Merry All-Nighter, Finland

(Cosplay) Name: Merry All-Nighter
Nationality: Finnish
Occupation: Complicated
Website:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/merryallnighter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/merryallnighter/


How many years have you been cosplaying?  
Since 2008/2009, so that makes give or take about 10 years!

What is cosplay to you and how did you get started?
I started in a very common way, seeing people doing it at a convention and having fun. I thought that, hey, I really want to try that too. I found a way to express and challenge myself through cosplay, and now it's an important creative outlet that allows me to explore materials and techniques, learn new things, and meet new people. It has helped me to try and experiment on what I can do, and push my boundaries bit by bit. I have done and experienced some things I wouldn't have thought possible for me ten years ago. I also love how people who are involved with cosplay are generally excited and come up with the most fun projects. Last summer, we made a big group trip from Helsinki to the north of Norway to film a CMV! That's not something you get to do every day.

What is you most memorable cosplay experience?
I have never been to a convention or an event I didn't enjoy, but I think I would say representing my country in both World Cosplay Summit and EuroCosplay. Both were the results of a lot of hard work, so being granted that chance felt amazing. WCS was my first big competition, and as an experience there's nothing quite like it. Some of the people I met there are still very dear friends to me to this day. At EuroCosplay, I wanted to put myself out there without the comfort of having a cosplay partner, so it was sort of an act of independence, and a way to prove to myself that I can also do it alone.

Have you been in Denmark/at J-Popcon before, and what are you looking forward to the most?
I have and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I was very impressed by the effort and passion you put into your cosplay competitions, so I'm extremely excited to see what you have prepared this year. I love an event with a good atmosphere and I remember you had a cafe that served delicious melon bread... I'm kinda hoping I might have a chance to try one this time around too.

 

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