Family brings Anime characters to life with costumes

If you live in Hooper, you might know sisters Hollie and Emma Siebler and their cousin, Andrew Hobart.

But if you go to Anime Nebraskon you’ll know them as Lacus Clyne, Yuki Sohma and Kenshin Himura.

Huh?

Let’s explain. Anime Nebraskon is an annual convention at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for Japanese animation fans. This cartoon artform, which hit the United States years ago, can be seen in shows on TVs Cartoon Network, DVDs and on the Internet.

Most people recognize names like Pokemon or Dragon Ball Z. But the Sieblers and Hobart say there are a host of shows that suit a wide audience. Fans gather at conventions in Nebraska and Iowa.

And many like to dress in costume.

Now, the Sieblers and Hobart have gotten their family involved �” via costume-making. Their aunt, Colleen “Colli” Brown of Dodge, even hopes to someday retire and spend her time sewing custom-made costumes for convention-goers.

Family members are even forming a business called Cre-Anime-tions and hope to take orders soon. They believe their costumes will be cheaper and of better quality than most seen at conventions.

The Sieblers’ fascination with anime started when Hollie �” now a junior majoring in biology and Spanish at Dana College in Blair �” was about 16. She credits a friend, Emily Low, with getting her interested.

“She gave me a tape of some anime to watch, which I did and I loved it,” she said, adding, “I’d had a lot of misconceptions, because a lot of people either think anime is childish cartoons or they’re all dirty �” and I found out that anime is such a broad category that there is one for everyone.”

Although cartoons, anime geared toward adults have complex, sophisticated plots.

“They’re addictive like soap operas,” said cousin, Nettie Brown.

Hollie attended her first convention in November 2004. In 2005, she printed a picture of a character, Sailor Mars, off the computer and asked her grandma, Sharon Dunaway, to make the costume. Hollie wore it to the convention.

“I couldn’t walk anywhere because people were yelling at me to turn around so they could take a picture,” Hollie said. “I went to Anime Iowa and wore the same costume and the same thing happened.”

In 2006, Dunaway made a Sailor Jupiter

costume for Emma who went with Hollie to Nebraskon. They attended the next year with the same positive reaction.

This year, Hollie asked for a new costume. It took Dunaway three months to make the long white and purple Lacus Clyne dress, because she could only work on it when Hollie came home for the weekend. Time was getting short for her to make other costumes. That’s when Aunt Colli came in to help.

“I love to sew,” said Colli, who can make a costume in a weekend. “Grandma was really busy trying to get Hollie’s done and was getting nervous. I said, ‘I can do Emma’s’ and that started it.”

Aunt Colli made a Saya costume from the show Blood+ for Emma for Anime Iowa in August. She also made Kenshin Himura from the Rurouni Kenshin show for Hobart for Nebraskon in November.

During conventions, the Sieblers and Hobart were complimented on their attire.

Andrew’s mom, Roxie, started some Internet research of the costumes.

“I looked on-line and it cost anywhere from $80 to $100 for simple costumes and they were mass produced,” she said.

“One size fits most everybody,” Colli added.

Then Andrew and a friend, Justin, were talking to a vendor at this year’s convention.

“He asked where we bought our costumes, so I told him that my family makes all of our costumes and he gave me a business card and asked me to have the makers of the costumes get ahold of him,” Hobart said.

They have high hopes.

“We’ve had several friends say, ‘When you get started, we want some costumes,’” Emma said.

Roxie is quick to add: “We’re not so much into the accessories.”

Emma ordered her wig for Yuki who wears a black suit and white tie. Andrew ordered his sword for Kenshin.

Colli and Roxie add that they’re not just limited to anime costumes.

“If someone wants to be Cinderella or Harry Potter, it doesn’t matter,” Roxie said.

“The whole appeal is that they are custom-fit,” said Colli.

For more information, visit creanimetions@midlands.net.