Cosplayer Feature: Kale
“Cosplay is a way for me to step outside myself. It’s a challenge, a community, and a project all rolled into a package that can be as big and complex, or small and simple as I need it to be.”
Kale (aka @Cryptid_CatcusCos) is an addictions worker returning to school for their MSc in Psychotherapy. When not cosplaying, they spend Canada’s warmer months hiking and camping, and the cooler ones playing video games and napping.
How long have you been doing cosplay?
I started cosplaying waaaay back sometime in the mid 2000’s - ‘04 or 05. But I didn’t really start taking it seriously until 2017, after taking a couple years away from it. Seeing people in cosplay and learning what it was definitely inspired me to join in. Seeing how far cosplay has come is amazing! Things have changed so much!
Who is your favorite Lore Olympus character to cosplay?
Definitely Hera. I bought the paints to cosplay Ares and thought I might as well try Hera too - I greatly underestimated how much I ended up loving her as a character and a cosplay! One of my big cosplay goals is to wear her to a con.
Tell us your Lore Olympus story.
I was coming off a tumblr binge where I found a blog writing a story about modern day Icarus, Apollo, and Helios. I hit the end of what was written and was fully invested in finding more mythology stories- then I remembered that Lore Olympus had been recommended to me several times. It was around Ep 80 at the time, and I read it for about three days straight to catch up.
I love the characters. The story of Hades and Persephone has always been sweet to me, and the art style was really soothing. I also love how it’s dealing with some of the sensitive issues that are coming up, and giving some of the side characters really interesting development. It keeps me really invested in what’s happening next, and builds a story beyond what’s been told by mythology.
What is the most memorable cosplay?
Wicked Lady. Sailor Moon was a huge part of my childhood, and my first introduction to anime. My childhood friend and I cosplayed Wicked Lady and Mistress 9 together in 2019 after talking about it for almost a decade. I really pushed myself with that costume, and I styled the wig too. It was the biggest project I had ever undertaken for cosplay, and I’m still proud of the wig and the dress, though I know now all the ways I want to improve both.
What other fandoms are you in? What’s special about the Lore Olympus fandom?
Having been around a while, I’ve been in and out of a couple fandoms. The ones that seem to stick around are Sailor Moon, Marvel, Kingdom Hearts, and Yu-Gi-Oh, though there’s a handful of lesser known older fandoms I still dabble in as well. I like to joke that my brand is 90’s nostalgia. Recently, Demon Slayer has been big for me too.
In regards to Lore Olympus, I find it's really unique in that I’ve made so many friends so quickly. Usually I’m quite the introvert and don’t talk to a lot of people, but with this fandom people reach out to you, talk to you, and it’s really easy to make friends! I’ve found so much support and acceptance in the Lore Olympus fandom. I didn’t start cosplaying LO until our first lockdown started, and it was a great way to engage with and stay in touch with people while stuck at home.
If you could body snatch one LO character for a day, who would it be?
I thought about this one a lot, and I would have to say either Eros or Hermes. Leaning more towards Eros because Hermes seems to be in the thick of it a bit, while my boy Eros just gets to vibe out with Persephone, menace Apollo, and be oblivious to his own little love story. I think I would love to have the fly on the wall perspective to Persephone and Hades' emerging love story that Eros has, with a side of being a menace to naysayers.
What does cosplay mean to you?
First and foremost, cosplay is a way for me to step outside myself. It’s a challenge, a community, and a project all rolled into a package that can be as big and complex, or small and simple as I need it to be.
Any advice for a new cosplayer out there?
Do it at your own pace and don’t compare yourself to others. You don’t need the expensive wigs, or amazing sewing skills. Cosplay characters that make you feel happy and confident with yourself, and go from there.
Just for fun: Who did you get on the Hades’ dog character quiz?
Mushroom - If he’s not eating, he’s sleeping. That is 100% accurate.
OTHER FEATURES:
Courtney is a style and fashion addict, sharing some really interesting insights on Lore Olympus characters.