Jake Girard, aka Suki Cosplay, has become one of the most well recognized Naruto cosplayers in the world, and even received praise for his presentation as Kakashi Hatake from Masashi Kishimoto, the original Naruto manga author. We caught up with Suki about his experiences of world travel, memorable moments, and how ten years of cosplay brought him to where he is today.
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Walker: What was the most uplifting or funniest moment you had in cosplay?
Suki: I have so many of these moments within the ten years I have been cosplaying. Throughout my career, I have had the honor of being invited to many conventions (including being a judge at the World Cosplay Summit competition) and have met thousands of my followers. I can read comments and messages from fans, but meeting them face to face, listening to how they related to me in their life stories, and sharing such emotional moments together was a priceless experience I will never forget. Whenever I travel, I get to meet great people (like Kishimoto-Sensei at NYCC and Kazuhiko Inoue, Kakashi’s voice actor, whom I believe is the one that brings Kakashi to life) and cosplayers that become close friends. That’s just a few of the best parts of cosplaying in general.
Walker: And one of your least favorite moments?
Suki: The travel part can be annoying at times. I love traveling, but when you have wigs and fragile costumes, the fear of something breaking, getting lost, or something messing up is not a pleasant experience. Having the fear of flying and having to take a plane to various conventions is even less pleasant. There are many other factors that are my least favorite. From waking up super early to get ready for a con ([I’m] far from a morning person) to the stress of photoshoots being delayed by the weather and time restrictions. But deep down, that’s all part of the experience and what makes it unique.
Walker: What is a cosplay you learned the most from making?
Suki: I’d say Kakashi Jounin, but more specifically the vest and the wig. I wanted the vest to be as realistic as possible, with the anime characteristics, such as the big collar and 3D pockets. It was also at the very beginning of my career when sewing wasn’t yet my forte. It took an entire summer just to make the vest. Countless trials and errors. I remade it a few years later, with all my new skills and experiences, but I still reused techniques I created for the first project. The wig was a big challenge, with the “Defying Gravity” style. Again, I’ve learned a lot and can use these techniques for other anime characters that often have crazy spiky hair as well.
Walker: Is there anything that is still a challenge for you when it comes to cosplay?
Suki: Each new cosplay project comes with its own set of challenges. We come across countless different characters that have different overall looks. In every project, I have to use different techniques I know to make it a reality, and often I need to create a way to make it possible. Cosplay involves so many skills from so many different disciplines, and you keep learning and improving every day.
Walker: Has being trans influenced how/what you cosplay? If so, in what ways?
Suki: Yes and no. I started cosplaying in 2010 and at this point in my life, I didn’t know yet that I was trans. I found myself through cosplay and a new open-minded community. I finally could come out of my shell and become who I am today. My first cosplay was Kakashi and because he is always wearing a mask, and also because I’m tall (6 foot), most people thought I was a man. I didn’t know that feeling at the time, but it enlightened something in me. Kakashi, as a character, means a lot to me. He’s like a role model. But he was also perfect for me for the fact that I could pass for a man quite easily already. So I focused a lot on him, or other male characters I could pull off well. I did cosplay girls during my first years but was also picking androgynous characters.
Walker: You’re known for your Naruto cosplays, so if you could live in the Naruto universe, what village would you want to be from and why?
Suki: Konoha of course! Just because I feel like I know this village through the story and characters. I’d love to meet them, walk around, maybe I’d like to become a ninja and train with them. Like a kid’s dream, I suppose.
Walker: My favorite question to always ask is… when you die, if your ashes were pressed into a vinyl record, what song would you want on that record?
Suki: “Imagine” by John Lenon, which I think is a beautiful song. It’s like a utopia, where no one would be judged and everyone would be equal. It’s an impossible world because humans are not perfect, but I feel like we should all push towards those goals and all do a little something to help the world.
Walker: Is there anything you’d like to say to our readers and your fans here?
Suki: If I can give you any advice it’s to enjoy life as fully as you can. No matter what your decisions are, make them in a way that you won’t have regrets. Don’t be afraid to try new things, even if it seems impossible. You’ll see that life can be very surprising. And even better, you’ll see how much you can surprise yourself. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to be open about my life to a large public that was very supportive. I can’t be thankful enough for that.
Keep up with Jake Girard, aka Suki Cosplay on Instagram, Facebook, and support them on Patreon, or his Etsy store.
Photography credit: Erik Paredes Photography, Novaine Cosplay Photography, Past Reflections, and Lucas Allard
