CosBlog #52: Dragoon Shana By Nina Gyaboo

by Meagan Marie on Apr 27, 2011 at 07:01 AM

The Legend of Dragoon is a favorite of mine, drawing me immediately to this stunning recreation of Shana’s armored form. Check out Nina Gyaboo’s work below, and read on for a detailed description of what went into creating the impressively detailed costume.

Who: The Character
Shana in White Silver Dragoon version from The Legend of Dragoon

Why: The Decision
I really like this game. I like the character design, story, the gameplay, and especially the armor design. The dragoon armor design is very original. Until now I still consider it as one of the best RPG games ever. Driven by a remarkable love for this game I had a desire to make and wear the Dragoon armor someday though I didn’t know how to make it.

I love all the characters, but for cosplay I chose between Shana and Meru. Both Shana and Meru have advantages. I began to actively participate in cosplay when I graduated in 2006. I didn’t dare to directly make the costume then. I needed four years after that before I attempted it. During those four years, I was working on other simple armor to experiment. My Indonesian cosplayer friend Reita – who already did Dart – chose Shana for me. He thought Shana was more suitable for me.

What: The Process
I made the Dragoon armor by ingredients as follows: craftfoam, PVC pipe (for wing handles), glue gun, wire, nitrocellulose paint, steel putty, wall putty, and duco paint.

I spent about a month on the costume. I worked every day for four to six hours, compressing my routine activity and dividing it with working on Shana’s costume. The most difficult part was conceptualizing how the wings would be attached properly. We needed a plan for the wings. If the load of wings material was too heavy, not only could the handles be broken, the wings would fall. I used thick mica for wings material, as it's lighter than fiber. Although I’ve counted correctly the strength of the wings, there are still errors. Finally, although I used a lightweight wings material, it still feels very heavy when I wear it with the body armor. I only stand up to half an hour wearing Shana's full armor.

Where and When: The Debut
This costume is still new. I've never worn it to a convention. I usually come to a convention to have fun and meet with friends, so I think I’ll wear Shana if I enter cosplay contest.

I asked my sister who also cosplayer to help me with the photos. I had a concept of Shana with the moon (in the Legend of Dragoon story Shana is the moonchild) so we were both looking for a suitable location. I wanted ruins of the old building that have the same style as the one on the game, but because such locations do not exist in Indonesia, I chose another alternative. Near our house, there was vast empty land with high weeds. We did my Shana photoshoot there. I edited it to give a touch of emerald color to the background to fit with Shana's armor color.

Then I added a huge moon to add a strong impression on the photo. I didn't edit the armor colors. The glossy armor color is real. Actually my armor would look even more beautiful when viewed directly!

Note: I would like to thank my sister Epi Corner, and my friends Reita, Echow, and Sora for the support. I love you guys!

Links: The Cosplayer
DeviantArt, Cosplay.com, Cure

The Gallery
Photos by Epi Corner, costume, hair, and makeup by Nina.