CosPod: The Cosplay Podcast

We have danced around the topic long enough. One re-occurring comment we have seen, and heard, time and time again, is that fan conventions are not what they once were since the pandemic. So we ask, have fan conventions really changed? This is a question with a lot of opinions; some you may not agree with as every convention community is different! While we did our best to try and tackle as much of this as we could, we know we missed a few areas (such as Artist and Dealer rooms). We wouldd love to read about your experiences and opinions in the comments!

The title says it all. We're chatting about the current state of fan conventions and if it's worth returning to the same event multiple times?

Amber reviews 'Advanced Cosplay Lights – Animated LEDs' by Kamui Cosplay. *Fair Use Act Disclaimer Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as scriticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. **CosPod was not paid nor affiliated with Kamui Cosplay to review the book.

Join us as we take a spin through the new Cosplay Makerspace located in the DFW metroplex that focuses only on cosplay! Learn more at: https://cosplaymakerspace.com/

Why does it seem like conventions hate cosplayers? Why is cosplay content steadily becoming an afterthought? Where are the cosplay panels and guests? Why are cosplay contest prizes a mess? Why won't cons pay appropriate wages to cosplay guests?

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are opinions. Opinions shared do not reflect the beliefs held by the podcaster's employers. This episode is for educational purposes only. Please do not seek out the sellers and bother them. We tried an AI sewing pattern. And it was bad. We also show you how to fix a bad pattern!

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are opinions backed by evidence provided in the accompanying links below. Opinions shared do not reflect the beliefs held by the podcaster's employers. We're starting off Season 15 with more talk about AI. It has evolved a lot since the last time we discussed it, and now we need to have a serious talk about the harm it's causing to all crafting hobbies. We have done extensive research on the topic and have a list of links and references to accompany this episode. We strongly encouage listeners to visit our website for the full list (as podcast aggrigators won't allow us to share even a fraction of the information) or our YouTube to watch the episode. This is a visual-heavy episode and we recommend the video for viewing.

No. At least if you're a cosplayer. If your only goal is to shop a dealer's hall, this might be the event for you. We went to the first year of Anime Impulse Dallas, affiliated with the Anime Impulse/Impulse Universe brand based out of California. Here's our review!

Happy Halloween and surprise! An early treat for you. After the sillyness of last year's Halloween episode, we decided to do another crafting session, this time with a tabletop haunted house. Did we succeed within our time limit? It doesn't matter - it was still fun!

There's even more craft news to cover! Along with tips on how to avoid bad conventions or scam conventions. And we finally talk about common Cosplay Myths.

Well the episode is about far more than the World Cosplay Summit 2025. We catch up on some of Amber's adhesive/tape testing, go to a convention, skip a convention, and share some important crafting news.

There is so much to share in the crafting and cosplay world! Stick around as we update you about DashCon2, AnimeExpo 2025, Pattern Bankruptcy filings, and more.

Join us as we interview Colleen Cosplay, a disabled cosplayer and YouTuber using their platform to provide tutorials and advocate for accessibility. Thanks again to Colleen Cosplay for coming onto to the show!

We headed out to 2 conventions this month - Otaku Oasis, a brand new all fandom con, and Collin Con where we were featured guests! What did we see? What did you miss? Was there any weirdness that happened?

We've got a new tutorial for you! Have you seen the viral TikTok's of tulle socks for your wig braids? It's an old school technique, and we're going to show you how it's done.

Settle in for a long one. We finally dive into the behind the scenes of cosplay contests and talk about what it takes to be a cosplay manager/director.

Yup. We're talking about Joann again. With the court approval to begin immediate "closing" sales at over 500 locations in the United States, we pulled together a list of where to find your future crafting resources if your local Joann is on the closing list. Visit our profile for the Linktree.

Happy 300th! We've made it to 300 episodes...how did that happen? Join us for a mess of fun memories, creating a Cosplay Time Capsule with Cosplay Tea Time and The Cosdplay Crunch Podcast!‬

In our final episode of Season 13, we release our annual cosplay gift guide with new products and ideas to make your cosplayer's holiday extra special!

It's time for the annual Halloween / After Dark episode! Which is still PG because it's us. :D Our challenge this year: make a cosplay-themed witch hat in 30 minutes using a bag of various materials. See the chaos for yourself!

Time to get into the grit. We chat about cheating in cosplay contests from the judges perspective! What judges look for in a cosplay contest, the questions asked, and why it can be difficult to spot someone that is lying.

Welcome to the 10 year anniversary of DashCon! The little con that made internet history. We chat about what happens when a con fails and how it affects the local fan community. And give an an overview of WCS 2024.

Surprise! Another interview! This time we snagged Zavage Cosplay the host of The Cosplay Crunch Podcast and multi-award winning cosplayer. We chat about his tumble into the podcast world, cosplay, and social media.

This episode is a big one! Loads of cosplay updates. A review of FAN EXPO Dallas 2024. An interview with Myleah, FlyHinata‬ founder of Lumikha Cosplay Resale. Don't miss it!

We chat about what our ideal cosplay convention would be like and bring in the audience to share their ideas! What would the contests look like? What kind of panels would we want to see? What guests would be brought in?

We catch up on the Joann Bankruptcy filing, some cosplay updates, and Amber covers a product review of 2 different paints from Folk Art! Note: We are not sponsored by Folk Art...or anyone. All opinions expressed in the product review are our own.

A busy episode for this one! We catch up on a bunch of convention and cosplay news, including Joann Fabric and Craft Chapter 11, several major cons cancelling or postponning, and more. Plus a tutorial that's all about posing for photos! Episode originally recorded March 15, 2024

Join us for a fireside chat with Five Sided Fates! A TTRPG based cosplay group tackling a new adventure: starting a convention.

Make something awesome with Maker Fishmeal! A multi-award winning cosplayer and foam-smith with a book on the way that's all about adhesives! Enjoy our interview with Maker.

We're back and it's Season 13! Join us for a quick update on some podcast news about some changes to CosPod.

It's our last episode of the season, which means another year of Halloween spoops! We share our favorite scary movies, scary cosplays, and play a round of "Would You Rather" spooky cosplay edition~ As a reminder, this is our "after dark" episode, meaning that we do not self censor in language or topics of discussion. While it's still a tame episode, we do want to remind you all that viewer, and listener, discretion is advised. This is for adult audiences only.

The holiday season is almost here, which means getting gifts for the cosplayers in your life! We've compiled a list of new items to seek out.

We interview the World Cosplay Summit Team USA 2024 representatives: Team Kirari Cosplay Follow at: https://www.instagram.com/teamkiraric... Kira Masquerade: https://www.instagram.com/kira_masque... Ari / The Fashionable Cupcake: https://www.instagram.com/konekoanni/

Amber goes on a acrylic paint hunt to test out the best options for your wallet.

Can you be the sole owner of a cosplay for a character you didn't create? No. Find out more in today's episode!

It's that time again where we chat about the World Cosplay Summit! What was new? What was the same? We share our opinions about the international event and what to expect!

Our latest episode has Amber covering an update to her segmented prop tutorial, with 2 new methods to add to your kit!

We tackle a viewer request to look into the pricing of products labeled "hobby" or "craft". Are they more expensive? Is there a difference in quality? Why is there a perception of these items costing more? Dive into the topic with us!

It's the food episode! Amber updates her guide on how to cook in your hotel room. Save money and eat healthy meals!

We interview Cat Chan Cosplay! Join us for our chat with this multi-award winning cosplayer, with nearly 20 years of experience, and a convention connoisseur. Learn more about Cat Chan and follow their work at: https://kirakiracat.com/

We discuss OC's, original takes on existing characters, and if it's okay to cosplay these ideas if you didn't make them?

What's it like to cosplay as an IRL person? What are the pros and cons? We explore the ups and downs of cosplaying as a real person!

Catching up on cosplay mishaps and Amber reviews a book that's all about sanding!

This week, we cover a topic suggested by a listener: how do you start cosplay photography? From learning about how to use your camera to lighting and networking. Apologies in advance for the audio. One of our hosts had to temporarily relocate their setup. Audio was boosted in editing to help.

We're back with another round of photoshop and cosplay. When is it too much and how is it affecting our perception of cosplay?

We've returned from our first convention outing since 2020. What has changed? What has stayed the same? And how will we go forth on our future con runs?

Congrats everyone! You get an Amber only episode this time! After our last aftersession, she came up with her 9 levels of cosplay hell.

We dive into the topic to discuss what this technology is, how it works, and it's current uses for cosplay. We have so much to cover, we're likely going to discuss more in a future episode.

This topic covers the concern of creating new costumes for every con, or for social media, at a rapid pace. What are the ups and downs? How do we cultivate a healthier mindset and lifestyle for cosplay? Check out the episode for more!

A new tutorial is dropping in this episode with tips on how to take care of a frizzy wig!