Appearances: Ani-Magic 2003 What I Love: It's cute~ An easily put together outfit when I couldn't do a more complicated one. XD What I Don't: Missing some details and has inaccurate shoes. I want her little boots! Status: On Hiatus
Inspiration and Etc.: I originally wanted to do the '96 version of Athena, and you can read my inspiration for all that over on the page for that costume. As for this one, well, KOF '99 is the one game in the series I have played the most. For a while it was the only one I owned on a console so it was special to me. ^^ So overall, it's nice to have done a costume representing that year of the game. This is also probably Athena's simplest outfit through all of her many costume changes over the years! It was great for a last minute Athena fix, though I must admit I'm not overly fond of it. ^^;;
Construction / Costume Notes: The wig was bought from WowWigs.com. ^^ I like them a lot. We were in a rush, so this was made from altering existing clothing pieces. The top was originally a plain red long sleeved shirt that was hemmed to Athena's mid-driff baring length. The sailor top was made from scrap white fabric and sewed on, and the undershirt is just a black sports bra. I originally had a really tiny ribbon that I glued onto the sailor top which wasn't really correct, so I went and redid it with a better looking thick ribbon. I just haven't been able to take pictures with the changes. The headband was left over from earlier that year when I had planned a Yuri Sakazaki cosplay, and the stars were cut out of this thin gold craft paper (they got smushed and were not re-used for the '96 version). The earrings were made from beads and earring bases from the craft store. ^^ The shorts were originally these ugly red capri pants that we hemmed up and also made smaller since they were huge. XD; I added the white pocket lining with bias tape. The shoes are supposed to be white boots, but it was quicker and cheaper to grab some regular tennis shoes. I also forgot my gloves at home, so the ones you see in photos were borrowed from Eurobeat King. ^^;; If I ever decide to re-wear this costume (since I bothered to fix it up and add stuff!) I'll try to get actual ankle boots. The only thing is, I've already sold the wig... So maybe I can be pre-haircut '99 Athena? o_o Please ignore the lack of wrist accessories in the last three photos, haha, they were taken before I met up with Nando to get them from him!
Photos: Ani-Magic 2003
First Created: September 2003 Last Tweaked: June 2004 (though I obviously haven't worn the fixed version ;_;!!) Created by: Yoshi's mom and Michi Special Thanks: Nando for making my super-cool wristbands, and Yoshi for putting together the earrings. ^^ Photo Credits:ImageCraft Photo Studio, Eurobeat King, Joe Boeing, and ObsessedWithAnime.com
Character Background: One of the few SNK fighting characters to have NOT originated in a fighter, Athena is a pop idol character that has been around video games longer than most of her teammates. She has been SNK's female mascot for quite some time, with her cheery cuteness gaining many fans. Her first games were side-scrollers called Athena and Psycho Soldier (the latter of which co-starred Kensou, later seen in KOF), and she's been in every The King of Fighters game since '94. Nearly every year she shows up in a different costume. This costume was used in The King of Fighters '99 and the Neo Geo Pocket game Gals Fighters. In Gals Fighters, Athena's storyline was that she had cut her hair on a girlish whim and wanted to wish it back to its old length. ^o^;
