Yuna

1. Costume: Aliexpress
2. Wig: Etsy

• Written on 8 July 2026

  In 2004, I started my cosplay journey, so I think it wouldn’t be a surprise that Yuna (Summoner) was my very first cosplay. I can’t believe that Final Fantasy X is already celebrating its 25th anniversary this month (19 July 2026).
  I am so glad to see this happening.

  Final Fantasy X means the world to me. I played it together with my friend, and I still remember the beautiful FMV cutscenes and fully voice-acted scenes.

  But for me, it was the story that stayed with me. It touched me on a level I was not prepared for.

  Dutch Note: Here comes my Dutch dry sarcasm: It’s not like I dedicated an entire character shrine (old web) to my favorite Final Fantasy X character in the exact same year.

  Yuna is also very dear to me. I love her so much too! It is not only her kindness and empathy that stayed with me, but also her determination. Seeing her facing hardship alone, especially during the Bevelle chapter of the story, was so powerful. Yeah, you go girl! Let’s do it!

  The Macalania scene with Tidus is another moment that stayed with me. She breaks down in tears because the heavy weight finally falls from her shoulders, and he comforts her.

  The Sending, Yuna’s dance in Kilika, is a scene that I will never forget. It is full of emotion, for the people watching and for Yuna as well. I kind of relate to Yuna because, as a dancer myself, I also dance when I feel sad, irritated, nervous, stressed, or happy.

• Her Summoner outfit, including the obi, kimono top with sleeves, and skirt, was a real challenge to make because my mother didn’t have a sewing machine at the time, and I didn’t have any sewing experience.

  My aunt was so kind to sew the costume for me. The sleeves, obi, top, and skirt were all sewn by her. I watched her while she was making everything, hoping that maybe someday I could make my own costumes.

  Yuna’s sleeves have this beautiful pink gradient, so this was the first time that I dyed fabric. It was a unique experience for me. However, the obi was another challenge. I decided to make a large rectangle, and the bow was more like a pillow because I added stuffing. I didn’t want to have a flat bow hanging down like a drop of water, so for me, this was the best solution.

  The skirt was also made from a rectangle with elastic at the waist. Together with the help of my dear friend, we painted all the details on the obi and skirt by hand. It was a lot of work, but so worth it. At the beginning, I also used my own hair because we didn’t have the resources that we have now. I wore my Yuna cosplay to my very first convention, AnimeCon 2005.

  

  In 2024, twenty years later, I bought a new costume from AliExpress. I had already seen other cosplayers buying this version. My first thought when it arrived was: the obi doesn’t look that great. I am going to remake that part.
  I decided to hand embroider all the details. Oh boy! That was a lot of work! What had I gotten myself into?

  Just like with my handmade cosplay, I didn’t want the obi to be flat, especially because the bow would hang down like a drop of water. So what did I do? I bought two obi belts, one pink and one yellow, to give it more stability. That was the best solution ever!

  Something funny happened while I was sewing the last part together, and I still remember it to this day. I was listening to my Spotify playlist, which has more than 200 songs, when suddenly Seymour’s Theme started playing.
  I laughed so hard. I have always enjoyed listening to his theme, but at that moment my only thought was:

  Oh no. I am cursed.

  

• As much as I loved my old version, there were still things that I wanted to remake or do better. I didn’t want to make the whole costume again from scratch, so buying one was the best option for me. Hand embroidering the design made this bought cosplay costume unique and special to me.

  During my self-portrait photoshoot, it was really difficult to find my inner Yuna because she is so different from Terra Branford or Aerith Gainsborough. Meanwhile, on my Spotify: “Dale a tu cuerpo alegría, Macarena…” Of course I had to dance.

  When I look at the photos now, I can’t believe the difference.
  It is so huge.
  Not only did the costume evolve over the years, but so did I.