First Worn: Anime Expo 2000
When I was a teen just getting into anime, I strongly identified with Asuka. These days, not so much. I do still like her, just not as much as I once did. The yellow dress is cute, simple, and comfortable. I ended up wearing it a lot because it’s easy to throw on.
Back in 2000 when I first cosplayed Asuka, I used my own hair, even though it wasn’t the right color (this was normal at the time). At Anime Expo, no one recognized my outfit, and I even had someone ask me why I wasn’t cosplaying! It baffled me, because Evangelion was popular then too, but I guess I was one of the first people to cosplay the yellow dress version. I thought at least the hair clips would make it immediately recognizable. I later started wearing a wig with the outfit. In 2013 my friend Lionel built an Evangelion cockpit, so I brought the costume out once again to get some photos with it.
