Interview with cosplayer Flaming-Goddess -
Rachel a.k.a Flaming-Goddess is a cosplayer from Ohio, USA. She has cosplayed characters such as Mami Tomoe from Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Boa Hancock from One Piece and Sakura Haruno from Naruto. Rachel is famously known for her cosplay of Nami from One Piece which is jaw-dropping. We at ProCosplay loved her incredibly cute cosplay of Lucy Heartfilia from Fairy Tail. Let's get to know more about her!
Biography :-
Name - Rachel
Place - Columbus, OH
DOB - April 27
Fav Anime - One Piece, Madoka Magica, Fairy Tail, Chuunibyo demo Koi ga Shitai!, Gurren Lagann, and Shinsekai Yori.
1. How about you introduce yourself to the readers first?
Flaming Goddess :- Hey there! My name is Rachel (alias Flaming-Goddess), and I'm a cosplayer from the US. I'm studying to be an opera singer, but in my free-time I enjoy making costumes, watching anime, and hanging out with friends.
2. What got you into cosplaying and for how long have you been cosplaying?
Flaming Goddess :- I've been cosplaying for 5 years. I started watching Naruto when I was in middle school, but it wasn't until 2008 that I heard about an anime convention in Columbus callled Ohayocon. My mom and I put together a Timeskip Sakura Haruno cosplay the night before the con, and after that I was hooked.
3. Why did you choose to cosplay Lucy Heartfilia?
Flaming Goddess :- A friend of mine had been bugging me to read Fairy Tail for a while, so I finally broke down and read it. I immediately connected with Lucy (and her ridiculous faces), and her character design was adorable to boot. I also fell in love with the series, so I knew I had to cosplay her. I'm planing on doing a couple of other versions of her in the future as well.
4. Could you give the readers some tips on cosplaying Lucy Heartfilia?
Flaming Goddess :- Have fun with it! Lucy is a great character to cosplay because she has so many emotions and poses to portray. I really suggest styling your own wig, because you often see the same couple wigs with Lucy cosplayers, and in my opinion they aren't quite right.
5. Did you face any difficulties in cosplaying Lucy Heartfilia?
Flaming Goddess :- Styling the wig and finding a good pattern for her shirt was definitely a little difficult. Because she has a side ponytail, I had a tough time finding a wig that would be thick enough to style and not show wefts so I would have to use a clip-in. Her shirt also is a little unique with its collar and form-fitting nature, but eventually I ended up using stretchy cotton and it worked perfectly.
6. What according to you are the pros and cons of cosplaying?
Flaming Goddess :- Cosplaying definitely helped me meet a bunch of new, awesome people and travel out of Ohio to different conventions, as well as gain new skills like sewing and prop-work that I definitely would not have had if I hadn't gotten the hobby. But, unfortunately there is a lot of drama that comes with the hobby, as well as judgment from people who don't know about cosplaying. But, I try not to let any of that affect me. Cosplaying is also a bit of a money suck, with all the wigs, fabric, shoes, etc. that you buy to make your costume perfect.
7. Where do you often go for your photoshoots? How do you choose the background for a photoshoot?
Flaming Goddess :- I usually do photoshoots on location at conventions with various photographers, but sometimes I work with a photographer here in Columbus at his studio. When I go to cons, I always end up scouting various locations that I think would look cool in pictures, so that usually helps me decided where to take pictures.
8. How do you view yourself as a cosplayer?
Flaming Goddess :- I'm definitely still a beginner in a lot of ways, since I really only started making new costumes 2 years ago, but I've grown in a lot of ways when it comes to sewing things of various difficulties and prop work. I'm hoping to continue getting better and make new costumes and props!
9. Could you give some advice to the beginners out there?
Flaming Goddess :- Don't be afraid to ask for help! My mom taught me how to sew and knew how to make so many things, and my dad knows more about wood working and building things than I ever will. They both have helped me so much with making my cosplays. Also, the Internet is your friend! There's a pretty good chance that the thing you're trying to make has a tutorial about it somewhere, and if there isn't, ask another cosplayer that you like how they did it. Cosplaying is all about fun, so choose something you'll enjoy making!
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