Manifest 2001 : Cast of Final Fantasy VIII

Manifest 2000 was my first ever convention, and the first time I'd ever seen cosplayers. If my memory serves me correctly, they were two girls cosplaying characters from Mahou Tsukaitai! and our own dear Amy cosplaying Lime from Saber Marionettes J. The next year, I vowed, I'd be a cosplayer myself.

During the next year, Thingalon had the brilliant idea of us cosplaying the FF8 crew, since he and I had both started playing it at the same time, and we just dragged everyone else along with us. I wound up making not only my own costume, but also Luke's and most of Skyehawke's and Thingalon's. Gray pulled his costume out of nowhere, and Alicia must have gotten the same deal on yellow fabric that I did.

Please forgive the badness of the photos - these were taken with film, and scanned in at least a year later.

L - R: Me, Thingalon, Gray, Alicia, Skyehawke, Luke

L - R: Thingalon, Skyehawke, Luke, me

Remember, this was my first cosplay, and first time sewing. Of course I forgot to take my glasses off.

Cyph even got Gray a little butterfly for his trademark pose

... we had to, okay?

With Cyph in the Manifest happi coat

Can you believe the entire Cosplay Competition fit into the same room we now have cel painting in?

The finalists!
Guess who won? You wouldn't believe that she's still winning Cosplay Competitions (and Anime Idol) now, would you?