“The Community Is For Everyone”: An Interview with Pasteldotz Cosplay

I keep mentioning all the amazing cosplayers I continue to come across, and thanks to my lucky stars, I had the chance to interview another talent in the community. I first came across Pasteldotz when I saw their beautiful Princess Yue cosplay from Avatar: The Last Airbender, and was fortunate to continue seeing their outstanding cosplays online. (Seriously, go look at Pasteldotz’s Princess Yue cosplay right now). Pasteldotz encourages the celebration of self, and I am so happy I was able to come across such a great member of the cosplay community. Age: 22Occupation: Graphic Designer, WaitressIf you could reboot any anime or cartoon series, what would it be? Samurai Champloo! Black Nerd Problems: Please tell us a bit about yourself! Pasteldotz: Well, I’m a student at ODU that’s graduating in May with a Fine Arts degree. Besides cosplay, my other hobbies include photography, reading, watching films, and eating large amounts of sushi! I like to have a good time and exploring new places. I’m pretty adventurous.

BNP: How does cosplay influence you in everyday life? Pasteldotz: I don’t think I can go a day without seeing something and thinking “Oh, I want to cosplay that!” That was never a thought I had until I started cosplaying. Now, I’m always seeing things and wondering how I would be able to do it. I’ve also had a few people recognize me from my cosplays, so that is kind of cool, too!

BNP: Do you find a lot of tension within the cosplay community now that many are capitaliz…