Mexico 🇲🇽 & Brazil 🇧🇷
DUO
BananaCospboys, 34 years old Luis born in Monterrey Mexico, 36 years old Lalo born in Mexico City, professional dancers living in Cancun, we started cosplaying in 2016 and since then we haven’t stopped, it’s an activity that we like so much for creating the costumes and it allows us to be able to represent the characters on stage
How did you discover cosplay and what made you start in this hobby? How long ago?
In 2016 we started cosplaying, we went on vacation to Mexico City where there was going to be a convention and we decided to go… but we wanted to go «dressed up» so each one of us chose one of our favorite characters and we started to make the costumes, it was very fun and since then we have not stopped cosplaying.
Why did you choose Aang and Zuko as your project for the ICL preselection? Is this your first time joining an international cosplay competition?
We chose Avatar because it is a series that we both love both for the characters and for the plot and how the characters evolve from the beginning to the end, they were always our favorite characters Aang and Zuko… well and Appa too hehe.
This would be the second time we participated in an international contest.
What does cosplay mean for you? And what is your favorite part of the hobby?
Cosplay for us is a way to express yourself and create characters that inspire and motivate you to represent them either for fun or for the simple pleasure of doing it.
Our favorite part is when you can finally put on the costume and play the character.
If you weren’t selected before the pandemic, please let us know how did it affect to your cosplay projects and motivation and how you approached the selections.
In reality, it did not affect us at all since finally things are half recovering and almost everything is back to normal.
What do you expect from your visit to Spain? Is this your first time visiting the country?
To have a lot of fun and meet people with the same tastes as us!
Have you decided your project for the finals in Madrid? Can you give us a clue?
We’re doing Avatar: Aang and Zuko.
Describe the cosplay community in your country using five words.
Incredible and more with friends.
You can follow Luis and Lalo on:
BananaCospboys – Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok and Twitter.
Team Mexico was selected during the online selections (August 2022)
SOLO
Hello guys! My name is Ju Tsukino, I’m Brazilian/Italian , I was born in Brazil in the city of Guaruja, on the beautiful beaches of the coast of Sao Paulo. And I was a girl who grew up sewing clothes for my dolls, making art from an early age, like those grandma things… (crochet, candles, soap, rag dolls) so I developed this passion for creating from a very young age. At 16 I discovered what cosplay was and soon after I did my first one (sailor moon of course) and I felt so happy, the will that I didn’t stop anymore. A few years later I finished college as a fashion designer, opened my cosplay store and worked with it for many years, and in parallel, creating costumes for video game and marteking companies. After I closed the online store, my focus changed a little and I decided to change country. I chose England because of the “fashion” history and the good opportunities. I had great opportunities in London, working for big couture houses where I learned so many amazing techniques there I wanted to apply to my costumes. The leap of quality and innovation techniques can be seen in my costumes, mines and the ones I sell in my costume shop.
How did you discover cosplay and what made you start in this hobby? How long ago?
More than 20 years ago, when I was still a kid, I love watching animes. So when I discovered a small local convention, I saw a girl dressed as a Sakura Card captor. She explained why she was wearing the “cosplay”, from that moment I was hooked !
Why did you choose Pesephone as your project for the ICL preselection? Is this your first time joining an international cosplay competition?
Yes, it’s my first time on ICL. The choice of Persephone was because I did this cosplay for an online competition during the pandemic. I put so much love and effort into this costume, and I wanted an opportunity to show in live in a great stage.
What does cosplay mean for you? And what is your favorite part of the hobby?
I’ve been doing cosplay for 18 years now and this answer changed over the years. Right now the passion of creating something from scratch, the process, the turning over. Just fills my heart. I turned the hobby into my job, and no matter if the costume is for me or a client. The joy is just too big.
If you weren’t selected before the pandemic, please let us know how did it affect to your
cosplay projects and motivation and how you approached the selections.
I was selected after. My selection was online.
What do you expect from your visit to Spain? Is this your first time visiting the country?
Spain is such a beautiful country, I’ve visited twice but Madrid will be for the first time, I’m excited to visit and make lots of friends. I want to have fun!!! To make good memories.
Have you decided your project for the finals in Madrid? Can you give us a clue?
I’m doing Persephone from Aura Kingdom.
Describe the cosplay community in your country using five words.
Creativity, craziness, ambition, innovative, beautiful
You can follow Ju Tsukino on:
All my socials : @jutsukino
Team Brazil was selected during the online selections (August 2022)
