Yoko Critique Mk III

The moment everyone has been waiting for has arrived. It is time for our third ever Yoko cosplay critique! We’re a bit late with this Animazement 14 critique but as stated before my photo editing software went crazy so I reinstalled it so I could make some levels and brightness adjustments to our photos. Compared to last year’s Animazement 13 we had a much higher turn out of Yoko cosplayers; SIX as compared to last year’s three so it is very exciting. Before we get started let me make my default disclaimer: this isn’t personal and I try and look at each cosplay objectively so do not get your feelings all hurt if I think your cosplay is not a 5 out of 5. We handed flyers to each cosplayer and let them know they would appear on the blog. Each cosplayer has had about two weeks to get into contact with us regarding whether or not they want to appear on the blog (which one did and we’ll get to that later!) So without further ado let’s get started.

Here are the standard reference photos.

Standing and detail shots

Action and under-boob shot

The five categories I use are: Details (All the small nit-picky things), Rifle, Attitude, Overall Appearance, and Zettai Ryouiki (Which will be graded purely on how accurate it is compared to the actual Yoko Littner’s Absolute Territory). These are presented in the chronological order in which we encountered the cosplayers. Also under-boob is always a plus but not necessary.

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Case Study 1

Our first Yoko encounter of Animazement 14!

Front view

A shot from the floor

As a bonus we got a shot later of META-YOKO

Details: First let’s go over everything that has been covered well; The flames on both the boots and top are not bad but could be a little more dynamic, the shorts are great and even made out of a faux leather that goes a long way towards adding to the general shiny feeling Yoko has. The skull hair clip is present on the the proper side of the head as are the chopsticks (though they are not yellow). The gloves and bracelets are an interesting case; while the arm length glove is correct and the gloves have the proper squares cut out they are attached to and a part of the yellow studded bracelets. So what is missing then? The most obvious thing this cosplayer is lacking is tights of any sort; no pink, no thigh-highs, nothing which means there can not even be Zettai Ryouiki. The next part that needs work is the scarf. The scarf is lacking any white areas to contrast with the pink and red and it is also quite flat and could stand to be more fluffy. The final few details that are missing include the lack of large zippers on the boots and the fact that the zipper is on the inside instead of the outside. While the belt has two rows of studs they are round instead of square pyramids and it is also missing a solid rectangular buckle. The bottom strap on the bikini top should be red, and finally is a detail I just started noticing was missing thanks to a comment that was made to me. No ponytail! Yoko has her hair pulled back into a large full ponytail and big fluffy bangs. This cosplayer’s hair is a little flat.

Rifle: The initial two photos were taken in the dealer’s room in which large weapons are not allowed, so by necessity I was going to let the rifle slide. But seeing as we caught up with this cosplayer later outside of the dealer’s room to find our Meta-Yoko shot it seems she had no rifle

Attitude: While this cosplayer was more than happy to have some photos shot, her in character attitude seemed a bit lacking. I wish she would have struck a different or more dynamic pose.

Zettai Ryouiki: There are no tights here so there is nothing for me to grade, sad day indeed.

Overall Appearance: All-in-all this is an ok Yoko Littner cosplay. I really think the shorts are great as they are not just regular store bought shorts, but shiny and they even have the slit in the top center. The gloves are good but it is strange that the bracelets are built in, but I am glad to see the rectangles cut out. The most glaring thing left out here is the tights. They are pretty important to the cosplay and without them I can not even give a grade in one category, this combined with no rifle means big points taken off.

Final Grade: 2/5

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Case Study 2

First we get to see Yoko AND Kamina! ANIKI!!

Check out that rifle

This is right outside the dealer’s room.

She’s ready to kick some gunman ass.

Details: Lets just start from the floor and go up shall we? The boots are a decent style but the flames are all over the bottom instead of just in the heel and toe areas, also again NO HUGE ZIPPERS; pink tights are there but a little low; the belt is there but the studs are in small groups of nine instead of two rows top and bottom and there is no buckle; the gloves are missing the holes cut out and the long arm length glove is on the wrong arm (and coming open?); the bracelets are well done but I question the use of gold instead of yellow on the studs; the flames on the top are really good but the top is connected by a ring in the center and the bottom strap is not red; this is a great scarf and while it may have been bought in the dealer’s room it still looks good; nice little skull on the left side of the head but no chopsticks. A lot of nit-picky things but the basics are covered pretty well here.

Rifle: I will go ahead and say this now; This was the ONLY rifle any Yoko had at the ENTIRE CON. So lets look at it in detail. In general its missing details to the overall shape that would have been nice to have. This includes things like how the stock meets the barrel in a triangular shape and how the end of the barrel is round instead of square. There are the two pink stripes on the barrel but the focus knobs on the scope are incorrect as are the direction of the yellow and black stripping on the stock. I’m really into the pink strap being used and SUPER BONUS for having Boota along for the ride!

Attitude: Again I would have liked for the cosplayer to have engaged the camera more so I felt she was more in character. I feel like she is trying to embody the bad-assness of Yoko and her standard rifle pose is good but lets see some more!

Zettai Ryouiki: The tights are a good colour pink but they are riding a bit low for a solid Yoko grade B. And while technically anything between over the knee to most of the way up the leg is considered B grade I feel this cosplayer’s getting closer to a C.

Overall Appearance: While I have picked out a lot of things missing here I do feel it is a good cosplay. The main things I would like to see improved are the boots/zippers and that ring in the bikini top. It is really exciting that she had a rifle and I think the Boota plush is adorable. The shorts and top are shiny which I’ve always stated as a plus. With some attention to details this Yoko could go from a good cosplay to a great one.

Final Grade: 3/5

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Case Study 3

And here is NUMBER 3!

I later saw this group with ALL THREE Black Siblings and regrettably did not get a photo of them all together.

Yoko at your service!

Under-boob bonus

Details: There is a lot done right here, least of which is the perverted stuff you guys are thinking about so PAY ATTENTION. I have looked and looked and looked for what is missing here and I can only find a few things, the largest of which is the lack of huge zippers on the outside of the boots. The other small things are the studs on the belt, there should be more of them but there are two rows of square pyramids which is good. The studs on the bracelets are gold instead of bright yellow and the shorts could have stand to have been lower waisted with a little slit in the top center. Oh, and a fuller ponytail would be good as well.

Rifle: Having a rifle really would have taken this to the next level of great.

Attitude: This is a a very happy Yoko, and her chemistry with her group was top notch. This is the Yoko that giggles at mole-pigs and cleavage but I feel like this is also the same Yoko that took care of her children as Yomiko Sensei. Again I would like different poses but I still could tell she was really having a good time and very much into it.

Zettai Ryouiki: Compared to the actual Yoko’s ZR this cosplayer’s is top notch. The only thing I could ask for differently is that the right leg be pulled up a centimeter.

Overall Appearance: This is a great cosplay. A decent rifle would have made this a 4.5 with no problem. Of course I’m a fan of the great under-boob but that is just a bonus for everyone, but having a Boota IN HER CLEAVAGE, now that is just classic. Great job, I hope I can see this caliber of cosplay more often. For another added bonus this Yoko should pick up some orange glasses.

Final Grade: 4/5

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Case Study 4

Yoko number 4, also in the dealer’s room.

No, I did not sneak up on her!

Wait, Yoko is into Chucks?

Details: So of course I first have to point out that Yoko Littner does not wear Converse All-Stars. Because the boots are completely wrong I have no basis to judge flames, heels, style, zippers, or anything since they just do not exist. Next is the cut-off jean shorts, they wouldn’t have been as big a problem has the edges been cleaned up instead of looking ragged and this leads into the belt which is 1) in belt loops and 2) lacking the studs and rectangular silver belt buckle. The gloves and bracelets look great, I especially think the studded bracelets are top-notch. The top is well done but the flames are very skinny and tendrily whereas they should be thicker and there should be less tongues; also the bottom strap is not red. The scarf, skull (but the teeth should be facing forwards), and chopsticks are all good, especially how bright yellow the chopsticks are, but they should be sticking out of the left side of her hair only.

Rifle: N/A While I did take these photos in the dealer’s room I saw this Yoko cosplayer wandering around the con later without a rifle which means there was never one for her costume.

Attitude: This Yoko never really struck a dynamic pose and seems to be a bit timid. I would like to see her more in character and to interact with the camera more.

Zettai Ryouiki: These stockings need to be pulled up at least 10 more centimeters, maybe even 12. They are a good colour, but they are just hanging out around her knees and need to be visiting her thighs instead.

Overall Appearance: The words I keep thinking of here are “Casual Friday.” There are a lot of details missing here and that has a lot to do with the Chuck Taylors instead of proper boots. I feel like a lot of attention was given to the bracelets and would like to see that much attention given to other parts of the cosplay. The shorts also detract from the overall look and should have been cleaned up a bit. The scarf is well done, but at this point I’m sure many people buy it in the dealer’s room but I don’t hold that against a cosplayer too much because I cannot sew myself so when I cosplay I also buy some accessories.

Final Grade: 1.5/5

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Case Study 5

Our final critique of Animazement! (number 6 is a special case)

Pierce the heavens number five!

Kind of an action sexy pose shot eh?

Details: Check out those HUGE ZIPPERS! Finally a cosplayer at Animazement has giant zippers on the outside of the boots, speaking of which I think they look quite good. The flames, zippers, and style of the boots match Yoko’s well. Next is the belt which does have two rows of metal, but they are not studs and it does not have a belt buckle. The flames on the top are also well done but the style is a bit off; namely the triangles go all the way to this cosplayer’s shoulders instead of stopping at about mid-chest and being tied with strings (which the bottom one isn’t red). The bracelets are pretty well done as is the arm length glove, but commonly enough the rectangular holes on the backs of the gloves are missing. I like the scarf as well and it looks homemade though I cannot tell for sure. The skull clip is obviously home made but I think it could have been a little cleaner and it is a smidge too large. The hair is also pretty flat and the chopsticks need to be sticking out of the left side of her hair, not the center.

Rifle: …of course not…but it was the dealer’s room again and I did not see this cosplayer again.

Attitude: When I first approached this cosplayer she seemed extremely timid but as soon as I asked for a couple or photos she took to her poses straight away. I always enjoy the “Pierce the Heavens” pose and she is doing it well. I’m glad she engaged the camera.

Zettai Ryouiki: I like the colour of her stockings though her Zettai Ryouiki is pretty low, especially compared to Yoko’s B grade. The problem could be that this cosplayer’s legs are exceptionally long and finding ones that fit could have presented a problem.

Overall Appearance: Overall this is a solid Yoko cosplay. There are definitely little details missing, but finding someone with over-sized zippers was great. I think they might be one of my favourite parts of Yoko’s outfit. Also this cosplayer’s willingness to engage the camera really went a long way and made photographing and reviewing her more fun. Again the hand-made elements of the scarf (?) and skull clip are welcomed and I enjoy seeing it. I think a better belt and different style top would really have taken this cosplay up a level.

Final Grade: 3/5

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Special Case Study 6

Our final Yoko of Animazement 14 is not an actual review. More info later but first the photos!

Check out those bangs!

Check out those glasses!

This is the final Yoko we found at Animazement 14. After taking the photos and handing out flyers she came to the blog and made a comment requesting that she not be reviewed. After KT and myself corresponded via email for a bit we agreed that she would be posted here for the sake of completeness of our Yoko experience at Animazement. She will be attending Otakon later this summer and has volunteered to send us photos of her completed cosplay when Otakon is over. When this happens she will get her own before and after post here at The Yoko Critic! I must say that Tobias and myself were uber-excited with her response to the blog and even more excited that she will be sending us more photos for a more in-depth review! One of our goals here when we started this blog was to really push and encourage cosplayers to up their game and bring high quality cosplay to anime cons here in the states. Thanks to a suggestion from KT I would like to start sitting down with Yoko cosplayers and interview them to really get an idea of what part of Yoko they trying to emulate and what part of their cosplay they are proudest of; I think this will really help us in achieving our goals for both the blog and cosplay in general. Thanks again to KT for her enthusiasm and I hope everyone will be looking forward to her special post later this summer!

After a battle with real life getting in the way and photo software that didn’t work we’re finally at a close. Thank you everyone for tuning in and as I stated in my last post, now that Tobias and I have reunited IRL we are going to try harder than ever to bring you quality content on a more regular basis. I believe his post-con impressions of Animazement should also be up later today or tomorrow. As always I welcome your comments, agreements, disagreements, and hate mail in the comments section.

Simeon out.