Many people have the conception of a Norway that is filled with wild Vikings, bloodthirsty frost giants, and polar bears, but we also have Desucon 2015! That might be true, but we also have cosplay (costume play). This is a fancy and fun concept that sprung forth from Japan and has become quite popular worldwide. If you need to see the definition, Google it (or dig through our Otaku-Haven channel). Cosplay attracts people in
costume, therefore a gathering place is needed. Desucon provides just that.
Due to the size, Desucon was arranged in Lillestrøm, a flat and boring place outside of Oslo. The weather was actually quite nice for once, a rarity when it comes to Norway. Luckily I don’t don a fur suit. I can’t imagine it being fun to stew in sweat for an entire day. After all, you learn a lot about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to costume-making and wearing. But more on that later.
This year they decided to have a LAN segment as well, where many people played Smash Bros and tried 1-on-1 pro-League of Legends. Then there is the usual selection of stands, such as Outland, Neo-Tokyo, and whoever decides to hire a table there. The event lasts for three days, with a meet-and-greet from various fandoms, and it ended with a cosplay competition and a show at the end…though this show was dull. Regardless, the judges were fair and the competition was fun to watch since the ones who entered the finals put on some splendid performances. However, they really should find a better overlay setup.
There were a lot of people waiting to get inside on the first day, lining up in a disorderly queue. Some even slept in the hall! They really should have used a loudspeaker to inform people, since the VIPs were to enter first. I did not miss anything by waiting, so I just went for food at the local pizza place.
I mentioned earlier things that do and don’t work with costumes. I came as Acolyte Lee Sin, which means I wore a hood that disrupts and puts a serious strain on my eyesight. I also wore a belt that didn’t make much sense, and somehow it managed to break. Video game designs and belts seldom make practical sense. Another example was the Commander Shepard outfit someone was wearing. It worked, but several pieces were about to fall off. The oddest and most fascinating contraption I saw was on those that decided that they needed to be taller. They stacked several training mats, cut them down to the size of their feet, and glued their shoes on top. This makes it very hard to walk, but you do actually become taller. Fortunately, they thought of that and set up a cosplay first aid station.
During the show here at Desucon 2015, they also arranged for a cosplay catwalk and a Smash Bros competition; not that I could hear the announcement over the crappy P.A. system. Regardless, prizes were given out at the end, which helped make this Desucon fun…even if the end show was boring.
All these pictures have been taken by me, so if they are to be used I only ask for credit.
Njål Sand is a Norwegian Cosplayer with opinions on video games, and a passionate for creating content on YouTube about living in Norway, and gaming!