If Ichigo, Rukia, Orihime and Urahara were living in the world of our dimensions - in real life, how would they have looked like?

Could we see the supple texture of their skin as like ours, or will their paper-like features still hold true?

These thoughts could just only be the flights of our fancy and never be made into reality. But for people with the love of art flowing through their veins, imagination is their only limit. They have in themselves, the creativity to actualize these living representations of characters trapped in the two dimensional world of Anime and Manga.

You might have heard, might have stumbled upon them on DeviantArt, might have even been their fervent enthusiast. Yes, they are the Tuxedo Team, the young, ingenious and talented individuals who have the passion of art in themselves. Who could have thought that these authentic cosplayers are actually Filipinos?

With utter assertion; Yes. They are Filipinos. Definitely Pinoys with inherent cosplay flair.

This team is composed of young art students who take cosplaying as a hobby with precision - four picturesque cosplayers and three exceptional photographers. Jin, China, Miguel, and Kat are the cosplayers who we so admiringly see in the photographs radiating the atmosphere the setting seeks to feel. Erving, Sandra and Nico Dans are the proficient photographers responsible for capturing the vivid images portrayed. Involved with the team are also the names of Nejin, Tracy, Rayson, Kik, Isa, Deacon, Charmie, Val, and mother Essa and daughter Ysabel.



The Tuxedo Team are cosplay enthusiasts who were able to make priceless photographs out of their love for cosplays. Initially, they conducted photoshoots as picture-perfect documentations of the costumes they wear in anime conventions. Ultimately, it became their project with series of photos and storyline themes.

As with the many cosplayers, the Tuxedo Team do not buy pre-made costumes but instead, customize them on their own. Inasmuch as they aspire to create an almost exact representation of the respective characters they portray, the team are thorough with the details, not only with the clothes but also with the hair and contacts, coupled with the facial expressions, ambience, and the locations they take. At times, they improvise on casuals, but nevertheless, they maintain the personality of the characters they portray.

All their photoshoots were held within Philippines. These were sites that they are familiar with, their school campus, each others homes or anywhere else that are relatively ideal for the theme of their shots.

The team does not work exclusively with themselves but from time to time, cosplayers and photographer acquiantances also join them. Tuxedo Team and their occasional collaborators are not professional cosplayers and photographers at all, but zealous hobbyists with professional skills.

On their first sets of photoshoots, the team were only able to use point-and-shoot cameras, and it was only later that they were able to use DSLRs (Erving's Canon EOS 40D, Sandra's Nikon D70s, Jin's Canon EOS 400D, China's Canon EOS 350D and Kat's Nikon D80). They do not have studio lights or softboxes as of the moment, but the team were able to craft rich photos by utilizing the light they have available - the natural sunlight and any light for their indoor shots. Their photos were enhanced with Adobe Photoshop.



The Tuxedo Team does not conduct photshoots for a profit, at all. These are purely products of their love for the anime series they cosplayed for and a leisure they absolutely enjoy. Recently however, the team has been considering of publishing a cosplay photobook in volumes. It must have been a product of the team's musings and the inherent commendation of supporters who also consider the possibility of getting their hands on the team's photobook. The team were also considering the idea of selling wigs they styled themselves.

The notion also presupposes the team's initiative to generate the income for a cause. They plan on donating part of the profit to Philippine General Hospital, and a small part for the reproduction of more volumes. Isn't it sweet? This group of individuals are not only talented, but also with the sense of social responsibilty in mind. (And believe me, they are humble as well! Jin, among them, continually insists that they do not aim for popularity - as with DA, nor competition - with Anicons, at all.)

The idea of generating profits however is still being considered, taking into account the possible copyrights issues for the character portrayals. Cosplays, after all, are products of enthusiasm for the characters in an anime, with due credits given to its creator.

The Tuxedo Team, with their feet on the ground, shares their photos to the DeviantArt community and to their fellow cosplay enthusiasts, aiming not to gain popularity but to display their works of art to inspire those who aspire and admire. The team has also developed cosplay tutorials that give encouragement and tips to cosplayers who are but too grateful for the expertise they share.

The Tuxedo Team have photoshoot series of Bleach, Naruto, Death Note, Ouran High School Host Club, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Jigoku Shoujo, Katekyo Hitman Reborn, Rurouni Kenshin, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Yu Yu Hakusho, Code Geass, Le Petit Prince, Paradise Kiss, Final Fantasy, Togainu no Chi, Dream of Doll, Alice in Wonderland, and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.

The existence of Tuxedo Team was inevitable for these circle of friends who share the same enthusiasm. Apart from doing cosplay photoshoots as a hobby, the activity is the group's way of getting to know each other well and enjoying each other's company and interests. They may be geeks (as Jin describes their team) or cosplay celebrities (as a fan would call them), but they are normal people as well. Academe is still their priority and they have the love for painting, drawing, non-anime photography, and playing instruments at most.#