Monday, July 25, 2016

Challenge: The trouble with my Leon cosplay

Since 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the Biohazard/Resident Evil survival horror franchise, I think this is the ideal moment that I could try dress as one of the characters but I have gone for the one character that has the most impact in the franchise is...you guessed it, a policeman-turned-government agent named Leon S. Kennedy.

Of course? Why Leon you may asked? He appeared in game installments such as Biohazard 2, 4, The Darkside Chronicles, and 6, as well as movie installments such as Degeneration, Damnation, Retribution, and next year's Vendetta 3D anime movie. Yes. He's back for more in next year's 3DCG Biohazard/Resident Evil film in case you missed it.

Which Leon cosplay did I tried? From Biohazard 6, of course, but which one from the game? For me, I replicate his outfit from his China arrival alongside Helena Harper during their pursuit against Simmons, the mastermind behind the Tall Oaks incident that killed over 70,000 people, including the President.

Took a lot of trouble replicating his second outfit from RE6, not to mention the sour moment today's society we're facing with such as ongoing gun violence reports. Look, I wasn't going to flash a (pretend) weapon to scare anyone around me, I want to look as real as the character I am cosplaying at. Sadly, political correctness got the better of me, so I arrived...unarmed.


Venue? I went at this year's Chinatown Seafair Parade to join alongside Team Sakura-con cosplayers promoting next year's convention, which is going to be a big one due to its 20th anniversary next year. Anyway, how things going along?





Good at the very start but I'm started to lose my "gentleman-ism" when girls in their Love Live cosplays appeared. I once tried to grabbed some Loveliver's arm while asking to take a picture but some guy dressed as Gray from Fairy Tail stopped me. 

Wow, guess I lost my sanity every time I saw someone dressed as an idol girl so whoever you are, and let's put a dump behind this, I'm sorry.

As I shyed away from idol girls, I took pictures of other attendees in a mannerism kind of way. Just a simple please and thank you would be nice, and while I'm, like the others, standing in the line for over two to three and a half hours, I began toying around with my Pokemon Go game like anyone does. As the parade starts, I tried to keep myself focused to the crowd while dealing with the wild Pokemon popping out from the game.

Several kilometers later, we made it. The parade's over, and we all have a well-deserved rest.

A little top tip for myself: Always listen to today's society before pulling such kind of outfit and lastly for me, be respectful while asking someone to take a picture. A "please" and "thank you" can do the job nicely. Ugh, guess I should act normal, even when I spot an idol girl cosplay next time. Idols..

Still, I got some shots from the parade so you want to see the whole recap:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1090456807714583.1073742104.119605654799708&type=1&l=a54beadd85


So, the outfit that Leon wore on RE6 during his arrival on China alongside Helena, how it's done anyway? Well, from top to bottom; a golden brown hairdo, a blue long-sleeved polo shirt, a black outdoor vest (a summer one, as long that's not too thick), a tactical belt, two handgun leg holsters (one for the left and another for the right), black trousers, and some black leather shoes. Oh, and finding a shoulder holster sounds too tricky, try buying a crossed suspenders for a change and then try attaching two stuff that corresponds to his outfit, a tactical pouch on your right and a rubber knife with a sheath on your left. That should do the trick.

Due to weapons restrictions, depending on where you are, it is advised not to bring even the most pretend firearms or you will be in trouble. If allowed, you can arm yourself with two SIG P226 airsoft guns with the laser attachments (sold separately) connected on it, as long as you make it inoperable and non-firing for cosplay use. Removing the trigger is okay but there are complicating ways to make it unfunctional for cosplay use. Even with the orange tip that serves proof that it's a replica sounds not enough and if today's society got you real good, best to turn up, with no weapon props at all. That sounds not nice, in fact, I wonder how many Biohazard/Resident Evil cosplayers can turn up in conventions with or without pretend firearms. Hmmm....

Anyway, despite that, dressing as Leon is enough to honor Biohazard's 20th year and next time, hope I won't cause any trouble while wearing this outfit anytime and so are the others. (Sigh...)

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