Poland 🇵🇱
Asayu (solo): Hi, I’m asayu! I’m 24 years old and although I’ve only been cosplaying for a relatively short time, I’m currently completely engrossed in the hobby. My full time occupation is studying in various majors related to chemical engineering. I also have three little dogs so I am definitely a dog person hehe 😀
Kanto (duo): Hi my name is Jan also known as Kanto and I am from Poland. I started my cosplay journey around 10 years ago and from that point cosplay has become not only my passion but also my full time job. Becoming a full time cosplayer was a dream of mine and thanks to that I was able to work with amazing companies, met amazing people and travel around europe as a cosplay judge. I’ve represented my country in the League Of Legends European Cosplay Competition. Besides cosplay I love to spend my free time drawing and playing video games.
Talenka (duo): Hello, I’m Natalia, but on social media, I go by Talenka. I’ve been cosplaying since 2012, and Ryucon holds a special place in my heart as it was where I made my cosplay on stage debut. It means a lot to me to have the opportunity to represent our country! In my personal life, I’m an interior and graphic designer, as well as an illustrator. I love exploring new creative ventures, sewing new projects, art and playing Ark Survival Ascended (dinosaurs’re cool).
How did you discover cosplay and what made you start in this hobby? How long ago?
Asayu (solo): I have been watching cosplay for many, many years when I was still a teenager. I always wanted to try it but lacked time, specific ideas and, of course, adult money. And then one day, two years ago, I decided it was time to make my first costume and go to my first convention!
Kanto (duo): When I was a child I’ve always loved doing artistic stuff, so from the beginning I was looking for a hobby that would satisfy my love for art and stage performances. From what I remember in 2013 I saw a photo from a small convention in Poland on my Facebook page, and that is how I found out about conventions and cosplays.
Talenka (duo): From a young age, I always loved pretending to be characters from my favorite cartoons and movies. However, simply acting wasn’t enough for me. I tried to resemble the characters as much as possible, but something was always missing. I discovered cosplay on the internet while searching for costume inspiration. I came across my first cosplay lipdub and was instantly hooked. 🙂
What does cosplay mean for you? And what is your favorite part of the hobby?
Asayu (solo): Cosplay, despite the fact that it’s not what I mainly do for a living, is currently by far the biggest part of it. I love the challenges and the long-term projects that require a lot of techniques. My favourite part of this hobby is documenting the process of making costumes and sharing it with others.
Kanto (duo): Right now since cosplay is my job, cosplay has become the biggest part of my life. Not only it satisfies my need to always work on something artistic but also helps me to pay my bills. I think my favorite part of cosplay is the amount of different techniques and skills you can learn, so you can never get bored of it.
Talenka (duo): For me, being a cosplayer is a lifestyle. Once you start taking it more seriously, it begins to consume more and more of your personal time(making cosplays, run all socials, etc.). If it’s not your main job, you need to find a good balance to manage it effectively.
What changes do you see in the cosplay community in your country compared to when you started?
Asayu (solo): Due to my short experience in the community, it is difficult for me to notice any major changes. But, looking at my immediate surroundings, I can see that there are more and more young people in the community who are fascinated and involved in the hobby. We now have great opportunities to buy ready-made costumes, cosplay as many different characters as we want and regularly upload new content to social media. And yet I see that more and more of these people are interested in crafting! This is really great, because I believe that nowadays, with all kinds of advanced materials and techniques at our fingertips, we can bring a lot of fresh ideas together and take cosplay to an even higher level.
Kanto (duo): I think after the pandemic there was a huge increase of people in the cosplay community around Poland. I remember that when I started cosplaying I had to explain the definition of cosplay to everyone who was asking why I was dressing up as a charter, and right now after cosplay became so popular on social media, cosplay became a big part of mainstream.
Talenka (duo): I witnessed the early days of cosplay in our country as a kid, back when few people had even heard of it. But now, this hobby has grown tremendously. It’s much easier to find everything you need for a costume, and companies are starting to recognize cosplayers as a fantastic way to promote their products.
Why did you choose that project for the ICL national selection? Is this your first time joining an international cosplay competition?
Asayu (solo): I’ve been following this character since her first concept art leaked (don’t tell Hoyo about it). I was immediately captivated by her design. Above all, I was fascinated by the possibilities of learning new techniques that this outfit could give me. Then, of course, I also got into the lore of the character itself once it was released which really helped me stay motivated. And yes, this is my first time representing my country at an international competition. I’m very excited about it!
Kanto (duo): «It takes two» is my beloved game and I have so many good memories from playing it with my boyfriend. When we started playing I immediately fell in love with the game and was looking for someone who would like to work on his project with me. Fortunately we became close friends with Talenka and I was able to convince her to work on these costumes as a team. It is my first time taking part in ICL and I am both super nervous and excited.
Talenka (duo): «It Takes Two» is a game that helped me through the difficult first months after losing my father. My boyfriend introduced me to this cozy game to keep my mind occupied, and I really enjoyed the humor and character design. So, when Kanto randomly asked if I wanted to make the costumes, I instantly agreed. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I could handle this type of costume, but I was ready to learn something new! I’m used to making very feminine costumes, so this was definitely a challenge for me. Remember, with the right person, anything is possible.~
What do you expect from your visit to Spain? Is this your first time visiting the country?
Asayu (solo): I’ve been to Spain many times before but never to Madrid! I absolutely love the country so I can’t wait to see new places. It will also be my first time at a foreign convention so I’m very curious to see what the community is like in another country. I am most looking forward to meeting all the creative and talented people there.
Kanto (duo): I’ve been to Spain before but never to Madrid. I’ve heard so many amazing things about Japan Weeknd from my cosplay friends and I am super excited to visit the convention! Also I can’t wait to spend my savings on amazing food in Spain!
Talenka (duo): I’ve never been to Spain before, so I’m very excited to visit Madrid and explore its architecture! This will be my second convention abroad; I’ve only attended Heroes Dutch Comic Con in the Netherlands, so I’m very excited to take part in Japan Weekend! Also, I’ve heard about La Tabacalera, and I can’t wait to get lost in the city, discovering all its urban art and delicious food.
Have you decided your project for the finals in Madrid? May you give us a clue?
Asayu (solo): Knowing the character, who I cosplayed at the national selection – performing on only one stage for Genshin’s most beloved star – Furina de Fontaine is definitely not enough. So I think taking this outfit to the finals as well is the most “in-character” move I can make 😀
Kanto (duo): Our polish selections were very close to the finals, so we decided to take costumes from our selections, however we really want to give our best and show You the world of «It takes two».
Talenka (duo): As Kanto said, our selections were very close to the finals. However, it was also the deep sentiment we have for the costumes from this project that made it so special. This project not only enhanced our skills but also brought us much closer together, for which I am very grateful.
Describe the cosplay community in your country using five words.
Asayu (solo): Creative, supportive, fun, gifted, hard-working
Kanto (duo): Supportive, Loving, Open Minded, Passionate, Inclusive
Talenka (duo): Dedicated to their craft, Talented, Imaginative, Skilled, Polite
Link to your Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter (add other social media if relevant):
Asayu (solo): https://www.instagram.com/asayu._/
https://www.tiktok.com/@asayu._
Kanto (duo):
IG: https://www.instagram.com/kanto.cosplay/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kanto.cosplay
Talenka (duo):
IG:https://www.instagram.com/talenkaa/
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@talenkaa
–
Asayu, Kanto & Talenka were selected at Ryucon.
