Kawaii Besu Interview … the real Widowmaker!

We catch-up with the amazing Kawaii Besu Cosplay (aka Beth!)… cosplayer, model and costume designer. Beth began modeling and cosplaying in 2010 and creates costumes based on characters from anime, comic books, and pop culture.

Welcome to Impulse Besu (Beth), so how did you come up with your cosplay name of Kawaii Besu?

“Kawaii Besu” is a play on words of the Japanese phrase “kawaii desu” which means “it’s cute.” My first name, Beth, pronounced in Japanese would be “Besu,” so I thought it was pretty clever!

Photo Cosfame

What drew you to cosplay?

I’ve been making costumes since I was very young, but I didn’t know about cosplay until I worked an event at San Diego Comic Con in 2010. I was encouraged to dress up, so I spent hours researching the perfect comic book character for me and ended up cosplaying Emma Frost from X-Men! It was love from the moment I stepped on the con floor.

But what really draws me to cosplay as a hobby is the challenge that comes with building a costume from all kinds of resources — artwork, screenshots from movies and tv, video game skins — and learning the skills necessary to make bigger and better builds! Whenever I’m deciding on a new cosplay, I try to use it as a way to level up as a costumer, whether I have to learn how to solder LEDs, dremel EVA foam, or drape fabric on a dress form.

Photos Nels

As a model and costume designer, do you think that helped with your cosplay creations?

Oh yes, definitely! I did fashion modeling for a few years before I discovered cosplay, and learning how to pose has helped me immensely. I give panels at conventions across the country that teach cosplayers the basics and techniques that have helped my photos the most!

I also encourage cosplayers who want to improve their skills to take a beginner sewing class. I took one at a local community college a few years back and I learned how to finish seams, read patterns, and what interfacing was for — plus I had a professor who I could ask questions about class material and outside projects.

Photo Aaron Linniman

What’s the coolest aspect about cosplay for you?

For me, the coolest things about cosplay are the pride I feel when wearing a costume for the first time and making friends at conventions!

Photo Stuckey Media

Where do you get your inspirations from?

Generally speaking, I get a lot of inspiration from my favorite media, and I tend to do a lot of anime and video game cosplays. I also follow a ton of cosplayers on Instagram, Facebook, and Tumblr, and I frequently take screenshots and notes of work I think is really excellent! It also encourages me to put out more of my own tutorials and WIP photos so that I can help other cosplayers who are working on similar things!

Photos Cosfame

What’s been your most challenging costume so far?

My most challenging cosplay was definitely Elise from League of Legends. All those giant spider legs and making patterns with EVA foam (without a dress form at the time) was difficult! My most challenging prop has been Widowmaker’s sniper rifle. I made the shape by layering EVA foam, so I had to do a lot of guesswork about how the structure of the gun would be put together. I also made the gun in two separate pieces so that I can travel with it!

You love anime, comic books, video games and pop culture, what’s the geekiest thing you own?

Ooh, this is a tough one! I’m not much of a collector, so I don’t have anything rare or impressive to show off. I think the geekiest thing I own is a poster I created using high resolution colorized map images taken from the Mars Viking Orbiter. I put this massive file into Photoshop and labelled each Mars landing site on the map from Mars 3 in 1971 to Curiosity in 2012. I gave it to my boyfriend for his birthday, so it’s technically not mine, but it’s definitely very geeky!

Photo Lumonic

Tell us about your amazing Widomaker (Overwatch) cosplay?

My Widowmaker costume is one of my all-time favorite cosplays! It’s made up of a bodysuit, visor, arm bracer, shoulder pauldron, boot covers, shoes, and gloves. And of course a lot of body paint! I started the cosplay by working on the pieces I made out of EVA foam and then later drafted the bodysuit and worked on details. I vectorized the Widowmaker skin files from the game to create the “stripe” pattern on the legs of the bodysuit. I’m working on improving it for PAX West, so version 2.0 will be even better!

What’s your favourite video game at the moment?

My favorite game at the moment is Overwatch! Surprising, I know. :P I’ve also been playing a lot of Pokemon and getting excited for Sun and Moon to come out in November!

Photo Cosfame

As a cosplayer, what do you love about conventions?

I love making friends, I love showing off my cosplays, and I love hanging out with my dad! Haha :P I’m really lucky that I’m able to attend and guest a lot of the same conventions that my dad is invited to as a voice actor!

If you had unlimited time and money, which character would you create and why?

One of my dream cosplays is Sarah Kerrigan (infested). There’s a lot that I’ll need to learn how to do before I feel comfortable trying to pull it off, but I think it will happen someday!

Photo Lumonic

Lastly, what does the rest of 2016 hold for you Beth?

Con season for me is beginning to slow down, but I have a few surprise announcements coming up before the end of the year! I’m also getting ready to launch my Patreon and everyone who supports me will be able to vote on my next cosplay polls! I’ll be doing at least one cosplay voted on through Patreon before the end of the year, so give me a follow or like on social media to get a chance to be part of the fun! :)

Kawaii Besu Gallery

Photo Nels