Cosplaying has been a staple in pop culture for as long as we can remember. A convention experience is never complete unless you see someone walking around in full costume based on recognizable characters. What can be a form of art and expression for others is also a legitimate career for those who work hard enough to grow their name and presence. From a fun childhood pastime to now a full-time job, we got to have a conversation with Roxanne Kho on cosplaying in the Philippines. All the highs, lows, and everything in between.
Some of you may know her as Tifa from Final Fantasy VII or Ningguang and Jean from Genshin Impact. But who is Roxanne Kho underneath all the costumes and makeup? Outside her work, Roxanne loves to read fantasy books and play the piano. But where did it all start? And how does she want to see the industry moving forward?
Much like everyone else, Roxanne started on this journey simply because she enjoyed the various types of media she watched when she was a kid. “I loved Disney and Barbie so much that I wanted to be like the characters themselves. I would go through clothes in my closet and to try and look like them.” Even Kho’s mom would feed into her newfound pastime. “I would join singing contests before, and my mom would have our tailor make a costume for me. I remember dressing up as Pocahontas at one time.”
Eventually, she got into the colorful world of anime and DevianArt, an online space where she got first exposed to what cosplaying is. This became the gateway to the cosplaying rabbit hole Kho fell into. “I discovered the likes of Saya and Toka but then I stumbled into Alodia. I was shocked when I realized that a Pinay was doing it also! Eventually, I also found out that various conventions were being held in the country that was filled with cosplayers.”
From then on, Roxanne would work on a costume for about 4-6 months up until she got to debut it in a con. At this point, there wasn’t much financial backing on it just yet. She did it out of passion and interest. But it wasn’t always the fairytale story she expected it to be. “I was still in early college at the time and was in the medical field. We all know how hectic that can get.”
This is where Roxanne did something you wouldn’t expect. She quit. Temporarily. “I decided to take a step back. Aside from the main tasks of school, I also had a lot of extracurricular activities. I promised myself that I would pursue graduation first, then I’ll see if cosplaying would still be something that interests me.”
A good 4-5 years into the cosplay hiatus, Roxanne eventually met Zack, another prominent cosplayer in the Philippines. “He was the one that convinced me to get back into it. I initially had my apprehensions since it has been a while but when I started to have health issues, I decided to quit med school and pursue full-time work already.”
2018 was when Roxanne decided to take cosplaying a little bit more seriously. If before, it was out of simple enjoyment and passion for the craft, now she was determined to make it a sustainable platform. “We met friends from Singapore who told us that in their country, cosplayers would sell prints and merchandise for years already. That’s when I realized how late the Philippines was in doing this. So, I wanted to try and follow that. I knew there are people who support us either way, so we decided to go for it.”
At the time, she still wasn’t cosplaying as a profession. She still had to juggle this with a full-time job. The schedule in which she operated with was something that not a lot of people could believe even to this day. “I used to have 12-hour shifts. I know, it sounds crazy.” At the time, she was a company nurse that was required to do at least 48 hours a week. “What I do is schedule 2 days for my work. I’d talk to my other co-nurses if I could take their shifts so that I can do back-to-back. That’s 24 hours. Then I rest for 1-3 days.” Roxanne would do 6am to 6am shifts twice a week. And on her “rest” days, she’d shoot for cosplay stuff.
But as you would guess, this hectic schedule would not last forever. Eventually, Roxanne hit a crossroads in her professional and cosplay life. “It was early 2019 when I decided to quit my work because of health issues. It made my already crazy schedule unsustainable, and I wasn’t getting paid enough to justify staying. Our profits from selling prints were already more than my salary at the time. It was a hard decision. It was definitely a gamble since we didn’t know if events or cons would eventually go away.”
And they kind of did. Just a year after, the COVID-19 pandemic happened which forced the whole world to shut down and have everyone stay indoors. Large-scale gatherings were not allowed, and social interaction was limited to online spaces. Luckily, Roxanne was able to build her own platform just enough for brands to notice. “As much as the pandemic was bad for everyone, companies also saw this as an opportunity. Since everyone was more online, they reached out to those who had a significant amount of presence in social media. I was still able to work by posting promoting different products.”
As for the cosplay stuff, Roxanne spent the lockdown shooting in her property in Ilocos. She recalls having much more time back then, so she took advantage of it and tried to grow her online audience. And it worked. Roxanne gained even more supporters which enabled brands to connect with her more to this day.
But, as much as the lockdown years were full of personal and professional growth in the cosplaying space, Roxanne also reflects on the challenges that can happen behind the scenes.
“The thing about cosplaying is that there’s a lot that goes into it that not a lot of people realize. All they see is the post, but not the hustle behind it. Some brands only give us a lead time of 3 weeks. In those times, we have to do everything from scratch. We have to plan postings, coordinate with tailors, and sometimes we have to be the ones to craft ourselves since everyone’s full already. Then we have to contact photographers and studios. After that, there’s post processing. Then we still have to receive approval from the clients.”
Roxanne also opens up about the dangers of being a cosplayer. Issues of harassment and inappropriate behavior from fans can make or break a cosplayer’s experience of an event. “Cosplay is not consent. People still have to ask permission if they can put their arm around you or engage in any sort of close physical contact. It has gotten better over the years, but I can’t deny that in my earlier years, I’ve had troubling experiences with people who didn’t respect boundaries.”
But at the end of the day, what’s more important for Roxanne is the fans that have had her back since day one. “I wouldn’t be where I am without them. I really thank everyone who has supported me, especially those who started from when I still had no followers. The best thing we cosplayers can do is to be better in our craft as a way to give back to them.”
As a final note, Roxanne shares her wish list for the cosplaying space in the Philippines. “There’s a lot to say when it comes to cosplay because there is so much more to explore in the industry. The chances of growth are so big right now. I would love to see cosplay work to be properly regulated. Right now, esports is becoming a more legitimate career path for players. Why not have the same thing for up-and-coming cosplayers?”
She’s an artist, a businesswoman, but more importantly, a fan of her craft and the franchises that inspire her to be more creative. Roxanne Kho is one of the leading cosplayers in the Philippines who’s pushing to not only grow her own platform but provide the avenue for others to follow suit. Cosplaying in the Philippines is still going strong to this day and it’s people like Roxanne that contributes to why it’s such a beloved thing for both fans and artists alike.