It has been over 10 years since that fateful day when a friend brought Ally to her first cosplay event — her first foray into that expressive and crafty world, and she has not looked back since. An interest was sparked and she has since put on different faces and acted out different personas through cosplay, an art she has skillfully mastered and has become known for. (Check out her works here).
Yet what many do not know is that behind all that, Ally puts on quite a few hats — or characters if you will — herself.
Get to know more about the creative lass in three roles she has grown into: as cosplayer, as photographer, and as an architect, and how she has built these three passions together into her new project Alley Cat Studio, Cebu’s first multi-themed photography studio.
Ally the Cosplayer
What inspired you to try cosplaying?
There is something magical about donning your favorite character costumes and your friends recognizing them in you. This hobby helped me become a better version of myself. I believe teachers or classmates who have known me a long time would have laughed at the notion of me becoming a cosplayer when I was younger. But here I am now. It is just funny how things turn out sometimes. But I am really thankful for it.
What kind of characters or genres do you enjoy cosplaying the most?
I like stoic characters with big hearts. I like slice of life the most. They present the most mundane experiences as something to cherish, and there is something magical about that. Finding beauty in the simplest of things like family, school, friendship. It is a quality we need to learn ourselves — to experience life and cherish it.
My favorite characters to cosplay are Shinya Kogami from Psycho-Pass and Homura Akemi from Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Both are from series that were written by the famous Gen Urobuchi, who is controversial for challenging the human psyche and morality. He has a knack for killing off favorite characters while creating stories that stimulate conversations about what is right and wrong.
How do you go about preparing and executing your costume and props?
I always put emphasis on the original source because cosplay gives homage to the original work. What I do is do my research properly, try to dissect the things I can do myself, or ask help from my craft-making friends.
My favorite aspect of cosplay is photography. I love to imagine the scenes I want to recreate during the design process and brainstorm at how I am able to achieve it by canvassing for the right props and best locations possible. It is my wish when someone views the cosplay photos I have, they would attain the same feeling and emotion I experienced from the original source, as intended by the creators.
What were the most memorable cosplay events you have joined?
Archon in 2018 — the first time I had a table and we were invited to sell our photos. We were raising funds for our adopted cat who broke her leg. I am into animal welfare and I help organizations like Island Rescue Organization and Cats & Dogs Matter. Whenever I have the chance to sell photographs, I donate the proceeds to them.
Another was the first time I went to an overseas convention, the Anime Festival Asia in Singapore. It was nice meeting cosplayers from other countries. There were directors and voice actors. It was also in Singapore that I first encountered a themed photography studio for cosplay.
Who are the cosplayers you look up to?
I appreciate cosplayers from abroad because they usually give it their all in terms of quality. I usually believe they are teenagers to young adults themselves with the same struggles as I have, but they use all their means and talents to make something grand and beyond them.
They might not be professionals but their works mimic so. I love their tenacity and conviction. That is how I admired Singaporean cosplayers because I see them always working in groups and it is amazing. Because gathering individuals under a common goal is already difficult enough. It was awe-inspiring to see that in real life during the Anime Festival Asia.
What is the best thing about cosplaying?
It is something you can share with friends who have the same mindset as you. It is like being in another world when you put on the costume, act the character, and interact with others. You try to make an artistic expression. It is nice to find friends who want to do it with you.
It is a shared common experience with friends and different fans of a single media. It is irreplaceable. Some people may find cosplay as something silly but it is just appreciating something on another level. It is just the same as purchasing merchandise, writing fan fiction, watching concerts of your favorite band.
Upcoming cosplay plans or activities?
The character I am planning to do next is Jean from Genshin Impact — within the next two months hopefully! She is one of my favorite characters in the game.
My friends and I also stream games every Wednesday and Friday at 9:00 p.m. We are not that big but we want to share our experiences. The games we usually play are funny games. Our page is called Puggo & Catto.
Ally the Photographer
Quick background of Cebu’s first multi-themed photography studio?
I wanted to build a safe place for us cosplayers to create. Because we, in general, are artists by nature. It has been my passion project for two years. I have been dropping teasers and hints of it since March but I announced it properly on the fourth of April. We have been on soft opening since then.
Here in the Philippines, it is hard to find nice locations for a shoot. Some places charge and it can be expensive. The weather is also a challenge especially if it rains. When I went to the studio in Singapore, I told myself we should have a similar facility in Cebu and make it affordable to cosplayers.
The name of the studio is a play of my nickname Ally, and since it is small and hidden, and I’ am very fond of cats — Alley Cat. I have five cats. My family and I rescue cats and help out animal welfare organizations.
Why did you choose the three themes for the studio?
Classroom has that nostalgic feeling. If you watch J-drama or K-drama, it is usually set in high school, and it is about friendship or romance. The chairs, the lockers, the windows are iconic. I am sure anime enthusiasts would want to go there. It also matches my favorite genre which is slice of life.
Japanese Tearoom is hard to find in Cebu. Before, we would ask permission from Japanese restaurants to take photos. Some cosplays are tied with anime set in traditional houses. In the studio, you will find traditional Shoji windows and props like floor lanterns, sakura, tea table, and pillows.
White Room — the one in Singapore really amazed me! It is so clean and pure, like a white canvas. You can do a lot of things with it. Even if you are not a cosplayer, you can still enjoy the white room. It can be for family portraits or graduation photos. I think the photography community in Cebu will also find it useful.
What is your photography style? Is there a photographer you look up to?
I like taking pictures. And I love looking at pictures that give me feelings. I think that is the highest value of photos. Preserving memory and the emotions attached to it. That is why I appreciate the storytelling style of photography and not portraits alone.
My style of photography is minimalism. I like taking photos of people against a wide background. It gives the feeling of looking at something bigger than us, humans. My favorite cosplay photographers would be MIT Photography from Japan and Fonchann Universe from Vietnam.
Ally the Architect
What drove you to pursue architecture?
It was my father who suggested I go take architecture. It was not something I appreciated before but now, I understand it as something that ties up with the human spirit. We creators or builders (‘architect’ means master builder in Greek) always find ways to make our lives better and the human experience richer. Architecture leads us to that. It is how I got the notion of making the studio because I believe it can help the hobby and similar enthusiasts.
How do you describe your style?
My style goes hand and hand with my style in photography. I like keeping things simple but effective. I am greatly influenced by the Japanese aesthetic.
Your most memorable experience as an architect?
My time when I was still an apprentice to my mentor Architect Cris Cyril Abbu. He was a great influence to me into believing that this profession is outward-thinking. That it can help communities. The firm worked with UNESCO and RAFI to design sustainable green schools that are earthquake and storm-resistant. We won second place in the 2014 National Invention Contests and Exhibits (NICE) for it during the National Science and Technology Week convention, held in SMX Convention Center. My time during this apprenticeship was the most enriching as an architect.
How was the experience of creating the studio from conceptualization to execution?
It took a period of time before my father gave me his blessing. He really was not a big fan of the hobby after all. But it was funny — he had declined my idea already and I was planning to give up on the said project. But he came up to me one day after going home from work. He said he would approve it despite saying no before. So that was actually a certain kind of miracle.
But it was not all without challenges. Going on a solo venture can be a bit lonely. I too have lost friends at the start of this endeavor despite my initial purpose was to make beautiful memories with them in this hobby. But it is all part of life and growing up.
It may look like a simple project for an architect like me. But really, this was a side project from my main job with minimum resources. I can only work on this during my spare time. And since I’ve started a costly project, I would have to lessen my actual cosplay plans.
The general challenge of the rooms was I could not dictate the size because it was inside an existing building. So working around that and finding the best outcome for the said purpose really put my architecture skills to the test.
Alley Cat Photo Studio is located at Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City. For updated photos and prices, visit their Facebook Page.
Follow Ally the cosplayer on Facebook at Ally 猫.