Tell us about your first cosplay experience.

Wow...first cosplay experience...Katsucon a little ways back. My fist anime con, and first cosplay experience as well. I flew there with 2 costumes...Sesshomaru and Li Syaoran's school uniform. Sessho didn't make it. It was destroyed on the plane ride. I also went alone, so I was meeting online folks for the first time. Not a good time over all. But I was hooked after the first person took my picture...

What most intrigues you about someone's costume?

You can truly see the difference between someone who does the costume for love of a character and those who do it because it's cool. I look for the love, the heart and soul...the blood and sweat someone puts into it. That's where the intrigue is for me.

If you could make only one more costume in your life, what would it be and why?

Wow...there are so many to choose from....but I guess it would have to be one of Belldandy's. I have only seen it in pictures. But it's very ornate traditional Japanese fabric and styling. Very colorful. And I love Belldandy, she's such a great character.

Scantily clad cosplayers: cute or tacky?

Well since I do scantily clad now and then, I hope it's cute. I know it's annoying to some, but they can look away. But it can be tacky. You really have to have the confidence to go scantily clad. A cute costume can quickly turn tacky if you can't be bold and show off.

Who's your cosplay idol?

The younger cosplayers who write to me to tell me about what they want to do with a costume. The ones who are learning costume making skills and have already learned to love a character as much as they love the art.

Personal questions:

Where do you get your strength to overcome life's challenges?

Anime answer: Ah! My Goddess... Personal answer: I had a drama teacher in high school who taught me much of what I know about costuming and acting. She never got down when things got hard. Always found a way out. Just before she died a few years after my graduation she gave me a book by Stanislavsky. In it she wrote, "Always find your dreams, you owe that to your own heart."

What possesses you to wear costumes that have traditionally been reserved for cute girls?

Well, I always believed in cosplaying those characters I could connect to, that I loved. Those are mostly girl characters...and most anime guy costumes are boring. So I suffer for my art, and go the girls' costumes. Besides, who wants to see another Kenshin!? That and the attention is awesome.

For the upcoming wedding season, which anime or manga bridal fashions would you recommend?

Wedding Peach and Love Hina seem to cover all basics for the perfect wedding. That aside, Rabi en Rose's formal dresses from the Digi Charat art books will melt any guy's heart.

What suggestions on getting back into the fun groove can you offer for folks who may be burned out on the cosplay/con scene?

Walk away for a bit. No costumes, no cons, no competitions. Do that until you remember why you love doing it. Write that down and put it on the wall. That worked for me. Now I am reminded that I do this for the fun, for the people I meet and for the diversion from reality it gives us. Cosplay can be a way of holding on to your youth if you don't let the competition get in the way .

How has watching anime affected your choice in a "Mrs. Gecko?"

IIt's definitely added a few things I have to look for when I try to find someone to date. Open-mindedness is a must now. And love for kawaii anime a definite plus. And if she hates DBZ she's a step closer to perfect! ;)

A big "Arigatou!" to Geckosan for being a good sport and inspiring countless people to put more into their costumes - me included. You've taught us to cherish that which attracted us to anime in the first place. Keep up the great stitchery and enjoy your increasing bunch of fans.

Prof.Tomoe