Denmark 🇩🇰
Trine (solo): Heyo! I’m Trine, a Danish cosplayer and propmaker! I am 25 years old and have been cosplaying since 2016. I have represented Denmark at ECG season 10 and at TOC season 1, where I won the grand prize. Cosplay is my full time job and it is truly a dream coming true. I work hard every day to be able to do what I love and get better with every project. A part of my job is also to attend conventions as a cosplay guest, host panels and judge cosplay contests.
TinYasuo (duo): I’m TinYasuo, half of the Duo representing Denmark at this year’s ICL. My cosplay journey started back in 2007 with a lot of cringe youtube videos, which was very fun to make. My first time performing was also at my first convention in 2007, and I have since performed every year at Denmark’s biggest convention amongst others. I have represented Denmark at the Nordic Cosplay Championship(NCC, 3 times), the European Cosplay Gathering(ECG, 2 times) and at the World cosplay summit(WCS, 3 times). Later this year I am excited to also be part of the 7th Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival(GICOF) as well, but right now I am just very excited to take part in the International Cosplay league(ICL) for the first time! As you might have guessed by now, my biggest joy in cosplay comes from creating performances. However, I also really love the process of making detail-work on my costumes. When I don’t make costumes and dress up, I work as a biomedical laboratory scientist.
Aik0hime (duo): I’m Aiko the other half of the duo representing Denmark at ICL 2024. I cosplayed for the first time back in 2010, but didn’t really get into it till 2012, and I performed for the first time in 2013.
Since then I have only performed about a handful of times, so I am beyond excited to get back on stage! I love performing but haven’t had the time to, so I have mainly been a backstage helper.
I love diving into new costumes and learning new and challenging techniques!
How did you discover cosplay and what made you start in this hobby? How long ago?
Trine (solo): In 2016 I got really into Naturo and fell for the character Kakashi. I thought he was super cool and as I have always been very creatve and sewn, I decided to make his costume. At this point, I had no idea what cosplay was, but when a classmate told me I should bring it to a convention he was attendning, my life changed. Seeing everyone in these so called “cosplays” and experiencing the wonderful community, made me want to make even better and cooler cosplays!
TinYasuo (duo): I first discovered cosplay back in 2005 when I saw a photo of an elderly man with a beard who cosplayed Sailor moon. I didn’t start cosplaying before 2007 however, when there was a girl that I liked and like a silly teenager I wanted to impress her by also getting into cosplay. My dad would not let me buy things online, so if I wanted to cosplay I needed to find a way to make them myself. I have stuck around since then.
Aik0hime (duo): The first time I heard of cosplay was from a dear childhood friend of mine who invited me to my first convention. We had planned to wear our self made costumes, but when it came down to it, we were scared and shy, and ended up just going in normal clothes.
Years later in 2010 I went to the same convention, and this time I was brave enough to dress up. It wasn’t until 2012 I really started making cosplays and got friends within the community.
What does cosplay mean for you? And what is your favorite part of the hobby?
Trine (solo): Cosplay for me is the perfect combination of nerdiness and creativity. It doesnt get more raw than this! I just love that I can mix these two great loves of mine into one thing!
TinYasuo (duo): For me cosplay is a way to be social and creative at the same time. To find people who enjoy cosplay in the same way as I do, gives me a sense of community and belonging. That is why I enjoy taking part in competitions. I love making costumes and I love performing – when I am part of a contest, I will be surrounded by people who also make their own costumes and construct performances. I love to watch the immense creativity and talent in others, and Cosplay gives me many opportunities for that.
Aik0hime (duo): To me cosplay is a creative and social outlet. it started out being more about the creation but has since grown into being more about friendships to me. As a child and teenager I never fit in, and had very few friends, but after meeting friends through the cosplay hobby my social circle grew tenfold, and it helped me in so many ways to blossom. I love to get inspired by other people and learn new techniques or gush about the shows/games I have in common with others!
I love that it is a hobby where I can use all my creative genes, sewing, photography, engineering, performing, painting etc. But also that I get so many social experiences like traveling to conventions overseas, and meeting people from all over the world.
What changes do you see in the cosplay community in your country compared to when you started?
Trine (solo): Everyone is getting so much better, much faster! Now that cosplay is becoming more and more popular, it is easier to find information and materials than it has ever been, and because of that, even beginners make some absolutely incredible cosplays!
TinYasuo & Aik0hime (duo): People got better wigs. For sure. But also on a more serious note: full costumes(even in good quality), costume parts, materials and tutorials have become vastly more accessible. When we started, there was nothing such as ‘I will just google how to make this oddly specific thing’. We feel like cosplay has become more mainstream, and easier to approach and get started with. Over the years social media have increased in importance in relation to cosplay. Back when facebook was still new, it was odd, even frowned upon by some people, to create a cosplay page for one self. Especially since Covid, it seems to us like a lot of cosplay has moved onto becoming an online thing.
Why did you choose that project for the ICL national selection? Is this your first time joining an international cosplay competition?
Trine (solo): I chose Astrologer because I felt it was a cosplay that I was quite proud of. Even though it is a simpler design, there were still some beautiful details to make and I could really take my time with these and make them perfect. Since this is the third time I am joining an international cosplay contest, I wasnt too nervous and was pretty confident in my cosplay, even though, from a dsitance, it seemed less impressive compared to my competitors.
TinYasuo & Aik0hime (duo): Since TinYasuo currently has a big love for the franchise, it was of course one of the first options at the table. We scouted youtube for clips of Purah, who is the character Aik0hime cosplays as, in order to get some inspiration for the performance. Naturally, being the easily distracted people we are, we fell down a rabbit hole of weird videos and ended up watching this particular video of Link attaching a Korok to a nuclear bomb. From here there was only one real question to ask ourselves: What if Link and Purah went to Ikea? And there we had our act idea.
As for international competitions, this is our second time taking part together as a group.
What do you expect from your visit to Spain? Is this your first time visiting the country?
Trine (solo): I have been to Spain twice before, but this is my first cosplay competiton in Spain, and I am sure I will make a lot of new friends and memories becuase of ICL.
TinYasuo & Aik0hime (duo): We just really want to enjoy the event, meet all the other wonderful contestants and hopefully not break a bone on stage. We want Spain not pain. TinYasuo has been to Spain once before as an invited guest for a small event, and Aik0hime has been on numerous vacations in Spain.
Have you decided your project for the finals in Madrid? May you give us a clue?
Trine (solo): I have not decided yet but I do have some cosplays in mind, I just need to figure out which one I can make the best and in time. No matter what I choose, expect lots of details and medieval vibes.
TinYasuo & Aik0hime (duo): Same characters as the preliminaries, but what if Link had a horse?
Describe the cosplay community in your country using five words.
Trine (solo): Passionate, talented, creative, clever and pioneers
TinYasuo & Aik0hime (duo): Innovative, accepting, skilled, curious, kind
Link to your Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter (add other social media if relevant):
Trine (solo):
https://www.instagram.com/trine.k.n/
https://www.tiktok.com/@trine.k.n
https://www.facebook.com/tkncosplay
https://twitter.com/Trine_k_n
TinYasuo (duo):
https://www.instagram.com/tinyasuo/
https://www.youtube.com/@TinYasuo
https://www.facebook.com/TinYasuoCosplay
https://www.tiktok.com/@tinyasuocos
Aik0hime (duo):
https://www.instagram.com/aik0hime_cosplay/
https://www.facebook.com/Aik0hime
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Trine, TinYasuo and Aik0hime were selected at J-Popcon.
