/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

I think the Nyotalia Nordics were just sketches by Hima, but did anyone ever cosplay them?

Sadly not attending Hetalia Day for the second year in a row due to traveling. Do a lot of people still go or is it kinda dead by now? I really miss it, but I don't miss the weebs.

Any Hetafags from the threads we had a few months ago? I kinda miss having the Hetalia threads, we had a lot of good discussion. Does anyone have Hetalia stories from con season?

For me it was hard to get a true gauge on how big Hetalia was cosplay-wise because I cosplayed it, and it always seems bigger when you're actually surrounded by it and in it. Of course we're not at our old numbers (and I'm kinda glad), so has fandom calmed down for anyone?

>>7122908
It has calmed down a LOT but maybe that's because I kinda fell out of it? I mean, I always see fans at cons and stuff, but the groups are dwindling (in favour of Homestuck or other).

Hetalia is dead, now its all about Attack on Titan!

>>7122986

I agree. I mean, I don't think Hetalia is dead but it's on the decline in terms of popularity. It won't ever die out so long as people continue to cosplay it and like it I guess. We are coming up on 5+ years of it as a fandom presence, so I can see the dwindling being natural. But then I have hope looking at fandoms that are older than Hetalia who still manage to pull decent numbers of cosplayers.

>>7123007

Well, yeah, AoT is the big trend in fandom, but Hetalia isn't fully dead. If so wouldn't we stop seeing cosplays of it at cons? I went to bigger cons this year so of course it'll look bigger when there's 25k vs. 5k people, but it still drew decent crowds at the panels (even if they were still AAN).

On the thread and /cgl/ side of things, yes it does seem a bit dead. But we DID have some awesome Hetalia threads a few months back. Weren't there alternate panels being talked about? I remember we had a few shittalia threads then they got more serious.

>>7122908
I too miss those threads. Crazy how things change so quickly. I hosted a photoshoot at a con back in March and it was okay. The community around there is pretty tame (or so I've been told) so there weren't any problems. We only had about 15 people at the shoot though since the con's cosplay department screwed over all the shoots. There were plenty of cosplayers walking around though. In fact, now that I think about it, the only Hetalia horror story I've heard all year happened at a small local con during the summer which is great.

My city's comm has had a lot of people posting "leaving the fandom; selling all cosplay" posts, but we still have 400+ members in just the one I help admin. I figure Hetalia will be like Naruto before the recent chapters. Even though it was still ongoing, the fandom died down, but the cosplays were still at a relatively large number.

Pic somewhat related to my Hetalia Day cosplay. Doing Turkey's Halloween outfit.

>>7123285

I come from an infamous com so I envy you. It kinda makes me sad when people say stuff like "leaving the fandom." I dunno, maybe I just never fully leave fandoms and some people do.

But Naruto is a good example of fandoms gone bad and then nearly "disappearing" in terms of cons (or what people perceive).

Well. I stopped doing the admin work for the Seattle group and moved to the Dallas area... I think my fiancee is trying to get us to go to the Dallas meet, so.
I guess I'll find out.

I do miss the old days, ngl.

>>7121651
This is all I have.

My comm is... strange, and I'd rather not be a part of it. I think I'm just going to make friends outside the fandom, since the saner-ones tend to be there. We'll see how that goes for me.

The groups are still running pretty strong here, but mostly weebs and those quiet-good-cosplayers-off-on-the-side-of-meetups are about now.

I was at a small con last weekend and saw a lot of Hetalia cosplayers. I don't think the fandom is dead.

>>7124327

Hey, welcome to DFW.

Here's a throwaway email, I'm always up to meeting new Hetalians and welcome new people. I may not be able to go to the meet myself but even if I can't, I like to host smaller get-togethers around here for Hetalia friends, usually history related. Drop me a line sometime!

>>7124327

Yay! More DFW Hetalians. Welcome to the metroplex.

Nice to see another active Hetalia thread. Someone mentioned panels, and I did see a history panel at A-fest along with the AAN and 18+.

Anyway, obligatory Russia with a puppy picture before this turns into a Texasfag thread. Requesting male cosplayers. Shirtless Russia and that France are fine, but does anyone know of male cosplayers beyond these two?

>>7124661
>>7125313
Thanks so much, you two.

I'd be prone to going to everything I could, just out of the hopes of seeing good fans again. But it's hard to get anywhere. I'm hoping the carpooling thing on fb is going to help.

I have a stupidly huge folder of Hetalia cosplay, if anyone is looking for any characters in particular. I'll post a couple nyotalia, since I'm on the low for males in general.

>>7125497

>>7125498

>>7125492

Oh you're welcome. Always nice to add another to the herd out here in Texas (especially a history lover, feels like that part of the fandom has just been forgotten).

I do hope you can make the meet! What part of DFW did you move to?

>>7125608
I'm in Tarrent county- N.Richland Hills/Hurst border.
I'd really love to have a good community again... My old one was amazing...Slowly overrun by children who eventually forced the admins into shutting everything down. Sigh.

>>7125766

>Slowly overrun by children

I can sympathize. I'm not a native Texan either and my old com was nice, really great because we had all the Nordics despite being so small, but I was the oldest one there and I was 20 at the time.

But Hetalia Day is a great way to start with a new com. Are you going to cosplay?

>>7125851
Yep. Probably going as Romano, if I can.

I see someone found my fiancee! We got your message and will reply/email you tomorrow. Thanks for the message. (Crazy how easy it is to find the strings that link me to everything, haha.)

I found this cosplay

I honestly have tons of nyotalia- I'm not sure why my first reaction was to post a bunch of slavics.

hey you guys wouldn't happen to have any sewing patters for the different nations would you ?

And, outside of a self post I have floating about, this is it for me.

I want to have a discussion about something other than complaining about our comms, but I can't think of anything..

>>7127568
I've never seen any Hetalia-specific, if that's what you mean.

>>7126421
What cosplay? where?

>>7127604

There aren't any specific ones for Hetalia, but I know for the uniforms, a lot of people (myself included) use pajama patterns and add on the extra pockets, details, etc. Really any shirt pattern that's long sleeve and button up will do. You might have to modify the collar or something, but pajama patterns are usually "easy."

>>7127604

Maybe some about making your own cosplay or what people are going to do? I WISH there were color versions of the nyotalia Nordics and I still kinda want to do chesstalia but haven't seen any cosplays of the Nordic ones yet.

But if all else fails, complaining about our comms works, too.

>>7127728
I suppose..

Well the only Hetalia cosplays I have planned are England's Arte Stella outfit (the one with the red coat and the striped pants) and maybe Cardverse.
I feel like I'm running out of ideas, oddly enough.
What about the rest of you?

>>7126421
e - e

Ew.

>>7123285 again. I went out and got what I thought was a perfect mask for Turkey, but it takes up my entire forehead. I'm wondering if I should add eyebrows above the mask. I know some drawings are like that, but I don't think I've ever seen it done in cosplay so I have no idea how goofy it'll look. Do you guys think this tutorial: http://classewig.com/wig/blog/?p=405 would work to make some decent brows for it?

As for planned costumes, I'm definitely rewearing halloween Finland in October and might be making another England costume for the friday as well. If I have time. And I think I'm at the point where Swedish-Polish wars and police are the only two canon Finland costumes I haven't done so I'm going to try and do Swedish-Polish wars next years. Still a bit iffy about police though. I'm still trying to find a good Floweregg plush too.

>>7127728
I'm desperate to do chesstalia but I can't get a group together and don't really want to do it by myself.

>>7128263
How expensive was it/can you get another? Then you could try on one and if you don't like how it looks use the other. Or maybe try mocking another mask up in cardboard?

I want to cosplay for Hetalia Day, but I don't really get along with my local comm anymore. I am planning on doing the Fantasia version of Denmark for a future con, though.

>>7128263
I actually really like that tutorial. It would probably work really well, but I would do like >>7128317 said and get a second mask just in case.

Self-posting because this thread has made me nostalgic for Hetalia cosplay but I don't have anything aside from selfposts on this computer.

Nordic time? It's Nordic time.

Still unsure what I'm doing for Hetalia Day... Have to wait a week to even see if my fiancee has the day off.

>>7128317
I can't return it since I opened the package, but maybe I'll do what you suggested and just use it to make another, but shorter.

>>7128681
Your Denmark is great!

I actually don't really save pictures of others' cosplays, but I have a bunch of amateur pics from cons and my own pictures if you all care about photographer quality.

and last Nordic.

Quick bump.

So.. where do you guys hail from?

>>7129192
A few of us creeping around in here was from Dallas/Ft Worth...
I'm originally from Seattle, though. Just moved to DFW last May.

>>7129192
cali

>>7128935
Thank you!

I don't mind photography quality as much as long as the cosplay is good.

>>7129192
I'm from the Midwest. Upper Illinois specifically.

>>7129192
I'm from Chicago, but I've heard good things about the Milwaukee comm. Might start taking the train to their things.

>>7129451
>Illinois
Did you happen to go to Anime Midwest Sunday?

>>7129503
>Did you happen to go to Anime Midwest Sunday?

No. I had thought about going to check that con out all weekend, but I ended up not going. Was it good?

>>7129515
It was alright. Nothing really to write home about. I only went to see some friends. I just mentioned it because I thought you were the Denmark I saw.

>>7126421
is fine, but I think these tights are not

>>7129192
Finland

I have been nostalgia tripping APH so much lately and I kind of wish that I could finally make my medieval!Norway ready (I've had the materials now a three years or something...) and have a photoshoot during the upcoming winter since we will have a fuckloads of snow so I could at least use that opportunity even tho is cold as hell.

>>7127568
http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=230174&highlight=hetalia

there are some patterns in the third post

Most of the kiddies in the Hetalia fandom here don't even bother with History and culture now. They're in it for 'teh yaois'. All the ones that aren't tween newfags are dramatic as all hell.

I'm going out of state to go show off a Pirate Romano cosplay at Tomodachi Fest, so hopefully I meet some Hetalians that aren't assholes.

>>7130159
Yeah, most of the people in my area are here for the yaois and randomness.
It's sad that I'm desperate enough to talk to them, but it's the hyperactivity that drives me away.

>>7130159
Oh, and I hail from Utah.

>>7130167
I feel your pain. I miss the mature fans.

>>7129192

Alabama originally, now in Texas.

I am a fujoshi, I will admit, but am also a history-lovin'-Hetalian.

>>7130169

Seconding this. Thankfully I was able to find a Hetalia friend who is like minded and mature and that we both were able to find others like us. I really felt alone when I moved to TX and didn't know anyone and, despite having lovely yaoi friends, had no Hetalia friends.

We have begun to try doing history in Hetalia panels at cons, with decent success I'd say. So even if y'all aren't looking for different panels and such, there are people out there who are similarly dissatisfied with the "state of the fandom" if you want to call it that.

I mean, I voiced these types of concern on the thread months ago and met her on the thread and now we're doing panels. Crazier things have happened and I'm over the moon I can talk history and Hetalia and not feel like some weird, bookish nerd amongst all the kiddos. I'm not even a history major, I just like Hetalia for more than just pairings. The same way I love all my fandoms for more than just my OTPs. Sadly I think the reduction of actual series to pairings or the tendency to only use a series as a source of pairings, fan activities, etc.... I think it's a trend in fandom culture that I myself as an older fan just can't adjust to.

>>7129192
UK.

>>7130159
There were always loads of kids like that. Here at least the fandom seems to be maturing a little, but maybe that's just because I've found a group of 20somethings who've mostly been around for four or five years. Most of us were history geeks before hand too. I guess that's just luck? Good luck finding people.

It's quiet in here.
Too quiet.

I got my coat and boots for Arte Stella England, but the coat will need to be shortened (wool, this will be fun) and I need to paint the stripes on the pants (also loads of fun).
This is one of England's simplest outfits and yet I've already spent nearly $400 on it.

On the bright side, I'll definitely wear the boots and coat casually.

I would go to a meet up but a lot of my friends are quite weeaboo-ish and still at that 'omg teh yaioz' stage. But I can't be asked going to like, Plymouth or London since I heard those places have had meetups.

Pic sort of related. It's from a Telford meetup a few months ago.

>>7134460
I feel you, I made a start on it, spent about £100 and then gave up. It's still half made in my cupboard taunting me every time I go through my fabric.

>>7134484
Here's a good cosplay to make up from that picture.

>>7134484
I didn't think there were that many of us left in the UK let alone in one place.

>>7134487
Fuck.

Hopefully when I go to cons, I'll at least find a group or something.

>>7134506
Depends what con. Are you coming to kitacon? If you're going to expo don't expect much better than the picture you posted before. TBH Kitacon is likely to just be me and one or two others. Pic related, it was from last time. There were some others, but basically it was the nordic group and everyone else was from out of the country.

>>7134529
I was cosplaying Hetalia at Kitacon but not with this group. I don't recognise any of these guys. There are still some good Hetalia cosplayers in the UK, we all just tend to stay under the radar though.

the only good thing about hetalia being slightly under the radar is that there's barely any drama

>>7134529
To be fair that's a pretty shitty picture, I was very drunk last night and it was the first in my folder.

Agreed about staying under the radar, though. Are you coming to Kita next year?

>>7135212
Yeah, haven't decided whether to cosplay Hetalia or not yet. I don't tend to plan cosplay this far in advance.

Hetalia can suck my limp dick for all I care. Fuck your day

>>7135185

It's really strange that we are kinda back under the radar again (it's like we've come full circle, except we circled the 8th layer of fandom hell of something). I definitely think the "Hetalia problem" has subsided for the most part in terms of actual numbers and behavior, even if it hasn't left the minds of congoers. Much in the same way we all remember the Naruto craze but have to remember that there simply aren't hordes in Akatsuki uniforms anymore.

>>7135621
It happens in any popular fandom, though. I hate how people keep treating us like we're the only ones who went yaoi-humping crazy.

>>7135718

Exactly. Remember Naruto, KH, Bleach? Or even when Kuroshit hit the scene. Hetalia is a fandom that changed a lot of things, but we were NOT the first to go yaoi crazy NOR were we the ones responsible for the "non-Western stuff" at cons. Hetalia is an anime and a manga and people forget that and lump us in with newer trends that aren't anime.

>>7135947
I can see how people get mad about the non-Western thing since only one character is Japanese, but Hetalia's still anime. That's dumb.
We shouldn't be lumped in with MLP and Homestuck and Adventure Time, no no.

I don't know, hopefully with dying trends comes dying stereotypes. I want to make friends with people from other fandoms without them cringing just because I'm in Hetalia cosplay.

>>7135621
>(it's like we've come full circle, except we circled the 8th layer of fandom hell of something)
I wish the people here would hurry on with that final lap then. It seems like a lot of people in my area are just now discovering it again so, while we were fading, it's like OMG KAYWHY YAOI TIMEZ all over again.

>>7135967
>I want to make friends with people from other fandoms without them cringing just because I'm in Hetalia cosplay.
Dude, just go ahead and do it. I talk to other people all the time while cosplaying Hetalia. I ran into a couple Kamen Rider cosplayers my last con while in my cosplay and they were extremely cool. We probably chatted for 15-20 minutes. Although, they came up to me and I usually cosplay a character that's been in the show a handful of times so maybe people don't automatically assume Heta-tard. Either way, if you come off as a decent person with more sense than God gave a cabbage, I think people won't care who you're cosplaying as.

How do you all feel about original outfits? With all the alternate canon and popular fanon outfits, do you think they're necessary? I don't mean obvious Goth!Rave!Valentines! closet cosplays, but costumes people actually put design effort into. I saw a girl cosplaying Hungary in this belly dancing outfit at a photoshoot. The outfit was really cute, but, if she wasn't at the shoot I would have had no idea who she was. I just see a lot of people with "original design" cosplays planned nowadays.

>>7136640

I personally dislike original outfits unless it somehow relates to a historical period or national dress not already draw canonically. Like, if Himaruya hasn't gotten around to it but it's the national outfit or like, 1800s Sweden, go for it. But truly original... it gets hard to identify the character AND I don't see the point when we have dozens of characters each with dozens of outfits (it's like having a closet full of clothes but going shopping and 9/10 times buying something terrible).

That's just my opinion though. I do agree with your point to just go ahead and talk to people, despite the Hetalia cosplay. I personally have never been berated in person for cosplaying Hetalia, but I've experienced a lot of hate from it in threads on cgl. It was easiest for me to find "other fandom" friends and leave Hetalia out of the equation (as in, they don't have to be a Hetalia fan at all), and to also seek out a Hetalia friend (who may like other fandoms, yes). But people who will cringe because you're in Hetalia cosplay aren't worth talking to. If they can't put aside their personal tastes to hold a conversation, they aren't worth it.

Can I get you guys' advice on a panel? So, I went to a con with no Hetalia panels because everything submitted was the typical Ask a Nation with no sort of planning other then "be in costume+fanservice" which pissed a lot of people in the community off. The head of panels said he wants panels that the audience can learn something from or at least doesn't rely completely on them asking questions. So, I was thinking of this for a panel, I do a lot of baking and I want to have myself and a few others host a panel as the Gourmet Club. Originally, my idea was to teach people how to make simple sweets from those countries (in character of course), but, since this is an anime con, maybe have a Japanese snack themed workshop. The convention usually has a panel for actual Japanese meals and bento making for cons so I didn't want to clash too much with that, but I just want to do something that everyone, Hetalians or otherwise, could learn from and have a use for. It'd probably be set up like a new members meeting which would allow for other countries in the chance someone other than the Gourmet Trio wanted to help out.

I was all for this when I thought of it, but as the time to submit panels comes closer, I'm not so sure. My friends have all said it was a good idea, but they're my friends. What do you all think though? Would you want to go to a panel learning about (and sampling depending on the con rules for food) Japanese baked goods or snacks hosted by an in character Gourmet Club?

>>7139957
I actually think that would be really awesome. I would though (depending on the con rules) buy something from an Asian market or the like. A lot of things like that require you to have a Food Handlers card (at least my state) and you have to be wary of food allergies.

It'd be really great to see Japan trying to (calmly) explaining the item and even a little history while America interjects and then of course England gets all upset at him etc.

You could probably also add other countries by talking about inspiration for different deserts from other countries.

>>7139957
Hey there! Personally I'm a history/culture lover so I'd recommend spicing your panel up with some funny food history, or maybe weird dishes from around the world? Knowing how snobby the gourmet club can be, maybe they can have like a most disgusting dish award. Like the above person said, making or serving food may be difficult, so handing out recipe cards and doing the history of cheese and wine or something funny may suffice. Again though, awesome idea! What con is this btw?

>>7139957

What con is this because it sounds awesome! I really enjoy your concept and think it's absolute the right, creative direction Hetalia panels (and anime panels in general should move to). I think the perfect combination of cosplay and "learning/teaching something" can be found in your concept. I mean, no one wants to go to a con and hear a straight up lecture. AAN and cosplay Q&A are popular because of the in-character aspects, so a combo of those like this is what I find really promising and exciting.

>>7139979

I'll second this and say that a lot of cons don't allow open food. Some cons don't even allow snacks to be sold in the Dealer's Room (I know, it's weird, but when I used to go to AB they couldn't even sell Pocky). So look into whether you could have food or not and a possible solution would be like >>7140537 suggests. Combining it with more food culture and history. Maybe you play a game with the audience, guess which country made this disgusting thing?!

It might also be fun if you can bring food to have samples. Especially of the weird stuff. y old home com used to make everyone try salmiaki as an initiation ritual (which is probably hazing because that shit is gross, but oh well).

What might be stretching it, but might be an even more appealing idea to the con is to not only cover national recipes from Hetalia nation-tans, but to branch out and have other popular anime dishes. I'm not saying have Naruto up there talking about ramen, but maybe when appropriate you mention stuff like that. I think either a Hetalia specific OR "food in anime" inclusive panel would be fabulous!

Please submit the panel! You have nothing to lose by doing so and I don't think I'm alone in wishing you luck and feeling encouraged that you came up with this idea. I really hope we as a fandom can come up with other panels beyond AAN (or even those simple variations. I mean, some cons have AAN AND 2P AAN).

>>7139979
>>7140537
>>7140779
Aw man, you guys. Thanks for the support. I plan to do this at Naka-kon next year, so if any of you Midwesterners want to help, please do! I might test this out at a smaller con in Chicago called Uchicon first though just as practice. I'm actually really anxious about this because the majority of people that turn up to Hetalia panels are there for the yaoi, but I'm glad to know that at least this appeals to someone. You guys also gave me so many ideas. I don't even know where to begin! This is going to be tl;dr brainstorming and multiple posts. Please bear with me.

From the sound of it, I should include more world food culture. I haven't decided whether I want to do strictly desserts and the impact/value they have within their respective cultures or do an appetizer, main, dessert recipe workshop yet, but how does this sound: Gourmet Trio (who will be referred to as GT if being spoken of later) introduces special club guest Japan to new members (insert other countries and the audience). Japan and GT talk about a particular item (a dessert or meal item), the significance of what's used, how to make it, what part it plays in Japanese society, etc. In between these explanations, however, GT relates these ingredients or items to foods or food theories found in their own homes or other countries. For instance, Japan has a lot of desserts for specific holidays/events and a lot of them are made with emphasis on presentation. Turkey could perhaps relate it to the story of Sultan Mahmud II visiting a man's mansion and being served compote in an ugly ice bowl after eating everything else off crystal (The story's about the maintaining the flavor of the food with the sacrifice of presentation. It makes sense if you read it. I'm just paraphrasing). Or, after talking about an item, we could do a Good Eats type of thing with a related fact about the cookware or food in relation to how it was historically used/eaten or to the culture.

>>7140968 (cont.)
Tossed in to all of this would be talking/bantering amongst the panelists where maybe another country has some remark (like America not understanding the importance of some detail) and GT, Japan, or whichever country the food belongs to could correct him or her while educating the audience.

>>7140537
I definitely plan on making little recipe books or cards. I plan on actually making and documenting a few chosen recipes so any I do, I'll make a write up for the audience.

>>7140779
>Maybe you play a game with the audience, guess which country made this disgusting thing?!
I love this! I probably won't do a disgusting thing because matter of taste and all that. What I could do is call up a few contestants and have pictures of different foods from the panelist countries. We'll give a description of the item without the name and ask them to guess which of us made it. Whoever buzzes in first with the right answer gets the point and the most points at the end wins something nice. I've contacted panel programming about the food so if they approve maybe the big winner could have some huge box of x snack. I'll probably have a prize for everyone though. Maybe I'll put a charred dish up there as a free bonus round at the end like Jeopardy when they bet their points and write their answer on a sheet of paper. It's clearly England so if someone doesn't get anything right, they'll at least get that.

>branch out and have other popular anime dishes
That's not a bad idea since some characters have been known to geek out over some tv shows and whatnot. I can just picture some of the countries asking Japan if something like Fighting Foodons can happen.

>y old home com used to make everyone try salmiaki as an initiation ritual (which is probably hazing because that shit is gross, but oh well).
Unrelated to the panel, but a friend of mine brought some salmiaki to the ACen Hetalia shoot this year. From what I hear, she traumatized a few people with it.

Let's get some more posts in here! Is anyone attending a Hetalia Day meetup this weekend?

Dumping what I have, which is an appreciation for actual male America and England.

>>7148219
I haven't been into hetalia for a long time, but I'm literally shocked by this. Good for them!

>>7148218

I think he'd look better as a character that has a stronger face (in my view at least). Like France or Russia. And he needs to put in clear gauges, they're really detracting from the cosplay. Otherwise it really is nice to see more male Hetalia cosplayers.

>>7149094
I agree. He just looks a little off as England. Not bad, just weird.