Samarmalade Cosplay Interview: Cipher Byleth & the Impact of Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Interview conducted by Aesthel
The Cosplay Realm team got to chat with Samarmalade Cosplay about her newest project, her Cipher Byleth cosplay from Fire Emblem: Three Houses! We also chat about recent conventions Katsucon and PAX East as well as the impact of Fire Emblem: Three Houses! Fear the Deer!! 💛🦌
You can find Samarmalade Cosplay at Anime Boston and Portcon Maine coming up later this year!
Photography by OwlFeatherPhoto
CRM: Hello Samar! Could you please introduce yourself to the Cosplay Realm readers?
Samar: Hello there! I'm Samar and I am a very outgoing nerd living in Portland, Maine with my little lucky Black cat named Clover and my very vocal Parakeet Revali. I am a published game artist and work locally with studios in my city and also across the country.
CRM: How long have you been cosplaying for? What was your first introduction to the world of cosplay?
Samar: My first Anime convention was Anime Boston 2009 where I was first introduced to cosplay and I knew it was something I wanted to do. I fully got into cosplay when I was in college in 2012 where I met people with the same dorky interest. Being in a more judgement free city like Portland really allowed me to be more true with my self expression.
CRM: We love your cosplay of the Cipher art Byleth from Fire Emblem: Three Houses! What is it that drew you to this version of the character as opposed to their regular outfit?
Samar: I remember scrolling through Instagram for my idea board for Katsucon and instantly fell in love. I knew I wanted to cosplay a Fire Emblem Three Houses Character and really enjoyed the more illustrative look to Byleth’s Cipher Card outfit.
CRM: You mentioned that you made this whole cosplay! This seems like it must have been a huge project, can you walk us through some of the process behind it?
Samar: Oh boy this was a big project. I started this project back in January and had it completed right before Katsucon. This was my first introduction into using EVA foam so I made sure I did a lot of researching and templating before I went head on. Let us just say EVA Foam dust does not get off of a carpet easily so please if you have an actual work station - do it in there. My neighbors were always entertained watching me spray Plasti Dip outside in negative degree weather. I also learned investing in good acrylic paint will save you a lot of time and less coats of paint. Surprisingly I didn't have too much trouble creating my sword or any parts of the Pauldrons. The true battle was working with stretchy pleather and just hoping my sewing machine wouldn't bust on me. Spoiler my sewing machine is still recovering.
CRM: Not only did you make the cosplay, but you also made your prop, The Sword of the Creator. Prop making can be really overwhelming for some, how did you plan out and execute the creation of this prop?
Samar: I think just a good rule of making anything is giving yourself enough time. This is the second prop I ever made and really wanted to take my time with it. I made sure it was drawn out before I did any cutting. Also a fun tip having a really sharp box cutter and X-Acto Knife really makes cutting in details so much easier. Before I even started cutting though I knew I had to transport this on a plane. I had to cut the prop into 3 pieces ( the blade, the hilt, and the rain-guard)which all had knobs and holes that could stick into each other. For all the small details in the sword I used a dremel to mimic actual bone structure. Once I had all my base done I went ahead and coated the sword twice with Plasti Dip and painted layer by layer with acrylic paint. This took me about a week to do in total with my 9-5 job. Prop making is still a long process but if you space it out it isn’t overwhelming.
CRM: You recently shot this cosplay with OwlFeatherPhoto at Katsucon! What was it like shooting at such a huge and busy convention?
Samar: Shooting with OwlFeatherPhoto is always such a joy. He has done a few of my shoots that aren't on my cosplay instagram and he always captures realism and light so well. We shot during Golden Hour Saturday , outside, in the cold so there weren't many people outside. It was a lot of fun and I definitely recommend finding a not so busy spot at Katsucon since there are actually a lot of beautiful ones that aren't just the Gazebo.
CRM: Fire Emblem: Three Houses is known for its many different ways to play through the story, with each perspective revealing something new about the world. What do you think it is about this game that has resonated with so many different people?
Samar: Fire Emblem: Three Houses like many games I adore came to me at a time I really needed an escape. The idea of escape resonantes with so many gamers and lovers of the anime genre. The characters introduced to us are so diverse that it is so hard not to cling on to one..or two..or all of them.
CRM: Your favorite house in Three houses is the Golden Deer! Can you tell us what it is about this house that draws you to it?
Samar: Fear The Deer! Golden Deer house was the second house I played after Blue Lions. Claude was easily lovable and the entire house was a cast of misfits which are basically my group of friends. On a more serious note Golden Deer’s story hit home about racism and wanting to unite people. I am a first generation Arab American who vividly remember the ridicule I got post 9/11 so Claude’s message was something I truly believed in. If he is a character that had to deal with scrutiny about his background and still bring happiness to the world - I can to!
CRM: Another cosplay of yours that we love is your cosplay of Persephone from the webcomic Lore Olympus! What are some tips you have for cosplayers who are wanting to use body paint like this for the first time?
Samar: Body paint will get everywhere and there is nothing you can do about it. As someone with sensitive skin please make sure to do a test patch on your arm before you put it on your entire body. Snazaroo is a really great brand and since it is water activated it won't really start dripping off your skin unless it’s really hot out. Even with regular makeup I pack on Coty Airspun loose powder since it helps keep all your makeup and body paint in place.
CRM: You just attended PAX East recently! What was your weekend like there? Did you have any particular favorite displays or things you saw there?
Samar: PAX East is always a great con and the highlight of the show is always the Indie MegaBooth. Garden Story had the cutest booth and game about a little grape. Besides the games there Acquisitions Incorporated D&D session Saturday night was a riot and would highly recommend going to PAX for just that.
CRM: Can you tell us about any upcoming convention or cosplay plans that you have?
Samar: I am attending Anime Boston this year and will be bringing Byleth with me along with a cosplay I am currently working on that may or may not be Mothman. I staff Portcon Maine this summer and my cosplays for that are TBD.
CRM: Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! Is there anything else that you would like to say to the Cosplay Realm readers?
Samar: This is a really fantastic magazine guys. It truly takes a lot of work,love and effort to create a visible safe space for cosplayers.
CRM: Please let the Cosplay Realm readers know where they can find more of your work online!
Samar: My instagram Samarmaladecosplay and my personal Instagram Samarmalade will have my older progress work and cosplays before I made a specific one. If you are into gaming please check out Tooth & Tail which features a lot of my work.