On Cosplay: When I was twelve, I rented Ranma 1/2 from my local library for a reason I can’t quite remember. I loved it, and eventually rented every single anime video they had. I then discovered my local comic book store carried issues of manga, and started buying whatever they had in their tiny selection.

I could not get enough of the artwork and stories. I continued to watch anime and read manga. In 1999, I made my first cosplay for Halloween; it was a gijinka Pikachu. My first convention was Anime Central 2002, and I was yet another gijinka Pikachu.

I had such a blast cosplaying at this convention that I went from attending cons once a year to up to six times a year. There is nothing more fun than making costumes, being your favourite characters, hanging out with friends and making new ones. It became an addiction.