They wore an assortment of wigs-green, pink, blue and red. Carrying Nerf guns and garden hoses cut and modified to form theoretical steampunk weapons. Lovingly built. Countless hours spent on cardboard horns, custom masks and costumes held together with glue and tape, spray painted or colored with a marker.
Alec Mitchell, age 18, of Rogers, Arkansas, walked around the Tokyo in Tulsa anime convention last week with an oversized cartoon mouse head on his shoulders. He made it himself from a hardhat, a garden globe, foam board, and mesh. This is his second time to visit Tokyo in Tulsa. He says he feels a connection to the characters through cosplay.
"There's no funny looks here," he says. "Instead, I get pictures and hugs."
To photograph the costume details, I used a 50mm macro lens and attached a macro ring light. The flash, sometimes called a medical ring light, is round and attches to the end of the lens, instead of on top of the camera. It gives a distinct, bright quality to the pictures, but also allows me to get close and keep the light consistent.
Dressed as Teddie from a video game called Persona 4, Marty Henricks, of Harrah, Oklahoma, walks through the Tulsa Convention Center. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World
A mouse helmet based on an Adventure Time character was built by Alec Mitchell, age 18, of Hindsville, Arkansas. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World
Eien Carpenter, of Yukon, Oklahoma, wears a homemade Bowser costume based on the character from Nintendo's Mario Bros. franchise. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World
Alec Mitchell (center) puts his homemade mask back on after shopping during the Tokyo in Tulsa Anime convention at the Tulsa Convention Center on Saturday, July 21, 2012. Alec and his friend Rick Moran, who are both from Arkansas, wore helmets based on Adventure Time characters. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World
Sisters Anna and Erica Silliman put their spin on Wario and Waluigi from Nintendo's Mario Bros. franchise. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World
Sam Gross, a steampunk fan from Wagoner, Oklahoma wears a steampunk costume. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World
Becky Irwin (left) sits with her daughter Genny (right) and her friend Roni Bell as they take a break on a bench at the Tulsa Convention center. Genny, who dressed as Strength from Black Rock Shooter, said she enjoys seeing how far she can take the costumes. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World
Savannah Dean, of Springfield, Mo., wore a wig, ears and wings to become Fluttershy, from My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World
Michaela Gulasy, age 16, of Tulsa, dressed as a Vocaloid named Miku Hatsune. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World
Dressed as Parasite Eve, Hadassah Hendrickson, of Claremore, Oklahoma gets photographed by Anime fans at the Tokyo in Tulsa convention. "I love becoming the character," she says, "and being her for a day." JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World
Cassie Skinner, age 15, from Broken Arrow, built her Godot mask from Ace Attorney from sandwich baggies she colored with a red marker. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World
Only active print or digital subscribers of the Tulsa World are allowed to post comments on stories posted to Tulsaworld.com. After you fill out the form below and click submit, your comment will be published instantly online along with your screen name.
By clicking "Submit" you are agreeing to our terms and conditions.
