Every month we pick two cosplayers and feature them on Geeks With Wives as our Cosplayers of the Month! Check back every second and fourth Monday to see who we are featuring that week!
This week, Victoria interviewed RikkuGrape…
How old are you and how long have you been cosplaying?
I am 21 years old and have been cosplaying for about two and a half years.
What made you choose the name “RikkuGrape”?
It’s kind of a long story; but when I was little, people used to call me Gina-grape and it was a nickname I had for quite awhile. When I first started cosplaying, I cosplayed Rikku from Final Fantasy X and my friends used to call me Rikku because I was so much like her. And then, my old nickname kind of evolved and got sandwiched with my new one, and became RikkuGrape.
Favorite manga/comic, anime, and/or video game?
Hmmm, I don’t necessarily have a favorite but some of my favorite mangas are Magi and Case Closed. Some of my favorite animes are Ouran HighSchool Host Club and Fate Zero, and some of my favorite video games are from the Zelda series and the BioShock series.
What was your first convention cosplay and what convention did you debut it at?
The first cosplay I made was Rikku from Final Fantasy X, and I wore it at KumoriCon in Vancouver, WA.
Out of all the cosplays you have done, what would you say is your favorite and why?
Favorites are so hard for me to choose! I love all of the costumes I have because I love all of the characters I cosplay, for all different reasons. My Princess Zelda cosplay, and my Classic Lux cosplay are two that I really love to wear, though. It’s always fun to be a princess and Zelda is one of my all time favorite princesses. As for Lux, I really relate to her character, and I love to portray her bubbly personality, and her smarts too!
Are there any cosplays that, looking back on, you would like to revisit and possibly redo? Which ones and why?
I’d love to remake my first Rikku cosplay from FFX, and the weapons from my X-2 Rikku cosplay simply because I know so much more now than I did when I first made them and also because I would love to cosplay them again.
Where would you like to see your cosplays take you? Do you want to make a career out of this or is this more of like a pleasure sport to you?
For me, cosplay is all about having fun. I love to cosplay because I love the characters and games and shows that I cosplay from, and I love to create. Personally, I’m terrible at designing outfits and the like, so cosplay is a nice way for me to create and add my own personal touches to designs that already exist, and that I already love. It’d be cool to cosplay as a career, sure, but that’s not something I am working towards or planning on. I just cosplay for myself, and with friends–for the fun of it. If the opportunity to cosplay as a career comes my way, cool! But I’m completely content with they way I cosplay now.
What is the best experience you’ve ever had in the cosplay universe?
I’ve had so many wonderful experiences I don’t know where to begin! But, I will say, one if my favorite parts of cosplay is getting to meet people, and to make new friends. I love to travel to conventions, and I love the feeling of mutual joy you get when you find someone who shares the same love for a series or character that you do.
How many cosplay projects are you currently working on and is there a secret cosplay in the mix?
Currently, I am working on one cosplay for a convention in about a month. I also have a “secret”-ish cosplay I’m working on, but I have no time line for that. There are a handful of cosplays I’m trying to decide between for upcoming conventions as well. It’s hard to choose, but it’s gotta be done!
Are there any cosplayers that you look up to and why?
I look up to a lot of people for many different reasons. There are some more well-known cosplayers I admire, like Kamui and Jessica Nigri, but I also really admire many of the people I have met at conventions, and many of my friends. I see so much determination, and amazing skills in my friends that I really admire. I also see so many of them so genuinely enjoying themselves when they cosplay, and when they are creating pieces. And those are some things I really value.
If you had to give one piece of advice to a beginning cosplayer, what would it be?
As cliche as it sounds, never give up. Cosplay can be one of the most frustrating things ever when something doesn’t work right, or doesn’t go as planned, but it can also be one of the most rewarding things as well. If you ever feel discouraged, reach out to people, and don’t be afraid to ask for help with a project, or for some advice.
For more information, pictures, and to follow along RikkuGrape’s upcoming cosplays, please visit her facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RikkuGrape.
If you would like to be featured in future “Cosplayers of the Month” or know someone who should be, feel free to email Victoria at vcosplaygww@gmail.com!