Saturday, October 8, 2011

Fighting Evil by Moonlight...

Buddy Holly and I decided on Halloween costumes today. Obviously the year's most important decision. I went through a number of ideas. Let's look at whatever ones I can recall, shall we?


Little Sister from the Bioshock series: "Hop hop Mr. B, there's no time to waste." Perfect for Halloween. So creepy. Not the most difficult costume but it requires hunting for just the right dress, for which I do not have the time.

Velma from Scooby-Doo: "Jinkies, I lost my glasses!" This was actually last year's idea which never came to fruition. An easy pairing for Buddy Holly, as Shaggy. And Drake made a fine Scooby. Very simple costumes to recreate. Red skirt, orange top, red shoes, already have glasses, no fuss.

Anyone from Firefly: Really, Halloween is where I live out my Cosplay fantasies. But I don't have the funding for that, which is also why my life is not as Steampunk as I'd like.

Spider-Woman not Girl: My play of choice on Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (when I'm not rocking it as Colossus). But this is the closest I've got and just no. Take a peek at the other Women of Marvel options. Please note that half of these costumes are male characters. Fail. Here's a great article on that. So, short of swathing myself in red and yellow duct tape (which was actually my plan if Buddy Holly wanted to go as Iron Man and then popping one of these onto his chest), Spider Woman is out. 

Batgirl from DC Comics: Hot Topic is selling costume t-shirts, which are pretty awesome. Oh man, black leggings and a black mask, and you have one of the most comfortable Halloween costumes ever.

The Pink Ranger from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Hot Topic is also selling Power Ranger t-shirts. We both LOVED this show. Buddy Holly can go as the Red Ranger and I will be the idol of my youth, Kimberly Hart.

Oracle another of Barbara Gordon's aliases: At some point in the DC timeline, Barbara Gordon is rendered paralyzed (I think she's shot by the Joker), and becomes wheelchair bound. Eventually, she turns this handicap into a new persona, Oracle. With her genius, tech skills, and hacking abilities, Barbara becomes an information conduit, gathering and disseminating data to Batman, allied heroes, and law enforcement (something like Mr. Universe from Serenity, "Everything goes somewhere, and I go everywhere"). I joke with Buddy Holly that I am the Oracle at my job, the keeper and sharer of information. Anyway, an easy costume to achieve, if one can procure a wheelchair. 

I have a Snow White costume (for which my hair is now too long), I have a Renaissance costume (which I will probably wear for work), and there's the always easy to recreate cat, witch, and Wednesday Addams (whom I greatly resemble).

But this year, oh man, this year, I have the best costume of all. Because this year, I am "the agent of love and courage, the pretty sailor suited soldier, Sailor Jupiter"! In truth, I've always felt closest to Sailor Mercury, a bookish Virgo with whom I share a birthday, even my car, a Mercury, is named 'Ami' for her. But, Sailor Mercury has cropped blue hair and I, sadly, do not. Jupiter is the Senshi (warrior) of bravery, lightning, wisdom, and trees. She loves to cook, is imbued with great physical strength, and is the only Senshi with an antennae sticking out of her tiara (to attract the lightning). Sailor Jupiter is my second favorite and we're both brunettes, so I'm SUPER excited to go as her for Halloween because, again, living out my Cosplay fantasies. Oh man, if my hair were longer, I would dye it green so I could go as Sailor Pluto. Anyway, anyway, my costume will not be nearly so awesome as this but it will suffice on a budget. 

At about the age of ten, I developed a deep love for Sailor Moon. My brother recorded a handful for me onto a VHS and from there I was hooked. I watched what episodes I could catch glimpses of without having cable, rented or bought the movies, and spent quite a bit of money trying to build up a manga collection. Everything else I gleaned from the internet and, I swear to you, it is all still in my head. Character names, name meanings, histories, attacks, colors, likes, dislikes, plot lines, villains, mythology, everything. Sailor Mercury is the Senshi of knowledge, amongst other things, and is the only Senshi with a visor which provides her detailed data about the youma (monster) they are fighting. Sailor Saturn is the youngest of the Solar System Senshi and, in true Japanese style, is the keeper of the strongest attack (excepting Sailor Moon's use of the Imperium Crystal) which will destroy the world. Sailor Chibi (small) Usa is not named for the North American country, but Usa is short for Usagi, which means rabbit; a name she shares with her mother, Sailor Moon. The costumes they wear are called fukus, singular fuku. Etc.

What I loved most about the 'verse was the methodical attention to detail. Cross-cultural mythologies and history are married with astrology, blood types, colors, gem meanings, powers and every detail is synced. Well done, Naoko Takeuchi, well done. I think I'll see if I can dig out my manga.

Oh, and Buddy Holly is going as Captain America. Just fyi.

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