Mar 19 2009
An Interview with Elffi: Your Hottest Male Cosplayer Contest Winner!
Just a few weeks ago, you all voted Cosplay.com member Elffi as the winner of the Hottest Guys of Cosplay Contest. Elffi and I have had a chance to “sit down” and chat (couldn’t really meet in person since he’s in Finland!) all about cosplay, the Finland convention scene, and how he feels about being dubbed a cosplayin’ hottie. Keep checking back for an upcoming interview with Lady Tyrona, who was our female winner!
Elffi, have you ever attended any conventions? Which ones?
Elffi: Yes, I have, but only in Finland. Animecon -06-08, Tracon II-IV, [and] Nekocon -08.
How did you get into cosplay? How old were you when you started?
Elffi: I started watching anime at 2005 (mostly Bleach, FMA, Naruto and so on). We decided with my friends that we would cosplay something at Animecon 2006. And because Ichigo is one of my favorite characters, I just had to cosplay him. I had just gotten a driving license, so I think I was 18 years old. After that I have cosplayed every year.
How do you decide which characters to cosplay?
Elffi: First, I really need to appreciate and like that character. It’s also very important that the character is a bit similar to me, physically and also mentally. Height is a point too. I really need to think who to cosplay, because I would look stupid cosplaying short guys because I’m actually almost 190cm tall (surprise!). I also look at a character’s face, it’s important to have similar shapes in the face too.
How long does it usually take you to make a costume?
Elffi: I’m a really lazy guy. And a perfectionist too. So I spend like three months thinking who to cosplay, and then I make my costume in a hurry almost always 2-3 days before convention. So it mostly takes only o few days to make a costume.
How much do your costumes usually cost to make?
Elffi: I always think that this time I WON’T spend so much on my costume, but … I have used contact lenses and other expensive materials almost always, so one costume costs about $200-$350 dollars.
What is the most challenging costume you’d ever made? What made it so difficult?Elffi: I dunno if I have made anything so challenging yet. I have thought that I would really throw away my laziness someday and really show my skills and make something spectacular! I would like to make some big and awesome props too, I think I have better skills [with] them, more than sewing costumes.
Do you style your own wigs, or do you buy them styled already? Can you give us some tips for wig styling?
Elffi: I prefer long wigs. I usually buy a really long wig, and style and cut it to fit the character’s hair. It takes 3-6 hours to style and cut one wig. I always cut and style the wig through mirror while it’s on my head, of course it’s a bit complicated, but you will get used to it. Take a photo of your cosplay character’s hair, put the wig on your head, go to the front of mirror on do it! Don’t hesitate to cut it, and never cut straight lines, it looks stupid.
What’s your favorite thing about cosplay? What’s your least favorite?
Elffi: Conventions with thousands of people and all those friends there! I really like to wander around convention areas and chat [with] everyone, friends pop out everywhere and everyone takes photographs. It’s awesome to be someone else other than yourself one day in life! Least favorite thing is hot weather or rainy days. If it’s too hot, I feel like fainting very easily. I also don’t like those surprise hugs, if you have a lot of makeup and tattoos those hugs will ruin your cosplay :/
What advice would you give to people who are just getting into cosplay?
Elffi: Be clever and don’t try to cosplay a character who gets too flashy and has a complicated appearance. It’s important to choose a character with a similar body and face shapes. Always try to do your costume in time, at least few months before convention. If you do it in a hurry you will probably regret it later (I always do my costumes few days before con and regret my life later). Ask mom for sewing tips, search the internet for costume tips, use your imagination, nothing is impossible.
I noticed your Cosplay.com profile says you are in Finland. What is the cosplay community like there? Do you get a lot of conventions near you?
Elffi: In Finland there’s a lot of young cosplayers, age 12-16. Older ones are few in numbers, but they also make more experienced costumes. Visitor numbers in conventions are usually between 500-9000 people. Conventions are now held all around Finland and have also increased in numbers in past few years. I usually join 1-3 cons per year. But 2009 looks very promising. There is a new and different convention coming up, the Desucon. I’m really looking toward it. They got Tooru Furuya as a guest of honour O_O. Also as Finland is a small country, I can join all conventions from here and they are all in a range of 600km.
Were you surprised to learn you had won this contest? How do you feel about being named the Hottest Male Cosplayer?
Elffi: Hmm, I was a bit surprised when I noticed that someone had nominated me in that contest, I didn’t know anything about it before. Of course it’s flattering and I really appreciate this. It’s good to hear that someone likes my cosplays ^^
Thanks again to Cosplay.com member Elffi for this interview! To see more photos of his costumes, check out his profile. You can read interviews with other cosplayers by clicking here!
