interview with thegadgetfish

Michelle K. aka ~thegadgetfish, from USA

1. So, tell us something about yourself. And say Hi to your fans :)

Hi everyone!

2. How did you know about and get into Cosplaying?

I went to my first anime convention in 2004, and everyone looked amazing in cosplay. I wanted to be a part of that.

3. Can you share your first cosplay experience and what character did you portray? How long have you been cosplaying?

My fist costume was actually Itachi from Naruto. My grandma made the costume, while I just made the props and accessories. It was definitely a rush, and just interacting with everyone was really fun.

4. How long have you been cosplaying?

I 'started' in 2005, but that was mostly small props and things. I made my first full outfit in 2008.

5. What makes you want to cosplay?

The feeling you get after everything is put together, and you stare at the mirror and it's like, "Awesome".

6. Which character is your favorite one that you've cosplayed so far?

Golbez (FFIV) is my favorite. He's just huge and badass.

7. Have you had the experience of a cosplay gone bad, or encoutered some problems while cosplaying? What are those?

I had a bad experience with my Amon cosplay, where the legplates broke during the morning of the con and I had nothing to fix it with. Luckily, I had a giant sticker in my pack, so I just ripped it up and somehow everything held together. Talk about stressful, though!

Which aspect of cosplay do you prefer: making garments, creating accessories, crafting props, makeup/prosthetics, etc?

Creating props, by far.

9. For your Amon cosplay, what preparations have you done?

I suppose the same preparations as other cosplays, just stare at a lot of reference images, and sketch ideas/potential problems/etc in a notepad.

10. Do you observe some similarities in all the characters you've cosplayed? What similarities would it be if yes?

Most of them have my face covered!

11. What future cosplays are you planning?

I've been thinking about a Borderlands 2 Zero cosplay for about a year now. I've yet to actually work on it, though.

12. What's your dream cosplay?

Always wanted to make an Ironman suit!

13. Would you consider yourself as an Amateur or a Pro-cosplayer?

Amateur, definitely. I'm not nearly as productive as other cosplayers!

14. Aside from cosplaying, what other things keep you busy in life?

I program games for a living, and snowboard all winter.

15. And aside from cosplay events/cons, do you dress up at home or out in the public?

Does halloween count?

16. Do you see yourself still cosplaying 5-10 years from now?

Yes, or at the very least, i'll continue making props. I had a year or 2 where I stopped cosplaying, and I definitely missed it.

17. What advice can you share to your fellow cosplayers and cosplay virgins?

Just do it! Don't give yourself any limits or restrictions. All projects can be broken down into small pieces, so just start working on something.

For those who want follow thegadgetfish, you can visit his DA account through this link:

~thegadgetfish

You might also like:  

Here we have the newest addition to the growing avatar cosplays and we welcome the anti-bending “Amon”! The user known as “thegadgetfish”, has put together a well round up cosplay costume that finally shows an Amon that looks as mysterious and raw as he does in the anime. What is more so amazing is that the mask has been created by the cosplayer himself. It is very hard to find a good Amon mask, as the others that float around the net look cheap and amateur and pretty much, not Amon like. This cosplayer strikes the pose which brings out what Amon is really all about. The padded armour which showcases a very oriental theme and the hooded suite to match everything together really makes the character stand out and not look out of place of shifty.  Also the colours on the costume are fabulous. The dark colours make it a very close rendition but keep the entire costume grounded with the shiny shoulder pads and arm pads. With all the previous renditions you wouldn’t be afraid to run into an Amon, but you wouldn’t want run into this Amon in real life, as the moves look smooth and not forced with a hint of genius behind him with the water fountain. He showcases his other photos which put him head to head with other favourite Avatar characters.  With all that said it’s quite a costume that I could see be popular among that fans. Especially that it looks comfortable to be in (unless it’s a hot day) and would actually make you feel like the character itself. Not just from the inside but the outside as every intricate detail, from the padded areas to the darker areas with different materials. The mask itself brings the entire attire together, and I’m sure if there was an anti-air bender to come into force into our world, he’d be looking for “thegadgetfish” for his costume closet. For more great cosplay from this user, please visit his Deviant Art webpage “http://www.deviantart.com/art/Amon-325395190” .