Yaya Han apologizes to Jessica Nigri

The rivalry was put to rest?

   So yesterday, Yaya Han, uploaded this video to her very own YouTube page. Basically the video addresses the controversy surrounding some words utter by Yaya about fellow cosplayer Jessica Nigri in the second episode of the new Syfy cosplay show Heroes of Cosplay. For those who don't watch the show, basically Yaya said that when it comes to Jessica's coplaying style, she's a bad influence (in attempts to dissuade cosplayer Monika Lee from following in Jessica's footsteps) because she tends to forgo the craftsmanship side of cosplay and instead focuses on being sexy. Now, of course, upon hearing this, I was completely confusing, knowing that the two are good friends. But in the video Yaya apologizes and both girls explain the editing in the show makes things seem a lot more dramatic than they actually are, confirming what we already knew; the show is fake. 

      Now from the very beginning, I knew this show was going to be a riot. I don't care if it's on Syfy, the Disney Channel, of the History Channel; reality T.V. will always be...well...fake.

The people working on the show can't just wait around until someone says or does something interesting, they have to make things happen themselves. But that's the thing, these people making the show, don't care about cosplay or at least how it's viewed. They just want the views, which they'll get whether the actually cosplay world is portrayed in a positive or negative light. In fact, the more negative and dramatic it is, the more discussion it will render, hence while you'll often see utter trash on T.V. (see Miley Cyrus' VMA performance.) That being said, it is up to the cosplayers on the show to try to stay true as possible. I get that the magic of editing can twist and turn things, but at the end of the day, no one can force you to say anything. Despite whether she may have meant them or not, it's Yaya who said those words, she said them. 

       But, in all honesty, everyone's main concern is how this show is presenting the cosplay world. And in my opinion, I  don't actually think the drama that goes on will twist someone's opinion of cosplay in general.  It will affect their opinion on Yaya Han and the rest of the cast. Like, for example, it's a running thing on the show that cosplayer Scruffy Rebel always pushes down to the final minute when it comes to finish her cosplays. Now, I want to take a moment to just mention that the is the most accurate thing they have about cosplay on the show. I know every cosplayer had to pull at least one all-nighter to finish acosplay before the con! But I digress. Anyway, last time I checked, a last minute work ethic is not what a potential employer looks for. Do I actually think a top notch cosplayer like Scruffy is actually like that? No, but why would you want to be portrayed like that regardless? And as a huge fan of Yaya Han, I feel like while this show is giving her lots of "exposure" (honestly, though I find it hard to believe anyone who already didn't know about cosplay watches this show, but that's just my opinion) it's ruining her reputation amongst the cosplayers in this fandom that respect her so much. It's seems like after every episode, she has to go on Facebook of Twitter and apologize for the way she came off , or explain the way her words were twisted. Whether whats she is saying is true or not, it makes her look kind of messy.

      I think Jessica Nigri had the right idea when she turned down the offer to appear on the show. She doesn't have to participate in the week to week drama, and she still got to make a cameo and came off looking like an innocent victim. At the same time, I do understand why Yaya wanted to do it to. Even though many cosplayers can't relate to this, cosplay is more than a hobby for Yaya Han, it's her job.

You may use the cash you get from working overtime at BestBuy to pay for your cosplay, but she uses...well cosplay... to pay for cosplay. And in a business like hers, exposure is everything if you want to keep your sales and appearances up. I just hate that she has to drag her own name through the mud to do it.

Cosplay Shoot: Captain America

~Inspiring~



 

So shortly after Otakon 2012, I was on a cosplay high, and decided to attempt my first at home cosplay photo shoot. So with Loelle behind the camera, I threw on my Captain America cosplay and hit my local park to take some pictures! Now, as soon as I walked outside, I knew I had made a bit of a mistake. It was at least 90 degrees and my face was literally melting off! But I had already did my makeup and put on my costume and I didn't want to call it a day after all that. So in the sweltering heat, we trudged to the park. Once again, we hit a road block. There was a birthday party going on at the park's pavilion. So, we quietly walked to a set of rocks in the back of the park and tried taking some ~inspiring~ photos there while we waited.

                  BUT OH THE LOOKS! Now, as a con-goer, I'm not new to confused looks for non con-goers when, say, you go downtown to local McDonald's for a quick bite before returning to the con. But even then, there's usually a handful of others cosplayers there with you, or down the street that you can find confidence in. In this case, I was all by myself...just being stared at. I wish I had a cool story about how some little kid who was a big Cap fan came up to me and asked for my picture...but no:/  However, I was able to over it...eventually. When the party finally calmed down, we finally  utilized the whole park!

 

Tips for next time I do a photo shoot:

 

1) Check the weather (it was SOOO HOOOTTT)

 

2) Make sure my camera's fully charged with back-up batteries (waitng for your camera to charge in the middle of the shoot is no fun.)

 

3) Practice posing/ poses (I had a brain fart like half way through, and kept doing the same ones)

 

4) Choose a good location. (I got some good shots at the park but I probably could have found a place that fit Captain America a little better.)

 

5) BRING WATER/ non messy snacks (I was so hungry/thirsy afterwards!)

 

Overall, it was a fun expirence and I can't wait to try it again!

 

-RCUJay