Hokuto's squidposts

[Hokuto]

I can't believe I forgot one of my big lessons from this experience: going in missing even a little bit of confidence WILL make you feel like a total dweeb. Roaming a convention floor wearing an obscure costume is one thing; walking through your neighborhood and along busier streets in full cosplay is another beast entirely. I thought I had forgotten the meaning of shame. I was WRONG. Go big, go home, or pick a less eye-catching cosplay. (Naoto Shirogane Persona 4 is next on my list if I can find the opportunity.)

 

[SAMICOM]

Where I actually get to talk about the details of the thing I've been working on in mostly secret for a month. (See user title.)

THE FIT

• Shawl and fleece "wig" sewn myself. This is perhaps the only project that benefits from the maker not knowing how to sew. I unironically think the shawl looking bad looks great!
  • The orange striped fabric is discontinued and now slightly rare. If sloppy wasn't OK for the shawl, I would have been very disappointed by the stains on the scrap the seller sent me.
  • My favorite detail on the whole project is the fishtail braided hair tie on the "wig."
• Headset is a pair of cheap wireless headphones with fins glued on and a coat of paint.
  • Easily my least favorite part of the build. TL;DR: con crunch and Murphy's Law.
  • It does function, wired or wireless! I used it with the music player on my 2DS.
• Shirts thrifted. The pants are below-the-knee baseball knickers because I didn't want to tear up a pair of full-length pants.
• Regular rubber slippers, painted with the leftover paint from the disaster headset.
• The makeup that doesn't appear in any of these pictures took almost half an hour. Inkling mask, eyebrows (even though mine are too thick and dark to fully obscure because I'm not white!), sludge stain (face paint and sparkly eyeshadow).
• I painted my nails (all of them) for the bit. I return to work tomorrow and food safety regulations mean that unless I dare to pick up nail polish remover in this weather, I'm cooked.

THE PHOTOSHOOT

• Photo credit: shiasawe (Instagram)
  • He wanted photography practice and I wanted pictures I couldn't take myself.
• My must-have photo (the faceplant) tragically Did Not Turn Out in the dimly lit hallway, otherwise I should have shared it here.
  • My ideal location, the rooftop garden, will not be available in 2026. I do not know anyone who would agree to take silly pictures of me in an equally silly costume somewhere else.
• I remembered to take off my glasses for the shoot, but not my watch. Make this make sense, Hokuto.

MISCELLANEOUS

• The knickers worked great with a travel belt (like a slim-fitting fanny pack worn under your outermost layer, usually worn abroad to ensure you don't lose Important Things like your money or passport), since I only had one pocket.
• About five people recognized the Captain. To be fair, this was an anime convention, not a games convention.
  • I wish I had this cosplay ready on Friday, partially because the first guy I saw fresh off the bus was visibly a Splatoon fan and even my shoddy first-time work would have blown his mind.
• The wig cap hurt my head, the slippers meant for cleaning yard and keeping your feet safe from scorching beach sand hurt my feet, and the humiliating interactions I had with other people hurt my morale.

funny you say that- i made a captain cosplay 6 months ago! yours looks fresh as a fiddle