dadwatchesanime

With Anime Milwaukee fast approaching I am closing in on getting my son’s (age 11) first cosplay ready.

I first started attending conventions a few years ago. Each year I come away a little wiser and a little clearer on how best to enjoy the convention going experience.

The first convention made me realize: you need to pre-register and go for longer than an afternoon to really get time to enjoy the experience.

The second convention made me realize: Staying overnight is good, but going for all three days would be better.

The Third convention made me realize: I got to be careful on how I control my money and cosplay might be fun.

 (You can spend a lot if you’re not careful)

So with that in mind I have been slowly working on costumes for my boys and myself.

I am in over my head.

My older son (age 15) got his costume online mostly. He is going as Ken Kaneki from Tokyo Ghoul.

This was mostly the mask, and a hoodie. pretty straight forward.

I have decided to go as Kensei Ma from Keinchi The Mightiest Disciple.

(I, in part, chose him to embarass my children by cosplaying as the pervert character…I am such a good dad 😀 )

I have someone I know making me the green outfit and I already own the kung fu pants and shoes (from years of practicing Wing Chun Kung Fu). The hair, mustache, and eyebrows will be the challenging part, I haven’t figured these out yet. I do have the hat as well.

My younger son (age 11) loves Sgt. Frog, so he is going as Kululu.

I have been sooo out of my depth here. But after about a year of trial and error I have finally got the head almost finished.

I have no crafting or art skills really, so with luck, and some good advice from various people (I have a co-worker who is a Star Wars coplayer) I have something that turned out okay.

I really wanted this to work for him. When we’ve gone to conventions and he is wearing his Sgt. Frog shirts people stop him and tell him they love his shirt, but I have never seen Sgt. Frog cosplay, so he should get some attention.

But why cosplay? I know my wife, co-workers, and other adults who know I am planning on joining in the cosplay fun are shaking their heads and asking why I’d join the freaks.

I figure that being part of the show, immersing yourself in the experience just adds another layer to your potential enjoyment of the convention. And…Why not? Life is too short to take yourself too seriously. Might as well enjoy yourself and be one of the freaks, because the freaks always are having the most fun.

So IMAGINE!

Because imagination is fun.