Meet the winners of the international Scarlet Nexus cosplay contest: Rakun as Yuito.
1. A brief introduction – how/when did you start cosplay?
Hi! My name is Rakun! I've been cosplaying for over 5 years now. I started creating weapon props, learning how to apply my own makeup and even some sewing here and there. I've been on and off it ever since as a hobby since it was so expensive, but it only until I saw the SNXCosplayContest that I wanted to put my hobby to a competitive test! This is the first time I've received this much support for a cosplay, so I guess you can say I regard this as my first cosplay at heart!
2. What do you like about Scarlet Nexus?
I've been playing the game, and I have to say, it's one that I want to cherish as much as possible (while also avoiding spoilers!). As a Hack-n-Slash lover, on top of loving Shonen, Scarlet Nexus really bonded the two so well. All the shonen antics and moments while fighting, or even in the cutscenes, gave me an immersion I've never felt elsewhere. It's definitely a unique, and underrated game that makes you feel like YOU are the protagonist of the story!
3. Why did you choose this character?
When I first saw Scarlet Nexus even before the Game Awards 2021, I felt a sort of connection with Yuito. There are just some characters that you wish you could have a nice 2am conversation about life with. The more I learned about Yuito and how he fights regardless of his origin or royal heritage. It resonated with the values of our Rakunity community - to help make the world even just a little brighter day by day no matter where you come from! Also, Yuito's stoic aura is something I really admire; being able to push through pain and hardship.
4. Can you describe your costume creation process?
I made a timelapse video documenting the whole process which is on our YouTube, Rakunx! I would love to make in-depth tutorials on how to create Scarlet Nexus weapons. The process was something really new to me - this was my first, full cosplay, so this victory really meant a lot to us! What made it so much easier to visualise, were the free cosplay guides that Bandai Namco and Scarlet Nexus had for us! Back in the day, you'd be screenshotting every frame of a show. so thank you so much for the invaluable help! The process was a beautiful balance between ambiguity and straightforwardness. If I'm honest, you want that combination in anything you put your mind to.
5. Which was the easiest/hardest piece to create?
The easiest part was the Brain Drive mask, believe it or not! I've been graphic designing and video editing for over 10 years, so muscle memory was on my side when it came to photoshopping. The hardest part was definitely the jacket! Sewing is not my forte, and in order to comply with the rules, custom weathering and adding red accessories was the challenge! I had to redo a lot of 're-cementing' since I cemented some red straps in the wrong position or even asymmetrically. In the end, it didn't look too bad!
Personally, it's mixed emotions about this cosplay, but I am eternally grateful for the amount of love and support the community has given the Rakunity and me. For the future, I know perfection won't be achievable, but getting as close as possible to it, is where the real passion is.
