I’m often asked how I got into the hobby of cosplay and surprisingly enough my answer is simple; I saw something that I wanted to try, loved it and have been cosplaying now for the past three years. The first exposure I had to the wonderful world of cosplay were photos of a beautiful Japanese woman dressed as Rikku from the video game Final Fantasy X. I was intrigued that someone put so much time and detail into the outfit. She truly looked like Rikku come to life which instantly captured my imagination. How much fun it must be, I wondered to portray a character you love. Unlike Halloween, which only allows you to dress up once a year, cosplay gives you the opportunity to wear a costume for conventions and photo shoots.