Podcast about Comic Flying and my blog!

This is my first podcast about our Comic-Con named Comic Flying.

Hope you enjoy it!

And it is the last post of this semester. In the future, I will continue!

podcast about Comic Flying and my blog

Famous Cosplayers All Over The World

In this post, I'd like to introduce you some famous cosplayers all over the world. Nowadays, cosplay is a popular activity in the fashion world, there are several awesome cosplayers inspire us.

1. Yuegene Fay

She is a cosplayer from Thailand, her works are wonderful, all of her makeup, her Photoshop skills, her manipulative ability are perfect. You can find her WorldCosplay Page here:  http://worldcosplay.net/member/yuegene/

She have played cosplay for ten years, and she born with 1/4 Chinese descent, she represent Thailand join in World Cosplay Summit in 2007 and 2009.

Fay's cosplay works(From Nana)
Image from: http://worldcosplay.net/member/yuegene/

2.Reika

She is a cosplayer from Japan. As her words, she is a OTAKU and love animation and cosplay very much.

As we know, Japan's animations are very good, what Reika does is trying her best to restore characters from a virtual world, she wanna make a role in the true world. You can find Reika's WorldCosplay Page here: http://worldcosplay.net/member/87/

Reika's cosplay works(From Attack on Titan)
Image from:http://worldcosplay.net/member/87/

3.Baozi and Hana

These two guys are couple, from China. Both of them are handsome, they always act some characters together. Cosplayers like them because their works are excellent!

You can find their WorldCosplay page here(They use the same page):http://worldcosplay.net/member/24609/

Baozi and Hana's cosplay works(From Free)
Image from: http://worldcosplay.net/member/24609/

4. Xizhen

As I know, Xizhen is one of the earliest cosplayers in China. When not all of us know what is cosplay, she already played it, and she did a good job! Even now, Xizhen is 30-year-old, she continues play cosplay. Her experience told us, never too old to enjoy your hobby, when you have your hobby, there is no age gap anymore!

Xizhen's cosplay works.(From Pili)
For restoring a character, as a woman, Xizhen is that brave and she shaved her hair clearly.
Image from: http://news.asanime.com/data/2012/06/3255.html

5.Yaya Han

She is one of the most famous cosplayers in the U.S..She have joined in cosplay for at least 12 years. Because of her excellent makeup and property, she has a lot of fans all over the world.

You can find her WorldCosplay Page here: http://worldcosplay.net/member/125/

Yaya Han's cosplay works(From Mulan)
Image from:http://worldcosplay.net/member/125/

World-Class Cosplay Competition, WCS( World Cosplay Summit)

WCS 2011
Image from:http://www.kawaii-girl.jp/feature/7823?lang=en

When we talk about cosplay, people will think about cosplayers' wonderful equipment and the awesome stage. A minute on the stage takes then-year practice, for taking part in a world-class cosplay competitions, cosplayers try their best to practice, finally, some of those cosplayers win them favors return.

World-class cosplay competitions have magic to make cosplayers all over the world want to win them, today, I will show you the most famous world-class cosplay competition, let's join the audio-visual feast.

WCS, short of world cosplay summit, is a international cosplay competition which first held on 2003 in Nagoya, Japan.It becomes one of the international influence, match with international participation the strongest in the world. Before 2007, the number of participating countries has increased to 12 (include France, Spain, Germany, Italy, China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Brazil, South Korea, Denmark, Mexico).

In 2008, the WCS event -- the United States of South America applied to join in this world-class competition, not only the U.S. wanted to join in but also Australia, Australia joined in 2009. A year later, the coverage of WCS will be in Europe, America, Asia, Australia and four continents, and the number of participating countries will reach 14 more countries (France, Spain, Germany, Italy, China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Brazil, South Korea, Denmark, Mexico, Finland, the United States of America).

In 2012, the country increased to 20 countries.Including China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, the United States, Mexico, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Holland, Finland, Brazil, Australia.

WCS held annually in early August, at the appointed time, from all over the world COSPLAY fans will gather to Japan's Nagoya, to participate in the local big to COSPLAY parade, the world summit of the COSPLAY contest, COSPLAY exchange, COS exchange activities. Because WCS activity is to represent the various countries to the participants, so every year in October to next June will hold a selection activity in all the country, by selecting the winning athlete can go to Japan for a competition.

WCS is the world's most influential one of the event, the strongest international participation. Every year to the competing countries Japan as many as 20 country. For without the experience of WCS finals of the people, a little mystery in all association japan!

World Cosplay Summit Facebook Page

WCS 2013
Image from: http://akihabaraboy.com/2013/05/entertainment/anime/world-cosplay-summit-2013/

Cosplay is a travel!

When cosplayers take cosplay photos, we need to find a place where fit a animation best. But the best place is always in another city, at that time, just take photos is boring. For my friends and me, we love to travel with each others and take cosplay photos while we have a travel.

We went to several places in past years, in this post, I'd like to show you some places we had traveled, cosplay is a travel!

No.1 Zhejiang Province
We have been to Zhejiang for at least 3 times, every time we can find some new places.

We were waiting for taking cosplay photos!
Photo by: conerlia
Image from: weibo.com/p/1005051758856640/weibo?profile_ftype=1&key_word=横店&is_search=1#_0

This is West Lake in Zhejiang Province, this place fits to take traditional Chinese animation
Photo by:conerlia
Image from:weibo.com/p/1005051758856640/weibo?profile_ftype=1&key_word=横店&is_search=1#_0

West Lake
Photo by: conerlia
Image from:weibo.com/p/1005051758856640/weibo?profile_ftype=1&key_word=横店&is_search=1#_0

Hengdian, in Zhejiang Province
Photo by: conerlia
Image from:weibo.com/p/1005051758856640/weibo?profile_ftype=1&key_word=横店&is_search=1#_0

No.2 Gansu Province
Actually, all the members from my cosplay group are from Gansu Province, it has many beautiful places.

We took those pictures before I went to the U.S. in Dunhuang，a beautiful and yummy city in Gansu Province.
Image from:http://ww4.sinaimg.cn/bmiddle/90a4cd20jw1e79awktv3oj20ct0hsq5u.jpg

This is a city in Gansu named Jiayuguan, after raining, there was very beautiful.
I took this picture.

Dunhuang. Beautiful sky and desert.
I took this picture.

The Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang.
I took this picture.

Singing Sands Mountain in Dunhuang. Beautiful desert.
I took this picture.

This is one of some cosplay pictures we took in Dunhuang.
Photo by: conerlia
Image from: http://ww4.sinaimg.cn/bmiddle/90a4cd20jw1e79awktv3oj20ct0hsq5u.jpg

MAGI in Dunhuang.
I took this picture.

No.3 Beijing

Beijing is the capital city of China, 798 factory, Nan Luo Gu Xiang and Shichahai are all nice places!

Shichahai
Photo by：conerlia
Image from：http://weibo.com/p/1005051758856640/weibo?profile_ftype=1&key_word=%E5%8C%97%E4%BA%AC&is_search=1#_0

Dianmen
Photo by：conerlia
Image from：http://weibo.com/p/1005051758856640/weibo?profile_ftype=1&key_word=%E5%8C%97%E4%BA%AC&is_search=1#_0

Nan Luo Gu Xiang
Photo by: Conerlia
Image from:http://weibo.com/p/1005051758856640/weibo?profile_ftype=1&key_word=%E5%8C%97%E4%BA%AC&is_search=1#_0

We took those cosplay photos from 798 factory
Photo by: Huo Tuo
Image from:http://weibo.com/p/1005051758856640/weibo?profile_ftype=1&key_word=%E5%8C%97%E4%BA%AC&is_search=1#_0

Cosplay is a travel, you would never know where you would go in the future, everything just to be continue!

Long Tail & Animation

The long tail effect shows that many niche markets can gather and becomes a large market, I think some situations from animation also contain the principle of the long tail effect, in this post, I will write the long tail effect in animation.

1.Niche Animations
Some cosplayers call themselves as niche cosplayer, they like niche animations more than popular animations. All most people know what is NARUTO, ONE PIECE, BLEACH, all of those are popular animations. Just few people know about BLACK LAGOON，怪-AYAKASHI，those kinds of animations are called Niche Animation. The number of persons who like these niche animations can not be compared to the number of persons who like popular animations. But in fact, there are just a few animations could become such a popular animation works, popular animations always has its own reason to be popular, when many niche animations' fans gathered, the number of them can be compared to the number of popular animations' fans, and then, niche animations gathered and become a huge market.

Personally, I love niche animations more than popular animations, I am one of those customers walk on the long tail.

2.Personalized Service
Animation industry has a very broad commercial space. With the development as well as increased demand for products and personalized services to promote the development of minority businesses. This is why in today's animation industry has been confirmed, more and more people are seeking personalized service, requiring unique, so there will be a small-scale and personalized service, and we have more and more animation exclusive customs.

3.Bilateral Markets and the Long Tail Effect

Diminishing marginal costs of Internet makes the business world has a long tail from a lot of third-party intermediary services, showing a profit of blue, reflected in the mathematical curve is the long tail effect. Traditional bilateral market economy under the cost of sales by industrial constraints can not play out of the infinite long tail, the tail showed limited, and the information economy tends to lead to long-tail effect infinite, so bilateral market in the information economy, it becomes a universal industrial organization phenomena, long tail effect become important in the new economy and profitable marketing model.

Differences Between China's and America's Comic-Cons

Hi, see you again! Today, the topic of my post is differences between China's and America's Comic-Cons.

I have a cosplay group in Chian named Fashion 1943(风尚1943). As a cosplay team, we not only take cosplay photos and join some cosplay competitions, but also host a small Comic-Con named Comic Flying. We host this Comic-Con for 3 years. It is hard to host a Comic-Con, it needs enough money and time, but we still enjoy it.
Comic-Cons always make ACG fans feel warm and sweet, you can easily find many people who have the same hobby with you, and you can also make many friends from
a Comic-Con.

Today, I want to make a comparison between China's and America's Comic-Cons.Even if all of those Comic-Cons will make people happy, but because of different culture, there are still some differences between them.

First of all,the contents are different. Comic-Cons of China always show some China's and Japan's animation, Comic and Games. We can call them Asia ACG. But in the U.S., Comic-Cons always full of America's native animations and some of Japan's animation. I have to say, American persons do a better job in animation than Chinese do. American has more creative ability than Chinese has.

The second difference between two countries Comic-Cons is that even if there is a Comic-Con called "International Comic-Con" in China, they still have a lot of native animations. I think those people who work on animation in China show learn more things from another country and they cannot just copy something but not create anything.

In my opinion, the last part is that in China's Comic-Cons, they not always invite comic artists from other countries, but American's are not. In America's Comic-Cons we can find multi-culture.

China's Comic-Con: Comic Flying
Cosplayer Name: Inofan
I took this picture in Comic Flying 1, this a character from China's native animation.

  

America's Comic-Con: San Diego Comic-Con International
Image from: http://www.ithome.com/html/game/49401.htm
We can find different characters such as Batman, Captain America. All of them are from America's native animations.

The Biggest America’s Comic-Cons, San Diego Comic-Con

As a cosplayer and also one of journalists in the future, I am interested in Comic-Cons in the U.S., not only because I want to join in this kind of activity in a different country but also because it is valuable to be reported.

Until now, I have not had a chance to join a Comic-Con in the U.S., but Internet is a great tool to help me find something about U.S. Comic-Con.

Most of American comic fans are looking forward to taking part in one of the biggest Comic-Cons in the U.S. named San Diego Comic-Con. Even if I was in China, I heard this Comic-Con, it is not only the biggest Comic-Con in the U.S. but also the biggest Comic-Con in the world, many awesome cosplayers,cosplay groups, movie stars, TV stars would come together, and comic fans would have a audio-visual feast.

There is a question, why San Diego Comic-Con has a great successful? There are some reasons below:

1. Star effect
Don't you want to see your idols in a close range? I think the answer of this question is undoubtedly, you want to do it, you want to see them. That is what makes this comic-con has a lot of fans.
Here is an example, Karen Gillan is a actress from Scotland, she joined in this Comic-Con in 2013, her fans must did not want to lose this opportunity, they want to see her！

Karen Gillan in San Diego Comic-Con
Image from:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2371978/Karen-Gillans-Comic-Con-arrival-completes-movie-star-transition.html

2. Comic Fans
From those pictures below, you can image how enthusiastic comic fans are! Because of them, this Comic-Con can get such a big success!

Comic-Con crowd inside the second floor of the convention center in 2011 awaiting the exhibition hall to open.
Image from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_Comic-Con_International

Comic Con crowds in 2011 as seen from a helicopter – Panorama.
Image from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_Comic-Con_International

3.Commercial Value
Comic-Cons have great commercial value, for San Diego Comic-Con International, there are many people all over the world would like to join the big party, from Wikipedia I found that: As of November 2012, there is a $520 million proposed expansion to the San Diego Convention Center. The proposed expansion would increase the available space within the convention center by 33 percent and has a target completion date of early 2016. Due to the proposed expansion of the convention center, Comic Con extended its contract for San Diego to 2016.
And this Comic-Con also has a great value of tourism. People not only join the Comic-Con but also have a travel in San Diego, it helps San Diego get a lot of money!

Next time I will talk about the difference between Comic-Con in China and the U.S., I hope you guys would enjoy it!

Different Opinions of Cosplay

Actually, cosplay is an activity which has a lot of controversies.
Some people love cosplay, and some other people do not like cosplay, indeed hate cosplay.
This time, I clear up those different opinions from different groups.
Most of young people can accept cosplay, it is a modern thing in the world, when it was brand-new, young people who loves comic, game and animation want to try to act a role from those stuff they love. And now, cosplay become a common activity, more and more cosplayers appeared in different countries, more and more amazing cosplayers appeared.
By a net citizen named Hazel Shotgun, she is a cosplayer and she said that she love to cosplay. So she shall continue to cosplay and cosplay is expensive. So she shall continue slowly.She also said that what I mention in my posts before, cosplay also includes acting and it is not only dress-up, so learn to act like your character if you consider yourself a cosplayer and not just a costume wearer and cosplayers need to enjoy cosplaying. Its an art.
But there still are some people have different opinion, such like a net citizen from Soompi named JaruJaru, he thought cosplay is stupid and cosplay is boring.
To be honest, most people think cosplay and cosplayers are none of their business, if cosplay would make some people happy, it doesn't matter.
For older generations, they cannot understand what is cosplay, this is a gap between different generation, such like some people don't understand rock music.
In my opinion, cosplay is a happy activity, we as cosplayers, can learn a lot of things from it, cosplay makes us happy and this is a important way to show how we love a character or comic, game and animation.

Image from: http://tieba.baidu.com/p/2536670385

Photoshop skill of cosplay

Today I will show you some skills of cosplay's Photoshop! I took cosplay photos at the night after Halloween. This was the first time I took cosplay photos in the U.S. and I felt excited! And now I'd like to share some Photoshop skills with you.

Before PS
Cosplayer Name： Asami-Mio( me )

After PS

From the before-PS picture, we can find the chiaroscuro is obvious and the color of my eyes is obvious, I need to change them.

First of all，duplicate the layer，then Layer Properties choose overlay, opacity 43% ，after this step，picture will like this：

we can find chiaroscuro became apparent

Second，choose Merge Visible and duplicate the layer，choose soft layer and opacity 39% ，then Merge Visible. We can find at the right bottom corner of this picture has some pink things, it is not the stuff that allowed to appear in this picture, so we need to use Clone Stamp Tool to make it disappears. After this step， picture will like that：

And I also find that there are something wrong with my makeup, because of the flash, my makeup become soft. For change it, I need use Dodge Tool and Burn Tool and then the makeup will be good and my eyes will look bigger lol.

My skin is not very well, I have acne，for solving this problem，I need to use Spot Healing Brush tool

Now，guess what？ There are no acne on my face！ I also find my tongue prosthesis does not look well，actually I think it doesn't look like a tongue, so I use Dodge Tool and Burn Tool make it look better.

Now it looks better. Last but not the least step is change the color of my eyes.
We need to use Hue/Saturation and then choose coloration, making my eyes redder.

We finish it! The picture looks better now!

This is the first time I use English to make a Photoshop tutorials， I wish it would be helpful! Thank you guys!

Best Halloween in the U.S.!

This Thursday, with other Chinese students, we celebrated our first America Halloween. I just want to say, it was awesome! Thursday night,people worn costumes and had amazing makeup, it just perfect!
As a cosplayer, I'd like to help other people preparing their makeup.We have wonderful time in Burger Stand!

Model: Sam Zhu
I took this picture

Model: An awesome lady in Burger Stand
I took this picture

Model: Arvin Zhang(My most successful makeup model!)
I took this picture

Model: Arvin Zhang
I took this picture.

Model: Arvin Zhang(He got top 3 in Burger Stand Costume Competition)
I took this picture

Model: Arvin Zhang   PS: Alex Gao   Photo: Alex Gao

For this wonderful night, we also took some interesting videos.