Cosplay Arabia - April 2019

Cosplay
APRIL 2019 | ISSUE # 02
ARABIA
FEATURING
ICOSPLAY112
& AWESOME_OLOGY
COSPLAY CROSSOVER LIKE NEVER BEFORE
BAHRAINI COSPLAYERS UNITE WITH YOUNG SAUDI TALENTS

02
Cosplay
ARABIA
NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2019
OUR TEAM OF AWESOMENESS
CEO Mr. Mohammed Ansary
TEAM MEMBERS
EDITORS
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
MARKETING MANAGER
COMMUNITY MANAGER
MAKEUP / SFX EXPERT
DIGITAL ARTIST
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Haneen Al Farwan
Yasmina Koshel
Hassan Mohamad
Reem Haji
Adrijana Cernic
Amani Alshaikh
EDITOR IN CHIEF M. Ibrahim Ansari
PHOTOGRAPHY
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Noor AlNoaimi
DEPUTY EDITOR Ghazi Alshehabi
SPECIAL THANKS Abdullah Alghamdi
LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER M. Ibrahim Ansari
NEWSLETTER TEAM
EDITOR IN CHIEF
IBRAHIM ANSARI
Entrepreneur, photographer, automobile
enthusiast, never rub a leo the wrong way.
contact: editor@cosplayarabia.com
CONTRIBUTORS
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
AHMED ZAYANI @theahmedzayani
PARVINDER KAUR Bahrain Writers Circle
MAJD AL ARADI Writer
BRAND AMBASSADORS
ANYA DOGARI @anyadogar
HASAN MOHAMAD @awesome_ology
AMANI ALSHAIKH @aurora_ayee
REEM HAJI @vanity_toonz
SAM @uusausagii
NOOR ALNOAIMI
Writer, senior editor, curator, dark humor,
psychoanalyzer, mother of beautiful children.
contact: njalnoaimi@gmail.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
HANEEN ALFARWAN
For enquiries -
email: public.relations@cosplayarabia.com
Certified makeup-artist, eye for detail,
dreamer, must like cats to be friends.
contact: h.alfarwan@gmail.com

03
EDITOR LETTER
Breathe.
Cosplay
MARCH 2019 | ISSUE # 02
FEATURING
ICOSPLAY112
& AWESOME_OLOGY
ARABIA
COSPLAY CROSSOVER LIKE NEVER BEFORE
BAHRAINI COSPLAYERS UNITE WITH YOUNG SAUDI TALENTS
APRIL 2019 | ISSUE 02
Dedicated to everyone who believed in us, our loved ones, all the
cosplayers who have worked with us, our brand ambassadors and
the Middle East at large – you’ve become part of a bigger universe,
you just don’t know it yet.
When the noise of the world drowns out
your very existence, when the task at hand
seems impossible, overwhelming, chaotic
even and the world is ready to eat you whole
– Breathe. Listen to the rhythm of your
heartbeat – it marches on and so shall we.
The second edition of Cosplay Arabia – and
what a groundbreaking path we’ve taken. I
once met an event organizer who questioned
if this edition would even be released. Such
dismay, such disbelief, such shortsightedness
and most of all – such a mockery of our
talented cosplayers. However, what was
meant to discourage us only emboldened us
even further. It made us realize just how
important our work is and why we are doing
this – to give each and every cosplayer
in the Middle East a home, a voice and a
platform to elevate their craft and be the
best version of themselves.
There’s nothing better than having the
best minds at work on a project and we
have truly been blessed. We started as
a husband-wife team with a handful of
cosplayers who, for the most part, just
thought they were getting fancy pictures
taken of their costumes. Now we‘ve
assembled a team comprised of established
writers & curators such as Ghazi Alshehabi,
editors such as Noor AlNoaimi, digital
graphics artist Adrijana Cernic, marketing
specialist Yasmin Koshel, cosplayers like
Hassan and Amani, makeup artist Reem Haji
and last but not least at the helm, a man
with the best business acumen I’ve ever
seen, my father & CEO Mr. Ansary.
This is the best well rounded team one
could have hoped for to represent Cosplay
Arabia on a truly global platform. Ladies and
gentlemen, we are just getting started.
- Ibrahim Ansari (Editor in Chief)

04
APRIL 2019
CONTENTISSUE 02
42
tactical espionage
action with
metal gear solid
Showcasing veteran Saudi cosplayer
Ahmed Alyazidi AKA @ahmeddragunov as
the cool operator of stealth.
42
FEATURE OF THE MONTH
32
ORIGINAL COSPLAYS
06 Vampire - @uusausagii
10 Glam Queen - @aurora_ayee
MOVIE GENRE
14 Mera - @anyadogari
18 Nightcrawler-@faisalmohammedx
21 Jigsaw - @sa7ooori_art
COVER STORY
26 Maleficent - @Awesome_ology
32 Ashe - @iCosplay112
GAMING GENRE
38 Dante - @Yintoyohisa
42 Snake - @Ahmeddragunov
Anime genre
54 Garaa - @carnatux
66 Violet Evergarden - @Angel.lioness
ARTISTS CORNER
70 Zahra Awadh
76 Spandex to Armor
78 Overlooked Superhero Films

18
06
05
63
27
26 38
48
TELL THOSE WITH
DISABILITIES THIS IS
NOT THE END.

06
vamp
AUTHOR NOOR ALNOAIMI
PHOTOGRAPHY: IBRAHIM A.
THE
INTERVIEW
Q. Tell us more about
yourself.
@UUSAUSAGII
Cosplay: A portmanteau of “Costume” and “Play” it is the act of
designing and wearing a fantasy character. Many of us observers, are
often fascinated to look beyond the masks of these players, and into
their heads. What makes them…them? Why leave reality? What is
their true face? Sam Senpai, is a chameleon, a player of many faces.
Here’s my try at dissecting their true identity.
A. Well, aside from Cosplay,
I’m really interested in art
and music. I‘ve been playing
Piano for about 8 years and
recently started learning
Guitar, my skills aren‘t the
best in it yet but I’m fairly
familiar with music and
could pull off a decent tune.

07
thing; That people
over there were doing
in celebration of
fashion, music, art. It
just gave me so much
motivation; following
all these Cosplayers
and looking into their
world. It pushed me (a
shy introvert) into the
right direction.
Q. Who are your
heroes?
A. Knitemaya! but really,
I meet more and
more Cosplayers every
year, and they’ve just
boosted my morale all
around. The camaraderie
has been the
most positive experience
I’ve ever had.
Q. You’re obviously
very talented at it.
What was your most
difficult project?
THE POWER OF INDIVIDUALITY
Q. So creative outlets are your thing.
A. Oh definitely, I’m all for that mind vomit.
Q. Your Instagram account was formerly @ItsSamSenpai, which translates into
Upperclassman Sam, why that term?
A. A few of my friends used to jokingly call me “Senpai" since I’m all about Japanese
culture so it stuck. I've recently changed it to @uusausagii though.
Q. When was your first encounter with Cosplay?
A. Japanese culture and music had a role in this. I discovered Jpop, Jrock and
Vocalism back in 2013. I recall being absolutely mesmerized by the glitz and chords.
I’ve never seen anything this over the top, and that was when I realized this was a
A. Thank you! I don’t
recall making something
too complicated
since I don’t do props
as much as makeup
and wigs.
Q. So, how do you go
about ‘making’ a costume?
A. I use my own
clothes, add the right
details to them and
make whatever
Additional props I
might need. But most
of the time I buy the
actual costume.
“NEVER LET A SOUL
IN THE WORLD TELL YOU
THAT YOU CANT BE
EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE”

08
Q. Have you joined any
Conventions?
A. Yes, I started participating
in conventions in
2016, so I’m relatively
new here. The best was
OtakuCon, I have good
memories of that one.
Q. What was your
favorite costume?
A. The most fun I’ve had
was as Toga. It was my
first time as a female
character and it was so
well received.
Q. So, you do not
identify with genders in
Cosplay?
A. It’s art. It’s a
costume. Why go there?
Q. I presume you are all
for character requests
from your followers
then?
A. Of course. I try to
play out as many as I
can, and I love taking
in people’s suggestions.
These characters are
favorites to many, it is
only fair they’re done
right.
Q. So, do you act these
characters out? Or are
we only talking
costumes?
A. No. I act out all
my characters, that’s
where the magic is.
Making them come to
life.

09
Q. How empowering is that
for you?
A. It’s a very healing
experience, at least for me.
I suffer from anxiety and
is usually quite shy. I’m
changed for the better
because of it, and I mean
that for every aspect of my
life, not just the one in
costume.
Q. Do you think you might
do this professionally?
A. Well, I am only twenty,
and a student at that. Can’t
say for sure, but I do have a
passion for it.
Q. Any advice you’d like to
impart onto new
cosplayers?
A. Just keep going.
Never give up. Don’t
listen to the naysayers.
You’ll never know what you
can or cannot do until you
actually do it.

10
GLAM
QUEEN
Amani AKA @aurora_ayee returns in
this edition with a fresh new take
on drag cosplay, from exaggerated
makeup to insanely curley locks,
shes rocking it all.
Q. Tell us about your costume.
A. I wanted to give credit to the
Glam community because I have so
much respect for it. It‘s where I
derive most of the techniques and
inspiration I put back to my own
work. I just love baking, overlaying
and exaggerating features.
What was particularly challenging
was trying to make my face look as
smooth as possible when there is
glue and adhesive underneath all
that makeup, treading the fine line
between over the top glam and just
straight up clown makeup.
Q. Speaking of makeup, How did it
come about?
A. I’ve always had a fascination
for it ever since I was a child but
never knew how to express it. That
moment, when I saw my sister
and my mom do their makeup it

11
I CONSIDER MYSELF AN ARTIST
AND I AM MY OWN CANVAS,
I GET TO CHOOSE WHAT
I WANT TO BE EVERYDAY
HELP PEOPLE
SEE THAT IT’S MORE
THAN JUST A
COSTUME OR MAKEUP
Q. Any dreams or aspirations you‘d like to share?
A.My dream is to own my own company one day. I would love to
reach out to people through my art, have an openness express
emotions and help people see that it‘s more than just a costume
or makeup that you put on.
was a lightbulb moment for me! I slowly started
progressing and becoming better with each try.
I started painting, I dabbled with Makeup, tried
graffiti. There is nothing like exploring creative
ways to express my inner artist.
Q. So would you consider yourself a model/
makeup artist more or a cosplayer?
A. Neither. I consider myself an artist and I am
my own canvas, I get to choose what I want to be
everyday.
Q. Any cosplayers you look up to?
A.My friend @awesome_ology. I love every look
he does, his dedication to his projects is always
impressive.
Warning: Hair spray pointed towards the face/eyes is a bad idea.
Makes for an epic photograph though. RuPaul would be proud.
Practice caution while handling canisters under high pressure.

12
Q. Any favorite conventions?
A. I try to attend as many as I can
but my favorite one would be IGN
because it’s the first convention
I ever attended, it holds a special
place in my heart.
Q. What do you think about the
cosplay community around you?
A. The community could be better
but it’s improving day by day thanks
to initiatives like Cosplay Arabia. My
mom and sister Amy have criticized

13
every cosplay I ever did, pushed
me to be better, motivated me and
are the driving force behind where
I’ve reached today. Barhoom,
Reem and Adam are the 3 people
that supported me since day 1 and
made me the person I am today, so
thank you!
Q. You’ve frequented our studio
even when not cosplaying, any
memorable moments from your
time with Cosplay Arabia?
A. Probably every time Ibrahim and
Haneen try to get us more
comfortable while shooting,
making us laugh, just getting the
best out of us and encouraging us
no matter what.
It’s heartwarming to see every
Cosplayer there be such a team
player.
And lastly, helping Deadpool
(Layla) get in and out of her
bodysuit and just trying to figure
out how to put everything
together was intense but also had
us bond over things in Studio ACA.

14
mera
Our previous cover girl
returns in an all new
avatar as Mera from the
popular Aquaman series.
We get right into it with
this femme fatal -
Q. Tell our readers a little
about yourself.
A. Hi everyone. I’m Anna
(thats @anyadogari on
instagram) and was born in
1993, in Moldova. Currently
I live in Bahrain. I started
making my cosplay costumes
here and participated in my
first skit performance.
Q. What attracted you to
cosplay?
A. I attended a convention
back in my country and that
inspired me to try it. Initially
I was a little shy to wear a
cosplay somewhere outside.
For my very first cosplay I
dressed up as Misty from
Pokémon. Simple costume,
right?
100%
Hand Made
Armor

15
I still remember thinking “I failed”. I
didn’t stop the performance though &
ended up winning first place!
Q. What do you think about the cosplaying community
around you? Have people been supportive?
A. I love the cosplay community here in Bahrain. I found
new friends who are very talented people.
We always support each other during all the fests. I’m
happy to be a part of it.
Q. Do you attend conventions regularly? Any favorites?
A. I’m trying to attend each and every convention every
time I have a new costume or character to show.
I can’t choose a favorite convention. It’s like a meeting
point for artists, cosplayers, and gamers. I’m so blessed
to be a part of it all.
Q. Any Funny stories or incident which may have taken
place with you?
A. My dark phoenix skit! At the beginning, the dancing
wings came around my neck and face for a second. I still
remember thinking “I failed”. I didn’t stop the performance
though and ended up winning first place for
cosplay performance.

16
Q. Any Cosplayers
you look up to?
A. Kinpatsu,
Narga_lifestream,
Kamuicosplay
Q. What are
your dreams or
aspirations?
A. I want to inspire
more and more
people. I love to
create, I like to
share my creations.
I will continue to
do so.
Q. What is a
Cosplay you always
wanted to do but
haven’t yet?
A. My next project.
The character is
from World of
Warcraft.
I’m planning to
show it at the next
convention.

17
Rapid Fire
a. Marvel vs DC (MARVEL)
b. Animation vs Live Action (Live action)
c. Captain America vs Captain Marvel
(Captain America)
d. Who would win in a fighti.
Hulk vs Thanos (Thanos)
ii. Aunt May vs Shaggy (Aunt May)
iii. Spiderman vs Venom (Spiderman)
iv. Batman vs Iron Man (Iron Man)
v. Kratos vs Thor (Thor)
vi. Pepsi Man vs One Punch Man (Pepsi Man)
e. Alodia vs Alyson Tabbitha (Alyson Tabbitha)
Q. Advice to other people starting off their
cosplay journey?
A. Choose your favorite characters. It will be
easier to transform yourself into the character.
Never give up! If something goes wrong with a
costume, just leave it till tomorrow. A fresh mind
will help fix the problems.
Attention to details is key. Costumes shouldn’t
look flat, they should be interesting. Don’t be shy
to ask others for help & advice.

18
Night
Crawler
B
ahrain‘s
new man in blue - Faisal Mohammed aka @Faisalmohammedx on social media is a 21 year old
Bahrain Polytechnic student majoring in Business Management. His hectic lifestyle consists of modeling,
photography, dancing, drawing, graffiti, ice-skating, skateboarding, roller-skating, football, basketball,
volleyball, badminton, gym workout and COSPLAYING.
Q. Tell us about your costume, what hardships did you come across while making/wearing it?
A. I cosplayed as Night Crawler which is basically everything blue, so I had to search everywhere in Bahrain as to
where I could find high quality blue paint. I noticed at Animania there were cosplayers who had done body paint but it
didnt even last long, so I wanted better quality which would stay on for a whole day. Ultimately a friend suggested a
specific shop to get body paint from and it was worth it. As a bonus turns out the shop had avatar ears as well which
I needed to complete the look.
As far as my costume is concerened, I didn’t have to work hard except before the event - having to apply the blue
body paint and letting it dry for more than 1 or sometimes 2 hours, and thereafter needing little touch ups on the
face was tedious. The only difference between my portrayal and the original was my beard; I gave it a little twist and
called myself Arab Night Crawler (haha)
Q. What do you think about the
cosplaying community around you?
Have people been supportive?
A. They have! I would thank my family
and friends who always supported me
and believed I can do much better.
Q. Any cosplay related stories you’d
like to share?
A. My first day of Animania 2018 convention
as Night Crawler was
amazing, having people come up to me
for pictures and complements actually
had me feeling like a celebrity! I even
got offers from photographers to be
their model and one person offered
me an advertisement - it was the best
feeling ever.
By the end of the 2nd day I gained
more than 80 followers which was
unexpected and most were looking
forward to seeing me at the next
convention. It made me feel like I
should keep going with my cosplays
from now on.
Q. Any Funny stories or incident which
may have taken place with you?
A. At a recent convention at Bahrain
international circuit, I was cosplaying
as Night Crawler on the first day
and doing my runs for the organizers.
While on my break - I visited my
friend’s stall which was @twinflamebahrain
and a close friend surprised
me by cosplaying as Raven from teen
titans. She handed me her white body
paint since she was not going to use
it anymore and I took it. The next day
while prepping as Night crawler I ran
out of blue paint! I had already applied
it on my left hand and face and didn’t
have enough left over for my right
hand.
I was really shocked and stressed as
to what will I do? When I realized
my friend Stella (Raven from Teen
Titans) gave me her white body paint
it occurred to me I could apply it to
my right hand and transform it into a
zombie Cosplay! I stole my sister’s lipstick
and blended half of the body with
white as if it is infected. To complete
the look, I sprayed my hair as red,
white, blue and named my Cosplay
“Infected Night Crawler” Turns out everyone
loved it! It was something new
and creative.
Turns out everyone loved it! It was
something new and creative.

19
Q. Have you made any friends from
cosplaying? Any cosplay BFFs?
A. Yes, It helped me make a lot of
friends that I couldn’t have expected or
hoped to interact with otherwise. It’s
funny because cosplayers who I once
used to run to for selfies are now my
friends and its one of the best feelings
in the world!
Everyone is nice to me and it felt like
I was a part of this amazing cosplay
family.
Q. What are your dreams or aspirations?
Where would you like to see
yourself with this artform in the
future?
A. I’m hoping to attend the biggest convention
in the future and to become the
best cosplayer!

20

21
“When faced with death,
who should survive versus
who will survive are two
entirely different things“
ARTICLE BY
MOHAMMED IBRAHIM
ANSARI
VIA QUESTIONNAIRE
“You think it‘s the living who will have the ultimate judgement over you, because the
dead will have no claim over your soul, but you may be mistaken“ - Jigsaw
INjigsaw
SAHAR - AKA @SA7OOORI_ART IS AN
ESTABLISHED ARTIST, PAINTER, MAKEUP
ARTIST, SFX ARTIST AND WHEN SHE‘S
NOT BEING A CREATIVE - SHE HELPS
SAVE LIVES IN THE MEDICAL FIELD.
WE FIND OUT WHAT INSPIRES HER-
Q. How did it all start?
A. My little brother @yosef_de_santa
was the person who encouraged
me to participate in my first cosplay
convention, I wasn‘t interested as
much so I just went casually but was
surprised by the amazing talents that I
saw - just couldn’t stop taking photos!
I got fascinated with the costumes,
makeup, and the cosplay competition!
I was attracted to the hobby by seeing
the amount of artists who shared the
same interest in one place. I decided I
should definitely participate next time!
My first cosplayer was an original
character “Lady skull”
Q. Tell us about your costume,
I cosplayed as Billy who is a puppet that
has appeared in the Saw franchise.

22
THE GAME
HAS JUST
BEGUN

23
“My BFF though
would be the
cute @Vanity_
toonz"
THE SCARY
ENCOUNTER
One day a kid and his mom
saw me coming out of my car
with a scary character who
had a “face with a deformity”
and they both got scared,
I still remember how the kid
was screaming and jumping
it was so funny.
Dear kids mom - in case you
bought this magazine edition
I am so sorry but you made
my day!
MY
COSPLAY BFF
I‘ve made many many friends
from cosplaying and I am so
happy that I did so.
My BFF though would be the
cute @Vanity_toonz
THE PLATFORM
OF CHANGE
Cosplaying gave me the
chance to do something that I
love with a group that shares
the same interest knowing it’s
okay and I won’t be judged.
Billy is always depicted wearing a black
tuxedo, with a white shirt and gloves, red
bow tie;
therefore, it was easy to dress as this
character as I only needed to put a uniform
on!
Q. What do you think about the cosplaying
community around you?
A. In everything there are those who are
fully dedicated in putting you and your
dreams down, I’ve heard a lot of criticism I
respect each persons point of view but I will
not let them get between me and doing the
things I love. My family and friends were
always my number 1 support and this is
what matters, this is what keeps me going.
Q. Any cosplay related stories you’d like to
share?
One of the nicest things that I got from
coming to the cosplay conventions was
meeting one of the best cosplayers @
vanity_toonz , from a strangers into an
amazing friend.
Rapid Fire
a. Marvel vs DC
b. Animation vs Live Action
d. Who would win in a fight:
i. Aunt May vs Shaggy
ii. Spiderman vs Venom
iii. Kratos vs Thor
iii. Hulk vs Thanos
I learned SFX makeup and
got the chance to participate
in different events thanks to
cosplaying.
ADVICE TO FUTURE
COSPLAYERS
Keep doing what you love no
matter what other people tell
you, some will criticize you
but the day will surely come
where they will be asking for
a permission to take a photo
with you!

24
TOMMY
Q. Do you frequent conventions?
A. Yes, I attend a lot of conventions
because I find my self there. Saudi
ComicCon it was my first time
and there was a huge audience
that loved the show just like I did.
Q. Any cosplay related stories
you’d like to share?
SAUDI COSPLAYER SULTAN IS AN AVID FAN
OF POPULAR TV SHOW PEAKY BLINDERS -
HIS PORTRAYAL OF LEAD CHARACTER TOMMY
SHELBY IS ONE OF THE BEST 18 TH CENTURY
COSTUMES WE‘VE SEEN IN A WHILE. LETS
DIVE RIGHT IN AND FIND OUT WHAT MAKES
YOUNG SULTAN CLICK -
Q. Introductions?
A. Name is Sultan AlGhamdi, and I live in
Jeddah City - Saudi Arabia. ‏I’m interested
in Cyber security. I love modeling, fashion,
acting on stage and cosplaying. I’m also a
gamer with the habit of making videos on
YouTube.
A. My first time on stage I
was nervous so I skipped the
soundtrack by mistake but the
audience kept clapping and
screaming for me until I got
comfortable again. The show
went with myself as a character

25
WRONG ERA
I had problems with Thomas Shelby‘s
attire. I loved his outfit in the series
and his personality but it was so
hard to find the kind of clothes Peaky
Blinders wore in the 1890s over here.
from “Breaking Bad”, it was so exciting.
Q. Any memorable moments ?
A. I love when kids take ‘Selfies’ of themselves with
me, it’s so heartwarming and hilarious all at the
same time.
Q. What can we expect from your future cosplays?
A. White Walker from game of thrones and Gladiolus
from Final Fantasy and many more.
Q. Parting words ?
A. I‘d just like to tell everyone to be confident and
never give up on your dreams!
shelby

26
Cover cosplayer and entertainer
Hassan AKA Awesome_ology
does a gender bent
version of popular cartoon
bad girl Maleficent
in our March edition
exclusive.
male-
-ficent
Hassan AKA awesome_ology (Instagram) is an up and
coming cosplayer who has already served as cosplay
judge at Animania 2018 and has been cosplaying
for over 4 years. What sets him apart from other
cosplayers is his knack of doing gender bent cosplays
and costumes which always have his signature twist.
He describes himself as an ordinary kid with an
artistic point of view. As self centered as that sounds
- he likes to consider himself as an “Undiscovered
Superstar”
Positivity is his forte and he wholeheartedly
believes he has the ability to make a great change
somewhere at some point in the future.
Q. We hear you are a student, have a part time
job with Ikea, have recently started your YouTube
channel and are a cosplayer at almost every
convention - how challenging is that ?
A. Balancing time is difficult especially when you are
a working student. I try my best to divide my time
and attention to what I have as fairly as possible but
sacrifices have to be made. However, at the end of
the day I find it very self-fulfilling and rewarding
knowing that I’ve been very productive.

27

28
“At the end of the day, education is priority.
Due to lack of time I am taking Youtube as a
side hobby"

29
“I've always looked up to Fofie
considering she's my cosplay
Godmother"
Q. If you gained the recognition you deserve, what change
would you bring?
A. I want to act out as an ambassador for young talents.
Maybe not just cosplay but other talents as well. I find it
very rewarding to comfort my friends and boost their confidence
before they go on stage or before they perform and
to see them up there all confident and to know that they
are having fun is very rewarding to me therefore I’d like
to use my platform to embrace hidden talents and people
who want to become performers and people who want to
cosplay but don’t know how to start.
Q. What is your family’s take on what you do ?
A. My Family are very supportive about performance art.
Especially because my grandparents are actors from Iraq
and they’ve been part of the professional industry for so
long and therefore they are proud to know that i am sort
of continuing their legacy in a modern form. Their work
and effort inspire me and kind of validates that I am doing
the right thing.

30
Q. What are the main challenges you face as a creative in Bahrain ?
A. Bahrain is a small island with big talents. I find it very inspiring to see young
entrepreneurs following their dreams and to see freelancers put in so much
effort and energy into their creative works. But unfortunately in this day and
age connections are essential, without knowing many people it is hard to achieve
your goals even if you work really hard on your dreams. So I guess that acts as a
demotivating factor especially when you are very determined and hard working.

31
“I admire the confidence of models and actors
in front of the camera, however I do get
a bit anxious in front of the lens"
Q. Would you say you’ve still got tons of cosplay ideas bubbling
up inside or has the passion waned?
A. My ideas for content creation are constantly bubbling. Ever
since I was younger all I used to daydream about is theatrical
skits and impressive costumes and entertainment ideas. I get
inspired by things I see on a daily basis as well as things that I
see on the Internet.
Q. Are there any creatives you’d like to collaborate with in
Bahrain or the GCC as a whole and why ?
A. There are many creative people in Bahrain and the GCC that
I’d find it honoring to collaborate with. One such cosplayer is
ThemedInjection, who is a kuwait based cosplayer with
fascinating cosplay skills. We’ve been talking about doing a
performance together at some point in the future.

Z
32
Izo as she is known to friends is
an established Saudi cosplayer
who has been hand making her
costumes since 2014. Her
journey began collecting
pictures of internationally
recognized cosplayers for a
very long time, all the while
thinking cosplaying was an
impossible dream to achieve
until she attended “Egycon”
Girls Only gaming convention
in Riyadh back in 2013. That’s
where she saw cosplayers
in person for the first time
and instantly I knew that her
dream can be a reality.
Her first cosplay came about in
2014, she dressed up as Yuna
from the game “Final Fantasy”
A major challenge she faces is
finding the right materials. The
shipping cost associated with
icosplay
ashe
AUTHOR & PHOTO
IBRAHIM ANSARI
“I would like to
make something huge.
A challenging cosplay
of my own design
but I haven‘t decided
on the particulars yet"

uying online is prohibitively expensive.
At the end of the day though, once
completed, wearing her costumes are
relativelty easy since she uses a lot of
velcro tape and rubber.
Zizo has found a second family in the
budding cosplay community both in
Saudi Arabia as well as the GCC as a
whole who are very supportive of the
artform. The general community however,
try to bring cosplayers down by
labeling them as “weirdos” - however
she doesnt care! What matters is that
they are all creative and full of life.
While Zizo would love to attend every
convention in the world, she follows a
very well organzied schedule in her life
which divides her time between her job,
loval community and other activities.
Conventions themselves she says have
their own pros and cons so she doesnt
have a favorite one in particular.
33
GROWTH &
CONFIDENCE
> This field brought out
the creative, confident
and generous “ Zizo”.
> I started to accept all
kinds of people despite
their differences,
ethnicity, and interests.

34
“I won 6 prizes,
did a speech on stage,
been a judge in 2 conventions
(Jeddah & Kuwait)
and did a panel
about Cosplay Basics"

35
In one of the conventions,
a group of girls
asked me to come and
meet their friend who
happens to be one of my
followers on social media.
I was told she loved me
so much, it turned out
that she was physically
impaired. I went up to her
and I noticed how emotional
she got, her tears
running down her cheeks.
We talked and she
thanked me for cosplaying
characters from her
favorite games.
This incident made me
realize how positively
this type of art can affect
people.

36
All my costumes are handmade
so highlighting the
details requires photos,
but let me say for example
the (bandlock logo) on
Ashe‘s shotgun, The blue
pattern along Fang‘s sari
, nails on Lady‘s bazooka.
I make sure to color all
buttons, strips, inner-side
of the foam even though
it won’t show but I like
the feel of a wholesome
costume. I also design and
create pieces to coverup
parts of my body I don’t
want to expose and I make
sure they don’t effect the
rest of the look.

37
DREAMS & GOALS
- Help cosplayers and
crafters by answering all their
questions.
- Make a local shop or factory
for cosplay materials and
announce it immediately.
- I would like to make tutorials
on my own experience and
put up tips but I’m too lazy so
I’m sticking to workshops for
now.
- Travel the world
- Meet and greet my fans

38
dante
> @YINTOYOHISA
> CONTENT CREATOR
> YOUTUBE PRODUCER
ISA SADAT
TELL US ABOUT
YOURSELF
Name’s Isa! Or Yin! I do
Videography & YouTube,
I’m 28, engaged and I
consider myself a casual
cosplayer!
THE LOW DOWN ON
CONVENTIONS
I have a little too many
responsibilities on my end,
I try to limit conventions
by visiting locally if
possible, I’d say IGN is my
favorite as they are super
organized, fair and never
give out shady vibes, in
any shape or form, very
professional.
COSPLAY CRUSH
Any cosplayers with a big
passion as big as their
heart! … Ok it’s Arah.

39
ENCOUNTER
Once there were
2 security guards
wanting to inspect
my toy guns as if
they were real, their
reaction was funny
haha.

40
yin
“I‘d “I'd love to perform and
cosplay professionally and do
creative skits with my fiancé
Arah! Whether on stage or
on YouTube“ YouTube"
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO
TRY COSPLAYING? WHAT
WAS THE VERY FIRST
COSPLAY YOU DID?
I think I loved the idea that
I could be both fashionable
yet also portray an ultra
stylish persona, so I ended up
embracing Casual Cosplay.
That way I can still use them
on a daily basis! Kyo Kusanagi
from King of Fighters was my
first cosplay!
MESSAGE / ADVICE TO OTHER PEOPLE STARTING OFF
THEIR COSPLAY JOURNEY?
This is your moment to truly level up in many shapes and
forms! Fitness, wig styling, make up art, 3d printing, foam
crafting, you name it! Let yourself grow and unlock your
potential! It’s never too late to be creative!
HOW HAS COSPLAYING CHANGED YOU AS A PERSON?
Confidence to pose in public, to be more approachable, as
an Introvert I ended up being more outgoing than ever!

41

42
the
snake
KNOWN SIMPLY TO MANY
AS AHMEDDRAGUNOV
THE SAUDI COSPLAYER
WITH CHARISMA.
Perhaps one of the best
known & highly respected
cosplayers from Saudi
Arabia, Ahmed is both highly
entertaining and extremely
accurate with his portrails
of his favorite characters.
He is what is known as a
model cosplayer - someone
who does not necissarily
create his costumes
but rather spends time
assembling them and would
rather focus on living the
character out instead.
We had a short Q&A to get
to know the man under the
black ops attire - and this is
what he had to say.
Q. Tell us a little about
yourself.
A. Where can I start? I‘m
a video game maniac,
especially when it comes to
retro and old school games.
Love to be an actor and
voice actor - An easy-going
guy and I love life.
Q. What do you think about
the cosplaying community ?
A. The cosplay community
and specifically in the
GCC is growing every
year. We meet new
cosplayers and they are
just as excited as we are
which makes me very
happy.

cOOl operator
o f s t e a l t h
People are supportive.
I remember I was about to retire
from cosplaying but I received
a huge amount of support from
cosplayers and non-cosplayers
alike. Which just goes to prove
they appreciate what we do even
though they’re not cosplayers.
Q. Do you attend conventions
regularly? Any favorite convention
and why?
A. My favorite convention is
MEFCC and why is that? The
number of cosplayers in that
convention is HUGE! Like,
international cosplayers and not
only from the GCC.
Not only that, the cosplay
competition is always tense,
especially when you have famous
international cosplayers as
judges like the one in 2017 - I’ll
never forget it.
Q. Any Funny stories you‘d like to
share?
A. Back in 2017 at MEFCC, I
cosplayed as Hanzo from Overwatch
with my friends. We finished our
skit and went off stage while they
announced the winners.
When suddenly, a girl jumped on
me OUTTA NOWHERE and hugged
me tight while crying.
I remember her saying “why did you
kill Genji? I love you but why?”
I was speechless. Good times
though.
43
“if there is one cosplayer
that I look up to it‘s VEGA
COSPLAY, AKA Saud Al-Hazani „

44

45
DREAMS &
ASPIRATIONS ?
To be an actor in any genre.
Cosplay competition is my
chance to show the world my
acting skills and hopefully it
will reach bigger names.
I also want to be a voice actor.
Can you imagine hearing
your own voice in an anime
or video game? ITS AMAZING!
WHY COSPLAY?
When you were a kid, didn’t
you ever wish that one day
you‘d be a Super hero?
Cosplay was a chance for my
dreams to become a reality.
Yeeeah I can’t avoid bullets
using Albert Wesker’s crazy
speed but being able to wear
his costume and act like him is
a lot of fun.
I also love seeing many
characters interacting with
each other. Nathan Drake
having a chat with Lara Croft or
Superman challenging Tracer
for a pizza or something like
that.
MESSAGE / ADVICE
I say this to anyone who asks
me about cosplay and how to
start.
Always start with easy
characters to enter the world
of cosplay.
Don’t be sad when you make
a mistake, learn from it.
Always learn the characters
background before
cosplaying, it will help you
for your skits and poses for
photoshoots.

46
soldier 76
Q. Tell us a little Q. Tell us about your Rifle which I had to
about yourself. costume.
construct out of nothing.
A. Hey, I‘m @Overall_93,
A guy from a little island
called Bahrain. I grew
up playing video games
and watching anime,
so it‘s a huge part of
my life. It taught me
to be independent and
accept people who are
different, I‘m very fond
of cosplaying in general
and always like to help
newcomers join in.
A. One of my favorite
video games of all time is
called “Overwatch" which
I played religiously; I was
very fond of its diverse
characters and play style,
it left a print on my life.
For my cosplay I picked
“Soldier 76" which
wasn‘t easy as his
costume took a lot of
work especially his Pulse
Mind you, I don't have a
3D printer or any sort of
experience in this field of
work.
After 10 YouTube videos
and an agonizing week it
was finally done and I‘m
very proud it came out as
planned.
I’ve always been an introvert, but after
going to cons I’m more of an extrovert

47
Cosplaying has had a different impact on me, I’ve always
been an introverted person but after going to conventions
I started to be more of an extrovert. I’ve met up with my
fellow cosplayers in places other than conventions and
have made tons of new friends along the way.
In a weird way, my dream was to travel the world but
now it changed in a different way. I still want to travel
the world but I would like to attend conventions along the
way, I think it’s an amazing opportunity and experience
that I would like to partake. By gaining all this knowledge
I can sharpen my cosplay skills and maybe one day be a
cosplay judge for a famous convention!

48
sHE\`s
unbreakable
SHE IS NOT HERE
TO INSPIRE YOU,
THIS IS NOT
ANOTHER CLICHÉ
ARTICLE WHERE
I TELL YOU HOW
SHE BYPASSED
HER DISABILITY
AND EMERGED AS
A CREATIVE.
You may think Cosplay is merely
a hobby, an act of escapism that
flees ones reality into that of the
unknown. For Enhiar ; Arabic for
‘Collapse’ it is a life line. This, Saudi
based artist and designer, sees this
art form as a savior, a tourniquet,
a passion that endures pain. She is
not here to inspire you, this is not
another cliché article where I tell
you how she bypassed her disability
and emerged as a creative. She is
doing it regardless of disability. This
interview was conducted through
text messages, and so I could not
put a voice to this young woman
but I imagine it to be low, fierce
but wounded, a combination that
forbids you to turn away. I could not
turn away.
On an early Instagram post,
Enhiar confessed to this,
“I couldn’t find many pictures of
myself in costume, I did not care to
take any. But this year I’ll be doing
that. I don’t think I’ll be a very good
Cosplayer, but it’s become a journey of
finding myself through costume, and I’m
enjoying that very much.” Later, I found
myself scrolling through a myriad of her in
different presentations of these characters,
all in masks. When my knowledge of
photography was that of a good filter, E
insisted that nothing beats the magic
of a photoshopped image, nothing is
like the perfecting of a picture on
a screen, no filter could compare
to that precision. I concluded,
that regardless of her everinching
disease, an illness

49
INSTAGRAM
@ENHIAR_ER
I’ve been aware of Cosplay for the past five years.
A Cosplayer, for about a year and a half - Enhiar
shown in Tuka Black Cosplay from Tokyo Ghoul.
that would one day render her completely immobile,
she would always thrive on the act of dressing as her
heroes in the best of ways. There is so much I could
include here, but I would rather concentrate on
her creative ventures. I understood while I was
conversing with E that she had made peace
with her fate, and unlike any 19 year old
I knew, was worldly beyond her years.
“What is death? But a mask that
would eventually sweep humanity,
one at a time?” Yes, a bleak thought but it certainly gives
this young woman some clarity. That time is what
matters. And while some would waste away that
time, E has made it a prerogative to be in the know
of what inspires her. Initially, a lurker of this niche
activity, it took her five years to finally join in. As
a Cosplayer she first made her presence known
in King Saud’s University. An event that had
many like minded creatives come together.
She was spell bound by this new bold world

50
she had walked into, and though some big named
Cosplayers might consider a University event amateurish,
it was the world for E.
But how does one dress oneself when it is pain to move?
I wondered that very thing, but E does not mind the pain.
She does not mind tracking down the costume, or have a
family member on hand to assist with the alterations. Art
is pain, is it not? What is pain compared to a costume of
her favorite hero? In this case, the brooding Dazai Osamu
from Bungou Stray Dogs sheds some wisdom “Anything I
would never want to lose is always lost, it is a given that
everything that is worth wanting will be lost the moment
I obtain it. There is nothing worth pursuing at the cost of
prolonging a life of suffering.”
A jarring quote, and I realized then that ultimately the
woman I held in my smart phone was a sensitive
artist whom identified with emotionally charged
characters. But she was more than that. She was fierce
too.
It has been a while since I’ve met someone who did not
care for anyone’s opinion of her. She told me, in written
paragraphs what she wanted of this world. What kinds of
characters she wished to make, but somehow eluded her
due to her challenged physique. But she still managed to
flourish in a purple wig and an elaborate mask.
I know very few who knew of their wants, and at a young
age of advertised confusion; she struck me as one to
watch. When I questioned this assuredness in her, she
replied instantly. “I do believe that time is something we
take for granted. It isn’t just due to my illness that I act.
There are many with disabilities that have chosen to go
back into that void of that nothingness. I would like
to remind the rest of us, that time is what defines
life. We should all live to the best of our ability”
Perhaps Cosplay was a voyage into our side
of the coin, that colorful people could
mean those in wheelchairs too. I wanted
more from E, but she seemed satisfied
with leaving me to ponder
the following -
Written by: Noor Alnoaimi

51
“Live, whatever the life
you’re given, live it fully,
extremely, don’t let a
moment pass you by but
don’t forget the ‘other’.
Live, but be aware of
those who pant behind
you in an effort to catch
up. Remind them, that
this is not a race, nor a
competition but a search,
a puzzle of meaning. Find
your meaning whatever
it might be, and you’ll be
unstoppable after that.”
PHOTOGRAPHY
ABDULLAH ALGHAMDI
FROM @COSPLAYKSA

52
heba
@HEBA_ASAWA
INSTAGRAM
gintoki gintama

heba
53
Gintoki
gintama
My name is @Heba_Asawa, made
in Bahrain, and I’m 20 years old.
I grew up playing video games,
watching anime, and cartoons.
It got to the point where I drew
anime characters as a hobby
in my spare time. I have been
a part of the geek culture since
I was a little girl.
One of my favorite things
about cosplaying is that I look
completely different than my
natural self. To the point that
people can’t tell its me when
they meet me outside the
convention. It feels like you’re
diving into a different world
while cosplaying.
Q. What is a Cosplay you
always wanted to do but
haven’t yet?
A. Tough question. I’ve
always wanted to cosplay as
Raven from Teen Titan. Another
is from a video game called
“Destiny 2”.
Q. Advice to other people
starting off their cosplay
journey?
A. The start is always the hardest
but once you get into it, it’s
a wonderful experience. It may
take a lot of effort and time
but the satisfaction of it
turning out good and the way
you look is always worth it.
DREAMS AND
ASPIRATIONS
My inspiration all came
from watching anime
and reading manga, this
is why I started drawing
anime as a hobby in my
spare time and have
gotten really good at it.
I dream of drawing my
own manga series. I
have a very keen vision
for the future, because
cosplaying is such a
creative sphere of work.

SO GARAA
AUTHOR PARVINDER KAUR
“Wrestling and cosplaying is insanely
similar!”
BAHRAIN WRITERS CIRCLE
54
As an aspiring cosplayer and a
professional wrestler at the age of
20, Shehab Al Haddad has found the
comfort of home within the
Bahrain Cosplay community.
His story of finding his way into this
circle is the perfect example of how
liberating cosplay can be to both the
artist and the little teenage fan in all
our hearts.
Shehab first came across a cosplayer
who was playing Leon from Resident
Evil in an IGN booth in Seef Mall. He
and his mother had been huge fans of
the series. This eventually brought to
life the character of Hwoarang. At the
convention, Shehab was approached
by his role model who congratulated
and complimented his work. He has
since used this magical platform to
bring to life, the characters, who we
have idolized our whole life.
He made the costume of Garaa
from Naruto (his favourite anime)
from scratch, including Garaa’s sand
gourd. Although challenging, the final
look made him proud. He admitted
that he would love to play Magsuar
from Soul Sacrifice and have Librom
as a prop book. It has been on his list
for quite some time, but is saved for
when he feels prepared enough to do
justice to it.
Attending conventions is always a
highlight in Shehab’s yearbook,
Animania being his favourite. When
asked, he recalled an incident from
Animania 2018; his character,
Onikage, had to be brought on the
stage-bound by ropes and escorted
by two guards (his little brother and
his close friend). Instead of posing at
the centre of the stage, his brother
kept pulling him towards the exit. To
say that he struggled to instruct his

55
Shehab is a professional
wrestler who trains with
Kingdom Pro Wrestling (KPW)
Follow his journey on
Instagram: @carnatux

56
brother, over the loud music,
without making it obvious
to the audience, would be
an understatement. Another
incident was from Comic-
Con 2018. While playing the
role of Cloud Strife, he added
bandages to modify the sword
for a specific plot point in the
final fantasy game. Probably not
a great choice because when
the time came to pose, Shehab
remembers the bandage being
stretched and the sword slapping
him right across his face. It is
not his fondest memory, but he
thinks it might have been funny
to a few people. Shehab looks
up to Hassan Aka. Awesome_
ology, for his creativity and
imagination. He has made many
close friends through cosplay.
He believes that people driven
by the same passion share
very similar personalities. Ha
says- “it’s honestly a blessing
to have met such wonderful
people.” He takes this platform
as an opportunity to thank the
FNH squad, claiming that life
wouldn’t be half as fun without
them.
Being a working student and a professional wrestler has been challenging
for Shehab, nevertheless, he noted that this time management
has benefited him. He also gave an interesting comparison between
cosplay and wrestling. He said, “Wrestling and cosplay are
insanely similar and it’s crazy how not many people realize it! You
spend some time making an attire, creating a character in the case of
OCs, you then live the character and showcase it on a stage in front
of an audience with moves you’ve spent a long time working on, with
the goal of telling a story and entertaining the crowd. This accurately
describes both so as I said, the two are extremely similar”
Cosplaying, to Shehab, has been a life changing experience. He has
gone from being an introvert to being a confident creator, boosting
his creativity and improvising his skills.
He wants to let the
beginners know that the
long hours and sweet
dollars you drop in will
end up back with you
as one of the greatest
experiences. “Embrace
your inner genius and
Formerly known as
@P3rfectgram - which was his
Cosplay persona, Shehab has since
moved on to the next chapter of
his life with wrestling.
unleash your creativity”
Shehab believes that
cosplay will soon gain
the recognition it
deserves, now that
Geek culture is rising
and breaking out into
the mainstream.
If given the chance to cosplay anywhere in the world,
he would love to perform in Minnesota, which would
be a dream come true.
And that when cosplay competitions will be held in
Bahrain, it will be something to behold.

57
“My biggest problem is the hot weather
my first two comic cons were in Jeddah,
and there was no air conditioning"
FIRST COSPLAY
L LAWLIET
FROM DEATH NOTE
INSTAGRAM
@YASSINSIYAM
FOLLOW ME!
INkabuto
24 YEAR OLD YASSIN SIYAM IS A SAUDI
COSPLAYER WHO IS CURRENTLY A
STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
JEDDAH. HE IS ABLE TO TRANSFORM
HIS ENTIRE LOOK, VIRTUALLY BEING
UNIDENTIFIABLE BY HIS FRIENDS AD
FAMILY WHEN IN COSTUME. WE TAKE
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE GROWING
POPULARITY OF COSPLAYING IN SAUDI
ARABIA THROUGH HIS EYES.
Q. What attracted you to cosplaying?
A. I loved anime and video games since
I was young, and I always imagined
myself in a fantasy world with
characters from anime, games ,movies
and TV series, so I could look as cool
as they were. My first cosplay was (L
Lawliet) from the anime: Death Note.
Q. Tell us about cosplaying in Saudi.
A. I usually focus on the makeup and
how to look exactly as the character I
am cosplaying. My biggest problem is
the hot weather, my first two comic
cons were in Jeddah, and there was
no air conditioning, which had me
sweating and ultimately ruining my
makeup before the main event.

58

59
Q. Do you attend conventions
regularly? Any favorite conventions?
A. I don’t attend conventions
regularly. My favorite conventions
are the ones with entertainment
events and interesting guests such as
SaudiComicCon.
Q. Any Funny stories?
Q. Have you made any friends from
cosplaying ?
A. Sure, I did. I got the chance to meet
friendly and supportive people. They
were one of the biggest reasons for me
to work hard on my cosplay and other
things I love to do.
Q. How has cosplaying changed you as
a person?
Rapid Fire
a. Marvel vs DC
b. Animation vs Live Action
c. Captain America
vs Captain Marvel
d. Who would win in a fighti.
Hulk vs Thanos
ii. Aunt May vs Shaggy
iii. Spiderman vs Venom
iv. Batman vs Iron Man
v. Kratos vs Thor
A. In comic con I met people I knew in
real life, they couldn’t recognize me at
all in costume, It was hilarious at the
time.
Q. Cosplayers you look up to?
A. I look up to who ever works hard
for what he loves and doesn’t let any
negativity pull him down. such as: @
vegacosplay @leonchiro and so many
other local cosplayers I know.
A. It helped me build my self esteem,
be more positive and supportive to
others, it also made me learn so many
skills regarding cosplaying, crafting,
social media editing.
Q. Any cosplay you‘ve always wanted
to do but haven’t yet?
A. Hisoka form HXH, Shadow Assassin
Kayn from League of Legends and
Uchiha Itachi from Naruto.
Q. If you could cosplay anywhere in the
world, where would it be?
A. I would choose Japan.
Q. Message / Advice to other people
starting off their cosplay journey?
Cosplaying is for everyone. Just do it
,show your creativity ,be proud of your
capabilities and you will be supported .

60
asmine is a motion graphic and
animation graduate from
Dar Al-Hekma University in
Jeddah. She studied specifically
because of her love for
animation & story telling.
She was exposed to costumes
from a very early age having
been dressed as a ladybug by
her mother when she was a
baby.
Her first proper cosplay though
came years later when she cosplayed
as Heath Ledger’s version
of the Joker from The Dark
Knight right after the movie
Suicide Squad came out.
She chose his character because
of his amazing acting
skills. It’s what brought the
character to life.
J
jasmine
maghrabi
Kurapika
Q. Any cosplay related stories
you’d like to share?
A. SaudiComicCon 2 I cosplayed
again as Kurapika because I
had a goal of bringing back the
Hunter x Hunter love. I preformed
on stage and really had
fun with it. When they announced
my name in second
place I nearly choked on my
water because I wasn’t expecting
it
Q. Any funny stories?
A. The chains of my Kurapika
Cosplay often got tangled in
peoples’ hair when we would
pose for pictures. So instead I
would have them hold a jar of
eyes I made as a prop to
complete the pose.
Once I cosplayed as Tokoyami
Fumikage from My Hero Academia
and when I would be
talking to fans or taking pictures
with them I would smile
only to realize that no one
could see me smile under the
crow head mask.

Jasmine finds the cosplay community
around her very supportive of the artform.
Somehow a good number of them
have become friends and have created
groups cosplays as well.
She never expected to have her own
Cosplay family!
Jasmine attends as many cons as time
allows her to being a career choice as
well as a hobby.
Her favorite conventions are Saudi
Comic Con and and the Phantom Group
for girls.
Some of her favorite cospalyers are
Akrcos and SEUNGHYO (SYO). Within the
GCC she looks up to Icosplay112, Edith
and Sumi Cosplay.
Cosplaying has made her a more
social person, which in turn lead to new
possibilities & opportunities.
61
FAN FAVORITE
"I love seeing
people’s eyes light
up with childhood
memories when
they shout
“Kurapika!” and
charge at me for a
hug.
I met two of my
students at Saudi
Comic Con from
years back so that
was a pleasant
surprise"

62
Q. What is a Cosplay
you always wanted to
do but haven’t yet?
A. Grell Sutcliff and the
Undertaker from Black
Butler.
Q. Advice to other people
starting off their
cosplay journey?
A. Start with a character
that fits your body
type to get the best
results. It’s not as important
to make your
props as it is to act the
part and represent the
actions your character
can do best. Most
importantly, don’t be
afraid to enjoy it.

63
yasmine
ciel
@YKALOLAYAN
My name is Yasmine but
most called me Yasi,
known as a jack of all trades
since I can be found doing
everything from special FX
makeup to sculpting all the
way to crocheting.
I also enjoy gaming and
collecting mementos.

64
Q. Have you made any friends
from cosplaying? Any cosplay
BFFs?
A. Absolutely! Regardless to what
may come I know they have my
back and I have theirs

65
LE ENCOUNTER
There was one time
when a girl I had never
met before asked to feel
my wig which I thought
was harmless since she just
wants to touch it, right?
WRONG she actually tried to
take my wig OFF MY HEAD
- this being right before a
cosplay competition!
I asked her what she was
doing and then she insisted
on trying it on, which of
course I politely said no to
and walked away from the
situation.
Thinking about it now my
wig was almost snatched!
And it cracks me up every
time I remember it.
Please never do this to
anyone.

66
angel
Polarizing personality.
If there was ever one
in the Bahrain cosplay
scene - that title would
undoubtedly belong to Angel.
A polarizing person is someone
who is either loved and
adored or straight up disliked
by the people they meet.
There’s no “in between” - a
category most people fall into.
What’s interesting is that polarizing
people are usually the
ones in the spotlight - often
with absolutely no wrongdoing
whatsoever from their
side.
The funny thing is people
aren’t drawn to average and
they’re not drawn to
personalities of cardboard.
Whether you love her or hate
her - you just can’t ignore
her.
If you happen to visit her
flourishing social media
accounts - you will find an
overwhelming amount of support
and positive comments
on her posts - the positive
group with positive messages.
Open her direct messages and
you will find the opposite end
of the spectrum. Ignorance
often hides in the shadows
while positivity shines for
everyone to see.
It’s no wonder some of the
most memorable personalities
from the past century have
had a polarizing personality.
The likes of Elvis Presley, Kobe
Bryant, Michael Jackson, Kanye
West - have all had strong
opinions and even stronger
supporters/haters.
It is perhaps the very same
personality trait that has been
a driving force behind
Angel’s upward climb in
recent months - having been
appointed as cosplay judge
at a Bahrain convention last
year, followed by 968 gamez
convention last month in
Oman and now being the
Brand Ambassador and
Cosplay Judge at MEFCC Dubai
2019.
Then there’s the fact that she
has been successful in building
up her fan base, done some
outstanding cosplay’s in the
past and hand crafted some
memorable armor / weapons
with the help of friends.
Judging cosplay is a different
ballgame though. When asked
about it - this is what she had
to say:
“The fact that you have to
have a bit of knowledge on
different aspects of cosplay,
it makes it tricky as each
cosplay comes in with a
different strength. And Of
course, the drama that takes
place along with it.”
AUTHOR
IBRAHIM ANSARI
PHOTO

THE MEFCC
DIFFERENCE
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"MEFCC has established
and different judges with
different backgrounds.
I mean we are talking
about being on a panel
with 5 other judges, that
alone tells you that it‘s
definitely a different take
on judging than other
comps. I will definitely
learn a lot out of this, as
I‘ll be exposed to different
thoughts by different
judges from around the
world. More challenging
but more rewarding."
Q. What comes next for Angel.Lioness
? More judging
bouts or more cosplays?
A. A bit of both, but I don’t
mind chilling and enjoying
the Cosplay scene without
being critical as a judge.
Q. What do you think about
the cosplaying community
around you? Have people
been supportive?
It’s an interesting community.
There’s a lot of stories
going around that could
work as a reality TV show.
A few were supportive, and
that’s all I need.
Q. Any Funny stories or
incidents?
A. Funny that you ask that,
yes there is one. When
Baraa Abdulla - the Emcee
saw me dying as part of
my cosplay act, he decided
to have a quick funeral in
my memory on stage - Pop
Culture style.
Q. Name a Cosplay you
always wanted to do but
haven’t yet?
A. Hulk Buster
Q. If you could cosplay anywhere
in the world, where
would it be?
A. Japan

68
violet

evergarden
69
OMAN
968 GAMEZ
“Oman was magical,
people
were
unconditionally
supportive, loving and
hospitable.
It was an experience like
no other, the hype was
overwhelming and I got
to learn and experience
something new and full of
positive energy."

70
Artists cor
Featured Artist
Zahra Awadh
AKA Coranellya5
Zahra awadh
I
’ve been drawing ever since
I could remember. When I
was little, I used to watch my
older brother draw and try to
mimic him. It fascinated me
how you could create something
from scratch on a blank
paper.
With time, I continued with
this passion by learning from
the internet, following tutorials
and drawing anime and
cartoon characters.
After being able to draw
cartoons easily, I moved to
portraits and realistic art by
the age of 12.
I started drawing my favorite
celebrities and experimenting
with colored and graphic
pencils. With more improvement,
I used this drawing
practice to gift my friends
and family their
portraits. That’s when I noticed
the demand on this and
was
encouraged to charge for
drawings.
So Around my first year in
high school, I started taking
portrait commissions and
charged 5 BD for them. Ever
sense then, my art commissions
proceeded and improved
as did my talent.

ner
Now, I work with different
mediums and styles, specially
after studying Visual Design
and becoming a graphic
designer. My degree helped
me improve in my art and
taught how to implement it
in my work, turn it to products
and profit more from it.
The mediums I work with are
digital, colored and graphic
pencils, acrylics and watercolors.
I enjoy working on
papers and canvases more
than a screen. Traditional art
is where I can relax and lose
myself, it helps me release all
the negative energy in something
productive and I feel
lucky to be able to work in a
field I love.
I’m a fantasy lover. I like
mystical and magical elements,
nature and its wonders,
beauty and simplicity,
human structure and anatomy.
Colors fascinate me and
inspire me a lot, I believe in
their meanings and effect on
us. And I try to reflect all of
that in my work.
Participating in pop culture
events like Animania and IGN
as an artist, provided me
with a platform to share the
art genre that I like. The kind
of art that I do is not what
gets accepted in galleries or
has a solid place in the art
market, that’s why these
events played a great role in
providing me with more
exposure and different work
opportunities.
71

72
Currently, my work is displayed in Virgin Megastore at
70ideas and I do art and design freelance. One of my
aims is to help young artists and support the art
community in Bahrain.
I try to do that by sharing my experience and
knowledge with others in different ways. Such as, my
project Working Artist, an online art community that
creates helpful and fun content on YouTube. As well
as, upcoming workshops and a book that teaches the
basics of drawing people.
My plan is to turn these to a series and continue doing
similar things, for I have a passion in teaching art.
For commissions and inquiries
Zahra Awadh
Instagram: @coranellya_5
e-mail: coranellya5@gmail.com
"I try to reflect
the beauty and
magic of the
world around
us in my art
and design
work.” -Zahra

73

74
Sultan Dar is a 24 year old artist who started
drawing in 2013 as a hobby.
sultan dar
With the encouragement of peers as well as his
teachers who supported him all the way & provided
him basic art equipment and advice.
The hobby turned into a passion. He is self taught
entirely & his works are mostly related to anime art
although he has done some shadow and comic art
as well.
For commissions and inquiries
Sultan Dar
Phone No. : +973 66764401
Email : 1337scarl3t@gmail.com
Instagram: scarlet.xii
YouTube: SCARLET XII
K. ansari
Kahkashan has a Bachelors in Business
Administration from India, as well as a Bachelors
of Science in Finance from Saudi Arabia.
After working in her field for a while, she decided
to come back to school to pursue her passion and
a degree in Art and Design at Nova Southeastern
University in Davie, FL.
Though her forte is in abstract art, she enjoys
photography and portraiture. She likes exploring
different mediums and wants to further explore
Pyrography Art.
For commissions, contact:
Email: kahkashanansary@yahoo.com

75
get the look
14th floor / Business Bay Tower
Seef District / Kingdom of Bahrain
Phone: +973 17593900
E-mail: www.hanadi305@hotmail.com
Instagram: @makeupatelierbh

76
Spandex to Armor
Costumes Throughout Time
AUTHOR MAJD AL ARADI
The American superhero comic book is a concept that has
clearly stood the inevitable test of time. Broken down, a
comic book is nothing more than a series of sequential
“panels” that represent a story. This is achieved
through a writer, a pencil artist, an inker and a colorist
respectively. Each play roles of equal importance.
The superhero comic book is more than a simple story,
the genre itself is a mixture of many faces of fiction. A
staple in each character that uniquely allows the reader
to identify each character individually aside from their
name and origin, is the costumes that these characters
wear. The interesting thing about costumes when we
take a look at the various character designs published
over the past 81 years of superhero comic books, in an
effort to familiarize the reader with a world of their
own, artists base their character designs on the pop
culture trends of the current environment.
The design of Superman would go through various
changes over the years, but it mostly stayed the same.
The first costume for the first Superhero had many key
traits that remain to this day. The design itself relied
on a variation eye-catching colors (Red, Yellow, Blue), a
flashy logo.
Grant Morrison; a famous comic book writer from DC
Comics had a very specific explination: Superman was
created in 1938, a time where the American Circus was
an entertainment industry that dominated every platform
of media. Morrison argues that the original costume by
Joe Shuster was based on the freak-esque nature that
came with Circus performers, such as the “Strongmen”
who could bend steel, much like Superman. According to
Morrison,
“Underpants on tights were signifiers of extra-masculine
strength and endurance in 1938. The cape, showman-like
boots, belt and skintight spandex were all derived from
circus outfits..”
He provides more of his insights in “Super Gods: What
Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants and a Sun God
from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human”
The nature of comic books is often very cyclical. Major or
minor changes done to a character in today’s world are
often temporary in an effort to boost sales or provide
different insights into a character. Sometimes this
can be influenced by something as simple as a writer
and a story. The most significant design changes often
revolve around female characters. Carol Danvers (A.K.A
Captain Marvel/Ms. Marvel) is a prime example of the
changes in the female superhero over the years. From
being objectified in a skin tight costume to reading as a
character that can resonate with both male and female
readers.

77
A character with a very
diverse history that has gone
through multiple changes over
the years. First appearing as
a supporting character to the
superhero “Mar-Vell” (also
known as Captain Marvel)
in Marvel Super-Heroes #13
(March 1968). She had later
became the first incarnation
of Ms. Marvel in Ms. Marvel #1
(cover-dated January 1977)
featuring a bold version of her
male counterpart’s costume
with a hairstyle very similar
to that of ‘70s movie star;
Farrah Fawcett. Michael R.
Lavin (author of “Women in
Comic books”) is cited saying
that “powerful superheroines
like DC’s Wonder Woman
or Marvel’s She-Hulk may
easily overcome the most
overwhelming obstacles, but
they are invariably depicted
as alluring objects of desire,
wearing the scantiest of
costumes.”
However, when the character
was redesigned in 2012 - the
costume was made to reflect
her history in the military
and offer some practicality.
The costume was designed
by Jamie Mckelvie who sheds
some light: “I wouldn’t say
necessarily practical — but
that’s a result of us trying to
create something that came
out of her character and
background in the military. I
think the best and strongest
costumes arise from the
character’s personality,
backstory and so on.”
One could also argue that
this falls in line with the
ideologies of fourth wave
feminism that also emerged
in 2012.
Even when ignoring the
obvious political influence
society has on superhero
comic books - we tend to
overlook even the silliest
of ideas. In a period
of time during the late
‘80s to the end of the
‘90s, various comic book
characters underwent
hairstyle changes that are
often mocked and very
much set in the time that
they were created. All
popular Superheroes had
mullets for a prolonged
period of time in comic
book history. The mullet
became increasingly
popular in pop culture
first in the 1970s with
musical legend; David
Bowie. According to Linda
Lacina of History.com -
the “radical androgynous
style, which challenged
ideas on identity and
gender boundaries.” It
later was reimagined by
top rock bands and A-list
actors, dominating styles
for decades. Even comic
books for that matter, and
while the mullet epidemic
of comics wasn’t officially
stated to be a product of
its time. The images are
certainly haunting and
somewhat laughable.
In the vast scope of
things, there is so much
more to be said about
the ties that comic books
have with pop culture.
Marvel Comics even once
advertised themselves
as “The World Outside
Your Window”. From
Superman’s circus roots
to Captain Marvel’s ties to
feminism, there is a clear
link established between
the culture and time
these characters were
made and the influence
those factors had on the
costume designs we know
today. Comic books are
what they are. A world
outside your window,
from spandex to armor.

78
1
Mystery Men
Before The Avengers, Ben Stiller
brought together his motley crew
of superhero misfits in one of the
better parodies of the sub-genre.
It’s such a shame this film did
not connect with audiences at
the time cause the potential for
sequels & spinoffs based in this
world was tantalizing.
2 Super
When Super came out in 2010,
it was understandably overshadowed
by Kick-Ass. It’s unfortunate
really as if more people gave
Super a chance they would see
that while both films tread similar
concepts initially, they both
take different paths in their narrative.
Thankfully, James Gunn
would have more success in the
superhero sub genre a few years
down the line.
3
The Toxic Avenger
If there was a film on this list
that can be said isn’t for everybody,
then The Toxic Avenger
would be it. A child of the
warped mind of Lloyd Kaufman’s
Troma Entertainment, Toxie is a
repugnant, ludicrous, and down
right disgusting take on the
caped crusader films and I for
one absolutely loved it.
4
Darkman
Before becoming fully ingrained
with the original Spider-Man
trilogy, Sam Raimi gave us this
homage to the Universal productions
of the 1930s with Liam
Neeson in the lead.
5
Punisher: War Zone
Many people today are fond of
The Punisher Netflix series or
recall Thomas Jane’s foray as the
vigilante, but few remember that
a sequel graced the big screen in
2008. Released under the Marvel
Knights banner (one of only two
films to get such “honor”) War
Zone was the studio’s attempt
at appealing to a more mature
audience that unfortunately fell
by the wayside. Shame really as
there is so much to love with this
over the top entry.
A List
Of Overlooked
Superhero Films
AUTHOR AHMED ZAYANI
To paraphrase Will Ferrell’s Mugatu from
Zoolander “Superhero movies are so hot right
now.”
In a time where the success of mega blockbusters
films centered on our favorite comic book titans
have proven to be the exception that defies the
rule. I’m here to remind you, that there was once
a time where superhero films were the bane of
the box office.
6
The Rocketeer
INSTAGRAM: @THEAHMEDZAYANI
This disdain has led to a number of films to fly
by the way side and go unnoticed except for the
niche few.
This list takes a look at these films that may have
not gotten the attention their modern day
counterparts have had but totally deserve your
attention.
Disney had such high hopes for The Rocketeer becoming the next big thing. A
trilogy was mapped out before the film hit the big screen & plans were underway
to incorporate the titular character heavily into their theme parks. While the film
wasn’t a box office disaster, it did underwhelm enough to have all proceeding
plans cancelled. Thankfully, Joe Johnston’s second foray into the superhero genre
was met with more acclaim.
7
The Mask
Yeah, The Mask might not be overlooked per se but how many people knew that
the character originated in the pages of Dark Horse Comics? In a case where the
tie in outgrew it’s source material, The Mask proved to be such a hit that it
transcended the sub-genre (the less we speak of the sequel though the better)
8
Batman: The Movie
Before Bale, Affleck, Clooney, or Keaton donned the cape, the Dark Knight
moniker belonged to one man; Adam West. Yes, that Adam West from Family
Guy. Based on the hit tv show from the 1960s, this version is firmly a product of
its time & yet to many, it is the quintessential Batman film, cheese & all.
9
Howard the Duck
After hitting it big with the original Star Wars trilogy, George Lucas could
seemingly do no wrong in many fans eyes. Howard the Duck was the first that
changed that perception. It might be enjoyed in a “so bad it’s good” nature today,
but the film was derided back in the day & is still considered by many to be a low
point in Lucas’ career.
10
Sky High
I do wish that Sky High would’ve come at s time where the superhero film landscape
was more concrete. The Disney superhero catalogue prior to the Marvel
acquisition might have a few question marks here & there but Sky High certainly
had quite a bit of potential behind it. Also, Warren Peace has got to be the coolest
superhero name ever!

Killer
Buuny
79
Killer Buuny is an
Egyptian
Cosplayers with
a passion to be
number one!
Her associate (@orosolax)
contacted us about
an amazing cosplayer who
deserved some recognition
- here is her story.
Aya (Aka @KillerBuuny)
has been cosplaying for
4 years and considers
herself a hobbyist who
can sew, play games,
do makeup and loves to
watch anime/Korean tv
shows in her spare time.
The first cosplay she ever
took on was Kuroko from
Kuroko no basket anime.
Aya struggles with being
recognized out of cosplay
- a feeling most cosplayers
know all too well.
She has been lucky enough
to make a ton of friends
in the local cosplay scene
but she confesses “My
husband will always be
my all-time cosplay best
friend”
Cosplaying is a hobby
which transcends borders,
culture and ethnicities.
One of the biggest changes
for Aya came about in her
personal life and how she
became more accepting
and open to other cultures
after becoming a
cosplayer.
“Lara Croft is the one
cosplay which has alluded
me for the longest time.
I still intend on doing her
one day” gushes Aya while
simultaneously thinking
about the next question -
she takes a moment then
exclaims “Japan for sure,
I’d love to cosplay in Japan
someday”
Final piece of advice to
other cosplayers? “Pay
attention to the smallest
details”
EGYCON
This year was the sixth year
of the Egycon convention. The
event, which took place on 8th
February at the GrEEK Campus
in Tahrir square (Cairo) was a
massive success.
Many people from around the
GCC such as Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE
love to attend this convention
and see their favorite
characters come to life, spend
some good time with their
friends, roam around the
convention and much more!
Of course Egycon like every
other convention cares about
the Cosplay scene and tries to
bring highlight it by organizing
cosplay competitions so
cosplayers in and out of Egypt
can participate. They also
bring well known cosplayers
to judge the contest like
GeekyEmoKun, based on a
couple of categories.
If you’re someone who’s into
the Japanese culture, movies,
games and cosplaying then
Egycon might be the right
place for you!
Image: Diab Abdel-rhman
@theartofdi

80
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