Massive crowds of people who love what you love are what make up cons. It’s an open, friendly, and warm environment. Booths are selling anime plushies and merch key chains. Cosplays debut at conventions displaying lots of craftsmanship. It’s a big chance for meeting online friends who share your interests in being a nerd, in which you would not see otherwise. It’s the “lifeline” or “pulse” of what it means to be a part of the cosplay and nerd community. “I’m always in the game room playing Taken with the boys,” Sachi said. Sachi reminisced on some cons she attended like BlerdCon, MagFest, and Hatsu Con. “I got in for free walking past the booth and went with my mom,” Sachi described her first NY Comic Con experience. With things being pushed online because of the pandemic, Sachi, also known as Chibith0t, said there is no better time to get into cosplay then now.
“We wear heavy armor for twelve hours and stress five days before a con to finish the costume. It’s an art putting it together, taking the photos, creating the piece...My faves are the ones I made and altered. For Yoriuchi, my grandma helped me sew the top.” In the past five years, cosplay has gotten more popular. The opportunities to cosplay including the materials to create have become more accessible. At first, Sachi did not know how to sew. Sewing is an important skill as many cosplayers make alterations and custom outfits. She later went to FIT for fashion merchandising and business styling. In March, Sachi taught a class with Make: Campus on cosplay basics, using foams and worbla. More anime, gaming, and cartoon characters have also become ready-to-use costumes.
Like most girls, Sachi was first introduced to anime with Sailor Moon. She had stumbled across it in a VHS store. Growing up as an only child with few cousins, Sachi played RPGs on her PS2 by herself. Originally, Sachi enjoyed slice-of-life and school life anime like Ouran High School Host Club and Fruits Basket. Later, she became more interested in darker themes and horror like Berzerk, Death Note, and Attack on Titans. Her parents labeled certain anime as “devil worshipping shit”. Sachi insisted it was just Naruto, even though she was a Naruto hater growing up. After falling in love with One Piece, she started watching subbed anime, and the options grew from there. When she began cosplaying, her family was very supportive and her friends always accepted her weirdness. Her interests confused some of her acquaintances. Although there’s been a shift since the newfound acceptance of cosplay. “Black women nerd unicorns are not real. We are regular girls. People always tryna box it.” Sachi shared her frustration with people not viewing Black women as multifaceted beings with many interests. This limited perspective on Black women also fuels some of the hatred towards Black women cosplayers.
“So-and-so isn’t Black or A LOT of straight racist comments are common,” Sachi spoke about her experience dealing with racist trolls. Similar happened when news released of Starfire being cast as a Black woman in Titans. An uproar also occurred when Halle Bailey was cast as Ariel for the live-action movie of The Little Mermaid. These comments deter many wanting to join the cosplay community. Other Black cosplayers are supportive, usually sharing each other’s work. For Black History Month, cosplayers engage in #28daysofBlackcosplay and other trends like #BlackCosplayerHere. Sachi urged newcomers, “Don’t let the comments scare you off.”
“I’m a lazy gremlin,” Sachi described her life outside of cosplay. “I play video games. I work on merch and videos. I like to smoke [weed], and I like to nap.” During the week, Sachi works as a manager of a showroom. She is currently saving money to go full time as a content creator. Freelance styling photoshoots and editorials have gotten difficult since COVID-19. “I excelled in photos, poses, and hair. I work with a photographer who is my best friend. He’s also a geek.”
“I’d like to see more brands working with Black cosplayers that aren't just for Black History Month.” Sachi explained how she would like the cosplay community to improve. Most brands focus on thin and white or Asian cosplayers. She would also like to see more cosplay photographers taking pictures of Black cosplayers. Her advice to newbies is that don’t be afraid to post. Not every cosplay has to be perfect. Cosplay is a fun and good way to outlet. Twitter is a great way to make mutuals. “Do what makes you feel good.”
You can find Sachi @chibith0t on IG and @chibith00t on Twitch. Visit her print and sticker shop https://chibith0tprints.storenvy.com