I’m writing this article from a really strange and bitter place. I grew up in a household where not only giving money to charities was normal, but also our time and effort. My mother was a chair of the Atlanta Women’s Resource Center, and our house was a safehouse for abused women and children. Once I was able to drive, I donated my time to campaigns on various levels. To this day, since I don’t have the time volunteer, I donate to various causes when I can, as well as strangers and friends in need when I encounter them. However, in my older age, I have experienced encounters that discourage giving.My company was a sponsor for an anime club at a local library, for which I had to run and pay for my own background check. I bought food, refreshments, and planned outings for the future. None of it happened. In the end, I think the librarians that oversaw the group were weirded out that I wanted to help. When I tried to find other groups in libraries to sponsor, I received what I perceived resistance.
Who’s that Cosplayer: Can you spot Free Safari?
Rango the Merc wrote an article about video game heroes that fought oppression. He felt it was a way that he could show support for Black Lives Matter. He also charged me with finding charitable groups to partner with in order to raise money for them. I immediately set to this, contacting organisations such as the Know Your Rights Camp, HFC, and Minnesota Freedom Fund. Most did not respond. One of them did and basically told me that their cause started out small, but was now too large to partner with me. They they gave me smaller causes that my money might be able to help. Fuck them.
Free Safari and some other #BLM Protestors
Well, at least that’s what I felt in my heart. Since when did it become so hard to help? Since when was my money, or my company’s money not good enough. I’m not wealthy, and it’s not like I was going to donate thousands, but I was considering in the triple digits at least. It’s a lot for me and my company, but that shouldn’t even be a factor, should it? Shouldn’t the correct response for all of them been something to the effect of, “Hey, thanks! We appreciate it! We are very busy right now with the protests and COVID-19, but we would heartily accept whatever efforts and donation you have to give.”
Well, I’ll keep this article short and sweet. There’s a lot of talented folks out there hurting because of The Quarantine; artists, entertainers, business owners…strippers..? Yes, that last one might be funny, but hey, everyone has to eat, and that’s about as intimate a job as I can think of that is probably being killed by COVID-19. So, the next time you think about donating to a Black Lives Matter cause, think about how much of that donation will actually go to helping, once all the salaries, meals for volunteers, cuts from funding companies, and whatever various miscellaneous fees that middle men and bureaucrats can think of get paid for. Keep your support local.
Whitney Tai and Band
Go to the local comic shoppe or pub. Purchase something from an Etsy. Become a patron to your local artist. Send a PayPal to your favourite musician. Of course, you can go down to your local strip club that reopened, and place some dollar bills on the ground for your favourite dancer. (Remember social distancing..!)
I think that the one good thing about The Quarantine is that we are all beginning to appreciate the potential for closeness we all took for granted. A lot of us are hurting financially as well as socially. Supporting your local artist, entertainer, or business help solve both of those problems.
First off, I’d like to say that I would love it if folks from SEGA of Japan and North America could see this article. I have been a SEGAfanboy ever since the Genesis was released in North America. When I got my Genesis and Power Base Converter that Christmas, it was one of the most magical moments ever. I had only owned an Atari 7800 before that, and the Genesis assaulted my senses and imagination. Because of SEGA, to this day Mario, Link, and Samus mean nothing to be. My home experience was a slightly scaled down arcade experience rather than the small screen made for home platforms. Thank you, SEGA, for making my bedroom an arcade room.
Oh, and I am not a programmer. Nor am I someone that works with computer hardware, professionally. If I suppose or think that something could be done in this article and it cannot, please be kind. This is more of a “love letter” to SEGA and what it meant to me a long time ago.
A lot of gamers think that the launch and support of the SEGA 32X was in the top three of SEGA’s mistakes that killed off their hardware business. I think that how they handled the 32X was. I think the 32X had great potential, and it’s success did not have to be exclusive to it’s big brother, the Saturn. As some of you know, the 32X was SEGA of America’s baby. The Genesis was still a hot success when talk of 32 Bit systems started, and SEGA of America saw it as a means to capitalise on both. However, SEGA OF Japan wanted a truly next generation machine, and seemed to do everything in it’s power to make the Saturn as seperate and standalone from the 32X as fiscally possible. However, the success of both the 32X and Saturn could have depended on cooperation rather than pissing contests and inhouse competition.
Really, the 32X wasn’t that bad! Have you even played one?
First off, if what I heard was correct, one of the reasons that the Saturn had a RAM/Cartridge slot was the success and love of the Genesis/Mega Drive. Is there any reason that they didn’t make the Saturn backwards compatible with the Genesis/Mega Drive? True to both the legacy of SEGA and Atari, the Saturn’s sound chip was the main processor of it’s past generation machine. This helped with the library of their machines because it meant an easy means for their new machines to play games from their predecessors. The hardware was there. All SEGA would have needed was to make the cartridge port the same as the Genesis/Mega Drive.
How cool would that have been to play Streets of Rage 2 on the Saturn? I’m not even sure if Genesis/Mega Drive backwards compatibility would have meant backwards compatibility with Sega CD, but I’m sure that was something might have been able to have been worked out. The hardware power was definitely there, but that’s not even that important. The important thing is that the Saturn would have been physcially compatible with the 32X. I know, that probably sounds blasphemous to some of you, but keep an open mind and follow me for a few more minutes.
The SEGA Saturn was already a superior machine to the PlayStation. The only thing that the PlayStation had on the Saturn was an easier chipset design specifically made for a home console, and better and easier transparency technology. The Saturn’s progaming and chipset has been misunderstood and cursed with erroneous lore for decades. It’s 3D prowess was believed weaker than PlayStation’s because programmers lazily made straight copied ports of PlayStation’s games, completely ignoring the power of the multiple chips sets in the Saturn, which were not just slapped together without thought, but was directly influenced by SEGA’s prolific legacy as an arcade giant.
Yes, arcade machines’ motherboards used multiple chips to maximise power, efficiency, and performance. The Saturn and Genesis/Mega Drive were actually at home heirs to that legacy. Multple processors to lighten processing loads, plus the cartridge slot that made increases in RAM and a second direct access to the processors made for gaming experiences far beyond that of the PlayStation. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the videos below that compares PlayStation games with Saturn games that were built from the ground up, rather than being ported over.
The final example is Dead or Alive or DOA as the game and
the series has also come to be known. The difference between
the Saturn and PlayStation was so profound that the creators,
Team Ninja felt that the Saturn was not only superior, but
was “the definitive version.”
Now imagine if that Saturn with the RAM/cartridge port shaped like a Genesis/Mega Drive was able to take advantage of the added power of the 32X. Can you imagine how much more slack could be taken off of Saturn’s chipsets if yet two more Hitachi 32 Bit RISC, a VDP, and a 32X VDP were pumping out power? Not only woiuld the Saturn get more parallel processing power, but an addition of 4 Meg of RAM from the 32X. Of course, this would have required forethought in the production of the Saturn to have the interface outlets possible There is no doubt in my my mind that a Saturn 32X would be able to play a decently passable version of Virtua Fighter 3, not to mention decent versions of any other SEGA Model 2 arcade games. Saturn + 32X + 4 Meg RAM cart > PlayStation. In fact, it might have even given the PS2 the same surprising competition that the SNES gave the 32X in graphics.
In Michael’s Retro Game Reviews Channel, Michael uncovered that SEGA
almost released a Saturn version of Virtua Fighter 3. it was speculated that
it might be possible with the latest development packs. However, this was
more likely to be possible because of an add-on with technology from
Lockheed/Martin. ‘Sound familiar, again? Could this have been the 64X?
Do both of these technologies get inspiration from the 32X?
Now instead of being sold for $20 a pop in clearance bins, 32X machines would have been a hotly sought after accessory in the 90’s rather than a cult object of interest in today’s retro gaming world. Who knows? SEGA might have actually had to have made more, as well as Saturns. Maybe it would have pushed back the timeline in video game generations, increasing the quality of all gaming consoles to come.
But for this to have been possible, like I said, it would have required cooperation between SEGA of American and Japan. It would have required SEGA of Japan to see all of the possibilities of the 32X and all of it’s strengths suggested by SEGA of America. If that failed, then SEGA of America could have also embraced the other side’s suggestion of the Saturn, and sought to find a way that 32X could have played support for it’s big brother, as well. In the end while both sides failed, it ultimately falls upon the shoulders of SEGA of Japan to take the lion’s share of blame. They were the ultimate authority, and should have been more open and mature about the rivalry, especially since thier bottom line is ultimately the international bottom line of SEGA.
So what do you think? Did what I say make any sense? Do you think the tweeks I suggested to the Saturn’s hardware and design were reasonable? Would a 32X charged Saturn have made that much of a difference? Comment below on that. Share to perpetuate the debate.
I cannot think of all of the sources of information I have for this article. Like I said, it is sort of a “love letter” to SEGA and the Saturn. I can tell you the places that I do get my information from when I need it, and chances are that they are responsible to a great deal of what I do know and allowed me to write this article.
Thanks to The Top Hat Gaming Man and Sega Lord X. Their YouTube channels are constants in my retro-love, and I don’t miss any episodes.
I’ve actually lived half a life that if I wanted to learn about the latest music, I go to YouTube, Vevo, or Vimeo. ‘The other half before, I would go to MTV, VH-1, or BET. This isn’t one of those “yesteryears articles,” so don’t worry. You’ll be spared of any stories. I thought I’d talk about some of the ladies of YouTube that I’ve been occupying my time with, lately.. .If you haven’t heard of them, you might be glad you just did. Each one of them are very unique, even amongst themselves, so I think you’ll be entertained by my choices These are my Guilty Pleasures: Divas of YouTube.
Yeah…I know. You try to find a better word for “woman who musically vocalises or stylises well.”
Lion Babe
“We wanted there to be a certain duality, like there is with Blondie, with me as the frontwoman, you might think I’m Lion Babe, but it’s like, no, we’re Lion Babe. We liked that. It’s about embracing your uniqueness and rocking it.” – Jillian Hervey to Billbard magaine
Well, it worked! Lion Babe is actually the duo of Jillian Hervey and Lucas Goodman, and I thought it was a diva that liked to show off her handsome boyfriend in her videos. Jillian Hervey is the singer/dancer combo we have all come to know and love in entertainment, and Lucas Goodman is a producer. I think that he plays guitar and some other instruments, as well as handling sound quality, but there is not very much written about him.
As a style, I would describe them 2 parts Erykah Bahu, 1 part Beyoncé at her funkiest, and a big pat of Doja Cat for thickening and smoothness.
Atmosphere-wise, Goodman does not stick out like “The Other Guy from Wham!” and have you wondering “WTF is he doing here!?” He’s more like “The Other Guy from PM Dawn.” You think, “Okay, I don’t mind. Just be good and don’t get in the way of the real talent. (I’m kidding. Hervey is very vocal that Goodman is the full other half of Lion Babe.)
“I have been kicked out of my home for being gay. I felt that.” –Brooke Candy
Brooke Candy is a straight up succubus that found YouTube and said, “Bet! I’ll never go hungry for souls and sex again!” Background-wise, Brooke Candy is a rapper/singer, songwriter, fashion stylist, and director from LA.
Her father is Tom Candy, a former CFO for Huslter. In fact, Larry Flynt was even in one of her videos. (Then WTF did she get thrown out the house for being gay!!? I guess you can be as sleazy as you want in the Candy Household. Just don’t be gay…)
I think that musically speaking, she is probably still trying to fine tune her exact sound. She screams, “Brooke Candy is in The House looking to fuck!” That’s about it, for the most part.
She is one of those entertainers whom’s music is sometimes hard to separate from her videos because she puts so much into the imagery and story of the video, itself.
If I could sit down with Brooke Candy, I’d love to get her drunk and have her tell me the real stories behind each and every one of her tattoos.
Zheani
“You said you fucking picked me, cos I looked like your daughter, sixteen. You’re ‘disgusting paedophile cunt! ‘Hope you’re glad that I’m finally gushing!” – Zheani, The Question
According to Zheani, she was a fan that was contacted, groomed, and then lured to South Africa to meet Ninja (Watkin Tudor Jones), where he gave her drugs, alcohol, and performed strange sexual and mental acts both with and against her will at times. This was a part of his conditioning to make her a convenient human sex object.
According to Die Antwoord, Zheani has been called everything from a former girlfriend, a fan, an employee, and even a satanic prostitute looking to come up. Ninja said he had her flown to see him, but felt “catfished” when she arrived. Even though he was displeased with her, he had sex with her, became friends, and even hired her.
I’m not going to get into the controversy anymore. I felt that I had to touch on it for her background. As for the rest of it, much of the money she got for her career she got as investments from crowdfunding and what she might call “creative marketing.”
What can I say about Zheani’s style? Zheani sort of reminds me of an anime pixie with an angel’s voice, and a sailor’s vocabulary. She likes to sing and rap about having a good time and screams about the bad ones…but it ALL sounds great! Of course when she vocalises about lighter and happier things, the melodies of the music fit; it’s almost two different great styles. However, I think she really shines when she’s angry or excitable, like in “Powder Tuff” and “The Question.”
Zheani was good enough to put her whole EP, “The Line,” on YouTube with filtered background images of her. In fact she has many playlists on her YouTube channel.
I get the feeling that her name is more telling than people realise, in the fact that the personality is somewhat of a product. When I look at the total package of Snow Tha Product, I get the feeling that she and several individuals sat down to think of the best YouTube personality that she could become…and that is the brilliance of who she really is.
While I do not believe that Claudia Alexandra Feliciano, the person, and Snow Tha Product, the entertainment personality are 100% the same, I do believe that Claudia Feliciano is a scrappy spirit with some street in her, and one of the laws of the street is that if you are a hustler, then have your hustle game on point; be the best you can be and to see all the angles.
I think that Snow Tha Product is the epitome of certain facets in Claudia Feliciano, so where there may be some exaggeration, there are still no true lies. Snow Tha Product is a product based on a true story: A Mexican-American bilingual, bisexual rapper that still loves to party and mix it up.
Snow Tha Product is just as entertaining and addicting to listen to when she spits English or Spanish. She’s sexy. She’s bold. She’s even cute when she wants to be. (not nearly as often as I wish she was, BUT…that could be a part of her charm that just isn’t meant for me)
Trivia: I believe that she is a mother of one son (about 11 years old), and said she wanted to be a social worker when she was growing up.
We are all products of our times, in some aspects. They try to mold us by their rules. ‘What’s acceptable for race, sexual, sex, professional, as well as so many other relations. As we grow up, we push, ignore, and create our own norms. The distance we travel and the morals that we establish, much to the dismay to the ones that came before us, become the new times that contribute to, and judge the new future.
I’m sorry, I tend to wax didactic. ‘Back to Ashnikko. None of the artists that I’ve mentioned in this article can really fit in a box. No style of anything should really be absolutely uniform or predictable. Ashnikko practices this concept very well. She raps. She sings, but what is her style? That’s hard to explain, because not only would Ashnikko not be able to exist 20 years ago, (Such fusions of styles and images would be far too unfamiliar and incompatible.) but her style is understood without words, as her image is almost cliché…for the times. (Am I the only one that could see her dating Oliver Tree for a second, only to have him stalking her for the rest of her life?)
Ashnikko is a sign of the times. She is an avatar. She is Hip Hop with a Punk aesthetic, an weeaboo frame, a digital coating, and creamy inside that has a slightly more refined and aged taste than you would expect. Oh, and she smells female. She smells extremely female, which of course attracts other females. This seems to give her some amount of pride as well, despite not really trying for any male attention, except as a target for her rage for being mentally inferior. (“Stupid”)
Ashnikko: She’s NOW! Try some! You just might like her!
Jessi
“I don’t have to fake it. Real recognise real. They already know.” –Jessi, “Who Dat B“
Ho, ho, ho! I had to write about this lady! She is the antithesis of many of the other ladies on this list! She is from the East, heavily dipped in music and culture from the West, and her love is serious! ‘Don’t understand? Just how Zheani surrounds herself in otakukawaii in “LULU,” Ashnikko is portrayed in “Tantrum,” and Snow Tha Product gets down in her kigurumis in “NoWhere To Go,” Jessi immerses herself in the Hip Hop culture…However, Jessi can argue that Hip Hop IS her culture, and her claim to it is legitimate in almost every way. Let me explain…
Jessi was bourne Jessica Hyun-ju Ho, and as you might have guessed, is a Korean-American rapper/singer and songwriter. In fact, Jessi was bourne in New York, raised in New Jersey, and moved to South Korea when she was 15…Yeah, she was pretty much USAmerican when she moved.
I don’t know how attitudes are in South Korea, but I heard that North Koreans have a serious problem with Korean-Americans, and that would-be idols have suffered for it in the past.
Just like her Western counterparts that adopted music and culture from their opposite hemispheres, Jessi is attracted to the more flashy and attractive attributes of that music and culture.
Jessi is Gucci. Jessi is Cristal. Jessi is Ciroc. Jessi is Hennessy. I’m surprised there isn’t a project with Jessi and Lil’ Wayne somewhere. (Somebody get Weezy on the phone!)
Whitney Tai
“It’s been difficult releasing music, but I remind myself that everything made in love must permeate and keep us bonded together in strength.” –Whitney Tai, April 13, 2020
I have been enjoying this woman’s music for some time, now. I have listened to her music break through the mold of time and trend, and become something truly timeless. Even songs like “To Be Loved” seem to have matured and evolved, when listen to, in recent performances. Whitney Tai sings with heart, soul, feeling, and true talent, separating her from a sea of synth and autotune in her own atoll of sonic beauty.
If this was 4,000 years ago, Whitney Tai would be sunning herself in shallow waters luring mariners into the foamy depths with her beauty and song.
Whitney Tai is a true balladier. Her style poetically and organically swims in pop, jazz, rock, tech/synth, and even country when the desire arises. Whitney Tai’s music has no boundaries of stone; only of sensibility.
The 1905
While Whitney Tai definitely deserves the lion’s share of credit for her growth, she has worked with many people along the way, including an inner circle of similarly talented musicians and professionals in the biz. Men like Tim Janssens, aka Sunfreakz, and Andrew Kingsley have worked with her for years on many occasions, forming a perfect synergy both on stage and in the recording studio.
In fact, Whitney Tai and Andrew Kingsley also have their own group, that like Lion Babe, is a full partnership in music, completely different from Whitney Tai in feel and style: The 1905
Whitney Tai dropped her latest LP, “Apogee,” a couple of weeks ago. Her single, “Surrender” is enjoying rotation on some impressive playlists at the moment, and is receiving great reviews from critics and fans of music everywhere. Her single, “Righteous,” comes out May 12, 2020.
Conclusion
These are some of my ladies of YouTube. There were quite a few others that I enjoyed to some degree, yet didn’t quite find them entertaining enough to feature in this article. I even contemplated making this a two or three part article, but in the end, I just wan’t feeling them enough. If you want to check them out, feel free: Alice Chater, Nitty Scott, Bebe Rexha, AleXa, SoRi, Ängie, Qveen Herby, and Kerli.
Some of them like Alice Chater and Bebe Rexha sound somewhat dated and ordinary, while acts like AleXa, Ängie, and Qveen Herby should probably work well on paper, but also seem ordinary. I guess at one time, they would have been a little edgy, but you can’t just say “pussy” and expect be shocking anymore. You also can’t depend on trendy directing in a cool music videos to carry a song, either.
The one honourable mention that I wanted to be on this list was SoRi, but there just wasn’t enough recent stuff from her released. From what I understand, she had some small amount of success about 5 years ago, and she is in the middle of her comeback, but two songs are not enough to get a good idea of her.
I should say that I was impressed by what was out there, and both songs and videos were very different from each other. This speaks to me of hopes that her style is very versatile and that there will be different sides to her as an entertainer.
So what do you think? After you get a chance to check out some hyperlinks and listen to some songs for yourself, please come back and and share your opinions. Share and start some discussions. We would love to hear what you think.
I hope you enjoyed not only this pictorial, but all of the articles that I have prepared for you this month.
If you are reading this around Halloween, ‘chances are that I am at Anime Weekend Atlanta right now, enjoying their first year during Halloween, ever!
As a reminder, if you enjoyed any of these articles, please share them. I work very hard writing them and the cosplayers work very hard supplying us with pictures, answers, and their time from their crafts and daily lives. Don’t forget to Like, Follow, and Share our pages. If you really want to help even more, support our Patreons, Ko-fis, and Etsys, when possible.
I’d really like to thank Gingersnap Pixie, again for all of the help and work she put in to make this feature one of my best ever.
We hoped you liked our last month of Up and Coming Cosplayers for this year. Stay tuned for more of the coolest goodness!
Of all of the cosplayers in world, I could think of no one better to be featured for this final week of October as an Up and Coming Cosplayer. She is not as well-known as the big cosplayers, but I have a feeling that this may change, soon. She is not only sexy and sensual, but she is artistic and an exhibitionist by nature. She is well-read, and knows exactly what effects she has on people, making the world her playground, and it’s inhabitants her playthings.
Last week, we gave you a very risque pictorial with Smilecosplay Jamie, but that will pale in comparison to this week’s, but I’m getting ahead of myself…This is our lady’s interview, and before we adore her craft and body, we’ll get to know and love her mind.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it pleases me to present to you the Halloween Up and Coming Cosplayer: Gingersnap Pixie!
I have always been a child of myth and lore of all regions. I think one of your pictures was shared in one of my cosplay groups on Facebook. I was immediately drawn because of that love of olde things. How deeply do you feel a connection to the fae?
I find that living in the city can be disconnecting at times. That’s when I channel my not-so-inner fae into either being a mischievous exhibitionist, or trying something that I’ve never done before, like roller derby, or salsa dancing, or zip-lining. The people in my life refer to these times as ‘Sarah Explosions’. Getting back to nature definitely charges up my pixie batteries. I have a tendency to leave the beaten path, exploring the hidden nooks and crannies of a forest, much to the chagrin of my friends (as I’ve gotten us lost on multiple occasions).
Yes, I was attracted to faerie tales without being prompted, but in any medium of entertainment. Mostly books, but the films of Hayao Miyazaki as well.
Who wrote your character bio for your Facebook page? (I’m pretty sure you did!) It was VERY well written. Even the choice of words gave the right subtle nuances of a creature that wasn’t born a girl, but a “salacious” force of nature putting sensual thoughts of hedonism into the minds and hearts of boys and men.
Thanks! Yes indeed, I write my own biographies, along with all of my posts to fans. I have been known to take a perverse pride in it. I call it ‘flirting with the air.’
Do you do a lot of reading? What are your favourite subjects for reading? Do you have favourite authors?
I was an introverted reader growing up who devoured all of the adult books that were available to me, and anything I could get my grubby little hands on, that wasn’t out of reach. I still greedily grab every book I see that ‘might’ be interesting. My home is filled (littered) with stacks of novels that I have every intention of reading. The Japanese have a word for this: Tsundoku. You can never have enough books! I enjoy fantasy, science fiction, and spy fiction/thrillers most of all. I have always been a fan of Anne McCaffrey and the early works of Jean M. Auel. I happily lose myself to ANY Guy Gavriel Kay novel (‘The Lions of al-Rassan‘ in particular). I have more recently enjoyed the works of Kristen Britain and Patrick Rothfuss.
Were you the wild child depicted by your character bio, or were you more of a quiet wallflower?
‘Both. I was a wild child who needed to explode out of herself periodically BECAUSE she was a quiet wallflower.
You did a lot of things that typical USAmerican girls do not do. You chased dragonflies and frogs. You spent a lot of time unafraid in nature. Did you do all of these things by yourself? Did you have any companions…or was nature more your companion…?
I spent an inordinate amount of time in the wilderness without supervision as a child. There is no fear of the forest in me. To be honest, I had Annie and Shandra at the time, my two dogs (rest their patient souls). Annie was a border collie blue heeler and Shandra was a chow shepherd. I still miss my girls!
You definitely look the part of one of the fair folk. Do you mind if I ask your pedigree?
‘Irish through-and-through, which certainly follows.
Sometimes Gingersnap Pixie is a nymph or dryad. Sometimes she is a demoness or succubus. I’ve noticed that with different authors, faeries and demons are often exchanged in roles and in name. According to lore and myth, Merlin was half-faerie and half-mortal, yet some authors say he was half-demon and half-human. Why do you think that some see the fae as evil or so interchangeable with demons? Do you see them as different? How do you relate to them, both?
I think those distinctions are completely arbitrary and based more on individual (moral) interpretations. If you are liberal in your thinking, you might see Merlin as half-faerie. If you are conservative in your thinking, you might see Merlin as a half-demon. Yet people can also see faeries as a force of wanton destruction and demons as a source of beneficial change. For me, as Gingersnap Pixie, it’s all about playing a role, to which I also apply my arbitrary opinions. The important part is that ALL roles (costumes) remain available to my whims, which necessitates an open mind.
You might just be the first self-proclaimed lass of the fair folk that models and cosplays! You might also be the first fae to start her own brand! Would you agree that you are starting your own brand? If you were, what would that brand stand for?
‘Living without shame and not giving a fuck (to be crass) about what other people think of you.
You strike me as the type of person that is just as comfortable clothed as she is nude. If you could, would you be nude or semi-nude all of the time?
If you are always clothed or always nude, then the opposite holds more appeal. You have to straddle both!
This question sort of relates to the last one. I think that most Eurocentric societies do not allow nudity because The Three Faiths have a problem with understanding the differences between being nude, naked, and sexual. I think this inability has caused the opposite of the intended effect: oversexualisation of the human form. It causes people to see a person naked or sexual when they are just nude. What are your thoughts on this? What do you consider the differences between being nude, naked, and sexual?
I think that ‘intent’ is the difference. For me, being nude is comfortable and liberating. The intent is to be at ease with myself. Being naked is commanding and empowering. The intent is to get attention and make a statement. Being sexual is arousing and exciting. The intent is to entice and be ravished, to inspire lust that I want done to me, or that I want to visit on somebody else. I perform all of these intents at different times as a model, and of course, they frequently overlap.
You are a fan of Steampunk and Medieval Gaming. I think a lot of our readers are familiar with Steampunk. ‘Perhaps even Medieval Gaming. Would you mind explaining what they mean to you and what aspects and games you enjoy?
Do you remember which interests you discovered first? Out of Modelling, Cosplay, Steampunk, and Medieval Gaming, what did you start first? Did any lead into the others?
Do you ever cosplay conventional characters? If so, which are some of your favourites?
I was given the opportunity to be armoured and equipped as ‘Red Sonja,’ and lunged at the chance, but that costume was largely created for me. No other iconically recognisable characters come to mind. After two seamstresses catastrophically failed to finish a ‘Poison Ivy‘ costume for me, I started creating my own archetypes. I would, however, like to dress up as ‘Yuki Mori‘ from “Space Battleship Yamato” one day. She is simultaneously demure and sexy, which are two qualities that I think pair well together if done right.
Along with all of those talents and hobbies, you are also an illustrator and create your own designs for your merch. In fact, you had to deal with some plagiarism pretty recently. Do you enjoy designing? ‘Ever consider doing more? (I’ve actually considered doing the same.)
I prefer designing my own ideas, but those aren’t always what sell. The challenge is finding a compromise between what people want and what I enjoy drawing as a traditional illustrator. My work can be found here: www.instagram.com/sarahnaomityrrell/
You are not a regular con-goer. Are there any conventions that you do enjoy going to? Do any stick out as particularly enjoyable?
I watch a lot of fansubbed anime. I am VERY current with the latest seasons. If I am ever afforded enough free time, I’d probably attend the local anime conventions in Vancouver (Canada) first.
Do you enjoy cosplaying or doing other hobbies with friends, or are you pretty much a lone wolf?
Here’s the best answer I can provide: I am a shut-in until I am not, at which point I need to be surrounded by people. If it’s possible to be an extrovert and an introvert, but in lunar and/or seasonal cycles, that’s me.
Do you have any parting words of wisdom for our readers? Or perhaps something to haunt them with?
Beware of self-centered people who seem interesting. These people are easy to spot by how much they talk about themselves, wait to talk about themselves, or turn everything that you tell them into something that relates back to themselves. Value the people who show up for collaborative group activities instead, and the people who show up when you’re in a pinch most of all. They might be moody, or quirky, or socially inept, but your bond to those people will be stronger than most blood-relations.
Gingersnap Pixie was one of the most interesting interview guests I’ve had, so I hope you enjoyed her interview, too.
I’ll tell you a secret: Since I’ll be leaving for Anime Weekend Atlanta on the Thursday right after this is published, I’ll be publishing Gingersnap Pixie’s Pictorial late Wenesday night/Early Thursday morning, so you won’t have to wait for Friday!
It’s Spring Time, and the weather isn’t the only thing that’s steamy! Here’s Zazie Cosplay’s HOT pictorial!
How about some modeling pics? We got you!
You know what? Zazie Cosplay was so good to us sharing, we’re going to share some more love with these candid pics!
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This month’s starting Up and Coming Cosplayer’s career reminds me of certain aspects of Jessica Nigri’s cosplay career. Both started as very young ladies that were undeniably beautiful, but matured into their sexuality as their costuming skills blossomed as well. And just like Jessica Nigri, she is not afraid to capitalise on her intense beauty and sexuality…but still brings the cosplay A game.
Like all Black folk in this country, we are all racially mixed because of our unfortunate history, but you have a relatively exotic look to you. Would you mind if I asked about your ancestry?
Yes, I’m Brazilian and Italian on my dad’s side, and Ghanaian from my mom. I usually just tell people I’m Afro-Brazilian.
Is it true that you had yet another alter-ego, Maid Kyo? What is it like working in a Maid Cafe? How many have you worked in? ‘Still do it?
“Hello! Super Moe Maid Kyo here at your service! I really enjoy working at a Maid Cafe. I’ve worked in maid cafes for about 6 years now, and still going strong. I definitely wouldn’t be doing it for so long if I didn’t enjoy what I’m doing. I’m currently working at Blerdcon’s Maid Cafe, Luna Cafe!”
You seem more like an anime freak than a gamer to me. What are your top three anime right now?
I like to think I have great intuition. I use it to ask questions that seem weird at first, but they usually pay off. Do you like strange food combinations?
Well this is something I used to order at my old job: Loaded tots topped with cheese wiz and bacon. With the Loaded tots I would add gravy and caramel to it, caramel being the strange part.
Back to cosplay, would you say that you are not only a lover of gijinkas, but of Pokémongijinkas?
Looking back at older pictures of you, at first I thought that you might have started modeling, but got bitten by the cosplay bug. Now I’m beginning to think you were a cosplayer that started to like modeling. Can you set the record straight?
‘Cosplayer first and foremost, but I do do some fashion shoots from time to time.
Looking back at your 2015 pictures and earlier, you did a lot of ambitious cosplays. Lately your cosplays are not quite as complicated, and sexier. Why the change?
I don’t know if I would say not say “complicated.” I feel like throughout my time of cosplaying over the years, I’ve evolved and learned new things. ‘Not just about cosplay, but about myself as well. When I just started out, I pretty much had to hot glue everything together. I didn’t have a sewing machine, which meant hours of hand sewing. A lot of my older stuff back then was a mess, and barely lasted a day of wear. I am doing a lot more of sewing projects than armor builds, yes, but I do find sewing a lot more difficult. Even with a sewing machine it’s hard when you’re a noob. A simple project used to take me weeks, which is why I want to expand and improve my sewing skills.
So what happened in late 2014? You went from this pretty sort of baby-faced cosplayer into a minx of a young modeling lady.
I don’t think anything big or crazy happened in 2014. I feel like as I grow as a person, so do my cosplay skills.
Do you have any favourite photographers you like to work with?
It seems that most of the sexier cosplayer models are not really homegrown convention girls. I get the feeling that that could not be further than the truth for you. What are some of your favourite cons to hit up?
Hi everyone! I would just like to say thank you so much for your support of my work, so far. I hope to continue on creating more cosplays for the future. Thank you again! ~Love Zazie
Leontha is extremely ambitious in her photoshoots, and we get to reap the rewards. Leontha really surprised me! I expected beautiful shots, but some of them are also quite erotic.
Don’t just take my word for it. Scroll and see for yourself!
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