NAM: For the record, please state your full name.
B.C.: Brandon Campanile

NAM: Is this your first interview?

B.C.: Yes.

NAM: Ok, getting right into it.  First, let me
congratulate you on winning 1st place in the METAL
GEAR:  Up your Arse-nal contest.  What inspired you to
participate?

B.C.: Thank you. I was actually inspired to participate
when I was surfing on Redwolfairsoft.com. I looked at
the top of my screen and saw the banner for the MGUYA
contest and thought, "Wow! That sounds like a ton of
fun, and I've always wanted to dress up like [him]!"

NAM:  Apparently, ad placement has its payoffs, and this
one seemed to have worked for you.  Have you ever played
the game before you decided to enter the contest?

B.C.: Yes! I got into the series when [the fourth game]
came out, but have since begun collecting just about
everything you can think of. I own and have played every
game [in the series] that has been released in the US,
and I'm looking forward to future titles from my
favorite series.

NAM:  Getting back to the costume, what reference
material did you use to model your costume off of?

B.C.: I used the in-game model itself, along with the
action figures that were made by Medicom. Using the
in-game model, I was able to get details down to the
soles of [his] jungle boots. And using the action
figures, I was able to determine what clips were used on
his parachute harness and a few other minor details that
are not visible on the in-game model, such as the
writing on his undershirt.
try out for fun. Think of Halloween for instance, you
dress up as a scary zombie (Operation:Biohazard plug)
or as a character from a favorite show or game,
whatever. But, why should that be reserved to occurring
just once a year? Why not try out that costume you've
been dying to wear in July? Then, you can go to a
convention where you could potentially become a
celebrity for a day. Hundreds of people who are into
the same things you are stop you and ask if they can
get your picture, its fun!

NAM:  Quite an astute explanation.  So where do you
find inspiration for the costumes you do? And have you
done more than just this character?
NAM:  So it’s safe to say that you put a considerable
effort into getting it done accurately.  Tell us a bit
more about your costume.  Where did you get all the
accessories?

B.C.: Most of the accessories were purchased either
through ebaY or from various military surplus stores.
But, it was very difficult tracking down a lot of the
harder to find pieces. The radio pouch, for example, was
a particularly difficult one to find, and I managed to
win that in a lot on ebaY. The boots were purchased from
an online military surplus store. They are vibram soled
Vietnam issue jungle boots that had never been used, so
no jungle rot involved. The canteen and holder were a
bit tough to find with the correct stitching and cap,
but my girlfriend and I managed to find them in two
separate surplus stores. The CQC knife and survival
knife were purchased from a website (I forget the one).
The harness, BDU, radio, and CQC knife sheath were made
from scratch by my girlfriend and I. She did all of the
work on the BDU and harness while I did work modeling
the radio and helping her with the CQC sheath. All in
all, it took us quite a number of months getting the
outfit together and making sure the accuracy was top
notch.
NAM:  Quite a team effort, it would seem.  What about
the more specific items like the eye patch and the knee
brace?

B.C.: The character specific items such as the eye patch
and knee brace were easier to locate. I think
I went to the medical aisle in a grocery store for
the eye patch and a sporting goods store for the knee
brace.
NAM:  Elaborate on the boots.

B.C.: Well, it wasn't easy to find Vietnam jungle boots
with the vibram sole, let alone a pair that had never
been worn. One issue with this particular sole is that
it was only used for a short amount of time because the
tread had smaller gaps than the later which used the
Panama sole, and mud and gunk would get caught in it
easily, making it difficult to maneuver in a jungle
environment. The government began issuing the Panama
sole jungle boots only a year or so after using the
Vibram soles. Not only that but [the character’s] boots
are first edition Vibrams. So, there is no fabric stripe
on the side of the boot. It is nearly impossible to find
a first edition, and sadly, I had to reluctantly give up
and go with a second edition pair. I'm still happy with
my purchase. Earlier you were asking me about the
reference materials used to find the details of the
costume. This detail was discovered using the "Survival
Viewer" in [the fourth installment of the game]. If you
turn [the main character] enough that you are looking at
him from underneath, you can see the tread on his boots.
Also, using the "Subsistence" version of [the game] with
the user adjustable camera, I was able to get an even
better look at the boots by having [him] lie on the
ground, and positioning the camera to get a really good
view of his boots.
NAM:  You seem to know how to find what you need with
the tools you have on hand, quite impressive, quite a
useful skill in cosplaying.  Speaking of which, is this
your first time cosplaying or do you do it regularly?

B.C.: Well, I only recently got into cosplaying. In
fact, my girlfriend is the one who got me into it. But,
to answer your question, I've only been cosplaying for
about a year. I’ve wanted to dress up as [this
character] for a long time now, and I had always
considered it kind of geeky to cosplay. But, I've come
to understand that cosplaying is a way of becoming that
which you couldn't otherwise be in the real world. Plus,
it's fun to dress up as your favorite character from a
video game, or show, or whatever and pretend to be that
person.

NAM:  We’re referring to cosplay, but I’m not certain
some of our readers are entirely familiar with it.  Can
you explain more on what it’s all about?

B.C.: Cosplaying is a way of becoming something you want
to be or just want to
(***********  return to top  ***********)
B.C.: Well, the first costume I made was Roger Smith
from and anime called, "The Big O." That costume was
very simple and involved me wearing a suit and slicking
my hair back. I didn't really want to do it at first,
but my girlfriend encouraged me to, so I did. But, as
for [this character], it's a little more interesting. I
was watching videos that were supposed to be [the game]
videos online with people dressing up as [him] and
sneaking around, etc. And, it just kind of pissed me
off. I felt like I was given a mission to make an
outfit and basically do it justice. So I spoke with my
girlfriend who thought it was a great idea, and we got
started. So basically, my inspiration for [him] was
that I was angry (perfect when you think of [his]
tragedy), and for the other one, it was because I'd
never done it before, and my girlfriend really wanted
me to try it.

NAM:  Tell us about your feeling toward the general
“ban” of airsoft products for cosplay purposes at anime
conventions across the country?  Do you think the
measure is justified or just more post-9/11 paranoia?
B.C.:  I understand the intentions behind the banning
of airsoft products at anime conventions and the like,
but I do enjoy seeing realistic looking guns when
someone is attempting to recreate a character from an
anime or game. As for the second part of the question,
I don’t think it’s just post 9/11 paranoia that’s
causing this. Society at large, I think, has become
more violent in recent years with school shootings and
other things. While I think that “banning” the guns at
events is a bit extreme, it’s also important for the
owner of the airsoft gun to take the first steps of
responsibility by letting the organizers know what they
have and that they have every intention to cooperate
with any safety precautions that the event may require,
up to and including leaving the blaze-orange tips
intact.
NAM:  Of the anime conventions that you’re allowed to
show off your airsoft props, how do other attendees and
general populace seem to react to you?

B.C.:  Well at one con, I didn’t want to go in without
my MK23 pistol. I felt that it added a lot to the
costume. There was a lot of security involved when I
brought my MK23 to the convention, but after taking a
lot of precautions (zip-tying the trigger and plugging
the barrel), the organizers allowed it.

NAM:  With all this work you put into your costumes,
and your obvious love for anime, I have to wonder; do
you play, and if so, how long have you been playing?

B.C.: I have only just gotten into it, and I have not
yet had the chance to play a game. Funny thing is, the
whole reason I haven't played is because I only own two
gas guns.

NAM:  Really?  Which guns do you own?

B.C.: I currently own a KWA G26C, with semi and full-
auto capabilities, and a Tokyo Marui MK23 fixed slide
(which is fun because it's so quiet).

NAM: Starting out small, I see.  So, why airsoft?  Why
not paintball, laser tag, or any other tactical pursuit
sport?

B.C.: I like the realism of airsoft. I enjoy the fact
that the companies who create the guns strive so much
to make sure that the gun is identical to the real
thing, sometimes even down to the weight of the gun
itself. Paintball has always looked very clunky and
ungraceful to me with the gigantic container feeding
all the paintballs into your gun, sitting on top like a
sore thumb. I alternatively enjoy laser tag with is
similar to close quarters fighting, a kind of
airsofting I'd like to get into.
NAM: So you haven’t had a chance to participate in any
of the big airsoft events like Lion Claws, Savage
Garden, etc., yet?

B.C.: No, I haven't. But, I've been interested in
checking them out and seeing what they're like.

NAM:  Are you looking forward to your first game?  What
kind of experience do you expect?

B.C.: I don’t really know what to expect. I’m sure it
will be a very high-intensity experience. And, I’m sure
I’ll have a lot of fun. A few of my friends and I have
been trying to plan on going to an event, and I think
it’ll be easier for me to get into the experience if I’
ve got backup.

NAM:  Assuming that your experience is good, do you see
yourself investing more time and finances into this
sport?  What do you think you can learn from airsoft?

B.C.: I’m sure I will. Considering that I’ve already
got two guns, a BDU, a holster, a quick loading BB
carrier (among other things), I’ve invested a good
amount of money into it already, but I’ve always wanted
to expand my arsenal. Winning this contest is just
another step towards that goal.

NAM: So if you had your pick of only one AEG, what
would it be, company and model?

B.C.: I've been thinking about this for a long time and
have yet to come to a decision. But, if I had to pick
one, I guess it would be a TM M16A1 VN. Though, I also
really want to get the FAMAS actually. To tell you the
truth, the fight has been between the TM M16A1 VN, the
TM AK47, and the TM FAMAS (which was the prize for
winning!).

NAM: Looks like you win all the way around!  Again,
congratulations and thanks for taking the time to sit
down with us!

B.C.: Thanks!!  I really appreciate it!
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