Welcome to my cosplay galleries
As kid growing up in Asia, I’ve always been influenced by the Japanese geek culture, one of the hobbies I had since middle school is Cosplay. I’ve been rocking the cosplay scene since 1998. Throughout the years, I’ve had the pleasure of portraying a diverse array of characters, ranging from the lovable Woody and the little green army soldier from Toy Story, to the mystical sorcerer Dr. Strange.
One of the most exhilarating aspects of cosplaying, for me, is the creation of prop and costume. Crafting props and designing costumes allows me to delve deeper into the essence of the characters I embody. In 2022, I’ve started to learn about sewing. Since then, I’ve been able to expand my skills and bring even more authenticity to my cosplay.
miscellaneous
The majority of these pictures were taken during my middle school years, so the image quality may not be exactly high-definition. Some are more recent, but I didn’t capture enough shots to create a dedicated album. Nonetheless, each image holds a special place in my cosplay journey, representing the growth and evolution of my craft over time. While the quantity may be limited, the significance and memories attached to each photograph are irreplaceable. Together, they weave a narrative of passion, creativity, and the joy of embracing the characters I adore.
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
One Piece – Monkey D Luffy, Mr 3 and Red-Haired Shanks
I think this has got to be the most characters I’ve cosplayed within a single non-Disney owned intellectual property (MCU and Disney universe as a whole don’t count, of course lol). As mentioned in my portfolio, I’ve long been an admirer of Eiichiro Oda’s remarkable work. Sadly I don’t have a lot of high-resolution photos from my earlier cosplays, particularly of Luffy’s. Nonetheless, the joy and enthusiasm I experienced while bringing these characters to life is priceless.
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Harry Potter and Newt Scamander
Harry Potter has been an integral part of my teenage years, and as a proud Slytherin, I have always been a devoted fan of the books until a certain witch who shall not be named was cancelled. While I don’t have many photos of myself cosplaying as Harry Potter, I do have a collection portraying me as a Slytherin student, embracing the house’s cunning and ambition.
When it comes to Newt Scamander, I made this costume for the premiere of the second Fantastic Beasts movie with fellow local Potter enthusiasts. I’m especially proud that I made the Niffler paw sticking out of the suitcase LOL. Because Newt was a Magizoologist, I couldn’t help but imagine him indulging in Pokémon catching during his lifetime. Hence, I incorporated a Poké Ball as a prop, seamlessly blending two magical worlds together.
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Toy Story @ Times Square & HK Disneyland
Woody was one of my older costumes, I think I’ve had it since middle school but unfortunately, I never had the opportunity for a proper photoshoot back then due to the limited availability of digital cameras. However, when the third Toy Story movie was released, as part of the promotion event, there was a set of Andy’s room in Times Square, one of the biggest shopping mall in Hong Kong, providing an incredible backdrop for capturing memorable photos with the statues of the characters from the film.
As for the green army soldier costume, I’ve had the chance to wear it on two occasions. The first was on Halloween 2018, and the second time was during Halloween 2019 at Hong Kong Disneyland. The experience became even more enchanting when I received a salute from none other than Buzz Lightyear himself during his meet and greet. It was a delightful interaction that added an extra touch of magic to the festivities.
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Hobbit cosplay @ Prospect Park, Brooklyn
The costume is made for the screening of “the Hobbit” movie. The photoshoot, though, was shot in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, it was also taken 2 days before Hurricane Sandy hitting NYC, which makes the trip extra memorable.
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Halloween 2012 – ゲゲゲの鬼太郎
ゲゲゲの鬼太郎 (GeGeGe no Kitaro) is a popular manga and anime series created by Shigeru Mizuki. It revolves around the adventures of Kitaro, a young yokai (supernatural creature) who protects humans and yokai alike from various supernatural threats. My costume is based on the live action movie version.
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Bookweek 2018 – Zootopia
This year, our team our team dressed up as Zootopia characters for our group costume. I was Nick Wilde the fox, while my coworkers embodied the spirited characters of Judy Hopps and Mayor Dawn Bellwether. It was just a simple year, bought most everything online. However, I did put in the effort to grow out and dye my hair orange, adding an authentic touch to my portrayal of Nick Wilde. A for effort LOL
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Halloween 2016 – Babadook
The Babadook is a sinister and haunting character from the 2014 Australian psychological horror film of the same name. It has a shadowy figure wearing a top hat and long coat, the Babadook instills fear and dread in those who encounter it. In the film, it represents a manifestation of grief and repressed emotions that haunt the main characters.
The mask features a paper upper half and a plastic lower half, with ping pong balls cut in half serving as the eerie eye balls. For the teeth, I sculpted them from clay and adorned the mask with faux fur, matching the same material used for the coat. An added bonus is that the coat can be reused to keep warm during cold winter days.
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Halloween 2017 – Ronald McDonald
This is a unique clown mash-up, drawing inspiration from two iconic characters. The outfit combines elements from Heath Ledger’s Joker, while the makeup takes cues from Pennywise in the 2017 movie IT. As much as I loved bringing this combination to life, I had to do this one after school hours as the makeup is actually quite scary. After all, I didn’t want to be responsible for any crying kids on campus!
#RonaldMcDonald #McD #Joker #HeathLedger #HeathLedgerJoker #Pennywise #IT #IT2017 #Halloween#HKDisney
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Halloween 2019 – Héctor Rivera from Coco at Hong Kong Disneyland
Hector is a fun one to do, especially when the entire team gets involved. One of the most challenging aspects of this cosplay is the fact that Hector is dead. His skull can be detached from his body, therefore, I came up with the idea of using a paper mask, allowing me to easily remove the face, and then I can put a wig and a hat on. This creates the illusion of a headless body, adding an extra touch of whimsy and humor to the cosplay. LOL! It’s all about finding creative ways to bring characters to life and enjoying the thrill of imaginative transformations.
Recuērdame, hoy me tengo que ir, mi amor…
#Coco #Disney #DisneyCoco #Hector #MamaImelda #TheRiveras #Cosplay #HKDisney
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Halloween 2020 – Forrest Gump
In the midst of the pandemic year of 2020, when traditional trick-or-treating was not an option, I decided to go for a more low-key Halloween celebration. I purchased most everything online, however, I wanted to add a personal touch, so I painted the smiley face on the mask I wore. I almost couldn’t make it on time, as the some of the items barely arrived the night before Halloween. Thankfully, everything fell into place, allowing me to fully immerse myself in the Halloween spirit despite the challenging circumstances.
#ForrestGump #BubbaGumpShrimp #RunForrestRun #Halloween2020 #Halloween #StupidIsAsStupidDoes #LifeIsLikeABoxOfChocolates
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Bookweek 2020 – A Series Of UnFortunate Events
On Wednesday, June 3rd, was Book Week dress-up day. Therefore I’ve decided to dress up as Count Olaf from “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” while one of my coworkers dressed up as the Queen of Hearts from “Alice in Wonderland.” Unfortunately (no pun unintended), the event took place during the height of the pandemic, with students just returning from online learning for about a week. As a result, the participation was relatively low, and my coworker and I were among the few who dressed up that day. Nonetheless, we embraced the opportunity to bring beloved literary characters to life and enjoyed our time immersing ourselves in the enchanting world of books.
#BookWeek #DressUp #CountOlaf #ASOUE #ASeriesOfUnFortunateEvents #QueenOfHearts #AliceInWonderland #Cosplay #Nerd #Nerdlife #TeamVillain #FollowTheWhiteRabbit
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Bookweek 2021 – Black and White Sherlock Holmes
This year I’m portraying the illustrations from the old Sherlock Holmes books. Since the images in those books are printed in black and white, I’ve painted my face in greyscale. I wanted to enhance the hardboiled detective vibe. Instead of the traditional hat, I opted for a fedora hat (I had an Oliver twist style hat in some of the photos though LOL) I’m thrilled to embody the classic detective aesthetic and pay homage to the timeless Sherlock Holmes character.
However, some coworkers jokingly asked if I was channeling “50 Shades of Grey,”
#SherlockHolmes #SherlockSam #50ShadesOfGrey #NoFilter #DataDataData #CantMakeBricksWithoutClay
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Halloween 2021 – Hades (Disney’s Hercules)
Hades was Plan B for this Halloween LOL.
I had originally planned to dress up as Mystique, but unfortunately, I couldn’t finish the costume in time for the school’s dress-up day. However, I quickly came up with an alternative plan. Luckily, I found some gray nylon gloves to cover my arms instead of dealing with the mess of body paint. It would have been quite a challenge! I’m grateful to my office mates for helping me with my hair and makeup. Their assistance made all the difference!
#Halloween #Halloween2021 #Hades #Hercules #DisneyHercules
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Bookweek 2022 – Snufkin from the Moomin Valley
Snufkin is a beloved character from the Moomin book series created by Finnish author Tove Jansson. He is a carefree and wanderlust-driven creature known as a “Hemulen.” Snufkin is often depicted as a lanky, hat-wearing figure, dressed in green with a harmonica around his neck.
#Bookweek2022 – #Snufkin #Moomins #Mumintroll #Cosplay #90sCartoons #JapanAnime
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Halloween 2022 – La Familia Madrigal
Ok, we don’t talk about Bruno. However, what I can say about this Encanto cosplay is that I took on the challenge of sewing the costume myself for the very first time. This included crafting Bruno’s intricate ruana and the furry top and bottom for the dancing donkey. It was a remarkable experience to see my ideas transform into tangible reality.
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0
Bookweek 2023 – Dr Strange
During Halloween, I had the opportunity to reconnect with a friend from New York who also cosplayed as Doctor Strange. I’m ‘m fascinated by the way he did his magic shield, which was created with the spinning LED lights that could display personalized messages. Inspired by his creation, I decided to put my own spin on it (no pun intended). Instead of using LED fans, I crafted my shield using sturdy Plexiglass and drew runes on its back. Since in the movie, Dr. Strange collects spell books from across the multiverse, I imagined him having a copy of the iconic book from “Hocus Pocus.” Thus I made a replica as well.
© by @SalmonNugget, CC by NC-SA 3.0