Cutsceneaddict Cosplay

✨5 Tips for Thrifty Cosplaying (featuring Baji from Tokyo Revengers)✨

➡️Question: How do you save money on cosplay?

Whether you’re a cosplayer, a content creator, or both, getting to wear new cosplays is the best part of the hobby. While it *can* be an expensive one, it doesn’t have to be. Here are five tips for saving money on cosplay:

✨1. Trade with a Friend – If you have cosplay friends or acquaintances who you trust, ask about doing a “cosplay swap.” Borrow each other’s cosplays to save time and money. You can even do these trades exclusively at conventions so there’s no extra shipping or travel required.

✨2. Create Alts/AUs for Existing Cosplays – Take a cosplay you love, then create an alternative outfit for the character based on what you already have in your closet. A few ideas might include: formal, school, winter, summer, crossover, and hero/villain swap. Check out … for some amazing demonstrations of this tip!

✨3. Visit Thrift Stores – You can find thousands of clothing items in all colors and sizes—for a fraction of the original sale price. (I recently bought a lightly worn suit jacket and pants set for only $17).

✨4. Buy Used – Online platforms like Facebook have entire groups dedicated to used cosplay sales. Sometimes, trades are accepted, and many cosplays are only lightly used. You can get a great-looking cosplay for less than its retail value.

✨5. Recycle or Sell Old Cosplays – Are there any costumes in your collection you don’t plan on wearing again? Consider selling or trading them to earn money toward new cosplays, or repurposing these old cosplays into new ones. Wigs are especially great for recycling. Can you take a wig you’ll never wear again and restyle it for a different cosplay?

What tips do you have for saving money on cosplay?

✨5 Simple Cosplay Posing Tips (featuring William from Moriarty the Patriot)✨

➡️Question: What cosplay posing tips can you share with me?

It’s spooky season, so I’ve delivered something a bit “darker” than usual. William attempts to enact justice on wrongdoers like an avenging angel—but, in his own words, “hell is empty and the devils are all here”… including himself.

Here are 5 simple cosplay posing tips to help you in your next photoshoot:

✨1. Think “Silhouette” – If your entire body became a shadow, would you still be able to identify the character from their shape? When you pose, keep your limbs separate from your body. The more “curves” and “bends” you can put in your pose, the more “distinct” it will look. Try bending your joints—elbows, fingers, neck, knees, etc. Create “gaps” between your arms and your body. It might feel weird, but it will look captivating!

✨2. Twist Your Torso to One Side – Pose with your legs facing one direction, then twist your upper body in the opposite direction. This creates an attractive “flow” to your pose while often giving you a smaller waistline and wider shoulders.

✨3. Favor Your “Good Side” – Every cosplay is different. Know which “side” of your cosplay showcases more of the character’s clothing and facial features. Favor that side during photoshoots (But don’t neglect the opposite side altogether! Stay open-minded!).

✨4. Keep Key Features Visible – Identify all the key features of your cosplay. For example: different-colored strands on your wig, an earring, scarf, cape, long hair, belt, or knee-high boots. The most satisfying shots usually make all these “key features” visible. Get creative! Can you have someone hold out your cape and long hair to the side so these show, for example?

✨5. Use Reference Images – This one’s a lifesaver! Collect 5-10 reference photos (of your character or of a pose you like), then carefully recreate them with help from your photographer or a mirror.

Your turn! Could you please share some of your cosplay posing tips in the comments?

✨William James Moriarty (Manga Timeskip Ver.) – Cosplay Reveal✨

I absolutely LOVE redemption arcs. (And id you do, too, let me know in the comments!)

Many characters I cosplay have “redemption” as a common theme. They seek to make right the wrongs they’ve done in the past. All actions have consequences, and while these characters are freed (often through the sacrifices of others; in this case, Sherlock) to turn their lives around, they aren’t free from the consequences of their former actions (which William’s missing eye symbolizes). Rather than wallow in their pain and regret, however, they recognize this sowing-and-reaping relationship and choose to live a life of repentance. Fighting for justice, helping others, and preventing their same mistakes from happening again.

This is my first manga-exclusive cosplay. Here, I wanted to portray a redeemed but much more haggard William confronting the literal fires and metaphorical darkness of his past. The under-eye makeup is a bit more defined to bring out a “heavy” look, and the clothing shifts from brown to black. More pictures to come!

✨Cosplay Mental Health Tips✨

➡️ September is an important mental health month. Here are some of my favorite cosplay mental health tips:

✨Stay Grateful – Gratitude is one of the best-proven ways to improve your mental health (and combat FOMO). Keep a “thankfulness” journal. Write three things you’re grateful for first thing in the morning and as the last thing at night. Focus on cosplay-related gratitude: your friends, conventions, new skills, your ideas, materials available to you, tutorials, etc. Be specific. Be creative!

✨Rest – It fuels your brain, body, and emotions. A well-rested mind is a well-functioning one! Whether you’re gearing up for a big convention weekend, or in the middle of a challenging build, rest will help you build resilience. Get at least 7 hours of sleep—and take regular breaks every 45 minutes of work!

✨Celebrate Others – Cosplay showcases weeks, months, and years of effort. Take time to uplift other cosplayers by celebrating their achievements, such as sending a heartfelt DM or comment.

✨Develop a Growth Mindset – When we see an incredible cosplay, our first thought might be: “Wow, I wish I could do that!” Sometimes, we even feel jealous. We limit ourselves when we believe in natural talent or equate effort to inferiority. Those talented cosplayers we admire have logged hundreds of thousands of hours into their talent. And the good news is: YOU can, too! Pick something small (eye makeup, foam shaping, airbrushing, crimping) and focus on honing that skill. You’ll gain the confidence to try bigger things by mastering something small!

✨Reflect on your Progress – Every minute you spend cosplaying, you’re leveling up. Take time to reflect on your cosplay progress at the end of each month—and celebrate what you learned, how you improved, and why you might do things differently next time. Scroll back through your Stories, Posts, and other insights. You’ll probably be surprised by how much you’ve accomplished.

What are your favorite cosplay mental health tips?

My Insta just hit 2,000 followers and I can’t believe it! Thank you all so much for your support! ✨ Please follow me there to keep up with my latest cosplay news and updates: https://www.instagram.com/cutsceneaddict?igsh=MW9oZzcyYzVoZW1uag%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

✨Cosplay Tip: Antique Malls/Stores Make AMAZING Photoshoot Locations!✨

🙏➡️ (Can you guys help me test something? Click this picture’s “share” icon and then choose “Add note.” Send me an emoji reaction or little thought on the pictures there! Thanks so much!)

Looking for a free, pre-setup photoshoot backdrop for your vintage cosplay (Victorian, period drama, western, etc.)? Antique malls are perfect (that’s where these pics were taken)!

Here are my tips for making the most of the experience:

✨Ask Permission First! – Respect the mall’s code of conduct. Before showing up in your cosplay, call or walk into the shop and ask if you can take a few pictures in costume there. I find most shops are very polite and excited about your visit! Be clear that you won’t disrupt the patrons, and explain how long you’ll be there and when. Include important details.

✨Identify the Best Photo Spots Beforehand – Every antique mall differs. Some have entire setups based on period-esque themes. Others are more of a hodge-podge of collectibles and wares. Visit beforehand and ensure that there’s a good backdrop for your cosplay needs!

✨Note the Temperature – Some buildings are hotter or colder than others. Be mindful of the indoor climate to ensure you are comfortable throughout the experience. (For example, if it’s hot, bring extra water and plan a shorter session to avoid overheating.)

✨Know Your Poses – Because you may have limited time and need to give patrons plenty of space, it’s best to be as prepared as possible. Know your poses in advance so you can complete the photoshoot in a timely and efficient manner. (I like to use the Notes app on my phone or an image gallery of pose ideas to keep track!)

✨Leave a Tip – This is optional. However, if there’s a tip jar on the counter, leaving a little money as a “thank you” for using their space is a courteous gesture.

Got other ideas for free places to get great cosplay photos? Please tell me in the comments!

✨William James Moriarty (Anime Season 1 Ver.) – Cosplay Reveal✨

“Catch me if you can, Mr. Sherlock Holmes.”

I had such a blast cosplaying Sherlock that I had to wear the other side of detective-criminal coin. Here are a few fun facts about William’s cosplay debut:

✨First experience with face tape – It helped angle out my jaw and fix my eyebrows in a permanent, angled “glare.” CLASSE cosplay facetape is a game-changer and I’ll definitely be using more of it in the future. (I’ll post some tips on using facetape soon!)

✨YOU suggested it – I had a lot of requests for William, both through my duo cosplay template and the cosplay recommendations template that went viral these past two weeks. Thank you for encouraging me!

✨I cosplayed two versions in one photoshoot – Pics of timeskip William are coming soon! Getting to wear the eyepatch and British overcoat was a blast.

Timeskip William pics will drop soon! Thank you all again for supporting me. I can’t believe I’m nearly at 2,000 followers.

✨”Did Gunsmoke Send a Humanoid Typhoon to the Olympics?”✨

Just a silly little post of a silly little meme. I’m begging my mutuals to please replicate it with your own cosplay characters. 🙏

✨FAQ: Cosplay Blindfold Tips✨

The #1 question I get asked when I cosplay Riku is, “Can you actually see out of that thing!?” I walk around the convention and browse the booths while wearing the blindfold, so people get curious.

He’s not the only character who wears an eye-covering, so here are a few tips that might help you out, whether you’re cosplaying Riku, Gojo, or 2B.

✨Use Sheer Polyester – What’s my blindfold made of? An old graduation gown I bought at a thrift store for a few bucks! I cut a strip off the gown and sewed it together for length. Sheer polyester is quite transparent. You can see out of it, but people can’t see your eyes through it, which gives you a masked look.

✨Stick to Well-Lit Areas – While I *can* see in darker spaces, the brighter the area, the easier it is to get around. However, I can still navigate vendors halls (and see the merchandise) quite well, even fully masked.

✨Wear Perscription Contacts – Give yourself an advantage by wearing prescription contact lenses under the blindfold to help your compromised vision. (Of course, make sure you see your eye doctor first and only wear safe, FDA-approved medical devices!)

✨Bring a Friend – I always cosplay Riku with a group. It’s more fun—and comes in handy. Because my vision is more compromised, I sometimes rely on friends to notify me of something I visually miss, or tell me when someone is standing in my blindspot asking for a photo!

✨Tie It Right, Use a Black Bobbypin – Ensure the blindfold isn’t tight over your eyes. It should look smooth on the outside but feel secure. I use a black bobby pin or two to hold the blindfold in place so it doesn’t slip!

Have you cosplayed a masked or blindfolded character? What other tips do you recommend?

✨Cosplay Building – Self-Care Tips✨

I’ve been waist-deep in cosplay-making the past few months. It can be an all-absorbing process. What are your go-to self-care tips while constructing your next cosplay?

Here are a few of my favorites:

✨Set a Timer! – Whether overworking or avoiding the cosplay process, a timer helps me stay on track. I set it for an hour and tell myself, “I’ll work on nothing but this cosplay until the timer goes off.” This helps me manage my time while also giving me “mental permission” to focus 100% on my work without managing a dozen mental tabs.

✨Multiply Your Timeframe by 2! – Con crunch. We’ve all done it. And while it makes a good story, it’s not so good for the mental and physical health (lost sleep, stress, and more!). I try to set realistic timeframes for my cosplay projects, creating a specific end date and then multiplying that by two. So if I think I’ll be done in two months, it’ll probably be closer to four. Setting realistic expectations helps me feel “on top of things” and much less stressed, which allows me to have more fun.

✨Maintain the 7 “F’s”! – That’s faith, family, friends, fitness, food, fun, and fandom. Ensure you’re committing daily time to each. Aim for balance, and don’t neglect any one of them. They’re important to maintaining your physical, social, spiritual, and emotional well-being!

✨Stay Inspired! – Yes, cosplay’s fun—but it can also be a lot of work! Don’t get so deep in the technical stuff that you lose sight of your joy. I’m motivated to cosplay out of love for specific characters, stories, and their meaning to me. Here are a few ways I stay inspired: listen to the OST or character themes while working, create collections of my favorite character fanart, build character playlists, write analyses of the character’s development, brainstorm a list of poses and locations where I want to photoshoot, visualize the result.

What are your go-to self-care tips while constructing your next cosplay?

🏐🐦‍⬛Growing Pains & Haikyuu!!🐦‍⬛🏐

Haikyuu!! has such relatable characters. You “see” bits and pieces of yourself in most of them—and that’s probably why the series is so popular, even with non-sports fans. It’s ultimately a story about being human. And all the messy, emotional, relational, exhilarating experiences that come with it.

Case in point: During the Wakutani Minami match, Daichi is in his element as captain. He’s keeping his team motivated, synergized, and focused. His tactical abilities grow as he tests his skills against the rival team’s captain. All things considered, Daichi is in a perfect “flow state,” riding on the sheer momentum of small victory after small victory.

Then, an accidental collision with another player brings it all to a screeching halt. He’s out of the game with a lost molar and a possible concussion, leaving the team and its substitute captain, Ennosh*ta, to fend for themselves. Possibly at the cost of the decisive match.

At least in my own life, moments of deep despair and sadness proceed heights of triumph and joy. And, oppositely, times when I’m at the top of my game can quickly shift to low points. Life’s… just like that. It’s when we think we’ve got it all figured out that the game changes—and we change with it. That’s why finding peace, no matter where I’m at in life, is so crucial to my well-being. This year, I’ve really been focusing on Phillipains 4:11: “for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

Contentment has helped me experience more joy in life, focusing on the good and realizing that the bad is a fleeting thing. In Haikyuu!!, Daichi *does* miss out on the rest of the game. But the team still manages the victory. However, even if they hadn’t, the accident brings Daichi closer to the rest of his friends, especially Tanaka (who grows emotionally due to the incident) and Ennosh*ta (who burgeons as a leader in Daichi’s place).

2024 has been a year of challenges and loss for me. But I can’t wait to see how it shapes the person I’m becoming.

🏐🐦‍⬛SUMMER 2024 COSPLAY REVEAL: Daichi Sawamura (Haikyuu!!)🐦‍⬛🏐

This one’s about 4 years overdue. Haikyuu!! is one of those fandoms I’m blessed to share with several friends, and after seeing The Dumpster Battle in theaters, we HAD to do a group cosplay. We hit up Metrocon on Friday—and made a lot of memories (which wouldn’t be complete without running into other Haikyuu!! cosplayers in—you guessed it—the bathroom).

Daichi is my favorite of the Karasuno boys. Despite being Captain, he’s nowhere near the team’s star player. You practically never see Daichi spike the ball or get up close to the net. He’s always in the background playing as Defensive Specialist.

“I can’t do any fancy plays,” he says. “But I can give you guys a solid foundation.”

His leadership style is like an inverted pyramid, where he stands at the bottom, shouldering every team member above him with support and giving them the confidence and trust to shine. He’s never envious of their spotlight-stealing and never hesitates to take one for the team (if you know, you know💥).

A few new things I tried for this cosplay: (1) De-shining the wig with dry shampoo (worked like a charm!), (2) adding basic shoulder padding to fill out the upper-body silhouette, (3) wearing shoe-insert-heighteners to increase my size, (4) painting shoes by hand, (5) cosplaying a character with really short hair. (Message me if you’d like links to products I used!)

Daichi makes my second of four planned cosplays for this year. I’m 50% to my goal (and already working on the next!)

Took a two-week posting break for—you guessed it—cosplay prep! Excited to have a few new projects in the works and hope to debut one or two at Holimat later this year.

For now, enjoy some Zack and Aerith (played by my wonderful sister). I haven’t gotten to gush much about FFVII: Rebirth yet after beating it earlier this year. I’m so excited for the FFVII: Rebirth concert this November (and, yes, got a cosplay in the works for that too!).

I’ll be sharing some pics of my latest cosplay I debuted at Metrocon, hopefully next week.

✨Trigun STAMPEDE News Coming Soon?✨

Studio Orange has announced an appearance at Otakon this coming August—and they’re bringing Trigun STAMPEDE news with them! What do you think we’ll get? A new trailer, concept art, story synopses, behind-the-scenes stuff, lifetime doughnut vouchers to a lucky winner?

Regardless of what Trigun STAMPEDE goodness comes our way, here’s a little Eriks to celebrate. Eriks will play an important role in Season 2, as foreshadowed by the Season 1 finale.

**Original Trigun Spoilers Below**

Eriks represents the “death/resurrection” trope of Vash’s archetypal story arc. The “resurrection” step is a critical part of the traditional “hero’s journey” storyline, in which the hero experiences literal or metaphorical death and rebirth, resulting in their transformation into their “final form.”

For a time, Vash the Stampede vanishes from the face of the planet, metaphorically dying through becoming Eriks, only to be “resurrected” when Wolfwood returns to spur him onward toward destiny. After a haircut and change of clothes, Vash physically becomes his old self once again, with a renewed resolve in his heart to confront Knives and save humanity.

Only time will tell how Trigun STAMPEDE handles this pivotal arc. But one thing’s sure: We’re about to watch Vash hit a major growth spurt as a character.

⚠️ Fake cosplay prop gun ⚠️

✨Genshin Impact 4.7 is HERE!✨

…And Dainleif’s back!

I did a little etymological study on his name. In old Norse, “dain” means “dead,” and “leif” means legacy or inheritance. Put it together, and you get “legacy of the dead” or “the dead’s inheritance”—a fitting name for someone shouldering the burden of his lost culture and kin.

Dainsleif truly has no place in the world of the living, only ever stepping out of the shadows to occasionally influence events, but never staying long enough to attach himself to others. He represents the past—something gone, but not forgotten, that will inevitably catalyze the events of the future.

Are the skies of Teyvat fake? Where does the line between dream and reality become indistinguishable? Will the Heavenly Principles finish what began long ago?

The answers seem to lie partially within Dain’s legacy and destiny. But what will happen when the “inheritance of the dead” is passed into the hands of the living Traveller? Only time will tell.

✨What are your Gifts?✨

Cells at Work! presents a powerful reminder that we’re all given unique skills, interests, and abilities to work harmoniously with others. We find this important reality all around us in everyday life—from the role we play in our friend groups, to our areas of excellence in school and the workplace, and even in online gaming where different classes combine to produce the best chances of success.

In Cells at Work!, the anthropomorphized cells each have a specific job they’re uniquely equipped to do well, whether delivering oxygen, fighting off germs, or helping the body heal. Only by combining their unique talents and gifts can they keep the body alive to fight another day. While some of the cells initially struggle with their roles, wondering if they’re as useful or talented as their seemingly more important peers, it’s soon revealed that the body couldn’t survive without them. All are essential—because no one is all-talented. We require one another to catch each other’s blind spots and augment each other’s strengths.

1 Corinthians 12 has this great passage comparing individual gifts to parts of the body. Just as it would be ridiculous for an eyeball to tell a hand, “Hey, you’re useless because you can’t see!” or the hand to tell an eyeball, “Hey, what good are you because you can’t handle tools?” it’s equally ridiculous for someone whose gift is “giving” not to see the value in someone whose gift is “mercy” (or to think of their own gifts as powerless or useless).

Whether it’s something you “are” or something you’ve learned through practice, your gifts are essential to the world of people around you. So… what are YOUR gifts?

May 22nd was Sherlock Holmes Day, so here’s an experimental shot of my Sherlock with wings. (A real painting on a real wall - not photoshop!)

This homage to a particularly striking moment in the final episode of Moriarty the Patriot is rich with symbolism (as wings are!).

In cinema, wings often serve as visual shorthand for purity, spiritual/heavenly power, goodness, and holiness (especially when portrayed as white angel wings). Through William’s eyes, Sherlock appears as an angel interfering in his predestined death—a sort of biblical allusion to the angels preventing the cinematic antihero-Christ figure from “dashing himself against stone” (see Psalm 91:12 and Luke 4:11). For William, it means he has the right to live—perhaps, even, that his continued existence and penance is a divinely appointed mandate. And, following his metaphorical death and resurrection, his true calling as a savior begins.

✨The Importance of Meryl✨

I had the privilege of being a guest speaker on the Anilujah podcast last week, talking about Trigun STAMPEDE and its narrative implementation of Christian theology, archetypes, and worldviews. During our discussion, we identified Meryl’s importance to both the overall story—and Vash.

Meryl, in many ways, serves as the “everyman/everywoman” figure—a character meant to be the viewer’s “avatar” in the story. Like the viewer, Meryl encounters Vash in real-time, and Vash’s identity is gradually established through her point of view. She’s also highly relatable as she struggles to establish herself and her career in the crazy world of No Man’s Land. Meryl is perhaps the only character with a true arc in STAMPEDE—growing from a self-centered person merely wanting to make a name for herself, and into a heroic figure who faces regrets but refuses to run away when the situation is dire.

Vash catalyzes Meryl’s growth. He challenges the dog-eat-dog way of the world—including the rabid world of journalism—and challenges her to think differently about others with his “weird” beliefs. In the Anilujah podcast, we established Vash as a Christ archetype, which would make Meryl something of a disciple. As such, she embodies Vash’s ideals, preserving and acting on them even after Vash vanishes into obscurity.

Like Vash, we all have Meryl’s in our lives—people who look up to us and who carry on our legacies. And like Meryl, we all have Vash’s in our lives—people we admire who challenge our perspective and shape our life. The crazy part is that we hardly realize these roles when we engage with others! When we DO take a moment to realize our encounter with someone has the ability to empower them, it gives meaning to our average of 16 interactions we have each day.

Let’s make ‘em count!