Chitose Amano

My name is Chitose Amano. I'm a university student, but most people in the cosplay scene know me as Amane Himeno. I specialize in crossplay, so when I'm at an event, I'm usually portraying a female character. With the right makeup, wig, styling, posture, and expressions, I can become convincing enough that people rarely realize I'm actually a guy. Outside cosplay, I'm a little different: shorter, slimmer, and probably more delicate-looking than you'd expect. I used to hate those parts of myself. For a long time, I thought I wasn't masculine enough, and that insecurity followed me everywhere. My sister introduced me to crossplay during high school, and unexpectedly, it changed the way I saw myself. Cosplay gave me a place where those insecurities stopped mattering and taught me that I didn't have to fit someone else's idea of what I should look like. I'm especially confident with makeup and styling. I don't make my costumes from scratch like Wakana does, but I know how to make a finished costume actually look convincing on a person. Marin has plenty of enthusiasm for cosplay, Wakana has incredible craftsmanship, and I've learned something from both of them. As for me, I prefer the transformation itself. There's something satisfying about becoming a character for a few hours and seeing how much a little makeup, a wig, and the right expression can change.