Cosplayer Feature: ElunaBee
“I believe the artistic inspiration that we get from Rachel Smythe’s Lore Olympus is part of what makes the fandom so special and unique—we all crave to be a part of this story, and I think we do that through our creativity and art..”
Elunabee is a self-taught makeup artist and cosplayer who loves bringing the fantastical to life! She is also a college educator, coffee-enthusiast, and dedicated dog mom to a sweet little pup.
How long have you been doing cosplay?
I’m still really new to cosplaying, and this adventure has only just begun for me. I believe my first cosplay was Granmamere from Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo in 2019! I’ve always been a creative and artistic person who enjoys painting, drawing, cooking, makeup, among other things. However, my time as a college student limited my ability to pursue the type of creativity that I desired. During my final year of graduate school (2019/2020), I promised myself I would carve out some time in my life to really explore this creativity, so I started a makeup Instagram account. I was introduced to so many genres of makeup—glam, editorial, fantasy, creative—all of which often do and can overlap. I played with different genres but found the most enjoyment and fulfillment in fantasy, creative, and character makeup, which ultimately introduced me to cosplay.
At first, I was hesitant to label my more character-inspired makeup looks/closet cosplays as legitimate "cosplay" because I thought there was certain cosplay criteria that I wasn’t fulfilling. I thought cosplay had to be expensive and super “accurate” or “exact”. However, activists who speak out on issues within the cosplay community have emboldened me to call them "cosplays," because that's what they are!
What piqued my interest in cosplay was the ability to portray fictitious characters from films, comics, anime, and video games that I enjoy in my own unique and creative way. My cosplays are a combination of creative makeup, DIY crafting, thrifting, and digital cosplay—this combination of medium allows me to create character depictions that I'm extremely proud of as an artist!
I love the artistic and challenging process of using the materials I have, despite their limitations, to create works of art that I am proud of. Cosplay allows me to also immerse myself in the fantasy realms these characters are a part of, which I think is so magical.
Who is your favorite Lore Olympus character to cosplay?
My favorite Lore Olympus character to cosplay was definitely Agape! It was my first time making my own sfx makeup prosthetics (I made her little fin ears), and it was a very spontaneous cosplay—I didn’t anticipate the positive response that it received which was so heartwarming!
What is the most memorable cosplay?
I’m listing the following three because there’s a significant connection as to why they’re so memorable and pretty important to me: Hecate from Lore Olympus, HIM from Powerpuff Girls, and Devos from World of Warcraft.
These cosplays are all memorable to me because I believe they played a significant role in my discovery of self and gender exploration. They all seem to blur the “lines” of gender in different ways, they’re androgynous for instance. I’m still learning a lot about gender and gender expression, but there was something about these characters that really made me feel like myself and true. I’m not quite sure what it all means yet, but I absolutely love that cosplaying is playing a role in my self-exploration and self-discovery—something I definitely didn’t expect.
Tell us your Lore Olympus story.
I clearly remember seeing ads for Lore Olympus and Webtoon, but I ignored them just like the many ads I see daily. It wasn’t until a friend suggested that I do a Lore Olympus makeup series—he explained that the comic had a beautiful artistic style, and he thought I’d really enjoy adapting it into creative makeup looks/cosplays.
When I finally decided to check it out, I was immediately hooked, not only by the captivating story, but I absolutely fell in love with the art, the colors, and artistic components. I can’t believe I ignored those Lore Olympus ads over, and over again!
The drama, romance, creativity, artistic inspiration—it all made me stay. It is honestly such a beautiful work, thank you, Rachel Smythe!
What other fandoms are you in? Anything special about the Lore Olympus fandom?
I don’t know if I’m devoted or involved with communities enough to be considered “in” fandoms, I just enjoy and like a lot of things! I love Studio Ghibli, Sailor Moon, Disney, World of Warcraft, Marvel, Death Note, Fullmetal Alchemist, Junji Ito’s works, Jurassic Park, 90’s cartoons, zombie stuff, alien stuff, anything dystopian!
I met so many wonderful, sweet, and supportive people in the Lore Olympus fandom while working on my Lore Olympus Cosplay/Makeups Series back in January-February of this year (2021). I’ve noticed that Lore Olympus greatly inspires creators of all kinds—cosplayers, makeup artists, writers, bakers/chefs, digital artists, and so on. I believe the artistic inspiration that we get from Rachel Smythe’s Lore Olympus is part of what makes the fandom so special and unique—we all crave to be a part of this story, and I think we do that through our creativity and art.
If you could body snatch one LO character for a day, who would it be?
Definitely Hecate. Aside from her incredible style—I WANT HER WARDROBE!—her persona has an intriguing dichotomy that I like and identify with. She's not just fierce, powerful, and badass, but she's also very compassionate, sensitive, and empathic (which I think shines through when we see how she treats and cares for Persephone and even how she interacts with Minthe in episode 103). I think her character demonstrates that both things can coexist—you can be super powerful and badass while also having a tremendous heart.
What does cosplay mean to you?
Cosplay is art, creativity, escape, immersion, and self-exploration. I enjoy that I can create art, challenge my capabilities as an artist, learn new skills, and learn about myself in the process.
Any advice for a new cosplayer out there?
Cosplay doesn’t have to be expensive. As someone who doesn’t have a lot of money and resources, I make-do with what I have. I frequently use digital editing to make up for lost elements (accessories, hair color change, etc.), I also thrift, and use things I have at home. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box! It doesn’t make your cosplays any less valid. Most importantly, have fun!
Just for fun: Who did you get on the Hades’ dog character quiz?
I got Cerberus! I would definitely agree—I am very protective and loyal to those I deeply care about and love.
OTHER FEATURES:
Courtney is a style and fashion addict, sharing some really interesting insights on Lore Olympus characters.