CosplayBytes

Today I'm excited to have the opportunity to have Maru on again as we dived into her time going to both Fanime and Anime Expo which took place in May and July respectively. Throughout our chat, we dive more into Maru's gaming obsessions which extend through her outfits she wore such as the Dancer class from FF14, Jessie in booty shorts from FF7 Remake, Mature Tifa and so many others. From practically selling me on trying Elden Ring at some point to even having heartfelt chats about being a full time content creator. I mull over my thoughts about changing my own stream schedule again and seeing if I really enjoy it enough to pursue it harder as well. We even go into what makes Maru decide on future projects at this point and how she wants to challenge herself with each new build <3. This was such a fun time and I apologize for the wait. Really hope you enjoy it! :)

Be sure to follow Maru's work via the link below!
https://linktr.ee/maruwins
Follow me on Twitch!
twitch.tv/blulightningcos

In this episode, I got to sit down with one of my favorite creators/body-painters Intraventus for a chat about Creative Burnout. Specifically when it came to Intra's struggles throughout 2021 as a body painter. I always marveled at her ability to do so many of her body paint streams for 4+ hours in the evening but as evident by the title, this soon took a toll on her. We talk about the strategies she used to recover from doing her variety streams in addition to touching on her current obsession with Elden Ring. Intra and I also take a frustrating look at TikTok's treatment to sex workers and cosplayers. How difficult it can be for individuals like Intraventus that sadly view the platform as a giant boon of new OnlyFans subscribers alongside Twitch subs too. It's unsure if TikTok will ever change or get better with its treatment. Until then, I truly hope you guys enjoy this chill chat. I got worried very early on that I didn't prepare well enough so I hope that this talk offers some interesting insight :)

You can find all of Intraventus' work/links down below <3
intraventus.com
Follow me on Twitch!
twitch.tv/blulightningcos

I am overly excited to be joined by best girl/cosplay waifu Jaycee Cosplay as we talk about her time at Katsucon back in February. It was interesting to hear how the con has changed as we sort of enter a return to normalcy in the events circuit. Jaycee talks about the cosplays she brought along for the trip, adventures in rooming with some close friends of hers along with many hilarious moments about her being "an old lady" and wanting to be in bed at a reasonable time. So while there wasn't any after-party info/insight, Jess DID talk about her time in the dealers room and artist alley. From plushie/figure hunting to probably spending a crazy amount on art prints. I also got to have a chat with her regarding anxiety and how while this was such a fun time for Jess, she's most likely heading back into her cosplay/convention retirement hole (as she put it). Designing cosplays and shooting them outside of convention means however is still on her plate. PLUS WE TALK ABOUT COOKIES <3.

Check out my waifu's work by going to her Instagram below!
https://www.instagram.com/jaymcee__/
Follow me on Twitch!
twitch.tv/blulightningcos

I had the unique and exciting opportunity to interview Andrew Liptak about his new book, Cosplay: A History. We hit the ground running with Andrew giving us his full blown origin story and how Star Wars pretty much kick-started his love of pop culture and all things nerdy. From learning Star Wars themed music pieces in high school band, to even joining the 501st Legion. That latter part is the overall theme in this book as it takes a look at the history of cosplay from the very first cosplayer ever recorded back in the 1930s to people attending the World Fair and so much more. In this chat, Andrew frames his time around the 501st as the blueprint for charting cosplay's growth into the mainstream status it's at currently. From things like cosplayers going from hobbyists to pros, making their mark in the movie industry, to individuals like Yaya Han bringing foam and her own fabric line to retailers like Jo-Ann's. There's a lot more to be heard in this conversation I have so be sure to listen to the whole thing! Cosplay: A History is available now at your local bookstore and Amazon!
Be sure to keep in touch with Andrew's adventures via the link below!
https://linktr.ee/AndrewLiptak
Follow me on Twitch!
twitch.tv/blulightningcos

What was going to be a crowded show ended up being a really lovely conversation with Midge Scully and HyperChai! Particularly, this is the second part of my PAX East 2022 coverage (apologies for the wait!). I got to spend time with the two of them at the con and we talked about all the things we each did during that weekend. From all the game previews I had to the ones that Midge and HyperChai tried out. They also talked about their shopping spree (as one does of course!), attending the Undertale concert Thursday night along with cosplays! Also included were chats about FF14, Stray and realizing we're all going to be at the upcoming Final Fantasy 35th concert in November XD. The couple also got to attend ConnectiCon and despite the multiple changes that con has gone through over the years, they had a great time. Mentioning the con's signature Deathmatch event where cosplays are pit against each other and won through audience cheers. Spoiler: The L Block from Tetris emerged victorious!

Keep up with Midge and HypeChai with the links below!
https://www.instagram.com/midgescully/
https://linktr.ee/hyperchai
Follow me on Twitter & Instagram @Blulightningcos!