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Legendary cosplayer Yaya Han was at the SDCCM to discuss her craft, fabrics, accuracy vs creativity, tips for newcommers, and the value of the community. Check it out in this exclusive video were we talk all things cosplay!
"Hi Gamereactor friends, this is the fourth day at the San Diego Comic-Con Málaga, the final day, and I'm here joined by Yaya, who is, this is a pleasure, I wanted to learn much more about cosplaying, which is whole vertical here, a whole, you know, line of content, and we've seen amazing cosplayers all around."
"So, as a judge, as an expert, give me a couple of highlights of these cosplayers you've seen here.
Oh my gosh, well, this is the first San Diego Comic-Con Málaga, and I'm already seeing just world-class level costumes, especially at the contest yesterday, we filled Hall M, and did a craftsmanship only contest, with, I mean, people were bringing truly master level costumes, you know, from various genres, we had a great mix of armor and sewn costumes, and it just was fantastic to see it on that stage, and sort of like, show what Spanish cosplay can do."
"Fantastic. For those who might not know, who are you cosplaying as, and how do you work on this specific costume?
Yeah, so I'm dressed as one of my favorite anime characters, Maomao from Apothecary Diaries, and it's a super fun, comfortable costume, and I love being her, and yeah, I made the full costume and styled the wig, so, you know, this costume is based on historic Chinese historical wear, Hanfu, and my origin is Chinese, so it was really, it's always like, I enjoy making Hanfu, and I like using fabrics that, you know, are like with the Chinese brocade prints, and, you know, that have like a lot of movement and vibrance to them, so it's always so much fun to make these costumes."
"You have your own line of fabrics as well, did you use them in this one?
For this costume, I don't, I actually didn't use my, so yeah, I designed a line of fabrics that are available in stores in America, and I do use my fabrics in many costumes, but this outfit, because it's very Chinese, you know, origin, I wanted to use all fabrics that were, you know, from Asia, so, but yeah, you will see me, you know, like my Lucy costume from Cyberpunk, I use like eight different fabrics from my fabric collection."
"When you go about creating your costumes, how do you balance, you know, between creativity and accuracy?
Do you, do you go, or what do you value more?
Oh yeah, so great question, because I actually don't value accuracy, I think cosplay is a form of fan expression, so it's, you know, it's like you spending time with the character, you're creating this outfit of the character, but you're also injecting some of your own self into it."
"The plain part?
Exactly, and so to do that, I encourage people to not worry so much about accuracy, and really like maybe have some creative fun with their costumes, because cosplay should be welcoming to people of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, skin tones, and if you're too hung up on accuracy, then you start having questions like, am I good enough to cosplay this character, because I'm not of the same ethnicity, you know what I mean?
So it's like, it's a rabbit hole that you can go down to, and I'm like, I don't want to only see people cosplaying who already look like anime characters, right?
I want everyone to enjoy this."
"So since I started cosplaying, you know, 26 years ago, I've always changed up my costumes, I've added details, I've, you know, like if a costume was too revealing for me, I would make it more modest where I felt comfortable.
I was never afraid to change, you know, and veer away from accuracy."
"So, and now you mentioned that you've been cosplaying for more than 20 years, how would you say the landscape has changed in terms of, you know, respecting what you guys do, considering art and an expression, and not just in America, but also everywhere else in the world?
Oh my gosh, I never imagined that cosplay would become as big as it is now, and truly like an industry, and something that is celebrated around the world."
"You know, when I first started, it was, you know, considered a kind of a very freaky part of fandom, like we were sort of the freaks among the fans, and a lot of other fans didn't understand cosplayers and thought what we did was juvenile, or they misunderstood it as like a sexual fetish or something.
And so there were many years where we had to explain like why we do this."
"And now I think thanks to more conventions, you know, giving cosplayers an opportunity to show up, and thanks to social media, like being so suited for cosplay, where you can share your whole progress and tell people why you love this character so much, as well as what went into making the outfit, I think now cosplay is celebrated as a form of art."
"And I'm very grateful, and I just want as many people as possible to feel comfortable in joining in.
Look, in that regard, in the rabbit hole you mentioned before, what would you say young cosplayers should tell their parents that don't understand what this is, despite growing bigger and bigger, more important, more respected through years?
What do you have to tell them to understand what this is and to respect it?
Because they fear, most of them fear the reaction at home."
"Yes, that is actually something that I used to deal with myself.
My own parents didn't understand why I cosplayed, and it took me taking them to a convention for them to get it.
As soon as they went to a convention and saw the reaction that I got, and they talked to people who were fans of mine, then they were like, oh, this is a thing. You actually inspire people with your creativity."
"And I was like, yes, this is what it's about.
So I hope that young cosplayers can talk to their parents like, hey, I'm at home making costumes.
This is something creative. I'm learning skills.
Some skills are traditionally passed down, crafting skills that are going to get lost to the world."
"But cosplayers are keeping it alive, doing gold work and embroidery and such.
So it's like this is actually a very healthy, creative pastime.
And then when I go to conventions, it's very wholesome.
There's plenty of security. Everybody's looking out for each other."
"And it's about building your social skills.
And then that cosplay gives you confidence because you're dressing up as these larger-than-life characters who are like way more, you know, whatever, heroic than you are.
And then that actually will help build your character."
"So all of it is really positive. And I think parents should join in and support their kids.
They should cosplay with them or they should, you know, make costumes for them and with them and definitely come to a convention, you know.
I challenge every parent to come to a convention with their kid."
"And at the end of the day, to some of you, there is some business and industry to it as well.
So that might be an end to some of them.
And then final one, I guess you've been to the San Diego Comic Con several times.
I've been to the San Diego Comic Con in America since 2007, almost every year."
"I want to ask you to compare both because, of course, this is quite different.
First time, smaller, but, you know, is there anything that you would like to share, you know, you that you've been in both editions, in both versions, the Spanish and the American version, there's something that stands out that is similar or that is too different?
Well, I think the spirit is actually very similar."
"The enthusiasm and sort of the passion and dedication that people have coming to San Diego as well as Malaga has been very similar.
I also think I think that Malaga is a very unique setting for Comic Con and has so much more potential because you can spread into the city like San Diego in California."
"You takes over the whole city.
You know, there are activations all over downtown and, you know, it's not just a convention center.
So I already see that they have this big outdoors area with, you know, activities.
But I'd love to see more."
"I'd love to see you take advantage of this, you know, 2,800-year-old city and like these locations, like host a cosplay event by the cathedral, right?
Like bring Comic Con into the city of Malaga because that's something that San Diego in California cannot compete with.
Exactly."
"We had this nice reception the other day, but only for the video game sort of line of content that was by the cathedral at the OXO Museum.
So I think that's the idea in the future.
Hopefully next year, two more years happening here, perhaps more in the future."
"But thank you so much for your time, Yaya.
Enjoy the rest of your final day.
Hope to see you again here next year.
Love to come back."
