From Grief To Craft, Aisyah Rebuilds Her Life Through Cosplay

KUALA LUMPUR: What began as a way to cope with loss has grown into a craft, a business, and a source of purpose for Siti Nur Aisyah Johari.

For the 29-year-old from Jitra, Kedah, making cosplay helmets was never just about costumes: it became a way to fill the silence after losing her father to lung cancer in 2018.

Sadly, she then lost mother to the same illness in 2021. This was after her brother had died in a road accident while she was still in primary school.

The grief, she said, left her struggling with loneliness, especially at night. “I couldn’t sleep and the house felt so quiet,” she told Bernama. “So, I needed something to keep my mind busy.”

She turned to a childhood interest, cosplay – more specifically, the helmets worn by fictional characters.

Aisyah spent months learning how to design, print and assemble her own creations, relying on YouTube tutorials. By 2023, she had begun to take the craft more seriously. And today, it has become a steady source of income.

Her workshop now produces helmets inspired by popular franchises such as Gundam, Predator, Power Rangers, Cybercop and Kamen Rider. She also creates custom pieces tailored to individual requests, some of which require entirely original designs.

Each helmet is a labour-intensive process, starting with digital modelling before moving on to 3D printing, which can take several days. The finishing stage – sanding, cleaning and painting – ensures each piece is both durable and visually striking.

Made from PETG, a strong and flexible plastic, the helmets are completed using spray and airbrush techniques for a polished look.

“The most challenging part is the design,” she outlined. “Every customer has different ideas. Sometimes they ask for something that doesn’t even exist, so I have to figure out how to bring it to life.”

That process can take days, often involving trial and error before getting it right. Each helmet can take between two and three months to complete, requiring patience, precision and persistence.

From a modest start with a RM300 3D printer, Aisyah has expanded her setup to 12 machines, each worth thousands of ringgit. She runs her operation from a rented workshop and employs three staff, while also managing an online food business on the side.

Her creations, priced between RM600 and RM900, are considered relatively affordable in a market where similar pieces can cost significantly more.

The demand has followed. With nearly 100 orders a month, her helmets have found buyers not just in Malaysia but in Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia and Australia.

She also shares her work on TikTok under the account Sya Cosplay, where she has built a fanbase of more than 50,000 followers.

For Aisyah, the work goes beyond craftsmanship or business. “The real satisfaction comes from being able to revive a passion I’ve had since childhood,” she concluded.