Italy 🇮🇹

Malvagio (solo): Hi! I’m Malvagio Cosplay, but in real life my name is Diego. I’ve been doing cosplay for about eleven years, and I’m from Italy. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to take part in many competitions, both in Italy and abroad, including the ECG in France. I love combining creativity with technical challenges, which is why competitions have become an important part of my journey.

Artemis (duo): Ciao!! I’m Artemis in real life, Letizia and I’m 40 years old.
Cosplay is my biggest passion, even though it’s not my main job. I like competitions because give me a rush of adrenaline and a way to push my limits. I also love playing video games — especially Final Fantasy and Metal Gear! I enjoy traveling to explore new places and meet new people.

Woken (duo): Ciao, I’m Walter, also known as Woken, and I’m 42 years old. There’s not much to say about me — I’m passionate about static modeling and anime. I’m a very competitive and stubborn person—once I set a goal for myself, it’s hard to make me change my mind.

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

Malvagio (solo): I discovered cosplay by chance, thanks to an event in my city, and I haven’t stopped since. I was immediately struck by the possibility of bringing my favorite characters to life and challenging myself with increasingly complex builds.

Artemis (duo): I’ve been cosplaying since 2009. I discovered it at Lucca Comics, and at the beginning, I started by modifying clothes and accessories that looked similar to the character’s outfit. In the last years, I’ve been studying and working hard to constantly improve my skills and create every single detail of the costume by myself. This journey also led me to start participating in competitions.

Woken (duo): I’ve been making my own Carnival costumes since I was 10, but when I discovered cosplay in 2017 at Lucca Comics, it was love at first sight — especially when it comes to competitions, where I’ve had the chance to put my crafting skills to the test and experiment with new techniques I never imagined I’d use.

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

Malvagio (solo): To me, cosplay is expression, craftsmanship, performance, passion, and also sharing: I especially love everything related to costume-making and stage performance.

Artemis (duo): Cosplay is a chance to learn things I never thought I’d do — techniques I used to admire from afar, but now I can actually do them. It also offers the opportunity to share experiences and techniques with others who have the same passion.

Woken (duo): For me, cosplay isn’t just a hobby — it’s a way to express my creativity. What I love most is the chance to meet amazing Italian and international artisans who share the same passion.

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

Malvagio (solo): The cosplay community in Italy has grown a lot over these eleven years. At the beginning, everything was smaller and more amateur; now there’s much more attention to quality, and many people are approaching cosplay with a competitive and even professional mindset. It’s wonderful to see how passion brings so many different people together.

Artemis & Woken (duo): When we first started cosplaying, it was much more of a niche hobby — many people didn’t even know what it was, and there were few or no tutorials on how to create costumes. Now, cosplay has become a widespread trend and is much more popular. The availability of new materials and tutorials on different techniques allows for greater precision and a higher level of detail. However, the spirit of experimentation is sometimes lost in the search for ready-made solutions.

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?

Malvagio (solo): I took part in the local selection at Torino Comics, where I presented my project and managed to qualify for the ICL. Choosing a character is always tied to a personal challenge: I look for complex costumes that also give me the chance to express myself fully on stage. I already have a clear idea for the final project in Madrid, but I’d rather keep a bit of mystery!
A tip for those who want to try and qualify: choose something that truly represents you and that you’re deeply passionate about—because that always comes through.

Artemis & Woken (duo): We’re a couple both in cosplay and in life, and what better way to celebrate that bond than by sharing one of our favorite games that brought us together — Final Fantasy X. Its story and characters have deeply inspired us. This project was a real challenge for both of us, requiring advanced sewing, accessory crafting, and prop-making techniques. It was even more demanding because we introduced costume changes during the selection stage — our very first time doing so. For the finals, our main goal is to share our passion and bring it to life on stage!

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?

Malvagio (solo): Having already taken part in other international competitions, I know the level to expect, but I’m still very curious to see what this experience in Spain will be like. I truly hope it will be a competition that lives up to my expectations—not only in terms of technical level but also for the atmosphere and the spirit of sharing among participants.

Artemis & Woken (duo): Yes, it’s our first time participating in an international competition, and we’re incredibly excited and honored to represent Italy at ICL! We’ve been curious to see the cosplay world and community outside of Italy, and now we finally get to do it. Our advice for competitions is to try to overcome the fear of being on stage, while also looking at your performance with a critical eye, so that you can keep improving in the future. And don’t forget: have fun.

What has been your most memorable cosplay experience so far?

Malvagio (solo): Definitely the first time I stepped onto an international stage: the emotion, the support from the audience, and the chance to meet cosplayers from all over the world, those are moments you never forget.

Artemis (duo): There have been so many amazing moments, both with my partner and with friends. One I’ll never forget was the chance to perform part of Yuna’s “Sending Dance” from Final Fantasy X in front of Nobuo Uematsu, the composer of the series, with Walter by my side as Tidus.

Woken (duo): One of the most memorable moments was when I was selected for the national cosplay championship for the first time; but what made it even more special was when Letizia also became a finalist alongside me. We were partners — and at the same time, rivals — in the very passion that brought us together.

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

Malvagio (solo): In my cosplay work, I’m really inspired by iconic characters, craftsmanship, and attention to detail. I study a lot of different crafting techniques to improve my costumes and come up with new ideas.

Artemis (duo): Definitely video games, or characters with captivating stories. Choosing my next cosplay is always complicated because it has to be the perfect combination of costume and character that gives me that instant spark! Many artists, both Italian and international, inspire me with their creations and push me to give my best.

Woken (duo): The complexity. My characters are usually quite niche — I always look for figures that push me beyond my limits. It doesn’t matter if they come from miniatures, cartoons, or movies; they have to move me and make me say: “This is going to be an epic cosplay!”

What are your expectations for your visit to Spain? Is it your first time in the country?

Malvagio (solo): My main expectation for ICL is to have a unique experience, full of cultural exchange and creative inspiration.

Artemis & Woken (duo): We’ve already visited a few places in Spain, but never Madrid. We’ll definitely take this opportunity to explore the city as well. Italian cosplayers who have taken part in international competitions have truly inspired us with their stories, encouraging us to take on this experience ourselves. We want to fully enjoy this opportunity, and we can’t wait to meet the other teams!

Describe the cosplay community in your country using five words.

Artemis & Woken (duo): Collaborative, friendly, competitive, constantly evolving… and yes, a bit polemical.

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

Malvagio (solo): https://www.instagram.com/malvagio_cosplay/

Artemis & Woken (duo): https://www.instagram.com/liz_artemis/

https://www.instagram.com/woken2/
https://www.instagram.com/artemiswoken.cosplay/

Malvagio, Artemis and Woken were selected at TORINO COMICS.