Spain 🇪🇸

Hermione (solo): Hi! My name is Julia, but in the cosplay community everyone knows me as Hermione or Hermy! I was born in a small town in the south of Spain, where strong traditions of craftsmanship like embroidery, goldwork and painting have greatly influenced me both professionally and as a cosplayer. I started doing cosplay over 15 years ago and have participated in several national and international competitions. However, this will be the first time I represent my country in our very own international contest, and I’m incredibly excited about it.

Hummy (duo): Hi, I’m Hummy! I’m 27 years old and I’ve been cosplaying since 2011. Besides cosplay, I’m a 3D Lighting Artist and a kaigai idol with my group in which we do dance and song performances with our self-made costumes (but we started as a Love Live group, so it’s very related to cosplay for me!). I was the WCS Video Championship 2019 winner and WCCS 2024 Spain team (also with Kujalice!) but it’s my first time representing Spain in a performance competition!

Kujalice (duo): Hey, I’m Kujalice, also called Alistair, and I’m 25 years old! I’m a 3D artist  and currently a full time costume maker. I have represented Spain in the WCCS 2024 (With hummy), Nordic Cosplay Championship 2024, placed 2nd at Cosplay World Masters 2025 and now it’s time for ICL 2025!

How did you discover cosplay and what made you start in this hobby? How long ago?

Hermione (solo): I got into this adventure around 2008, though not very consistently. There were many years when I didn’t make any new cosplays or enter competitions. That year, I went to the Barcelona convention with my dad, and it was an unforgettable experience. I got to see the WCS preliminaries and was blown away by the incredible cosplays, which really inspired me. I’d always loved dressing up for carnivals and doing crafts, so cosplay felt like the perfect mix of both. Not long after that, with my mom’s help, I made my first cosplay and I’ve been doing it ever since.

Hummy (duo): In 2010 I went to my first anime convention in Barcelona and saw cosplayers for the first time. At that moment I knew I had to do it! So the next year I went to the same convention with a Hinaichigo cosplay from Rozen Maiden that my mom made, but it was a lot of work and she told me that if I want to cosplay another character I have to do it myself. She taught me to sew and now I have made around 50 costumes in those 14 years!

Kujalice (duo): I have always wanted to become a theatre performer, and cosplay allows me to make that true. Around 2018 I started following some cosplayers on social media and discovered cosplay competitions. I started making my own costumes but it was not until 2023 that I began to take it more seriously and join international preselections.

What does cosplay mean for you? And what is your favorite part of the hobby?

Hermione (solo): Cosplay is a fundamental part of my life,both artistically and personally. Even on days when I’m not sewing or working with a piece of EVA foam, my mind is still busy imagining how to bring a design to life or watching other cosplayers’ creative processes online, which constantly inspire me. In general, I feel happier and more fulfilled when I have a project to work on. The times when I’m not creating feel slower, less vibrant. Seeing my ideas gradually take shape keeps me motivated, not just in cosplay, but in life overall.

And one of the most precious gifts this hobby has given me is the chance to travel and connect with people from all over the world. Thanks to cosplay, I’ve been lucky enough to visit different countries and, more importantly, to meet hundreds of wonderful people with whom I’ve shared a little piece of myself.

Hummy (duo): Cosplay had a huge impact in my life. I met most of my friends through cosplay, traveled to conventions and learned a lot of new things. My favourite part of the hobby is the community and sharing that passion with everyone!

Kujalice (duo): Performing on stage, creating something that I can share with a lot of people, traveling, meeting new people, etc. Also It’s a really complete hobby with many many things you can learn so, I never get bored.

What changes do you see in the cosplay community in your country compared to when you started?

Hermione (solo): It’s been many years since I became part of the Spanish cosplay community, and over time I’ve watched many people join and eventually leave it. I still miss many of those who stepped away from cosplay and competitions; some of them became close friends, others were people I deeply admired. Back then, most social media platforms as we know them today didn’t even exist. Likes and content creation weren’t really a thing, you simply shared your new cosplay, went to events to compete, or explained how you made a complex piece, and we all learned from each other. I look back on those times fondly, and I feel they matched the true spirit of the hobby better than what we see now. I’m not very good with social media, and sometimes it’s hard for me to keep up.

Competitions have also changed: everything is much more polished now, better organized, with more attention to prizes and to the cosplayers themselves. But the essence of being backstage with fellow participants and organizers is still just as amazing as it was on the very first day. That’s what makes me feel truly included and keeps me motivated.

Hummy (duo): Back in the day we didn’t have Aliexpress, buying cosplays was almost impossible and wigs were difficult to find in Spain! For that, almost all the cosplayers used to make their own costumes. Nowadays it’s easier to buy cosplay, and there are many with high quality, so the interest in making them has decreased. I’m so happy that cosplay is more accessible now and there are a lot of new ways to enjoy the hobby and more people trying it (I also buy some cosplays that I don’t want to make so I can focus on the ones that I will really enjoy doing) but it saddens me a bit that the part of crafting and creativity is disappearing. For that, I love to join cosplay competitions, so we can still enjoy that part of the hobby together!

Kujalice (duo): I think it’s more accessible to everyone and more mainstream, which is cool. Though I think in some aspects it has turned into a bit of fast fashion and social media oriented. At the same time I think that the crafting community is very big and now there are infinite tutorials accessible to everyone, so that’s very nice too.

Why did you choose that project for the ICL national selection? Have you already decided on your finals project for Madrid? Can you give us a hint?

Hermione (solo): I’m a big fan of Disney princess designs, and for the past few years I’ve been working toward the goal of having at least one cosplay of most of them. Some time ago, I started my Cinderella project using materials I had at home. That first version was quite free in terms of interpretation, and even though I liked it, I really wanted to create a version faithful to the limited edition doll. My initial idea for the preliminaries wasn’t realistic given the time I had, so I had to let it go and ended up completely reworking the Cinderella cosplay for the occasion. When I was selected as a representative and started thinking about what to do for the finals, I just opened my wishlist of cosplay-craziness, looked for something that truly excited me… and I think I picked the most complicated option of all. In a way, since the final was happening in my own country, I felt I had the freedom to experiment with a kind of design I don’t usually do. That’s why I chose a Sakizou design, specifically, her “Juliette Necromancer.” That design had been on my mind ever since I attended the Crown in Chicago and asked myself, “If I were selected again for an international competition, what cosplay would I choose?” Looking back, I think it was a bold decision, but one I don’t regret at all.

Hummy (duo): Alis dragged me. We have already decided on the new project for the finals: Alis dragged me again.

Kujalice (duo):  I LOVE FINAL FANTASY and FFX is one of my favourites, so I kinda dragged Hummy into doing it hehe. Our project for the finals is also FF but this time we are going for a more chaotic theatre kid vibe, and also I dragged Hummy into it.

Is this your first time competing in an international cosplay competition? What advice would you give to someone who wants to start cosplaying or join competitions?

Hermione (solo): This will be my fourth time representing my country in an international competition, and I’m very happy about it. Previously, I participated in ECG in both categories and at CCCC, which took me all the way to Chicago, USA. However, this will be my first time competing as a representative from the host country, and I’m really excited about it because I’ll be surrounded by hundreds of new people to meet, along with friends I only see at events.

Cosplay offers us unique opportunities to connect with and get to know people from all over the world, something that wouldn’t happen otherwise. That’s why I always tell those who want to start in this hobby: just do it, and most importantly, do it with passion. It doesn’t matter if you want to walk around a convention in a simple cosplay or participate in big contests with costumes that took months to make, you’re going to create amazing memories and meet people who might become your best friends.There will be better times and times when motivation fails, but as someone who’s already a little dinosaur in this scene, trust me…it’s absolutely worth it in the end.

Hummy (duo): Just try it! There’s no perfect moment to try and it probably won’t go perfect the first time, but you will learn a lot by joining competitions. Always ask for feedback to the jury and other cosplayers that are more experienced than you so you can learn from your mistakes!

Kujalice (duo):  It would be my third. My advice is the same as Hummy’s, just keep trying and ask for feedback on what you can improve. And enjoy every experience; it’s very nice winning but I have learned the most with all the times that I have not won. Channel the frustration into positivity and motivation to do better next time.

What has been your most memorable cosplay experience so far?

Hermione (solo): Cosplay has given me many incredible experiences over the years, but without a doubt, the most special moment was the applause corridor that the event attendees gave to the Crown participants in Chicago. For me, it was extremely meaningful because I had been away from the stage for a long time. I had won second place in a contest I had followed for years, and returning to hundreds of people applauding and congratulating me along meters and meters of hallways all the way to the hotel room…

I still can’t help but smile widely when I remember it. I believe it has been one of the best experiences of my life because it motivated me to keep going

Hummy (duo): The WCS Video Championship 2019! It was the first time I saw how international competitions work and my first time traveling to Japan, so it was very exciting! Also I could see everything without the pressure of a participant as I was a jury in the final. I was so scared to join an international competition before that, but that experience made me want to try, so after the pandemic at the end of 2022  was the first time that Alis and I joined an international competition together!

Kujalice (duo): I really enjoyed my experience at NCC because it was the first time that I represented Spain in an international competition and I made a lot of friends. Also earning 2nd place at CWM was pretty cool too and I also made a lot of great friends.

What inspires your work the most—series, characters, craftsmanship, other artists…?

Hermione (solo): When I first started in cosplay, I used to care a lot about whether I liked the character or the series. But in recent years, I’ve come to value more how I feel throughout the entire creative process because, in the end, that’s where most of the time and effort goes.That’s why I often ask myself how I’m feeling at that moment: Do I feel like making a huge princess gown and sewing a thousand pearls? Do I want to create something extremely screen-accurate? Or maybe challenge myself with complex props or wigs?

Seeing other cosplayers on social media every day really helps keep me motivated to create beautiful things and projects that don’t just make me happy on the day I wear them to an event, but also every day I walk into my room and see the mannequin, silently asking me to keep bringing that design to life.

Hummy (duo): Other artists’ craftsmanship! I love seeing tutorials, techniques or WIP in social media, it really makes me want to sew and try new things too.

Kujalice (duo): Videogames, movies, theatre, musicals, etc. Also seeing other artists do their craft inspires me to do better!

Does it feel strange to represent Spain while being in Spain? What do you expect from your ICL experience?

Hermione (solo): In some ways, this experience has helped me focus more on the competition itself and step out of my comfort zone when it came to choosing my project for the finals. It does feel a bit unusual: not traveling to a new country, not dealing with language barriers, long-haul flights, or squeezing everything into a suitcase as tightly as possible. But for me, knowing that I’ll be surrounded by familiar faces and feeling supported at any moment, while also being joined by so many participants coming from all over the world with so much excitement…it’s incredibly inspiring. That’s why I’m really looking forward to sharing fun, joyful moments with all of them, celebrating the competition, the creativity, the craftsmanship, and the imagination behind every cosplay. I have no doubt it’s going to be an unforgettable experience.

Hummy (duo): It will be a stage that we are used to and performed in a lot of times, which takes a bit of pressure off. I hope that we will make everyone welcome and have lots of fun!

Kujalice (duo): Feels great: free transportation, stay and food to an event I was already planning to go, yippiee! I hope we can entertain the public and that they will enjoy our performance 🙂

Describe the cosplay community in your country using five words.

Hermione (solo): Energetic, inspiring, supportive, creative and above all, incredibly talented.

Hummy (duo): Inspiring, talented, helpful, creative, kind

Kujalice (duo): Talented, friendly, warm, creative, epic

Link to your Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter (add other social media if relevant):

Hermione (solo): https://www.instagram.com/hermione_cosplay/

Hummy (duo): https://www.instagram.com/hummycosplay/

Kujalice (duo): https://www.instagram.com/kujalice/

Hermione, Hummy and Kujalice were selected at Japan Weekend.