than delighted to share them with you as well!

The interview was originally in Japanese but we have translated it for all her overseas fans! Translation thanks to Mika and Johnny!
Get to know Reika a little bit more with AFA Channel!

1. How did you start cosplaying? 

Initially, I used to draw and join events with my doujin-works. When participating in such events, I saw the cosplayers having a wonderful time. This made me want to try out cosplay as well.

I joined a local event as a cosplayer and found out that it was really fun for me to make costumes. Eventually, I found myself to be no longer drawing.

If I was really good at drawing, as well as being able to express well what I have imagined in my mind, I would probably not be cosplaying for such a long period of time.

[もともと私は絵を描いていました。
同人誌を作ってイベントに参加していた時に、会場にいたレイヤーさん達がとても楽しそうでした。
私も一度やってみよう！と思い始めました。
地元のイベントに参加し始めてすぐやり始めました。
どんどん服を作る方が楽しくなってしまい、気づくと絵を描くのはやめてしまいました。
もしも絵が上手だったら、思い描いている世界が上手く絵で表現できていたならばこんなに長く続けてなかったかもしれません。]

 

2. What is a crucial criteria for you to choose a cosplay character?  

I would choose the character that I really like.

The more I like the character, the greater my desire to make that costume.
On top of that, I can enjoy myself when I’m in that costume.

I think it is same as children who enjoy wearing the belts of their favourite heroes. (laugh)

[やはり一番好きなキャラクターですね。
好きという気持ちが強ければ強いほど製作意欲もあがります。
そして着ている時も楽しいです。
子供がヒーローのベルトを付けて楽しんでいるのと同じ気持ちです(笑)]

 

 

3. Do you have a preference to cosplay female or male characters? 

Basically, I cosplay as male characters because my favourite characters are mainly male.

I prefer to see cute girls who are cosplaying as female characters rather than cosplaying them myself.

[基本的には男性キャラクターです。
それは一つ前の回答にもつながりますが、一番好きなキャラクターが男性だからと思います。
女性キャラクターはかわいい子がやっているのを見る方が好きなので自分はあまりやりません。]

 

4. Do you have any cosplayers that you respect?

I used to like some cosplayers that are from Tokyo, but recently I don’t see them at events.
Perhaps they have already retired, but even now, I still respect them.

I like them in all aspects: their costumes, photos and the way they show their love for through their work.
Apart from that, they are hard workers.

I am always touched by the remarkable cosplayers in the countries which I have I visited. I feel that the moe point is the amazing costumes that these cosplayers have created and I have much respect for them.

[昔は東京のレイヤーさんでとても好きな方達がいらっしゃいました。
今は引退されているようなのでイベントでは見かけませんが今でも尊敬していま
す。
衣装製作、写真撮影、自分への努力、作品への気持ちの入れ方、すべてが好きですね。
そして、色々な国に伺うと素晴らしいレイヤーさん達が沢山いて常に感動しています。
衣装の丁寧さが、私にとってレイヤーさんへの最大の萌え(笑)ポイントですので
衣装が素晴らしいレイヤーさんには常に尊敬の気持ちを持っています。]

 

5. We understand that you make your own costumes, which is the most difficult costume you had to make and how long did you take? 

I always have trouble when making costumes as I am clumsy (laugh).
A particular cosplay that caused me a lot of trouble was Origami Cyclone of TIGER & BUNNY because It was my first time making a costume that does not reveal any skin and it was my second time making a mask (the first time was ZERO of Code Geass). It took 2 weeks to make these items. I made it frantically every night after work.

Also, Sangoku Musou 7′s costume, which I am making now, is very difficult too as it has many small ornaments.

[私は不器用なので常に失敗と苦労の繰り返しなので大変ですが(笑)
特別思い入れが強い衣装はTIGER & BUNNYの折紙サイクロンですね。
肌がまったく出てI衣装は初めてでしたし、マスク製作も2回目

 

6. What is the fastest cosplay costume you have made?

It is the jacket of SMS (Macross). Starting from cutting the cloth, it took 1 hour and half to finish.
I remember I did a live broadcasting while I was making it. (laugh)
I think I can make a costume faster than most people. I usually complete a costume in a day. (Since I start after work, I finish a costume in 1 night)

If I take more than 2 days, I will lose concentration.

[構造にもよりますが、布の裁断からスタートして一番早く作れた衣装はマクロスFのSMSのジャケットですね。
裁断から完成まで約90分でした。
当時ウェブで実況しながら作った思い出があります(笑)
割と製作は早い方ですのでどの衣装もほぼ1日(仕事の後なので一晩)で作ってしまいます。
2日以上かけてしまうと緊張が無くなってしまって集中力がおちてしまうのです。]

 

7. Which is your favourite cosplay costume by far? 

The characters for which I made costumes for are all my favourites so I cosplay all of them after I do what I can do for the costumes, so it is hard for me to choose one, but the costume which I have the strongest feeling for is Arikawa Masaomi of Harukanaru Toki no Nakade 3. I won the game company’s official contest with it. I remember I was really happy because it was my dearest character.

And Hijikata Toshizo of Hakuoki is a memorable character.
I realized I cosplayed it 38 times in a year. I have strong feeling especially for Hakuoki, that’s what make it as my precious work.

Maeda Keiji of Sengoku BASARA is memorable costume as well.
I cosplayed this character after a year’s rest from cosplaying. I struggled to make the costume because I forgot certain steps in making it..But I was so happy that I was about to cry when the voice actor of Maeda Keiji said to me, ”Your costume is great!’ at an event in Kyoto.

Also, Jinguji Ren of Uta no Prince-sama!
I have made 14 costumes of Ren so far, which is surprising even to myself. Whenever I am making or wearing these costumes, I feel really happy, as if I’ve fallen in love. I’ve also felt as though I’ve returned back to my childhood.

[どれも大好きなキャラですので自分に出来る事は全部やってからコスしています。
ですので、一つを選ぶのはとても難しいですね。
特別な思い入れがあるキャラクターは遙かなる時空の中で3：有川将臣です。
ゲーム会社オフィシャルのコンテストで優勝させて頂いたコスです。
最愛のキャラクターでしたのでとても嬉しかったのを覚えています。あと、薄桜鬼の土方歳三も思いで深いです。年末に一年間のコスを数えたのですが
一年間で38回やっていました。作品への思い入れが特に強くて本当に大切な作品です。
あとは戦国BASARAの前田慶次です。私には一年間コスお休みをしていた時期がありました。
その休み明け一発目の衣装製作で手が製作を忘れてしまっていてとても苦労したのを覚えています。
でも、京都のイベントで前田慶次の声優さんに声をかけて頂けて
すごいね！と言って頂きました。涙が出そうな位嬉しかったです。そしてうたプリの神宮寺レンですね。
レンの衣装は、すでに14着も作成していて自分でも驚きです。
久しぶりに恋をしている感じで、製作している時も衣装を着ている時も本当にとても幸せで
子供に戻ってる感じで楽しんでやっています。]

 

 

8. In Singapore, new cosplayers make friends by going to a forum or other sites to source for partners to form cosplay groups. Is this the same in Japan? How do cosplayers in Japan find cosplay groups?

I think Japan is same as Singapore. But I feel Japanese cosplayers would rather take pictures for themselves than communicating with each other.
So I think they know each other on websites first, then meet at events when they join it.
Compared to older times, I feel the interchanges are not as prosperous in Osaka, where I’m living in, even though it is a place with a homey atmosphere.

On the other hand, they communicate with each other well at artwork events (there are lot of such events in Japan) as the people who really like the artwork go there. It is very fun.

[日本も同じだと思います。でも今の日本のイベントはロケーションがかなり重要とされていて交流より自分たちの撮影を優先しているように思います。
ですのでまずはウェブサイトで知り合って仲良くなってからイベントで声をかける事が多いと思います。
私の住んでいる大阪はアットホームな地域だとは思いますが昔ほど交流が盛んでは無いと思います。
逆に作品のオンリーイベント（日本では沢山開催されているます。）では本当にその作品が好きな人達があつまるので
交流が盛んです。とても楽しいですよ。]

 

9. What is the something you have learnt from cosplay? 

I learnt a lot. The importance of observing the rules and keeping promises, the planning that goes to making costumes, continuing to challenge myself, how to handle relationships and studying language.

I’m studying every day. I even learnt the violin and football for the sake of cosplay. (laugh)

I would like to level up myself more with the new techniques which I come across when making a costume every time.

[色々学びますね。
約束やマナーを守る大切さ、そして衣装製作の計画性、自分への挑戦、人付き合いのやり方、語学
毎日が勉強です。コスの為にバイオリンも習いましたし、フットボールも習いました(笑)
製作に関しては毎回新しい手法を発見をするので、それをさらにパワーUPさせてレベルアップして行きたいと思います。]

 

10. Do you have any tips you can share to new cosplayers? 

Please cherish your friends as you can not Cosplay alone.
I think doing cosplay together is more fun than doing it alone!
Also, please love the original work that your cosplay is based on. Cosplay is a display of your love for the original work, even though there are people who cosplay a particular title simply because it’s a popular work.

Don’t think of this as a method for you to stand out.

Meeting people who also loves the same works as you at events leads to the further widening of your social circle. I like a world that is like this.

[コスは一人では出来ないと思うので、
友達を大切にして欲しいなと思います。
一人でやるより皆でやる方が楽しいと思います！
そして作品を愛する心を大切にしてほしいと思います。
人気作品だから。と言う理由でもコスをする人も居ますがコスは作品への愛の表現であって欲しいと思ってます。
「自分を目立たせる為の手段」とは思って欲しくないと思います。
同じ作品を好きな人同士がイベントで出会ってさらに輪を広げて行く。そんな世界が大好きです。

 

 

11. Reika-san has a lot of fans all over the world, what is the most memorable incident with a fan that you can remember?

There is a lot, actually.

My first overseas trip was to China. At that point of time, the general feeling of the event was, "Anyone will do as long as long as you invite a Japanese cosplayer".
Thanks to an invitation from an acquaintance, I participated in this event.

However, on the first day, the organisers said to me, "It was really great that you were able to come". This line made me very happy, and that I have to do my best at the event.

On top of that, I usually return to Japan on late-night flights. But I was grateful that are people that accompanied me even to the airport. Being together until late fills me with gratitude.

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