Tag Archives: cosplay

Arts and Culture

My Lame Cosplay Photos From Anime NYC, 2026!

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cosplayer on escalator photo by gail worley
Izumi Konata Schoolgirl from Lucky Star Cosplay (All Photos By Gail)

We’ve been over this before. When I’m covering a fan convention like New York Comic Con, Flame Con or Anime NYC, I  just don’t really have the bandwidth — mentally, physically or creatively —t o do the kind of serious cosplay photography that most  of my fellow photographers do. You know the drill: stop someone, ask them to pose, find out exactly who they’re dressed as, photograph all the intricate details and then move on to the next character. Admirable, certainly, but it’s not my strength. My coverage takes much more of a hit-and-run approach.

This is directly related to the reasons I abandoned Halloween costume parties about 20 years ago: my costume ideas are lame and my competitive streak tells me that if I can’t be the best at something, I’d usually rather not play at all. While I have an enormous amount of admiration (read: jealousy) for the cosplayers who pour so much time and creativity into their costumes, I’m perfectly happy to remain an observer and leave the documentation to the experts.

anime nyc signage at javits center photo by gail worley
Anime NYC is Brought to You By Crunchyroll
Continue reading My Lame Cosplay Photos From Anime NYC, 2026! →

Design and Innovation

Fantasy Ring Styles for Fans of Myth, Adventure, and Alternative Fashion

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foreverings amethyst crown ring

Fantasy rings have moved from the margins of costume culture into a serious corner of the jewelry market. What was once reserved for Renaissance fairs, gaming conventions, and film-inspired accessories now appears in engagement collections, wedding bands, and everyday statement pieces. The shift reflects a broader change in how buyers think about jewelry. Many consumers no longer want a ring that only signals wealth, status, or adherence to tradition. They want a piece that tells a story, carries symbolic weight, and feels personal enough to belong to their own mythology. Continue reading Fantasy Ring Styles for Fans of Myth, Adventure, and Alternative Fashion →

Arts and Culture

My Speed-Date With Opening Night of Anime NYC 2025!

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anime nyc signage photo by gail worley
All Photo By Gail

Anime NYC is always a highlight of the fall convention season, spanning four days of panels, screenings, and an overwhelming array of exhibitors and fan experiences. This year, however, my time on the show floor was limited to the Thursday evening preview, since I flew out the next morning for a long-planned San Diego vacation. That meant I had just a few hours to explore before the weekend crowds rolled in, and I knew I’d need to be selective with what I chose to cover.
Continue reading My Speed-Date With Opening Night of Anime NYC 2025! →

Arts and Culture

Favorite Cosplayers from Anime NYC, 2024

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elfin cosplayers at anime nyc photo by gail worley
All Photos By Gail

In the interest of full transparency, I confess that I stopped attending Halloween costume parties about 20 years ago.  The reason for this is three-fold:

  1. My costume ideas are lame.
  2. I am lazy.
  3. My competitiveness is such that if I can’t be the best at something, I would (almost always) rather not play.

That said, I have an overabundance of admiration (read: jealousy) for the amazing Cosplayers who go out of their way to make fan conventions like New York Comic Con and Anime NYC such over-the-top hits! Seriously, without all these passionate fans impeccably dressed as their favorite characters from Anime, Comics, Movies and Manga, the experience wouldn’t be nearly as head-spinning. If you’ve been to one of these fan conventions, I think you will feel me on this: Cosplayers are the Martial Artists and Fire Jugglers of fan conventions, and they deserve respect. Continue reading Favorite Cosplayers from Anime NYC, 2024 →

Arts and Culture

New York Comic Con 2023, Part 1: Mascots and Monsters

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nycc 2023 escalator to the show floor photo by gail worley
All Photos By Gail

Ladies, gentlemen, and inter-dimensional beings, gather ’round for a cosmic adventure through the lens of a Comic Con rookie! Hold on to your utility belts and power-up those light sabers because, folks, we’re about to dive headfirst into the whirlwind that was my inaugural voyage to New York Comic Con. Now, before you start judging my ‘capturing cosplayers’ skills, let me lay it out there – my game was weak. But hey, in my defense, I was too busy getting lost in the kaleidoscope of geekdom that is NYCC!
Continue reading New York Comic Con 2023, Part 1: Mascots and Monsters →