Miyano Miyano Miyano

Note: This is an appendix to I Cosplayed as Miyano. You should read that one first.

Appendix A: Why Miyano?

Let me start by saying that I love all you cosplayers. You guys are great. Keep doing what you're doing, and please don't be discouraged by what I'm about to say. I'm just making these observations as an outsider (of sorts) with very minimal experience.

I like to preen, but I'm also a practical person. So these were the rough criteria I had:

• The character must be someone I know and like.

  Well duh.

  Now, I don't mean the character has to be from a fandom I'm actively in. I don't consume much of any fandom, for that matter.

  My knowledge of Sasamiya is, of course, more than the average person, but then again, I've only seen the (dubbed) anime. I haven't read any of the manga.

  Does that make me a fake Sasamiya fan? That's for you to decide.

• The character must be a guy.

  Personally, I'm not comfortable with crossplaying, and even if I tried to, you'd probably be able to tell I'm obviously a dude trying to cosplay as a girl. Not that there's anything wrong with that (really), but yeah, it's just not my thing.

• No wigs.

  Similar reasoning as above, I think it'd be obvious that I was wearing a wig.

• The costume should be "simple".

  I already had respect for cosplayers before, but after attending this convention, I have infinitely more respect for them.

  My simple vest and shirt outfit was already enough of a headache as it was. I'm definitely not yet cut out for costumes with more moving parts. This is only something I'd consider if I choose to take cosplaying more seriously.

• I should look like the character, and I should look good.

  Why even bother if I didn't?

• The character should be un-straight (optional).

  No comment.

With these in mind, my candidate pool was already pretty limited.

Now that I'm writing this, maybe two more characters that could've fit the bill would be Joker from Persona or Charlie Spring from Heartstopper. But nah, I like Miyano.

Appendix B: Okay, but why Miyano?

"If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it's probably a duck."

Listen, I am fully aware of the self-image I'm presenting.

I read yaoi, I write yaoi, and now I'm cosplaying yaoi.

Perhaps every time I do something like this, I dig a deeper hole for myself.

It doesn't help that the guy I chose canonically denies he's not straight at first, says he reads BL just for the "tasteful dynamics", only to then, throughout the series, fall in love with his (male) senior.

I have no idea what you think of me, or what conclusions you have reached, and whether or not you want to use that as gossip fodder.

But anyway, I'm not confirming or denying anything. Not on April Fools'. Nope.

I'm just here, doing what I like.

And honestly, you should just mind your FUCKING business.

Appendix C: LinkedIn Lunatic

In what I can only describe as either a brilliant move or a horrible blunder, I'm gonna share this on LinkedIn.

Not this blog, of course. No way in hell.

I'm gonna ask ChatGPT to write some, I dunno, inspirational slop about touching grass.

Honestly, I think they'll eat it up. They love someone who touches grass.

My barren LinkedIn profile, and the first (and only) thing I post is me cosplaying.

Earlier this March, I stepped outside my usual routine and tried something completely different: I attended Anime Garden 2026 at Gardens by the Bay – not as a spectator, but as a cosplayer.

I went as Miyano, a character known for his introspection, quiet curiosity, and gradual journey toward understanding himself. What drew me to him wasn't just the design or the aesthetics, but the underlying idea: sometimes growth isn't loud or linear – it's subtle, personal, and deeply internal.

In many ways, that resonates with how we approach life.

It's easy to get caught up in the usual metrics – grades, internships, competitions, outcomes. We optimize, we iterate, we compare. And while those things matter, they're only one dimension of the experience.

There's another side that's just as important:

• Trying something unfamiliar,

• Showing up without guarantees,

• And allowing yourself to exist outside of expectations.

That weekend wasn't about performance or achievement. It was about doing something simply because I could – and realizing that there's value in that too.

Sometimes, the most meaningful progress doesn't come from winning. It comes from choosing to participate.

Life isn't just a series of milestones to clear – it's also the moments where you decide to step off the track and explore a different path, even briefly.

And occasionally, that path might involve becoming someone else for a day – only to understand yourself a little better afterward.

Actually, now that I've generated it, I actually really like the message.

It's ironic, of course, but it's nice.

I think they'll like it. Yea.