Interview with TikTok cosplayer and artist, Spade Cosplay!

Interview Conducted by Aesthel

Today’s interview is with Spade Cosplay, TikTok cosplayer, artist, and huge fan of the Fire Emblem series! We spoke with them about the unique platform of TikTok from a cosplayer perspective, their new YouTube channel, ways to support artists, and more!

Follow Spade Cosplay on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube!

CRM: Hello Spade Cosplay! Could you please introduce yourself to the Cosplay Realm readers?

Spade: Hello there! I’m Spade and I’ve been cosplaying for around 5 years now. It started as just an experiment, but has grown into a full on hobby. In my five years I’d like to say I’ve grown in skill significantly, once not knowing the difference between opening and closing zippers and now carving intricate details with dremels.



CRM: Your cosplay skills range from sewing to armor crafting and more! What are some of your favorite techniques to use when making your cosplays?

Spade:  I love the duct tape method for getting snug armor and fabric pieces! The duct tape method is where you wrap the part of your body where the armor or fabric part will sit in cling wrap, then cover it in a loose layer of duct tape. Afterwards you draw a cut line and carefully cut the wrap and tape off. Then you have a pattern custom fit to your form! I personally use this for my arm and leg armor. I also used it when creating Sothis’s bodice piece.



Spade(@spadecosplay) has created a short video on TikTok with music original sound. Dates in the garden #edelgard #fecosplay #edelgardcosplay #cosplay #fireemblem #fireemblemthreehouses

CRM: We love seeing your Fire Emblem cosplays on TikTok! Can you tell us about your experience on the platform from a cosplayer point of view? What is the cosplay community that you have interacted with like on TikTok?

Spade: From what I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of, the cosplay community on Tiktok has been very welcoming of me. Like all users, I started off very small. However, once I started to dig my roots in the cosplay community, I was pleasantly surprised by how wonderful the community is. Sure, we’ve had our ups and downs, but hasn’t everyone? At the end of the day, we’re still as prevalent on Tiktok as ever and flourishing.



CRM: TikTok brings a unique form of storytelling. What are some of your favorite ways to use this aspect of the app in your own content creation?

Spade:  I love the freedom the app gives me to cosplay somewhere besides conventions. Unfortunately I can’t go to a convention in full cosplay everyday, but I can log into TikTok to a community of cosplayers looking to dress up and have fun like me! I also really enjoy the lip syncing aspect with the wide range of music choices. This allows me to find the perfect songs to embody the characters I cosplay to the fullest.



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CRM: Speaking of Fire Emblem, you are a huge fan of the series! You cosplay from many of the games including Awakening, Shadows of Valentia, and the newest addition, Three Houses! What draws you to this series so much?

Spade: Ever since I was a kid, fantasy stories have been my everything. Fire Emblem gives me the chance to live out those stories of dragons and warriors, all in the palms of my hands. The stories are all so unique from one another and with each add on to the franchise comes a new play style. My introduction to the series was Fire Emblem: Awakening in 2012 and I’ve been loyal to the series since.



CRM: You cosplay as so many different characters from this series and we love seeing how dedicated you are to it! How do you go about choosing what characters you want to cosplay?

Spade:  A few things go into deciding who to cosplay next. Whether I like the character, how much fabrics are going to cost, and, the biggest one, if I think my skill levels are up to par with the amount of work needed for the design. When I made my Great Lord Lucina, I had no idea what I was up against. It was a huge challenge that I probably wasn’t ready for at the time, but it came out better than I could have ever expected and I even won an award for it at the 2019 San Japan cosplay contest! However I learned a valuable lesson from the experience: Don't bite off more than you can chew!

CRM: When it comes to Three Houses specifically, you cosplay both Sothis and Edelgard, and you are also currently working on a cosplay of Shamir! Fire Emblem: Three Houses is known for its many different ways to play through the story, with each perspective revealing something new about the world. What do you think it is about this game that has resonated with so many different people?

Spade:  I feel like what really draws people in are the characters. Fire Emblem has always been good at writing side characters as individuals and not just basic NPCs. Pick anyone from the game and you could write a completely separate story about them. Every character has their own personality, needs, and wants that drives them. With the multitude of different characters, there’s someone for everyone to love.

CRM: You recently started up a YouTube channel! How has working on your YouTube been going so far? Can you tell us about the type of videos you plan to do on your channel?

Spade:   My YouTube has been going great! I try to have a post up every Sunday to keep consistent and the auto post function has been my best friend. I plan on having both art and cosplay content on my channel. For the art side it’ll be things like Speedpaints and tutorials. As for the cosplay side, the content will consist of cosplay work vlogs, tutorials, and convention vlogs.

CRM: On top of cosplay, you are also an artist! You have tabled at conventions selling your art. How did you first get started with vending at conventions?

Spade: My very first convention I ever sold at was Mini Mini Con in 2017. It was absolutely nerve wrecking. Previously I had never put myself and my work out to the public in that way. But I loved every second of it! I’m a bit of a shy person in real life and have a bad habit of devaluing my work. I would have never put myself out there had it not been for the encouragement from my friends and family. Since then I’ve boothed at many conventions and look forward to boothing at San Japan 2020.


CRM: Many artists are currently feeling the hit of the recent COVID-19 outbreak as many conventions are cancelling or rescheduling. What are some ways that CRM readers can support you and other artists?

Spade: I have personally felt the hit myself. My “home town” convention, Mini Mini Con, just announced its cancellation yesterday afternoon. I am fortunate to not be in desperate need for the profits it would have brought, but I know that some of the artists that would have attended are. Many of the convention going artists I’ve met use their profits to help pay the cost of living. The best way to support the convention art and online art community right now is commissions. In a time when our day jobs are being closed due to the virus, one small commission could mean a meal or a rent to an artist.

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CRM: Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! Is there anything else that you would like to say?

Spade: I know things are scary right now, but we all need to keep our heads up! We will overcome this and we will be ok. I hope everyone gets some rest, eats some food, remembers you take their medication, and has a wonderful day!

Aesthel