Do you love video game music like me??? In this episode of the Cosplay Crunch, PurpleSchala (AKA Cinnabunny AKA Ruby) and Zavage explore the world of music and cosplay, discussing Ruby's journey from her first cosplay experience to her deep connection with video game tracks. We go back through her cosplay journey, and the connection between her journey with music and conventions. We delve into Ruby's musical background, including her experience arranging music and playing piano from titles such as Final Fantasy, Fire Emblem, Xenoblade and more. We explore the intricacies of music arrangement versus composition and the memorable yet challenging performances from conventions past. We also give our HONEST TAKE on Final Fantasy XVI, and gush over our lifelong love of Fire Emblem. We reflect on the themes of aging out of cosplay, the bonds with friends made through the hobby, and end with a moment dedicated to Ruby's iconic Tonberry costumes. 

She can style your wig, and looks gorgeous while doing so! In this episode of the Cosplay Crunch, we drag in Allison of AllieCat to delve into her journey through the world of cosplay. We talk about her beginning with Georgia conventions, explore presentation and diversity within the cosplay community, and highlight the personal growth that comes from embracing one's identity through cosplay and the importance of community support. Of course we will give you all the hoensTEA about our experiences at Anime Expo and New York Comic Con, and the challenges of judging cosplay contests. AllieCat shares her journey into the world of wig making for cosplay, discussing the artistic process, time investment, and the challenges faced in creating intricate designs. Throughout this episode, we continue to circle back to themes of empowerment, creativity, and personal growth, showcasing how AllieCat has transformed her passion into a thriving career while encouraging others to embrace their uniqueness.

Make way for British Royalty! Well… he does at LEAST have a crown! On this episode of the Cosplay Crunch, we invite Matthew Barry onto the show to bring us all things UK cosplay! From Matthew's personal journey into the world of conventions to the skills he developed along the way to his first contest, we explore the challenges and joys of creating costumes, the importance of personal health, and the impact of winning prestigious competitions like the C2E2 Global Cosplay Championship. Matthew shares his profound and unique journey through the cosplay community, detailing the emotional highs and lows of competition, the burden of expectations, and the importance of community and friendship. We highlight the innovations he explored in his craft, particularly in electroplating techniques, and reflects on the lessons learned from both success and failure. We talk about conventions like C2E2 and Japan Weekend Madrid, reflect on the evolution of his storytelling through photography, and the importance of community and connections in the cosplay world. Matthew emphasizes the significance of believing in oneself and others, highlighting the love and support that defines the cosplay culture.

PLUS ULTRA ~ Or something like that! For this episode of the Cosplay Crunch, we invite Remy Domino to delve into the vibrant world of cosplay and conventions. We get the low down on the Louisiana convention scene and changes throughout the last decades and get to know more about Remy’s experiences throughout her cosplay journey. We explore her past and current creative expression found through various art forms.. and TikTok, the significance of character connections, and reflections on the beloved series (and mild Remy addiction) My Hero Academia. We mourn old conventions such as MechaCon, and look forward to a new experience at Holiday Matsuri this December. We get some advice on prop making and highlight the importance of community in cosplay and the joy of connecting with others who share similar passions.

Shoot me from my good side! In this episode of Cosplay Crunch, we invite guest Yin Photo, AKA Jacqui Zhou, to have an extensive conversation about photography within cosplay. We explore the importance of different equipment, the elements of a good photo, and emphasize the creative process behind capturing cosplay in its best light. We break down the dynamics of working with new and repeat clients, and the challenges of location versus convention shoots, and our DREAM locations for future photos. We touch on the social media shift from traditional photography to short-form video content, and the STRUGGLE of satisfying our boba cravings amidst rising costs. Stay until the end where we dish about acceptable photo turnaround times, over-editing, and the uglier side of cosplay photography…

Cosplay is NOT THAT SERIOUS! In this episode of The Cosplay Crunch, we bring in Victoria Bane for a very reflective look at the cosplay community, con culture, and how cosplay has evolved from the early 2000’s to today. We explore Vickie’s journey from her early days in the community to her expertise, and now business, in professional wig styling, as well as her experiences with inclusivity and representation in cosplay and the challenges faced by cosplayers who did not “fit” a specific physical appearance. We break down the uber commercialization of conventions, and the significance of maintaining a healthy balance between cosplay and personal life. Now… we could NOT have Ms. Vickie Bane on the pod without getting her essential tools for wig styling and her personal wig-stress advice. And wait for the end of the pod when we throw it ALL the way back to the VERY memorable times of roof running at Oni-Con 2!

Calling all 3D printing girlies!!! In this episode of Cosplay Crunch, Aeicos is brought into the fray to discuss her personal cosplay journey, from learning to sew in Missouri to the evolution of her cosplay styles and skills. Of course we delve into the intricacies of 3D printing in cosplay, common misconceptions, and hot tips. Our experiences with Cosplay, CrossPlay, and Genderbending themes within cosplay are briefly explored. We ramble about the true vibes of Dragon Con (and phallic puppet shows?), the challenges of re-wearing and repurposing costumes, the realities of selling and reselling within the cosplay community, and the importance of creating costumes that are both visually appealing and comfortable. Our conversation is filled with humor, personal anecdotes, foot dialogue, and practical advice for fellow cosplayers.

Are you in the cosplay illuminati like me? Well, you might not be, but in this episode of Cosplay Crunch, we are joined by Orion Valiant to delve into the world of cosplay, discussing Orion's journey from baby weeb into Japanese idols to becoming a prominent figure in the Texas cosplay community. We recount the evolution of cosplay and the impact of idol culture in anime, from Love Live to Idolish7. We explore the role of an emcee at conventions and Orion’s experience with helping coordinate a cosplay program track at San Japan. Of course we have to address the Texas Cosplay Illuminati, and learn if there really is a puppet master determining the fate of all cosplay contestants?! Stay until the end to hear the truly unforgettable experience at Fanime 2013, including the many challenges faced along the way. Oh…and moldy undergarments.

Get ready to HAVE IT! On this episode of the Cosplay Crunch, JackErufu joins the show to have a WELL overdue conversation where we discuss his beginnings in cosplay, growing up in the Ohio anime convention scene, and of course the drama and conflama surrounding OhayoCon! We go into all things ColossalCon Prime (the one in the middle of nowhere Ohio), and discuss the changes in the con dynamics over the years since 2016. Rants about Singer sewing machines ensue, as well as in depth hotel room etiquette, expectations and tips during conventions. Jack is pressed to expose the secrets to creating a perfect bunny suit, and we expose our full face (high maintenance) cosplay makeup routine for Pretty Boys.

We’re BACK for Season 2!!! In this episode of Cosplay Crunch, we invite Stitch Crimes AKA Sammi to kick off the Season by reflecting on cosplay journeys, sharing insights on learning to sew and craft, navigating cosplay contests, and the experiences of judging and prejudging. We throw it all the way back to the early 2010’s and recount the Homestuck takeover. If you were looking for some behind the scenes open and honest thoughts on pre-judging, you’re going to be pleased! We reminisce on our convention experiences, particularly Oni-Con, as well as con experiences throughout the summer of 2024. Stay tuned as we dust off the X-files of convention past to recount disastrous convention memories, and touch on a recent rodent ridden convention dungeon…I mean Artist Alley…in Portland? Let’s get into it!

We made it to the FINALE of The Cosplay Crunch Season 1! In episode 15, Yaya Han joins the podcast for a special, extended episode where we tell ALL regarding Yaya's 25-year journey through cosplay. We highlight Yaya’s early cosplay years, the changing relationship between conventions and cosplay programming, and cosplay through social media and online criticism. Convention etiquette has changed, and we dig into the pre and post pandemic convention experience, as well as international cosplay culture /contests versus cosplay in the United States. And of course, we had to bring up the TV show 'Heroes of Cosplay' to get some behind the scenes tea on what really was going on! Stay until the end where you get insight related to how Yaya’s partnership with Bernina / Bernette began and birthed the B79 Yaya sewing machine, as well as her personal thoughts on writing her book and publishing right before the start of the pandemic.

In episode 14 of the Cosplay Crunch, we discuss Mineralblu's journey through cosplay photography and videography including how Mineralblu got started in conventions and photography, the evolution of their photography style, and the transition from photography to videography. We get all of the tea on Mineralblu's collaborations with Kotaku and obtaining the coveted press badge for major conventions. International cons, changing dynamics of the cosplay community, and photos of celebrity brutality are all covered in our conversation. If you have ever wanted insight on the glamorous life of the cosplay photographer, you are NOT going to want to miss this episode.

Do you want to be a voice actor? Well, this episode won’t tell you how… BUT we do get into all of the backstage tea on voice acting for one of the largest anime production companies in the world! Host Zavage Cosplay interviews Bree Han about her cosplay journey where we discuss the rise of cosplay music videos, the lasting friendships they've made through conventions, and the dreaded post convention dinner scenario (IYKYK). We take a journey through Bree's experience into voice acting, her experience of landing her first voice acting role for Crunchyroll and the challenges in the industry. We cover LOTS of hot topics including the WeebCon cosplay contest follow up, the Arda Wigs statement and woes, and the controversy surrounding DisabilityComicCon. Join us for a truly packed episode!

Jump into episode 8 of The Cosplay Crunch with the stunningly talented Melanie Jasmine Design! Zavage and Melanie discuss her first conventions and cosplays living in Ecuador, and the challenges of finding materials and resources in different countries. We go in on Melanie’s background in cosplay, including her connection to the character Sombra from Overwatch, and her overall tie to Blizzard / the Overwatch cosplay community. Additionally, Melanie shares her experiences creating costumes for Overwatch voice actors' own voiced characters! We also talk about Nishi Fest 2024, as well as the importance of compensating cosplayers for their time and talent. Stay until the end to hear tips for improving your craftsmanship in cosplay, as well as stage presence and posing tips during walk-on performances.

In episode 7 of the Cosplay Crunch podcast, host Zavage Cosplay invites guest Kadiaa Kawaii (aka Lisa) to talk about her early convention journey as an award winning cosplayer, which eventually led to her career as an anime / cartoon focused tattoo artist before finally transitioning to a full-time artist who travels to art shows / Artist Allies at multiple different conventions. We talk about our early competition experiences, get the tea on the tattoo industry, dive into the secret insides of the Artist Alley community, and provide advice to listeners who are looking to compete in their first cosplay contest or masquerade.

In this extra evil, technically challenged episode of the Cosplay Crunch, host Zavage interviews Rumplestilt Seam as they discuss their first cosplay experiences, mishaps and issues with cosplay contests, curating a cosplay program track for conventions, Rumple’s iconic Instagram stories, cursed convention experiences, and essential tools for summoning from the infernal plane.

On episode 3 of the Coplay Crunch we pull in Tacocat cosplay to discuss her very first convention experience (at SDCC…no big deal), the spite which drove the desire to 3D model, Joann Fabrics bankruptcy, the costume construction process and revisiting old projects, con crunch woes, social media “tutorials”, and cosplay competitions as a group.

Join The Geeky Seamstress and Zavage as we go into all things Sailor Moon costuming, competition fraud and sandbagging, “coming out” as a cosplay anime nerd to your coworkers, modifying bought cosplay, challenges of being a larger / plus sized cosplayer, the tea of guesting at conventions, and the struggle buss dumpster fire that social media can be for us all.

On our inaugural episode of the Cosplay Crunch, we discuss growing up and becoming an adult while cosplaying, the Houston Lolita community experience (girl…), the changes in cosplay from decades past to 2024, social media, and discuss a totally hypothetical cosplay reality competition scenario. All this and more on Episode 1 of the Cosplay Crunch!

We kick off the Cosplay Crunch with a short introduction to the show by host Zavage Cosplay AKA Zach. We are excited to embark on the Cosplay Crunch journey with our listeners and fellow cosplayers!