February 2013, Cosplay Babe of the Month, Ani Mia as a Wampa!
Please join us in welcoming our February 2013, Cosplay Babe of the Month, Ani Mia. She comes to us all the way from New York City to warm hearts during the cold winter doldrums. Ani has been gracious enough to grant us a two part interview and feature so let’s get right to it!
Comics Ninja: Ani, thank you for joining us from New York City. Briefly tell us a little bit about yourself.
Photo left, the real Mr. Wampa. We think we’ll stick with Ani’s version, thank you very much.
Ani: Well, I’ve been cosplaying since 2008 but I’ve always loved anything generally considered ‘boy stuff’ or nerdy things. I started playing video games when I was 5, playing TMNT on my dad’s Apple II GS. I like sci-fi shows and movies, fantasy novels, D&D…I’m definitely not your conventional girl and never have been. I’m me. J
Comics Ninja: What first got you into cosplay and what was your first experience like?
Ani: I started going to conventions and saw all the cosplays and it looked like so much fun. I am an art history major so I’ve always appreciated the artistic side of cosplaying and realized I really wanted to try it. Especially after I bought my first cosplay and it was horrible and I knew that I wanted to make them myself.
Comics Ninja: We love your “Wampa” photoset. We understand the inspiration (greatest movie ever made) but how did you come up with idea and how did the photo-shoot come together?
Photo Right, Ani as Castanic Warrior from Tera.
Ani: The idea came up because Star Wars is one of my favorite movie Trilogies (the new ones should be considered separately) and I really wanted to cosplay from it without being the millionth slave Leia at the convention. I’m not too sure how the thought really came into my head but I figured there couldn’t have been that many people that made a female wampa so I just kind of ran with it and it was pretty fun. The photoshoot was a ton of fun working with Lars Peterson in Seattle. He’s amazingly talented and was able to completely create the background digitally.
Comics Ninja: Staying with the theme of Star Wars, what are your thoughts and hopes for the new Star Wars movies?
Ani: I would really love to see them go with the ongoing storyline of Han and Leia’s children, Jaina, Jacen and Anakin. I used to read the Young Jedi Knights series in high school and would love to see it in a movie. Plus, I think it’s kind of the only logically progression from the original movies. That and I think Disney wouldn’t hesitate to bring in the family aspect of the saga. I just hope JJ Abrams doesn’t overdo it with the lens flare. (I know that’s over said at this point)
Comics Ninja: We note that you have a modeling career as well. Has cosplay enhanced your modeling or the other way around?
Ani: It tends to be too completely different worlds but they do influence each other. I bring a ton of my modeling experience into my cosplay photoshoots as far as location selection and posing.
Photo left, Ani as Harley Quinn. Photography by Lasting Impression Art.
Comics Ninja: What do you think of all of the attention you have gotten from the fanboys (and girls) on the internet and at conventions?
Ani: I’m still pretty amazed by it. I was completely shocked a few months ago when someone recognized me as my cosplay name at my favorite gaming bar in Washington, AFK Tavern. I do love the feeling I get when someone comes up and says that I inspire them to cosplay. That is the greatest feeling to me.
That wraps up part one of our feature on Ani Mia. Until we post part two you can see more of Ani on her fan page at http://www.facebook.com/Ani.Mia.Cosplay. Get the latest comic book, gaming, sci-fi, movie, cosplay and animation news on The Ninja Report, containing sourced and aggregated news from every corner of the internet and updated every ten minutes! Never miss another headline, preview or breaking story, Ninja Nation!
February 2013, Cosplay Babe of the Month: Ani Mia,
