The cosplay at Mumbai Comic Con 2019 saw enthusiasts dressed up as their favourite characters. The competition saw some mind-blowing, creative cosplays from various arenas like comics, movies and games. Shine Saha, popular as Kaiserwolfe became the cosplay winner at the Mumbai Comic Con 2019.
Talking to AnimationXpress, Saha shared his views about this rapidly growing culture.
How was it winning at Comic Con?
It was like a dream come true and a milestone achieved that I’d set since I started cosplaying. Over the years, I’d attend Comic Con and see professional cosplayers up close right on stage and that would motivate me to level up every time and create something that’s beautiful (and of course a winning material, though that’s secondary). Winning at MCC was the first step though; right now I’m excited about the Indian Championships of Cosplay that’s due in some time.
What inspired you to become a cosplayer?
I’ve always been into arts and craft. Cosplaying opened up a whole new world for me where I could not only build any character I liked but also wear the costume and perform or role-play (Cosplay = Costume + Play)! What really got me hooked was the amount of intricate work, detailing, craftsmanship, use of a wide variety of materials and electronics. There are so many things one can do; it’s pretty challenging and I love that!
What characters have you explored till now? Which is the best character you dressed up as?
I’ve cosplayed as characters from DC like Nightwing, Robin, Green Lantern and from Marvel like Punisher, Crossbones. I’ve ventured into gaming and cosplayed from PUBG and also as Oracle from DOTA 2. I love movie and sci-fi cosplays. My favorite cosplays so far have been Gipsy Avenger from Pacific Rim Uprising and Jetfire from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Jetfire remains as the best character I’ve cosplayed as and I won this year with that character.
What are your thoughts about the cosplay culture in India?
I would say the cosplay culture in India is still at a growing stage; though the rate has definitely been a rapid one lately. We have more events now that are hiring cosplayers and there are many more competitions too. There are cosplayers currently from all walks be it anime, gaming or other areas. The community is pretty well knit and people are becoming more aware about ways to grow together.
How do you see it growing in India?
The way in which the cosplay culture is growing in India is tremendous. Every once a while I come across cosplayers from different parts of India and from all age groups and it’s a treat to watch them cosplay. The variety of cosplays is growing, so is the level of craftsmanship. Indian cosplayers have begun making a mark in the international scene. And the biggest change has been the growing acceptance among the general crowd regarding cosplay as an art form and as a professional domain as well.
Who is your favorite cosplayer? Why?
My favourites have to be Kamui Cosplay, Kinpatsu Cosplay, Ali Cosplay Props, CowbuttCrunchies Cosplay, Maul Cosplay, Lighting Cosplay and some amazing craftsmen like Evil Ted, Scythe Skunkworks amongst others. Each one has something unique to bring to the table like working with foam, worbla, prosthetics, resin work, painting, fabric work and other such materials. There’s always something new to learn from them every time.
What cosplays would like to do in future?
Gaming characters from DOTA 2, Final Fantasy, Warhammer 40K and some more Marvel and DC characters like Iron Man.
How was the experience of getting into the attire of Jetfire? Why you chose this character?
Jetfire was a very difficult character to build and had a lot of details. The entire build required making a custom skeleton plus a lot of detailed armour work. Also, there have been no movie-accurate, true scale cosplays of him anywhere and it’s one of my favourite characters from the Transformers movie franchise. It was a pretty unique and challenging build and that’s why I went for it.
For some exciting cosplays, check out Kaiserwolfe on social media. Take inspiration, build up your own costume, ComicCon and other such events are waiting for you. And so are we!
