United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Alyssa Axen (solo): Hi! I’m Alyssa Axen, and I go by Al or Alyssa! I’m 27 and I’m from Scotland in the UK. I’ve been cosplaying since 2013 and just absolutely fell in love with making costumes, and what i’d spend all my time doing around my job if i could! I This is my very first time representing my country internationally, so I’m very excited to be able to be at finals and see some of Spain while we’re there!

Sparkie/Tabby (duo): My name is Tabby, I’m an archaeology curator and collections conservator for a museum. I love anime and videogames, and I’ve been making my own costumes, and cosplaying at conventions since 2006! As someone who grew up doing papier mâché, painting, ceramics, and sewing as after school activities, cosplay was the natural hobby progression for me.

Ceres/Mariam (duo): My name is Mariam, I recently completed my PhD in Astrophysics and now work in the field of Science Ethics and Engagement at the University of Cambridge. I grew up on anime and Japanese video games, with a seamstress for a mum – so making costumes was a natural way to express my love for characters!

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

Alyssa Axen (solo): I went to the first big comic con in Glasgow that was brand new back in 2013, and was determined I was going to cosplay like I’d seen people on the internet doing and nobody could tell me otherwise. I then started teaching myself how to sew for the next few as nobody else in my family is into sewing garments and the rest was history – i loved making the costumes as much as i loved getting to be them, and it’s sort of spiraled out of control from the very basic beginnings to now!

Sparkie/Tabby (duo): As a child, my sister and I used to dress up from Cardcaptors and Pokemon and run around the house. Then in 2006, my sister told me how she went to a comic con in London and it sounded like so much fun! Back then I lived in the States, and we attended a small local convention dressed as Fullmetal Alchemist. We had a blast and immediately wanted to try making our own costumes for the next event- we have never stopped since!

Ceres/Mariam (duo): My first convention was around 2012, when my sister told me her friend wanted to go in cosplay and asked if I’d want to come too. My sister then bailed on us(!) so me and her friend went together! It was a lot of fun, but I’d really struggled to find a costume I was comfortable wearing, and some of the costume had never even turned up – so it really inspired me to get into making my own!

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

Alyssa Axen (solo): It’s brought me the most wonderful friendships I could have ever asked for, and I’ve met the kindest and most supportive people I could ever ask for all because of Cosplay. I’m really honoured I get to be weird and have fun with my friends through this hobby as well as challenge myself to keep making things as well as i can. Learning new techniques and skills has to be my favourite part about the hobby as well as who’s in my life because of it!

Sparkie/Tabby (duo): Cosplay for me is about having fun with my friends. I love organising group cosplays, doing photoshoots, and making memories. My favourite part of the hobby is coming up with funny cosplay skits with my best friend Mariam- getting to mix cosplay and acting together is really enjoyable.

Ceres/Mariam (duo): This is probably going to be the same answer as Tabby – but for me the real fun is the friends we make along the way! Getting the gang together for a group, or doing something ridiculous as a duo with my best friend Tabby is what it’s all about! I love being able to bring together so many of my loves this way – stage and performance, sewing, crafting, anime, and my friends. I think it’s important to have creative outlets in your life too, and having a direction for that creative energy is really great.

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

Alyssa Axen (solo): I’m from Scotland, so I have a lot of friends that are far away that are also in the UK – We’ve all been brought closer through cosplay and honestly I think it’s really neat to see it happening. Gutting to have to wait so long to see people once a year! The Scottish local community also just keeps growing and getting even more incredible as time goes on, and as I’ve gotten older it’s been lovely to see people I know gaining confidence to compete and learn new things for cosplay! It’s lovely having a pretty close knit community up here, and i’m thankful it’s so strong too!

Sparkie/Tabby (duo): When I started cosplaying in the UK back in 2016, I did not get to see a lot of ‘obscurer’ anime costumes. The UK has never been super into anime like other parts of Europe! But over the years that has changed and there is definitely more appreciation for anime and more anime cosplayers around now!

Ceres/Mariam (duo): I think the hobby has become a lot more accessible! Back when I started, you had to dig through websites or be artistic/decent at sewing in order to cosplay. Although there’s a discussion to be had about sustainability and waste, the fact you can buy costumes so much more easily has been great for allowing a wider range of people to have fun with the hobby. Social media has also allowed skill sharing and a lot more clarity and openness across the community than we had before – we’re a lot more connected than we used to be I think!

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?

Alyssa Axen (solo): I’m taking Qifrey from Witch Hat Atelier to Madrid! He means a lot to me as a character and I really want to do him justice, so I’m making upgrades with the little bit of time between the UK’s selections and finals. I hope that my love for the character and his journey in the manga shows through and hopefully all those layers of capes and robes won’t be too warm!

Sparkie/Tabby (duo): Mariam has been trying to get me to watch Dr.Stone since lockdown! It took three goes, but we started it the third time in 2025 and I was hooked (finally)! We caught up with the anime as the new season was airing- and the ICL UK selection was announced a week later! At that point it was fate, and we knew we had to make these costumes and enter them in ICL. As we ended up qualifying online, we will be bringing the same entry as our selection but hopefully with some upgrades!

Ceres/Mariam (duo): You have no idea how many times I tried to sell Dr. STONE to Tabby. I absolutely love it – as a professional science communicator, I always say it’s one of the best engagement tools I’ve ever seen! I think the story it tells about what it means to be human, to have a history worth protecting, and to have a legacy you need to revive goes really far beyond ‘quirky science show’. Our performance was actually inspired by a conversation I had with a high profile artist- this man worked with David Bowie extensively, and we were talking about how much Bowie loved Voyager, cosmology and space. It all just clicked together – ideas of legacy, and of science, and of art and performance. I’m so thrilled we are bringing this to the ICL final, I think it really suits this 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?

Alyssa Axen (solo): Yes, this is my very first time even entering a qualifier and my first time as a rep! It’s not something i was expecting, so i’m just working hard and hoping my work shows. I’d definitely say to everyone just to try and see what happens and start trusting in your abilities and skills. You never know what will happen unless you try!!

Sparkie/Tabby (duo): This is our first time qualifying for an international cosplay competition and I am so so excited! My advice for anyone who wants to start cosplay is to just do it- don’t think about accuracy or popularity, find a character you like and be that character!

Ceres/Mariam (duo): This is our first time at an international final, and I can’t wait! I’d definitely say to just go for it – and try not to overthink it! Pick something you like, have fun, and go from there 🙂

What has been your most memorable cosplay experience so far?

Alyssa Axen (solo): Winning the qualifier has to be up there! I’ve never experienced anything like that before!

Sparkie/Tabby (duo): Mariam invited me on a trip to Egypt with her family a few years ago and we decided to bring cosplays with us- because what is better than bringing wigs and costumes to a desert? The highlight of the trip was wearing our Imhotep and Djoser cosplays (from one of our favourite manga, Great Priest Imhotep) to the actual steppyramid of Djoser (respectfully, of course)! We had a lot of fun on that trip!

Ceres/Mariam (duo): Group cosplay and being with friends is really important to me, and one of my favourite memories has to be how we pulled together a huge group of bungou stray dogs cosplayers one year! I’d done Chuuya on my own at the previous convention, and then by the next one we had a massive group and performed a Shakespeare parody for the masquerade! I also had the delightful experience of walking into our local convention and seeing all my friends in One Piece cosplay! I had no idea, but my best friend Tabby had arranged for everyone to do the costumes with us as a surprise for my PhD graduation – we went into the masquerade and I was crowned king of the P(hD)irates :’)

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

Alyssa Axen (solo): It’s the people around me that are very inspiring for sure. Talking to friends about how to do crazy things with patterns of materials, learning how to do something from someone you really trust and admire and hyping each other up really pushes me to try my best and do my best work everyday.

Sparkie/Tabby (duo): My cosplay motivation comes from two sources. The first is brainrot with my best friend. Mariam will get me to watch an anime (I tend to read more manga), and we will hyperfocus on some characters and decide we have to make them real. She also pushes me to have better craftsmanship, I have a tendency to rush and just try to get things done and she always makes me stop and smell the flowers for design and crafting. I am also really motivated by designs I see and really want to make in real life- especially armour and weapons!

Ceres/Mariam (duo): For me it’s definitely the duo drive from my best friend Tabby! I was always so much lazier with craft projects when I was doing them alone, but having a partner in crime who sends you updates on their work is really inspiring. We always have such fun stage and video ideas together that I’m always really keen to get into the costume already! Entering competitions together also really makes me hyper aware of doing things to the absolute best of my ability – I dont think I’d be so hard on myself craftsmanship wise if I was only doing it for myself!

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

Alyssa Axen (solo): It’ll be my first time in Spain, so i’m very excited to eat some stunning food and see something new while we’re there in Madrid! Seeing other countries conventions is always super fun and i’m looking forward to seeing it too as well as sightseeing!

Sparkie/Tabby (duo): While I am British, my parents live in Spain and my grandparents are from Barcelona. I spent most of my summers in Spain, but I’ve only been to Madrid once. I am really excited to get to eat lots of good food and go to a convention in Spain! I’m also really excited to show Mariam the country too!

Ceres/Mariam (duo): I’ve never been to Spain, I’m really excited! I’m glad my first visit is with someone who knows the language and culture – I don’t like being a tourist as much as I like exploring a city but more like a local. It’s also a rare treat to be abroad with my bestie so that’s exciting! I’m looking forward to seeing Madrid, and to meeting all the other ICL representatives 🙂

Describe the cosplay community in your country using five words.

Alyssa Axen (solo): Creative, Supportive, Crafty, Welcoming and Home

Sparkie/Tabby (duo): Can I get a yippee?!?!

Ceres/Mariam (duo): the world’s biggest hype men!

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

Alyssa Axen (solo): https://www.instagram.com/alyssaaxen

https://www.facebook.com/alyssaaxencosplay

Sparkie/Tabby (duo):

Instagram- https://instagram.com/thesparkofrevolution

Facebook- https://facebook.com/sparkieandceres

Tiktok- https://tiktok.com/sparkieandceres

Website- sparkieandceres.com

Ceres/Mariam (duo):

Instagram- https://instagram.com/cereselcosplay