My other claim to fame (most would say infamy) is my costuming. I've been cosplaying for near on nine years, and I guess this is why most people know my name. For whatever reason, and this is just my observation, people seem to remember me through the performances I've made. I still get people who come up to me and tell me they remember me for this particular costume or for that particular skit. For the record, these are the anime costumes I've done, since I first stood up on stage at AnimeCon 1991:

• stand up routine (Animecon 1991)
• Ataru Moroboshi (Project A-kon 1995)
• Video Guy Al (Anime Expo 1996)
• James/Kojiro (unfinished; Aussiecon 1999)

      I've also done non-anime costumes for the last two SF Worldcons and for this year's Comic-con, and for some Australian SF cons in the late eighties and early nineties.

      I tend I write my performances first, and then to have my costumes made, which I suppose what makes me different from the rest of the well-known cosplayers in the US. If people ask me why I do it, it's because I love to go up on stage, perform something I've written, and see and hear the applause of the audience when I do a job well done. I get a real rush out of doing it!

      Apart from my actual costumes, I keep busy with the , a page that links cosplay and anime costuming pages from all over the world, from Japan and east Asia, North America, and Europe. I am extremely honoured to present foreign convention and costume sites, from Hong Kong, Britain, France, Germany and Italy. These are places with their own thriving fandom, but due to distance and language not too many people get the chance to visit them. Their fan culture and especially their cosplay culture is as diverse and creative as in Japan and North America, and people should have the chance to see fans and fandom from a different point of view.

      Since starting out with a handful of Japanese and American links I have been delighted to link to web pages covering every major anime con in North America. One of the most influential convention coverage sites on the web is Kevin Lillard's site. His daily convention updates have become a standard place to visit during con times, not only to see who's costuming what, but also to hear the latest news and views from the shakers and movers of the US anime and manga industry.

      Because my links page is a service page, I don't tend to make much personal observations, other than in my text pages, so I don't put up lists on there of my favourite links and the costumers who personally impress me. This is a chance to let people know though, so here goes...

      I think the best cosplayer in North America today is . Apart from the more than impressive list of awards that she has garnered in a short period of time, which would be more than enough to prove her credentials, it's her innovation, talent and imagination to tackle costume ideas and her ability to make those ideas come to life that makes me give her this label.

       and are two of the best known costumers on the East coast. If being award-winning costumers wasn't enough, they are also very creative artists and very friendly and approachable. I've linked their site from the very start, and I've always been excited to see what costumes they wear to each new con. I've been proud and lucky to be their friend for over two years and I am fortunate to have met them for the very first time at Otakon in 1998.

      When I first went to website, my breath was taken away by how gorgeous it looks. I met Beverly at Comic-con International 1998, the year when Naoko Takeuchi, the creator of Sailor Moon, attended. She cosplayed there. Apart from being a great web designer and cosplayer, she is also a wonderful singer and part of the , something that I had not known about. One of her co-VA's, , also has a marvelous website, and also runs the web ring.

      Two cosplayers who have created their own homesites, and , are proof that beginners can make great looking websites. Alisa was well known in the Georgia area for her portrayal of Sailor Moon, but since creating her website, people all over the world have visited her. This has given her the confidence and the dash to create more intricate and ambitious costumes. Becky proudly proclaims that her home page is compatible with early web browsers- but it looks much better than it seems. Simplicity is the key here. She's also a much better costumer than web site designer too!

      Japanese sites? Well, nowadays I am too busy to look at Japanese sites, I'm always looking for new cosplay sites. One site I do love is . This site is an example of the outstanding Japanese cosplay web pages- great layout, marvellous pictures, and gorgeous costumes. There are also Japanese cosplayers that I should mention who attended Anime Expo this year. , , and were constantly in demand for pictures and I was honoured to host them on their Japanese cosplay panel. Next year they plan to bring even more of their cosplay colleagues to Anime Expo.

      Talking of conventions, I would have to say that out of all the cons I go to, has to be my favourite- I've had so many happy memories of going to Expo, and its predecessor AnimeCon in 1991. Many fans have a "home" con, a con that they feel most comfortable with, just like 'coming home'. For me it's Anime Expo; when I enter the hotel, all my friends are there, and it's just so nice to catch up with them and see how they're doing. And of course it has the best cosplayers too! *grin*

      Well, that's about me and my fandom. If given the opportunity I could go on for hours, but I think it's already too much ?:-) If you're interested in Australia, fan art or cosplay, you'd be better talking to someone else, but if you want to talk to *me* about these subjects, please give me a yell, I'd be happy to chat to you. Thanks for reading my guest column, and I hope to see each and every one of you one day.

Widya Santoso- also known as "Sydney2K, the unofficial IRC nick of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games."