Brazilian cosplayer Giulia, widely known on social media by her nickname Giu Hellsing, has garnered numerous titles and championships, along with international appearances at events. She shares a glimpse of her life as a cosplayer on stage and on Patreon with Suit Up, Girls!
Despite the challenges of distance and time zones, Giu was always approachable and agreed to chat with us over Zoom. Our paths had crossed a few times before in the Brazilian cosplay community—our first meeting, as we discovered during the conversation, likely happened at the 2019 Comic Con Experience in São Paulo, and more recently, during contests where she served as a judge.
We started light, discussing our journeys as cosplayers and our shared understanding of the community. Her blue hair stood out beautifully against her pink headphones, which happened to match mine. After some casual conversation, we dove into our favorite topic: cosplay.
To begin the retrospective on her many years in the field, we went back to where it all started: her introduction to cosplay. It all began alongside her boyfriend (now husband) during some of their outings. At his suggestion, they attended an anime event in 2010, where Giulia saw people dressed as characters from media she already followed. She was mesmerized, and at that moment, thought, I want to do this too.
Her journey as a cosplayer began, and like most beginnings, her early cosplays were rough around the edges—especially in those days when professional cosmakers didn’t exist and online resources for learning sewing, props, and wig-making techniques were scarce. Naturally, she set out to refine her craft.
This drive to improve led Giu to start competing and gaining recognition for her cosplays. A significant motivator was the fact that many competitions offered cash prizes, which she could reinvest into new projects.
Acknowledging that cosplay is an expensive hobby, we moved on to one of the key questions: What do you enjoy most about cosplaying? Even from afar, her enthusiasm was palpable—this was a question she loved answering. Giulia has a degree in Visual Arts and even taught for many years, so discussing cosplay is, for her, akin to discussing art—something she is deeply passionate about. It’s precisely this passion that makes being a cosplayer feel so natural for her.
Cosplay as an Art Form and a Career
Cosplay is a form of art—a way to express oneself and step into another personality, even if only for a brief moment. For Hellsing, cosplay has been a journey of personal growth, mastering new techniques, meeting people, and spending time with like-minded groups. But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. Like many other female cosplayers, she has faced challenges dealing with other people, but in her opinion, the number one nemesis is the wig making.
We delved into her creative process for choosing characters. Her criteria are simple: it has to be something she loves and feels passionate about. From there, she studies every detail of the character’s design—clothing, props, footwear, makeup, the full package. She then plans the construction, deciding where to begin and which techniques to use.
Every cosplayer has their quirks: while some prefer working on everything simultaneously, Giu opts to complete one piece before moving on to the next.
From Podiums to Patreon
Discussing Giulia’s career as a Patreon creator, I asked how the idea began. She explained that it happened gradually.
After consistently winning cosplay competitions, she started receiving invitations to serve as a judge or even represent brands and games at events—all while continuing to teach Arts. Some offers were international, and her career truly took off in 2019 after her work at that year’s Comic Con Experience (where our paths first crossed).
At international events, organizers suggested she bring signed prints of her cosplays. Though skeptical, she complied—and was stunned when she sold out and had to print more. While this practice was rare in Brazil, it was common internationally. This marked the start of her venture into selling prints, keychains, and stickers.
“Imagine my surprise when I sold all the prints in a single day. I left the convention and had to look for a place to print more—in another country—just to have enough for the next day.”
Many of Giu’s cosplays were already of sensual characters, and fans began suggesting she create a platform to share more photoshoots. When the pandemic hit, she took the plunge, resigning from her teaching position to focus fully on cosplay and Patreon, which remains her career today.
Sensual Shoots as Art
When asked how she feels about creating more sensual content, Giulia admitted that she was initially shy and self-conscious. Today, however, she feels comfortable, with her husband, Tom, as her photographer.
I brought up an important topic: does she feel she’s objectifying herself by selling such content? She answered candidly, explaining that she doesn’t, and elaborated on why. For Hellsing, these photoshoots are a form of art and self-expression. She only undertakes projects she is fully satisfied with—ideas she’s passionate about, not requests from others.
In fact, she shared that she sometimes holds off on cosplaying certain characters for years, ensuring that when she does, it’s exactly how she envisions and wants to represent them.
Supporting Others and Final Thoughts
Switching to a lighter note, Giu mentioned encouraging her younger sister to try cosplay, always being transparent about her own choice to embrace a sensual style and openly discussing the pros and cons of the career. For her sensual cosplays are art.
We wrapped up with a parting message from Giulia, which I’ll carry with me and share with others
“Cosplay is a creative world waiting to be explored. The key is to have fun and embody the character you want to be. It’s an art form deserving of support from those around you!”
As we said our goodbyes, I left with a smile on my face and a bittersweet ache in my heart. As someone who shares this world, I deeply understand the sentiment—and I can’t help but miss the magic of being a magical girl for a day.
