Bored, So can a guy pull off the mana look?

Yes, Demonia is good. I got my boots from Demonia (they're not the actual style of Mana's boots but I bought them specifically for another cosplay) and they're great.

I felt my original Bored thread was getting too big. I also felt that the progress went up by leaps and bounds with this latest attempt.

So I have made this continuation of the original Bored thread to post hopefully the last few pics of my project.


I think I really hit the nail on the head this time.

Aside from the white being too white, due to my not wanting to used up my good foundation, and instead using the very light purple with talcum powder, and costume black, I finally got really close to Mana's MDM look. What really pulled it together was the wig, which I finally back combed in a manner Mana does his hair. Though a little flat due to my not hair spraying the spikes in place, this wig looks really good. The white streak I will either dye out, or leave, not sure, I kinda like the look.

The clothes are my usual black shirt and skirt. The boots are what I will use for the finished product, as I couldn't find the proper platforms, and my budget ran out for the project. I am making a shirt like his, with the gauzy arms, with the gathers and shoulder poufs. Along with that I am making a four tiered open front, skirt, with the electric blue under black gauze. Like what he wore for the shadows temple shot.

It is coming together slowly but surely.

Okay so here they are. I am putting direct links opposed to thumbnails due to the difficulty I have had in the past.

first a low light shot, this was the first shot I took, and the image staring back on the preview window of my camera looked like a pic of Mana himself. It was the lighting.

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...ix/Darkmana.jpg

This shot looks more like a cosplay, but still darned close.

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...terheadshot.jpg

High contrast face shot. Though from a distance the makeup looked good, up close you can see my usual overly thick lines, and the blending of the black with the white, but hopefully this will not happen with the correct makeup. I think I got the lips pretty good. I know I got the branch of the right eye right on. (I really like that feature of his, along with the lip shape,and may adopt those for my Goth club self:)

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...ix/faceshot.jpg

Full body shot head on. Even if I was not cosplaying Mana this would just be an awesome clubbing outfit.

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...odystanding.jpg

Dual "Devil's horns" pose

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...ingdualrams.jpg

All I needed was a sythe, and a dark creepy grave yard backround:)

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...stemplepose.jpg

Yea, I drug out the JF. I had to. Not sure if I will use it as a prop for the actual halloween parties. I don't want to get it hurt.

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...ix/angledJF.jpg

When you put a wig on while your eyes are closed, and the image in the mirror was of a freakish looking mime, and then you open your eyes when the wig is in place and you see this image, one you have been trying to nail for months, one that started out so terrible, and has ended up this close. Well not smiling is very hard.

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...20six/smile.jpg

Hopefully the next shots will be me in full costume, with all the parts. The shirt will be slightly different than what Mana wears, my friend did not pattern a full corset, but instead made out a velvet shirt that laces up at the front, with a smaller waist cincher with four lace points. It is very much what Mana would wear, but not a true representation of his getup. It should still look good.

Actually come to think of it. I may choose to post the finished product in the cosplay section. Depends on how good it turns out.

On later observations, there is something not right about the lips. I know the V is too big, but I can't put my finger on why. Are the arches too high? Is the apex of the curve too far in? I make my attempts, and think they look good, then get another look and they look awful.

Suggestions and critiques (nice) welcome.
dix.png

I merged the two "Bored" threads. It is the mod team's job to judge if a topic gets too long and if so to start a new one. There was already a thread to post Mana cosplay in this section but since you have a lot to post we let you have your own topic but you don't need two considering this one is only 6 pages long.

On the day these pictures were taken, I had completed the construction of the shirt. This is the fist part of the costume to be completed.

The person who was the one helping me with this project, bailed out due to personal issues, leaving me in the lurch to coin a phrase.

I had been invited to my friend's Halloween party that took place one week before Halloween. Well this one week early caused my friend to go into hysterics and her panic attacks kicked in whenever I asked about the costume and the next steps.

She projected it would take several more weeks to complete.

I completed the shirt in two days, from patterns cut out, to fully assembly, including those sleeves which are the most difficult part to do. Nearly all of Mana's early style costumes had these, and they are not easy to do, even for someone with the skill of my friend. But somehow I got the shirt assemble, but as can be seen there are errors. I need to add boning to the lower body to allieviate the ripples, as well as somehow get the shoulders to puff up better.

The make up was the best so far, Pale foundation with white powder over, and a mixture of costume, and actual make up for the black. I finally got the eyebrows correct, though the strakes at the bottom of the eyes are still too thick. The lip shape is close to right on.

This is only half of the proposed costume as mentioned, I still need to make (from scratch no less) the four teired open skirt Mana wears, as well as the four panel waist cincher of his earlier styles. I have to do with my motorcycle boots due to my not finding the three inch platform knee high boots (perhaps next year)

No one, I mean no one recognized me as I silently approached with my black trench covering covering my work. One of my friends though had a hunch it was me, due to my being the only one at the party who knew anything of Mana (aside from himself, who asked me for some samples, possible future fan?). But he was uncertain. I did my best not to smile....I failed.

How Mana keeps such a straight face is beyond me, but it shows tremendous self control.

Initial reaction to my costume was awed silence. The looks on their faces were that of astonishment. Then finally one said “Oh my God that is a F&^king awesome costume!” This was followed by similar statements from the others. Then I removed my trench coat. They saw the shirt and the sleeves with the flared wrists. They asked what the costume was so I explained it was only one half of a cosplay of a Japanese musician from the band Moi Dix Mois, named Mana. One of them responded " well that band must look increadible:)

Later on, an acquaintance was gushing over the costume, she loved the makeup, the lace fingerless gloves, black nail polish....just the whole look. When I explained the rest to be made, she asked that I get her photos of it. She wanted to drag me along with her boy friend to the exotic erotic ball (somehow I don't think Mana would fit in with such, despite the scenes in Illuminati:) but she lacked the required wrist band. I guess you need one to attend this event.

There was a point where I saw my shadow on a wall and my silhouette looked spot on to one in the artwork of Beyond the Gate. It was impressive, mostly due to the hair. (which was a source of much praise)

So the first outing as Mana cosplay, with the new top, was a hit. Now to complete the rest for the actual day of Halloween.

DIX

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...tshirtrocks.jpg

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...me/nicepose.jpg

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...shadowspose.jpg

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...keupfailing.jpg

Pythos yr really getting better now!

congrats!

And so this project comes to an end. Well at least the main part. The first attempts, based off my old goth club styles, to one much more like Mana's What really brought it together was the wig in my opinion.

But the completion of the actual costume, was the piece de' resistance.

The construction of the lower part took about a week to do. I kinda screwed up on the skirts, they do not flare out properly, but the overall look was impressive to my friends at the Halloween party I went to.

So though there were moments were things looked really horrible (and according to at least one person here, I shouldn't even try to cosplay Mana) I think the end results were just short of the best to be expected.

I plan on improving on this though, and perhaps use it for the next several Halloweens to come, if not actual cosplay conventions (or a US MDM concert...well maybe) I want to acquire the correct boots, and jewlery (rings, ear rings, and such) get long blue extensions on the wig, dye out the white in the wig, and perhaps get the sleeves a bit better.

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...terpartypic.jpg

This pic was the first of I think hundreds taken. As I came in, my friend raised his camera, and I just struck this pose.

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...efilleandme.jpg

This one shows to good effect the construction of the outfit. It is the four tiered open skirt of his earlier styles. I like the electric blue overlayed with the black gauze. I have always liked that particular stage costume of his.

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...urnalOpera1.jpg

A lousy attempt at the Nocturnal Opera pose, but, it shows the inner liner. I was surprised to see that the liner is in fact overlayed blue. All the while I thought it was black.

http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww102/P...itionanyone.jpg

and an example of the kind of interested parties I met at the party. This picture though was somehow wrong. Mana Sama, the prince (princess) of gloom and Alice in wonderland. LOL. (is he really the prince of gloom, he brings a smile to my face, and makes me feel good with his works, I don't think that title fits)

I think I will end it there.

If you want to see more (which I have plenty of) feel free to ask.

In answer to that question posed in the title of this thread, I shall leave you all to judge. I realize my facial structure is slightly wrong, my chin is a bit to big, but I think I came close.

To those guys on this site trying, I say go for it. Don't leave it to just the ladies:) Mana himself has said he'd like to see more guys cosplaying him. I can say with little doubt, the whole thing was a blast. Hopefully to continue on for years to come.