Live Magazine - Video Games, Cosplay and Pop Culture

COSPLAY
smzeldarules
This month we caught up with
“smzeldarules,” a cosplayer
from Buffalo NY in the U.S.
Welcome to Live Magazine!
Let’s start with how you got
into cosplay and why.
Hello! :) I was really into Japanese
animation and games when
I was young. When I started using
the computer at ten years old,
I stumbled upon some Japanese
drawing boards called oekakies.
There I met the two girls who got
me into cosplay – Shiya Wind
and x3rikku! They were always
my number one idols in everything;
Not just cosplay but also
art (since we all drew together!),
fashion and lifestyle! I looked up
to them so much and since we’ve
known each other for so long it
was amazing when I finally met
both of them in person. They
were the ones who got me into
a lot of things that were huge inspirations
when I was young like
Pokemon, Powerpuff Girls, Final
Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts!
Now you’ve been cosplaying
since 2006, you’re a gamer,
a graphic designer … how do
you fit it all in?
Yep! 2006 was when I was so
inspired by Des (x3rikku) and
Shiya that I decided to finally
start cosplaying. As for gaming, I
www.FACEBOOK.COM/smzeldarulesartandcosplay
started watching my brother play
Earthbound and Zelda Ocarina
of Time when I was really young,
and then decided to start playing
them myself soon after. The
name “S.M. Zelda Rules” actually
was thought of by my dad when
I started using the Internet, and
it was my handle on the oekaki
boards, DeviantArt, and eventually
led to my cosplay as well. I
wanted to keep it all consistent.
S and M are my initials (I have no
middle name), and my dad knew
I liked Zelda so much so he put
Zelda Rules in! SMZR for short :)
I got inspired by my brother to
pursue graphic design; He got
me into a lot of nerdy things and
helped me grow into the graphic
designer I am today.
How I fit it all in, well… I actually
didn’t cosplay much or go to
many cons while I was in college
from late 2009 until spring 2013,
since I had to work a lot to pay
out of my own pocket for my tuition/
car payments. I didn’t really
get back into it until spring 2014
when I was more financially stable
to start the hobby again. You
always want to put those kinds of
life things FIRST!
Simply put, cosplay is the only
artistic outlet besides graphic design
that I 100% enjoy. And since
graphic design is my profession,
cosplay became my number one
hobby because of how creative
and fun it is. Gaming always fits in
somewhere; especially Sundays
when I’m relaxing at home!
You’ve got some great cosplay
planned, what’s the most challenging
costume you’re working
on.
So far this year (2016) I’ve made
Tabby from .hack//Roots (one
of my dream cosplays!), Esther
from Ni no Kuni, and Small Lady
Chibi Usa (pink dress) from Sailor
Moon. With some help from other
friends, so far this year I put together
Tsubaki from Your Lie in
April, Knives Chau from Scott
Pilgrim, and Human Luna from
Sailor Moon.
My plans for the rest of the year
include: Swaine from Ni No Kuni
for my boyfriend, Rikku from Final
Fantasy X-2, Nanami from
Suikoden 2, Rosaline from To
the Moon, Ruby from RWBY,
Emil (transformed version) from
NieR, Akane & Kougami (my boyfriend)
from Psycho-Pass, and
fem!Atreyu from The Neverending
Story with my boyfriend as
Artax (hehehe). There could be
more or less, depending on what
happens this year! I think what
scares me the most is Ruby from