Featured Cosplayer: Michael de Guzman
Games have evolved as a form of entertainment since its inception. Besides some video games progressing into the competitive industry of eSports, the rich stories and interesting characters of some video games have inspired spin-offs such as television series and movies. Some of the characters found in these games have even captivated some fans to try and bring them to life. This is where cosplay — a portmanteau of the words “costume” and “play” — comes in.
Cosplaying is the performance art in which the people partaking in it, known as cosplayers, wear costumes to roleplay as certain characters. Popular inspirations for cosplay are movies, comics, anime and of course, video games.
Cosplays are proof that video games can affect the lives of the people who play them in profoundly creative ways. Cosplayers show the utmost dedication in crafting the necessary clothing, props and accessories to bring their favorite characters to life.
With that said, we at eSports by Inquirer.net will be featuring some cosplayers who have captured people’s attention with their awesome cosplays of video game characters.
To kickstart this column, I will be interviewing Michael de Guzman, a cosplayer for six years who captured our interest with his cosplay of Nautilus, the Titan of the Depths from League of Legends. Outside of cosplaying characters, he owns and manages an online shop that sells cosplay-related peripherals.
A look at Michael’s cosplay as Nautilus
Before being introduced to the world of cosplay, Michael was a lifelong gamer who loved to play lots of online games.
“Back in 2008, a friend told me that I could become one of the characters in my games through cosplay,” Michael said. His first cosplay was that of Gaara, a ninja with power over sand, from Naruto.
Besides their characteristics and looks, Michael cosplays characters that he loves.
Through cosplay, people not only get to see their favorite characters brought to life but also get to meet and learn about characters from other video games as well. Because of this, people who cosplay or frequent cosplay conventions have the possible advantage of better immersing themselves in the world of the characters that they adore. It’s a mutual relationship, since the games people play could also affect which characters they will imitate.
When asked about how this mutual relationship affects his choices on which characters he cosplays as and which games he plays, Michael told me that he decides based on people’s popular choices.
“If the game is played by lots of my friends, I will try it out. If I think the game is good then I’ll keep playing it and then eventually cosplay a character for that game,” Michael said. “For example, League of Legends is a big hit here in the Philippines for a lot of gamers. That’s why I decided to try it out. I liked it so I eventually decided to cosplay a character from it,” he added.
Michael’s favorite character to date is his Nautilus cosplay. In the past, he would choose characters he thinks are cool and good-looking. Through the years though, his preferences have changed. “I now prefer to cosplay giant or mecha characters. Sometimes even characters in armor. I see some similarities between myself and the character I cosplay such as their attitude, how they talk and sometimes their stories.”
Because of Michael’s years spent in cosplaying — both as his hobby and as his full-time job — I asked him how his cosplay and gaming have helped shape him as an individual and if he has learned any lessons from it that he applies to his daily life.
“When it comes to cosplay, I’ve learned to be more resourceful and artistic. Through my gaming, I’ve learned of the values of teamwork, patience, and dedication.”
For those who are interested in getting into the art, I asked Michael just how difficult it is to be a cosplayer here in the Philippines and how he thinks we compare to other countries.
“In terms of quality of cosplay, we’re probably just 2nd compared to other countries. But in terms of craftsmanship and resourcefulness, I can say that we are number 1 in the whole world,” Michael said. “As for getting into it, it isn’t that difficult. You can ask and buy your own materials or you can pay a commission fee to a cosplay shop so they can create costume and props for you.”
“Yes, cosplaying can be expensive,” he added. “But as long as you love it, you’ll be willing to do anything for the character you want to portray.”
Before our first edition of Featured Cosplayer comes to an end, I asked Michael some quick questions to better know him as a gamer.
Nath: What are your favorite games?
Michael: My favorite games are Tekken and Marvel vs. Capcom
Nath: Is there any video game character that you are planning to cosplay in the future?
Michael: Yes. I’ve been planning on cosplaying Steve Fox or Spider-Man for a while now.
Nath: Let’s talk about something related to eSports. Do you have any favorite eSports athletes or teams that you look up to?
Michael: I really like Team Mineski since they’re the most popular group in the Philippines. I look up to them and I hope that one day, I can reach their level as a gamer and get the opportunity to represent the country as well.
Nath: Interesting. What qualities do you see in Team Mineski that you think sets them apart from other teams and makes you admire them? Also, if you’re given the opportunity to represent the country, what game would you be representing us in?
Michael: I think it’s their teamwork and dedication. Also, if you watch them, you can see that they’re really enjoying what they’re doing.
If I was given the opportunity to represent the country, it would be playing League of Legends. I’m still learning and trying to get better everyday but hopefully one day, I can represent the country.
Nath: That’s pretty much all I have to ask. Before we end though, do you have any shoutouts for our readers?
Michael: I really want to thank all the people who helped me get this far, especially my friend Juni, and my girlfriend Eissen for supporting me. Lastly, to all the people who want to be in the same field, strive harder until you succeed but don’t forget to have fun and enjoy doing it!
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