Wallflower of the Month: Kristina

The Wallflower

Amnesia

Starry Sky

Uta Prince No Sama

For years, I've always thought of how should we call ourselves as reverse harem fans. I think I found the perfect stan name and it was right under our 'nose' all this time. WALLFLOWERS! I got the idea while coming up with tiers for Patreon. But months before I came up with Wallflower of the Month reward, I was in touch with Kristina who was checking with the reverse harem shows she's trying to cosplay and complete before she turns 40. It never crossed my mind that someone would cosplay all the reverse harem shows and I just think it's so cool! So I asked her if I can feature her after she has completed her reverse harem cosplay quest. By the way, she excluded reverse harem which are in OVA formats only. And now here goes to our very first Wallflower of the Month! Check out the interview and her cosplay photos below.

Nil Admirari

Tell me something about yourself: name, age, occupation, anything

Hello my name is Kristina and I just turned 40 years old. I have a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science and I work in Medical Education for a major healthcare system in Metro-Detroit Michigan. I like to watch anime, read, sew, and have 2 cats.

Kamisam Kiss

What got you into cosplaying reverse harem? When did you start and how many reverse harem themed cosplay have you done so far?

I started cosplaying in 2015. My first Reverse Harem Cosplay was Nanami from Kamisama Kiss. Since June of 2015 I have cosplayed 47 unique characters (3 of them multiple versions) from 37 Reverse Harem Anime. O.O

How do you choose your character for each reverse harem anime?

I tend to pick the character that matches my mood at the time. How sometimes I end up with the Heroine or the serious boy or my usual favorite the hentai. Sometimes they are my favorite character in the series and sometimes they are characters I feel are most suited for me to cosplay. Other times I get it completely wrong on all counts and wind up cosplaying multiple characters from the same series. XD And if all else fails I pick whichever character Hikaru Midorikawa voices. He is my favorite Seiyuu so if I can’t pick a character I cosplay his.

Diabolik Lovers

Who is/are your favorite character/s that you cosplayed?

My favorite fandom is Diabolik Lovers. Kou was my first cross-play at a Convention and he was my “boy” since I myself am pretty tsundere I feel like I “get” him. I cosplayed him before the second season of the anime debuted in America so NO ONE except diafam (Diabolik Lovers Family) knew who I was and I had A LOT of fun with him. I think this is why I keep playing him. I now have 4 of his outfits. He is just a lot of fun to play. Always Idol boys!

How do you prepare/make for your cosplay outfit, accessories, makeup, hair/wig etc.?

Most of my Reverse Harem Cosplay costumes I have not made. They start from the simplest purchase version I can find then I build them up. I make the accessories, sew on lots of details, style all the wigs, and add props. It takes a lot of time to get a cosplay fully ready to wear. Even Kou who I wear often has a lot of things that go with him and his wig always needs styling. Makeup is at least an hour to put on. So some take me a few hours or a day to get ready and others take months to pull together. It just depends on how many details they need and how much I want to work on them.

Diabolik Lovers

Saiunkoku Monogatari

Who is/are the most difficult to prepare or to cosplay?

The most difficult to wear Reverse Harem Cosplay I have is Beatrix from Diabolik Lovers. She is a full ball gown and a very top heavy bun wig. Bun and ponytail wigs often give me headaches so I can only wear her a short time before needing to change. Ryuuki from Sauiunkoku Monogatari is also hard to wear. His crown was a lot of work to build and it hates the wind (we found that out at the photoshoot).

How was the journey like?

I would never have been able to do all these cosplay without the help of very key people along the way. My cosplay family supports me and I love my photographers (especially bless Christine for not only taking the photos but making sure I get dressed properly and getting me into locations I would never have been able to get to without her).

Diabolik Lovers

Tell me your most memorable cosplay experience?

In August of 2016 we had the largest North American meet-up of Diabolik Lovers ever assembled at Otakon in Baltimore Maryland. All 18 characters were represented and it was SO MUCH FUN! I have to applaud the patience of Dani (one of the primary people who convinced me to cosplay) to take 2 years in organizing the event and getting us all together for some epic shenanigans.

What questions/reaction do you get for cosplaying reverse harem characters?

I present a panel on Reverse Harem Anime’s so I am blessed to find other nerds like me who love this genre. I don’t often wear the RH Cosplays at a Convention unless we are going to do a group because alone just isn’t as much fun as being with a group all vying for that Heroine!

What are the struggles that you encountered? And how did you overcome it?

My biggest struggles are my own self-doubts. I know I am old to cosplay these characters. I have been told I am too old, fat, and ugly to cosplay. It has had me put cosplays away I will not wear again. It has also helped me want to get better. To improve my make-up, improve my sewing, and to always surround myself with people who understand cosplay for what it is. It is meant to be fun!

Bonjour Sweet Love Patisserie

What are the perks or positive outcome that you got for cosplaying reverse harem characters?

I have met some of the most amazing people because of cosplaying the characters I cosplay. I have an entire family who cosplay from multiple series and it is wonderful to see them grow and discover new Reverse Harems and share them with me. I am blessed for all the friendships I have made.

What is your advice to people who want to do cosplay?

I would advise people that it is a hobby that can be stressful and frustrating but to always do it because you want to. Don’t allow other people to destroy it for you. If you want to cosplay a character and you can’t sew look in your closet see what you can put together. If you can’t afford a wig see if you can style your hair like the character. It doesn’t have to be perfect to be fun. I get lost in the details a lot and I know I need to take my own advice and have more fun with it and worry less about if my contacts are the right color or if my wig is perfectly styled. Just have fun.

What are your future projects or plans?

I want to cosplay Zach from Angels of Death so I have his materials waiting for sewing. I mostly want to get good enough at sewing that I can do more projects for other people. I am sewing Violet Evergarden for a friend at the moment and I am learning a ton sewing for someone else. It really is a lot different than how I sew for myself. 

Fushigi Yugi

How did you discover reverse harem?

Fushigi Yuugi was my first Reverse Harem anime. I was in high school (1996) and I watched it on my computer with dial up internet. I then read the manga and was hooked on the concept of a Heroine surrounded by her harem. Since then I have watched and read as many as I can (I also play most Otome’s that are translated into English).

What are your favorite reverse harem titles (animes, mangas, otome games, dramas , books?)

Favorite Fandom: Diabolik Lovers

Favorite Anime: Hakuouki

Favorite Manga: Alice in the Country of…..series

Favorite Games/Otomes: Dandelion and Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly

Favorite Drama: Boys over Flowers (Live action)

Favorite Books: I find in the west most Reverse Harems are found in books and there are some really great book series for lovers of the genre usually including some form of supernatural like vampires, demons, etc I reference Laurell K. Hamilton, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kim Harrison, Charlaine Harris, JR Ward….many many more. 

What are your favorite non-reverse harem titles (animes, mangas, games, dramas , books?)

My favorite non-Reverse harem titles:

Animes: Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi, Still World is Beautiful, and Owari no Seraph

Mangas: Water Dragon Bride and Demon Prince of Momichi House

Games: Fable (1,2,3), Cathedral, and my favorite card game is Euchre

Dramas: The Tudors, Game of Thrones, and Star Trek

Books: The Hobbit, The Great Gatsby, and Waterlily (by Ella Deloria)

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Thanks Kristin for sharing with us your beautiful pictures and inspiring story. I'm so amazed by your craftsmanship, dedication, confidence and your positivity. It's contagious! :) We look forward to more cosplays from you especially with more new shows coming up. You can also follow her on Instagram, RH + Cosplay. Check out the rest of her reverse harem cosplays below.

From here on out, we are now Reverse Harem Garden Wallflowers~ Not in a literal sense but as an ode to shy but beautiful wallflower Sunako and the flower boys in the forbidden garden.