Who am I?

That’s a good question. Some call me Ronin, others by my real name, Erik. I’ll answer to both. Either way, I wear many hats in this community. I’m a cosplayer, a maker, a convention staffer, and sometimes even a teacher.

While I’ve always been a creative person, I didn’t really find my niche in the cosplay world until I attended my first convention back in 2010. It was Nan Desu Kan 2010, and it was my first real taste of cosplay. The only thing I could muster up at the time was a VERY basic Naked Snake from the Metal Gear Solid series. I was pretty much just a guy in BDUs with a bandana and an eyepatch, no accessories or anything. Still, the little bit of recognition I got had me hooked. I loved being around so many people who all loved and enjoyed the same things I do. Soon after I joined the staff of NDK, and I’ve been working ever since to help put on some of the best conventions in Colorado. I currently work for 2 conventions, Nan Desu Kan and Colorado Anime Fest, both in the Cosplay Contest departments. We work very hard to make sure that there is an open, welcoming place for cosplay creators to show off their very best work.

Along with convention staffing I also help to run and maintain some of the local cosplay groups like the Colorado Cosplay Facebook group. This allows me to help spread the joys of cosplay while giving people a space online to communicate with each other.

As a cosplayer I haven’t done a ton of costumes, but that’s because I love the pursuit of perfection. I love refining a costume over time until it’s absolutely perfect, and as such I’ve gotten to be known for a specific set of characters. I also spend a LOT of time making commissioned pieces for others, and I find that creating props and things is extremely fulfilling.

Now I’m not one to hoard my knowledge, so in the past few years I’ve begun teaching some of my skills to other cosplayers through convention panels, instruction at my home, and even inviting people to assist me on my personal builds. I have an automotive background that’s exposed me to working with fiberglass and high end paints, which helps me to create extremely sturdy, lightweight items that are perfect for carrying around a convention center all day. Some of my most attended panels are for my intro to fiberglass work.

At the end of the day, my biggest goal is to put a smile on faces, and to provide a safe environment for people to be passionate, creative, and part of a community that “gets” them

~Ronin