this essential guide to Japanese-style fantasy fashion!

Using the authors' unique Costume Matrix, you will learn how to develop new and daring designs for your anime and manga characters and cosplay creations. First, choose a look to serve as your fashion foundation. Then select an alternate style and fuse it with the first fashion theme to create an unexpected ensemble combining elements have never before been seen together!

Mixing and matching basic themes and styles in this way results in one-of-a-kind mashups and hybrids, for example:

• School Uniforms & Military Apparel
• Casual Basics & Gothic Formal Wear
• Japanese Fashion & Folk Costumes
• Plant Motifs & Animal Motifs
• Nature Motifs & Mechanical Objects
• Seasonal Motifs & all of the above!
• Using the Costume Matrix, the fashion mashup possibilities are endless!

Here are just some of the unique combos made possible by applying the Costume Matrix technique:

• A Folk Costume crossed with a snake motif that results in a Scheherazade vixen with veils transforming into slinky scarf-like vipers!
• A Gothic Lolita paired with a Rabbit for a fun and furry character with fuzzy paws for boots and a crazy carrot-top hairdo!
• A Sailor Girl School Uniform combined with a Female Ninja fighting outfit--with a throwing star as the perfect accessory!
• A mashup of Casual Basics and Plant Motifs creates a head-turning Sunflower Girl complete with a green-leaf collar and flared-petal skirt

Fantasy Costumes for Manga, Anime & Cosplay presents over 55 fantasy fashion mashup examples and provides you with the key to designing your own totally original characters and styles!