Kotaku's Cosplay Showcase is a feature that highlights the unique work of cosplayers, artists and photographers as they seek to tell new stories and push the boundaries of the craft.

Actor Carolina Ravassa has been doing video game work for years now, appearing in everything from Grand Theft Auto V to Max Payne 3 to Just Cause 4. But her most famous role is that of Sombra in Overwatch, one she’s now playing in real life as well as the recording studio.


At Katsucon earlier this year, Ravassa teamed up with cosplayer Melanie Jasmine—herself famous in the scene for her Sombra tributes—to become the character she’s voiced, from make-up work to a custom costume made just for her.

“We’ve kept in touch since we met a couple of years back, but in 2018 we got invited to the Alabama Comic Con as guests and hung out that weekend”, Jasmine tells Kotaku. “One of the topics we discussed was a Sombra-inspired make up project, but it was a bit difficult to coordinate, because we were constantly travelling to different states last year. However, as soon as 2019 hit, we were back at it!”



With Katsucon nailed down as a time and place, and with Blizzard giving their blessing to the project, Jasmine—who has cosplayed as every Sombra skin ever made available in Overwatch—and Ravassa got to work.


Photo: Hung Ngo

Carolina’s costume was made by Jasmine from a custom pattern designed to fit her perfectly, and was crafted from spandex, pleather, vinyl and epoxy resin casts.



“My favorite part was probably doing her makeup”, Jasmine says. “For instance, Sombra has a few distinctive features, such as the eyebrow slit, beauty mark, and sharp jawline; contouring was the most powerful technique used to achieve the final look. Additionally, we both have different facial features, so it was all about adapting and figuring out what would look better on her.”

Once the pair were both dressed and made-up, it was time to hit the con floor at Katsucon. In this video below by fred.camera, you can see the whole day’s action, from dressing and make-up in the morning to meeting fans to running an Overwatch voice actor panel.

Video by fred.camera


“Overall, getting her ready was an incredible experience, because it was all about slowly bringing the character to life with every element of the costume”, Jasmine says. “Even the fans had to do a double take to recognize Carolina in costume. It was so great!”

Throughout this post you’re seeing images taken by photographers of the pair during Katsucon, but if you’d like to see more from the show, you should check out Kotaku’s coverage from last month.