We have the other half of the USA 2009 duo for you today, here is the first half of the interview with India:

Question: WCS 2009 is coming up, what is the current overall state of your preparations?

Dia: Getting there! The press costume is done, with the exception of some shoes, which is a big load off my shoulders. The press costume was important for me to do really cleanly and professionally, so I'm glad I was able to get it out of the way in a comfortable manner.

I've got most of the fabric/accessories I need for everything else, so I'm ready to get started on everything! I'll probably start with my performance costume (or, rather, costumes!) first to get it done, so I don't have to worry about it anymore. That way, I can focus on the more complicated aspects of the staging, and practice a lot!

Like Elizabeth, the parade costume will be last for me, since it's very easy. I could probably run it up in a day, which is good.

Q: What manga and anime you like, why do you like those titles? What are your favorite characters and why?

D: FLCL has been one of my favorites for a long time. Mamimi is one of my favorite characters (and one I cosplayed a long time ago, too) and I love the varying art styles used in the series. I like a lot of Gainax titles, actually - Gunbuster and Diebuster have a special place in my heart. Noriko and Nono are such fantastic characters, and the "hard work and guts!" theme of the series is really inspirational. Aside from that, I love all of Ai Yazawa's manga, with Paradise Kiss being my favorite. Because I went to fashion school, I really connect with the characters, and the designs are fabulous.

Q: What was your criteria in choosing your costumes, either the ones for the WCS or otherwise?

D: It was actually rather tricky! Since there are such specific guidelines we need to follow, we had a hard time deciding what to use. We also wanted to take into consideration the weather-related aspects - Nagoya in the summer is incredibly hot, so we don't want to overheat during the parade. We wanted to choose popular series that were also special to us, and I think we came up with some great selections. Cardcaptor Sakura is great for big, flashy costumes in the performance, while Kuroshitsuji allows us to exhibit our sewing skills, and Space Channel 5 is skimpy and well-ventilated!

For other costumes, I'm generally drawn to the costume itself, not necessarily the character or series. I love designs that require intricate sewing, or that challenge me with something I've never done. I'm also often drawn into a series by the art style; occasionally, I'll even do a costume out of an artbook by an artist I like, even though there isn't a series attached. I also enjoy doing costumes from non-anime/manga series, like movies and TV shows. Sometimes goofy TV costumes can be the best!

Q: Could you tell me what your performance at New York Anime Festival was like?

D: Like Elizabeth said, it was all done in a month, which is a pretty short amount of time for such a big endeavor. There was a lot of frustration (changing into big fluffy costumes in a public bathroom is less than ideal!) and a lot of anxiety, but it all paid off. It was really nerve-wracking practicing on the stage for the first time - you kind of hold your breath and hope that your idea comes across to the audience, and we were lucky enough that ours did.

You can see the second part to the interview with Dia right here tomorrow.