Interview with a Cosplayer: Fullflame
This week’s article starts a section entitled “Interview With a Cosplayer.” The purpose of these interviews is to give insight into how the con-circuit has helped these people change and cope, the kind of positive influences that can be brought upon them in times when the support and care of others is most needed in their lives.
This week’s interview is with Fullflame, a seventeen-year-old cosplayer from New Hampshire. Her primary fandoms are Hetalia and Kingdom Hearts and she is a regular attendee of Another Anime Convention and Anime Boston.
Even: What were you like before going into the convention circuit?
Fullflame: I was such a loser. I had pretty much no friends. I was really starting to go into a dangerous stage. Things were pretty dark. I was really close-minded. But really, the con circuit has really changed my life around for the good.
Even: What skills have you gained since attending conventions, be they physical, emotional, or mental?
Fullflame: Physically I’ve picked up sewing, which I taught myself for the most part. Emotionally I’m a WHOLE lot more stable. I used to be so wimpy, now I’m more intimidating then most kids at my school. And mentally I’m so much better than I used to me. Like I said, I was really a wreck before cons. Now I can walk up to people and say hi and start a conversation without really thinking about it. Cons have really brought out my full potential. I’m just so much more open and unafraid to be myself at cons. And that’s been pulled to outside of cons as well.
Even: Can you recall a life-changing situation that has occurred to you because of your love of conventions and/or fandoms?
Fullflame: I’d have to say at my most recent con I had a pretty life-changing thing happen. I won’t go into great detail, but I will say that I’ve never felt so much unconditional love from a fandom before. I pretty much broke down from some of the terrible things that had happened and I think for the first time, I physically felt the love of the people around me. I never felt so cared for in my life (maybe as a small child, but it’s been a LONG while since then.) It was just unimagineable how wonderful it felt. People I hardly knew where even hugging me to help out!
Even: Has the convention circuit helped you cope or better understand an aspect of yourself or your current life situation? If so, how?
Fullflame: It’s really helped me open up and realize there’s more to life then school. Hell, nowadays I pretty much block out the school world (people-wise, not work wise) and focus on the con world. The con world is so much bigger and more exciting. I’ve met so many people that I know I’ll be connected to for years to come.
Even: What do you think you would be like right now if not for those you have met through conventions?
Fullflame: I’d be a hermit. Probably alone in this world. I’d probably have many very serious problems. Maybe even near-suicidal? Like I said, I was going down a very dark path before cons.
Despite what anyone may say about conventions, about our strange and unusual hobbies, it is stories like these that keep us going. Conventions are an important part of the lives of cosplayers and can sometimes be the only thing saving it. I hope this interview and those to come will serve as a beacon to the lives that read this and help them see they are not alone in this world. That they are apart of a very large, very loving community that is waiting just for them.
