Anime USA Announces Two New Cosplay Guests
AnimeUSA is proud to welcome Krys “Ambrosia” Lewis and Tina “Pork Buns” Lam as this year's Cosplay Guests.
A genetic scientist from central Jersey (yep, really!), Krys aka "Ambrosia" is also a cosplayer of 10 years, with nearly 100 handmade costumes under her belt, and more than a dozen awards for craftsmanship and performance that she keeps on the dresser next to the sonic screwdrivers and Butterbeer mug. After getting addicted to anime many moons ago via horrible VHS fansubs of Utena and Sailor Moon, her friends snuck her up the highway to her first anime convention, where she was introduced to the creativity and camaraderie of the cosplay world. Since learning the basics of sewing from her grandmother, Krys has found her artistic outlet in costume creation, studying and improving upon her own skills while crafting outfits from the realm of anime, video games, movies, and television. Some of her work has even been featured in a variety of publications, including Time Out New York, Newtype USA, The Gothic & Lolita Bible, and the 2008 NYAF Calendar. Most recently, she and her pals won four awards including Best in Show at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con International Masquerade Ball for their original costumes and performance. Krys has also been commissioned to make a variety of outfits for stage and theater, and recently completed the iconic main costume for an independent Sailor Moon film. When not chained to her sewing machine or sequencing your DNA, Krys enjoys marathons of Mystery Science Theater 3000, eating Wawa turkey bowls, and enjoying the blissful convenience of full service gas stations. She has been attending AnimeUSA for over 5 years and is overjoyed to be back again as a cosplay guest with her best friend, Pork Buns.
Pork Buns used to design and make her own Halloween costumes when she was tiny. Fast forward to 2004, she discovered there were people who actually dressed up in costume on days other than Halloween and they did this because they were fans of whatever they were dressing up as. Pork Buns thought this was radder than drawing subpar fanart, and she's been cosplaying since then. Her hobby has forced her to learn to dance, mold and cast, sew girly things, make props, and foster an unhealthy preoccupation with masks. Sometimes people throw awards at her or ask her to judge other people forcing themselves to learn to dance and sew. Pork Buns believes cosplay to be the ultimate fanwork to all of her favorite video games, movies, TV shows, anime, and artists. Unfortunately, cosplay takes more time and blows through money more severely than fanart.
Be sure to see Ambrosia and Pork Buns at the Friday Opening ceremonies, at their panels “Makeup for Cosplay” and “Cosplay Zen,” at the Karaoke Contest, and at the Taylor Fund Charity Auction. They will also show their costumes at various locations around the convention.
About Anime USA: In 1999 Anime USA began as a northern Virginia convention started by fans, and in 2004 become a non-profit educational organization. Our mission is to educate the public about and promote Japanese arts and popular culture. As in the beginning, we remain a convention of fans, by fans, and for fans. Anime USA is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit.
Anime USA 2011 will be held November 18-20 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, VA. For more information and to register for the convention, visit us at www.animeusa.org.
