Cosplay year 2025

Hello everyone~!
I know, I know, I'm a bit late with this one since it's already 2026 buuut I'm not nearly as late with this as I am with my Maracon and Terucon summaries ^^' Well, I will write them as soon as possible too, just wanted to get this out of the way before it gets too... Irrelevant also known as before it's the mid April and it's pointless to write this anymore lol. 
But let's get to the year summary!

I'm not going to lie: 2025 was a year of big struggles both cosplay-wise and in personal life. Like I mentioned in the cosplay year 2024 summary I was likely to get a few severe diagnoses, which I eventually got. I have already mentioned that I have BPD (borderline personality disorder, diagnosed as impulsive but that's seriously not true, I'm the silent/discouraged type), but on top of that I got the diagnoses for anxiety disorder, recurrent depression (in remission) and PTSD, which I suspect to be more of the less known CPTSD sort. I got these diagnoses like two months into the year and even though I was able to guess practically all of them, now actually trying to learn to live with them is far more difficult than just navigating them. 
Has there been any development? Honestly, I don't really know at this point. Maybe some little things but those are so small I would need a microscope to see them so yeah, there sure is a long road ahead. At least I don't wake up 20 times a night anymore thanks to the medication so that's sort of a win...

Of course, these things have affected my personal life a lot and they haven't exactly helped with this hobby either. I mostly had fun, yes, and that's what I'd like to concentrate on, but at the same time I know that there was not a single convention without a big and colorful drama caused by me, except for probably Maracon. Oh the joys of being unstable af, 0/5 experience, I don't recommend 😒 Seriously working on getting a grip so making good memories and actually remembering them would be easier this year.

But yeah, the conventions I attended in 2025:

Konekocon - Kuopio, Finland
Kemin mangapäivä - Kemi, Finland
Kummacon - Oulu, Finland
Nekocon - Kuopio, Finland
Mericon - Rauma, Finland
Matsucon - Oulu, Finland
Maracon - Oulu, Finland
Terucon - Rovaniemi, Finland

Yeah. Didn't really leave the northern part of the country that much this year and mostly attended small conventions - to be honest, I highly doubt I could have even attended the bigger ones due to my health problems, both physical and mental - especially the latter.
I think my favorite event was probably Maracon for the reason mentioned above - and it was also nice to go to a new (to me) convention! I haven't published a summary yet so I'm not going into too much detail but yeah, it was nice, relaxed and totally different compared to any other convention I attended. 

STUFF I DID IN CONVENTIONS 

I took part in Matsucon's photoshoot competition with Sallukka as my model - and we won the third place! ❤
I was a volunteer worker at Kummacon.
I was part of the organizing team for Kemin mangapäivä and Mericon.
I hosted a book talk at Kummacon, a Star Stable Online panel at Matsucon and a Genshin Impact panel at Terucon.

🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑

If last year was a year of witches, this year was a year of gijinkas! This year I debuted a couple of new costumes again: shiny Jigglypuff, Dragonair and Espeon from Pokémon and Tanemon from Digimon.

No compilation pic this time, but here are all the costumes I got pics taken of! All the pics were taken and edited by Shiro Samurai, thank you very much! ❤

Shiny Jigglypuff

Dragonair

Tanemon

Espeon

WHERE I COSPLAYED AND WHAT

To Konekocon I wore the shiny Jigglypuff.
At Kemin mangapäivä I cosplayed Alicia from Moominvalley series. No new pics.
For Kummacon I debuted Dragonair.
At Nekocon I cosplayed on both days, Tanemon on Saturday and Espeon on Sunday.
Wore an alt/casual outfit to Mericon.
Cosplayed an OC called Marigold at Matsucon. Didn't have a photoshoot since the character and design still have the "work in progress" status.

Wore a casual outfit to Maracon.

Wore an alt outfit to Terucon.

Yeah, that's also quite many new costumes but I still don't think that I would have broken the promise I made last year; I wore these dresses even outside of cosplay so yeah, still sticking to what I said ^^ 

🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑

So... Yeah.
It was a bit of a rough year, honestly. Didn't sew anything new, battled against those inner demons of mine and half ruined almost every convention for myself (and partially for people around me). Not exactly a year I could be proud of and seriously, I'm not.

So yeah, at the end of this post I would like to thank all the people who still put up with my shit in 2025 and actually wanted to take me with them to conventions and such, you're all gold.

Let's hope that 2026 will be at least a bit better. 

Until next time.

-Firith

Cosplay year 2024 - Witchy time!

Hello everyone~!

It's been a while since I last made one of these posts; the last one seems to be from... Uh... 2017 (under the 2018 year tag)... Oops. In my defense I have quite recently started attending cons and making costumes again after many silent years so yeah, some mercy please :'D 
2024 sure was a blast, both my personal life and cosplay-wise! In December 2023 I graduated from school (Library and Information Services, Bachelor of Business Administration) and in January 2024 I moved to the north since I had been hired to work here as a librarian. So yes, finally I'm where I feel like I belong to. Unfortunately, the year wasn't all rainbows and sunshine; I'm very likely to get a few - quite severe - diagnoses in the near future and I must admit that there are months of which I really don't remember that much. However, I do believe that next year will be a lot better mental health wise too! ❤

Despite all the struggles and all I traveled all over Finland and attended multiple conventions. The con line-up of 2024 looks like this:

Kummacon - Oulu, Finland
Nekocon - Kuopio, Finland
Mericon - Rauma, Finland
Matsucon - Oulu, Finland
Gingacon - Tampere, Finland
Northern Lights Anime Party - Rovaniemi, Finland

My favorite event was Nekocon, there's literally no competition of the first place. This doesn't mean I wouldn't have enjoyed the other conventions too, I really did! It's just that at Nekocon I actually was able to relax properly - this may have had something to do with staying at a spa hotel but anyway. I also like Kuopio as a city a lot and even though it was hot af outside I can't really complain; the weather was beautiful and the convention was very well hosted. 
It's also probably because it was literally the only convention of the year where I didn't work or compete. Again, don't get me wrong. I enjoy competing and working at conventions - even as an organizer, like I did in Mericon. Sometimes it's just good to relax for the weekend, enjoy the hobby and get photos of your costume without having a rush. 

STUFF I DID IN CONVENTIONS

I competed at Matsucon, Gingacon and Northern Lights Anime Party.
I was a volunteer worker at Kummacon and Matsucon.
I was one of the organizers behind Mericon (and in 2025 I will be the person responsible for the cosplay competition and everything related to that so the mantle of the main organizer isn't on my shoulders anymore).
I hosted a book talk at Kummacon. 

🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑

I also debuted two new costumes; Alicia from the original Moominvalley series and Kiki from the Ghibli movie Kiki's Delivery Service. Seemingly I had some sort of a witchy theme in 2024; I assure you, it was not intended but it just happened lol. I also half-considered making Klee from Genshin Impact at some point of the year but never got around that, would have fit the theme though.

Thanks Shiro Samurai for the compilation pic! ^.^

I cosplayed Alicia at Kummacon and Northern Lights Anime Party.
I cosplayed Kiki at Nekocon (Saturday), Matsucon (Saturday) and Gingacon.
At Mericon I wore a pirate-y tavern keeper inspired outfit. I also wore an alternative fashion outfit on Nekocon's Sunday.  

I have also kind of made a promise to myself and to the environment. Looking back I have made so many costumes that I wore only once or twice. This, however, never really fit in my values and sure doesn't these days. Some of the old cosplays are still wearable once I lose some weight but some don't even exist anymore.
Wasting resources like that isn't really cool and thus I have decided to make costumes that can be worn multiple times - and which are easy to modify once I lose some of the weight (even the pictures don't really show how obese I really am so yes, this is from a health point of view since I don't want to get a damn cardiac arrest at this point of my life). Make it about quality, not quantity - that's my new motto for this hobby.

🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑

Overall I consider 2024 a good year. 
I already have plans for 2025 too so if you're interested in them then stay tuned - the first convention of the year is right behind the corner! And no, it's not Desucon Frostbite; even though I would like to attend that one too at some point I didn't really have a chance to fight for the tickets so yeah, that's a no for me. Instead I'm going to attend a lot smaller convention in a familiar place; Konekocon, here I come! ❤
A big thank you goes to everyone who has accompanied me to conventions in 2024 - you were a huge part of my con experiences! ❤ Also a special thanks goes to Shiro Samurai who was my trusted photographer and travel companion; seriously, can't thank you enough.

Already looking forward to the cosplay year 2025! ✨

Until next time (which, very likely, is a circle lens review in the near future).

- Firith

Cosplay year 2017

I just noticed that I've completely forgotten the birthday of this blog. Well, going to publish my "birthday blog post" later - I still haven't edited all of the pics for it.

But.
Cosplay year 2017.

This year I concentrated more on photoshoots than conventions. Despite it I managed to host my first convention, Euran Mangapäivä II. And yes, it still feels surreal.
I made three new costumes, borrowed a few and photoshooted a couple of old cosplays. x)

I won't make a cosplay compilation pic because I'm lazy and studying InDesign at school right now, oops but continue reading, please - I will list all of the cosplays from this year.

My favourite cosplay this year

Avalon from StarStable Online. Photo © Picair.

Avalon - definitely my favourit one from year 2017. I spent a lot of time sewing and painting the robe and I'm very pleased with the result.

I actually would've wanted to compete with this costume but sadly my version isn't the most original one. In the game itself Avalon's face, hair and hands can't be seen. This is how I pretty much imagined him to look like.
I debuted this costume in Yukicon and wore it again when I modeled for my classmates.

The only contest cosplay this year

Teutonic Knights!Prussia from Hetalia: Axis Powers. Photo © Shiro Samurai.

Oh Prussia, Prussia...

I don't really like this cosplay that much. So many mistakes, I failed the make-up when I was in a hurry, I should've cut the wig... -__-"
But, well, I've made worse cosplays too. *looks at Conchita Wurst from 2015*

I borrowed the costume for Shiro Samurai at NärCon Sommar 2017. I've only worn this costume once and it was at Matsucon in March.

For a Swedish convention

Lord Cob from Tales from Earthsea. Pic © Shiro Samurai. edit by me.

 Yeah, lord Cob... I just wanted to make something simple for NärCon because making a huge costume wasn't even an option (lack of space) and I was too tired to make something difficult (I was working for the whole summer in a factory) so I made this genderfuck beautiful sorcerer from Tales from Earthsea.

Mainly making this was just a joke between me and Shiro Samurai but well, I like this character a lot anyways.

Costume is made by me. My uncle helped me to make the staff. Going to wear Cob for another photoshoot, hopefully in the near future! And probably for some conventions too, not sure yet. 

 

So, those are the costumes I made myself... Then the borrowed ones! x)

Just for photoshoot

Japan from Hetalia: Axis Powers. Photo © Shiro Samurai.

Yep, we photoshooted Japan again in 2017, in March (if I remember correctly). Costume was borrowed from Shiro Samurai. 

For Euran Mangapäivä

Sasuke Uchiha (own design). Photo © Shiro Samurai.

I borrowed this costume from Shiro Samurai, except for the kusanagi which I made myself back in 2013 (...it's almost five years old...). Because Shiro Samurai had wanted to wear his kimono!Itachi costume I decided to be the lil' bro for him. 
And I didn't have any costumes I could've worn... Ayame was my first choice but the jacket is in very bad condition and I'll repair it this year. I want to cosplay the awesome snek again! <3

(Believe it or not, Sasuke and Japan have the same wig.)


I also cosplayed mafia!Francis Bonnefoy in NärCon. I have a pic of him but, well, guess do I have the photo in this PC... Nope, it's in my crashtop laptop. -__-"

At Tracon I didn't cosplay anything - the lecture I was supposed to keep with one of my friends had to be cancelled and my grandfather died just a day before Tracon so... Yeah, I didn't have the hype to make that lecture myself and I'm very sorry about that.
I didn't have a ticket so I just hung around in the yard and gave photoshoots for the few of my friends. I'm going to publish some of those pics at some point - I still haven't had time to edit all of them and I'm very, very sorry about it too! D:

I know that I haven't been very active with blogging these days but well, personal things. Nothing bad but something that takes time - and money - a lot.

But I'll be back in business sooner than you think - and I promise that! <3

Sincerely yours,

Firith.

Cosplay year 2016 - the year of major f*ck ups

The title tells it all. This is the summary of the cosplay year 2016.

This was the year when I got absolutely nothing done. Yes, I ordered a shitload of new wigs and lenses + bought new fabrics, even started to make new costumes, but this year turned out to be more hectic and stressful than I could have imagined and cosplaying wasn't my priority number one.

(Btw, picture credits can be found on con summaries.)

But let's see what I actually did in 2016!

Yukicon 3.0 was held in Helsinki in February. I almost decided not to attend it since my physical health wasn't very great at the time but since I had been selected to host a lecture there I had to attend it... And I don't regret it.
Hosting a lecture for the first time was, of course, quite stressful and made me nervous but somehow I managed to stand in front of the audience for half an hour. And that's going to happen in Yukicon 4.0 too - I will be hosting a lecture about StarStable Online with my friend Merezone (who kindly recorded my lecture in this year's Yukicon)!

(The lecture is only in Finnish but basically I just spoke about the psychological and philosophical issues in the game series called Starshine Legacy.)

My costumes in Yukicon were these two:

Josh from Starshine Legacy in Saturday.

Gijinka!Darkrai from Pokémon in Sunday.

 I didn't make almost any effort for these costumes - like I said, my physical condition was shit and on top of that I was working as a helper teacher at the time I still think that all the symptoms I had were caused by stress so I didn't have that much free time either.
Anyway, I enjoyed this year's Yukicon a bit more than last year's, probably because it was held in a different building. When the con took place in Espoo the building there felt always very crowded and small. In Helsinki that problem didn't exist. Despite my constantly nauseous and tired feeling I enjoyed my first con of the year!

I was supposed to compete in Tampere Kuplii 2016 and that would have been my main reason to go there. Sadly I didn't manage to make my costume ready Chikane Himemiya, you're still my greatest enemy and it meant no competing for me. Anyway, I had already told my friends that I would attend it, at least for one day, so I couldn't skip it.
And yes, I attended it only for a one day and that was quite good decision - I didn't feel good at the con. I still don't know why, I just felt restless and tired at the same time for the whole Saturday. I'm not saying that the con itself would've been shitty or anything, I just wasn't feeling up to hanging out etc.

This year Tampere Kuplii was held in Tampere-talo (in the previous years it was held in the Finlayson area) and the change was... At least interesting. Well, I'm positive that things will be easier to organize there from now on.

My "cosplay" in Kuplii was casual!young!Severus Snape. I just didn't want to put on any "real" cosplay. You get what I mean.

I don't have anything else to say about Kuplii. Quite nice con, like it has always been. Hopefully next year I will get to compete there again.

Cosvision. Oh, Cosvision...
I don't think that I'm the only one thinking that the con itself wasn't very good. The location was good but Verkatehdas is simply just too small place to hold a convention if you actually want the convention to be big, For a smaller con the building would have been just fine, but... Ghh. Let's just say that I attended this con just to meet people whom I usually see, like, once in two years. I enjoyed their company but, sadly, I didn't enjoy the con almost at all.

I like the surrounding areas of Verkatehdas though; there were parks etc. in which it was easy to have photoshoots!

My cosplays for the Cosvision weekend were these:

2p!France from Hetalia: Axis Powers.

Ayame Sohma from Fruits Basket.

I didn't make anything myself for my 2p!France cosplay, I just bought everything for it(and actually the jeans belong to my Josh cosplay). I didn't even order a wig since my own hair was quite good for this cosplay at the time.
And Ayame... Well, it's one of my "if I don't have anything else, I'll take this with me" costumes. Nothing else to say about.

So, Cosvision was one of those "hang out with friends" cons to me. Except that this one was more expensive than the other "hanging out" cons I attended this year...

Tracon was held in Tampere-talo in September. It has always been one of those "I have to attend it!!" conventions since I begun cosplaying in Tracon 2012 nostalgia is strong with this one. I actually managed to make a costume for Tracon - sadly I'm not very pleased with it. You see, in the fabric shop I had to choose the fabric by color and not the material...
And I fucked it up at that point.

I also hosted a lecture in Tracon about Hetalia. I never found any kind of video material about it - it would've been nice to see it afterwards and look for things to improve but no can do. Maybe I'll learn with time.
This year, however, I didn't enjoy Tracon that much. I don't even know why; the con was well organized etc., but for some reason something felt very off.

Anyway, the cosplays...

North Italy from Hetalia: Axis Powers.

Ebony Darkness Dementia Raven Way from a fanfic My Immortal, written by Tara Gillesbie.

I made Italy specifically for Tracon and, well... It could've been worse but it could've been better. I'm likely to improve the costume, make-up etc. in the future when I find time and energy for it. Right now I don't feel up to it.

I bought a new wig for Ebony (I will link the store later if I find their website again) and improved her make-up. I also decided to wear different shoes this time. I think that I managed to improve her pretty well... Even though this was one of the most uncomfortable costumes I wore this year.

I also attended Kitacon this year; I happened to be in Northern Finland when the con was held. The con itself was one of those small cons where you just hang out with your friends. Sadly I just wasn't in the mood of attending the con and my own mood (a bit tired and a bit anxious) took revenge on me in the shape of anxiety attacks and feeling sick. I just don't like small places with a lot of people... Perhaps I'll get used to it at some point.

I still liked the con itself - if I happen to be in the north the next time the con is held, I will attend it. I can't let one bad experience ruin it for me.

I cosplayed - once again - Ayame Sohma.

Skecon - perhaps my favourite con this year!

At first I wasn't even supposed to attend it but, in the end, I decided to go there - and I haven't regretted my decision at all. The campus area was simply a great place for a convention, people were kind and the most important thing: I had fun.

This was also the first con in which I slept in a dorm can't find a better word for it and not in anyone's apartment/in a hotel room. At first I was a bit afraid to try it because my back and my left leg ache chronically but I found out quite soon that sleeping on a floor doesn't damage them any further.

The cosplays for the Skecon weekend:

Japan from Hetalia: Axis Powers.

...well, you know this snek quite well already.

I also competed with my Ayame costume; I didn't place (to be honest, I didn't even think that I would place) but I had fun - it was quite nice to compete after such a long time! I had actually forgotten how much I love to be on a stage. <3


But yeah, there it is - my cosplay year 2016. Hopefully 2017 will be at least a bit better - I already have some plans for it. I will also finish some other costumes when I have time and when I feel up to it. Hopefully I'll also get more pics of my costumes because I've been a bit lazy with photoshoots once again, oops...

But yeah, see you next time!

-Firith