We’re so excited to be hosting the Cosplay Masquerades at MegaCon Live London in just a few short weeks! Now all of the entrants have submitted their applications, it’s time to announce the judges for the weekend. We’ll be introducing one judge a day and you can meet all of them right here.
Announcing the second judge for the Saturday Cosplay Masquerade: Furano.
As a child, Furano was taught to embroider by his grandmother, and started making costumes by hand before he even knew how to use a sewing machine. Now, although he tries to do “a bit of everything”, and is currently working on improving his goldwork and 3D modelling skills, he admits it brings him “a sense of peace” just to sit and sew.
“I took a break after the pandemic as I felt my crafting wasn’t improving,” he reflects. “I was prioritising quantity over quality. I had to remember how to craft for nobody but myself, and do only what makes me happy. Ever since, I’ve experienced huge growth as a person, a crafter, and a cosplayer.”
It’s no understatement: the first costume Furano created after his break was selected as a finalist for the Polymanga Global Easter Cosplay finals, held in Switzerland. More recently, he and his fiancé qualified as the current UK representatives for the World Cosplay Summit, with the finals to be held this summer in Nagoya, Japan. “I’ve become addicted to the feeling of adrenaline you get by stepping onto the stage!” he says.
“For me, a competition is the best motivation to push myself to keep improving my craft. I’ve noticed that, when I’m planning a competition piece, I tend to pay more attention to details, learn new techniques, and give 110% effort in my work. That’s what I really enjoy about cosplay: the constant challenge to keep improving.”
When asked what the best advice he could give entrants would be, Furano offered two pearls of wisdom:
Firstly: “Iron your costume!”
Secondly: “You are your own biggest competition. You should only compare each costume you craft to the last one you made before it. It doesn’t matter if you place or not – if you improve your skills and are proud of what you created, that is a completely successful build.”
