Once again, we took the show on the road to the Big Apple to speak with Lizzytomania, also known as SayaMayCry. To simply call her a cosplayer would do a disservice to her talents; she's a prop artist, streamer, visual content creator, model and been doing it all with Black Girl Magic as an intrinsic trait. Hailing from Michigan and getting into the convention scene via Youmacon in the late 2000s, Lizzy's been walking the walk in all things geek, nerd, and FGC since making her first Soul Eater cosplay. For her, it's more than simply putting on an outfit and looking the part; the character has to resonate, whether it be the design details, in-universe lore, or their particular set of ideals/moral code. In some cases, like her award winning Urbosa from the Breath of the Wild (2017), a combination of all three.
As a dark-skinned Black woman, Lizzy is no stranger to the fact that navigating these spaces both online and in-person comes with its own set of preconceived notions and challenges. \"It's so much more than just being the 'Black version' of a character, I've seen plenty of Chun-Lis and Cammy's at events but people will approach me like 'oh you were Black Cammy' to which I say no, I was just Cammy.\" In her journey from fashioning her own props out of household items, to now 3D-printing her own designs and individual pieces; cosplay is a medium to express her most authentic self. Some of her notable works include characters from popular fighting game franchises like Ramlethal Valentine from Guilty Gear: Strive, Mai Shiranui from Fatal Fury, and a slew of Street Fighter 6 characters including Cammy White and Kimberly. The latter received significant attention at EVO 2023, with representatives from HORI Corporation seeking her out to pose with a customized arcade stick featuring artwork of the character at their event booth. Don't let the wealth of fighting game cosplays fool you, she's got plenty in the catalog including Jessica Rabbit, \"High Noon\" Senna from League of Legends, and Widowmaker from Overwatch.
In a conversation that found us at the intersection of cosplay, class, and culture; Lizzy dropped a gem for anyone who's experiencing self-doubt or hesitation; \"...You have got to be able to find your joy, and not let someone else that could not experience that for themselves tell you otherwise\".
We're super excited to have Lizzy join us for a very insightful conversation about her journey, the importance and weight of Black Excellence, and all things dope; because sometimes you gotta pop out and show em. Please enjoy our latest episode right here on Acast.
Keep up with Lizzy on socials!
(Cover photo courtesy of Brad Behles Photography @ MAGFest 2025)
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