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The Real Face of Cosplayers vol. 4: Lisa Nitou— February 10th is “Nitou Day”

コスプレイヤーの素顔 vol.4 仁藤りささん ~2月10日は「にとーの日」~
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The Real Face of Cosplayers vol. 4: Lisa Nitou— February 10th is “Nitou Day”

A mysterious office worker, Lisa Nitou, who is also a model and sometimes a cosplayer, announced February 10th as “Nitou Day” (because 2 is Ni and 10 is Tou in Japanese), and she is making a special plan on that day. Let’s see her real face which is hidden in a veil of mystery.


Influenced by her Family and Becomes an Otaku
家族の影響でオタクに

Lisa: Originally, all my family members liked anime and games, so I was influenced by them and became an otaku. (laugh)
Especially, “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” is special to me like no other! My favorite character is Guido Mista from part 5. I also like Joseph Joestar and Giorno Giovanna, main characters from part 2 and part 5. By the way, my favorite stand is also Mista’s Sex Pistols. It’s so cute! I don’t have the photo data, but I did a cosplay of personification of Sex Pistols. (laugh)


After Coming Up to Tokyo, Became so into Cosplaying!
上京してコスプレにガチハマり!

I’m from Fukuoka prefecture. I was studying as well as working as a campaign model. After graduating from school, I went up to Tokyo to get a job.

I started cosplaying after going to an anime club event. Anime club is an event which you enjoy anime music at clubs. Many of the participants were cosplaying. After seeing them, I thought I wanted to try as well and started cosplaying for characters such as Jolyne Cujoh, Haruhi Suzumiya and Rei Ayanami.

Then I started to feel like I want to keep my cosplay in photos and bought Digital Single Lens Reflex camera. After that, I became so into cosplaying. (laugh)
I cosplayed as Udonge and Hong Meirin from “Touhou Project”, Vocaloids such as Miku Hatsune and Rin Kagamine, and GUMI.

I was so crazy about cosplaying for “Hetalia: Axis Powers” that I did cosplaying for the anime for 3 years as my friends also liked it! As a compilation of love toward the anime, me and my friends made a photo booklet together. (laugh)

I hate compromising, so I created almost all the costumes without using ready-made ones and was very particular about even the small pieces. I looked for the best place for shooting and went to Hokkaido, so I just ignored the budget.
From all these work, a photo booklet was created with 30 characters and 88 pages. I even chose an expensive cover for it. (laugh)

After that I felt like I did all I can, so I took a rest from cosplaying for a while.


Becoming a Model for Photography Event. Strategy is the Strength!?
撮影会モデルに、強みは理系脳!?

I had a plenty of time after quitting cosplaying, and that was when my friend who is a photographer introduced me to becoming a model of photography events.

Nitou_cosplay_2018_012

I was thinking that starting off on the right foot is essential, so I thought thoroughly for my debut.
I used costumes that could trigger fetish to some people because I thought making an impact was important and others seemed like they were not wearing such costumes. I wore a turtleneck sweater and swimsuit on top. I held the shirttail in my mouth, showing my belly button. (laugh)
Also, to make it easy for people to remember my name, I created “Mysterious Office Worker” as my nickname.
The two strategies may have led to the success, and thankfully, I had many complements and was able to work as a model for photography events.

I always enjoyed thinking. I think I could be very strategic.

For photography events, I choose the costume, decide the personality of the character which suit the costume and practice to play the role.
I think it can be divided into four classifications: cutie, energetic, beauty and cool.

Cutie/可愛い系

Cutie/可愛い系

Healthy/元気系

Energetic/元気系

Beauty/キレイ目系

Beauty/キレイ目系

Cool/クール系

Cool/クール系

After that, I decide which part I want to show the most such as hip and waist. Then this automatically decides the posing. I think of photogenic poses and practice for the event.

I used to take photos, so I know what kind of photos are wanted from photographer’s point of view, and that may be an advantage.


Coming back to cosplaying and meeting with Gwenpool!
コスプレ復活!そしてグウェンプールとの出会い

I cosplayed for the first time in a while at Comiket, and it was so much fun! I thought my origin was here.
I cosplayed as Ouka from “Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel” for that time.

Nitou_cosplay_2018_017

After that, I became a huge fan of a character named Gwenpool!

I always liked the worldview of American comics, but I didn’t have a favorite character.
Then I met Deadpool and fell in love. (laugh) A cute female character “Gwenpool” came out, so I thought I should definitely cosplay as her.

Nitou_cosplay_2018_018

Nitou_cosplay_2018_019

And if I’m going to cosplay, I wanted to express the worldview of American comics through photography, so I decided to make a photo booklet.

I was very particular about details again.
From making costumes and tools to forming a shooting team, borrowing a shooting studio… and more, I could not compromise.


Cosplaying is about How to Get Closer to the Original.
コスプレは原作にいかに近づけるか

This is what I was thinking from the time of “Hetalia”: Doujinshi is about how to create stories based on the original story, but cosplaying is about how to get closer to the original characters.

For example, of course, male characters do not put on make-ups. Then I need to see how I can be closer to the character without showing that I’m putting make-ups on, and I try to change the shape of my eye brows and eyelids and use not too dark eye shadows.

I pursue how I can naturally get closer to that character.


What is “Nitou Day”?
にとーの日って?

Nitou_cosplay_2018_024

February 10th is sounds like “Nitou”, so my fans celebrated the day on social media. Then I thought why not make a plan this year.

Here’s the details.

From February 10th to 12th, I’m planning events for each day.

10th is an event which we can have fun through Twitter. On 11th, we can chat and take photos in a bar, and for 12th, I’m thinking about a photography event.
I’m hoping that it’ll be like a festival, so please join us!


Related Links

Lisa Nitou Official Twitter:https://twitter.com/zlozlozloo
Lisa Nitou Official Blog:https://ameblo.jp/zlozlozloo/
Mail-order Website:https://nitolisa.booth.pm

Translated by Kayo

Author
Nessie

A web producer who passionately loves Sake, Cosplay, and Idols.

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