The world of cosplay lost an integral part of its spirit with a very sad event in November 2025, when Ashley, referred to by her handle Ash or @squidkid1111, bid farewell to life at only nineteen years of age.
Ash used they and them, and over the course of seven years, they developed quite an adoring community of fans enamored with their intricate and humorous cosplays. Their area of expertise was creating cosplays of anime and Japanese-inspired characters, and to their admirers, Ash was not simply a new face in fandom. Ash was a bright and vibrant spark.
But today, instead of marveling at their creativity, the community mourns as one.
A Rising Cosplay Talent Whose Magic Extended Far Beyond Instagram
On November 13, 2025, Ash’s Instagram page confirmed their death through a posting that was addressed to fans, friends, and colleagues, as well as those in the cosplay world at large. The posting looked back at Ash’s extensive social world, which was not only present online but was also established through direct, offline interactions at conventions, clubs, and photo shoots.
“For the past seven years, Squidkid, or Ashley, has shared their love of cosplay across the internet,” the entry started.
“They met many of you on Instagram, but also at conventions, at clubs and across campus, at professional photoshoots, and other day to day interactions.”
“They genuinely loved the transformation and magic of cosplay and connecting with others through that community. So it is with the heaviest of hearts that we inform you of Ashley’s passing.”
The release did not reveal information regarding what caused Ash’s death. However, it was evident from the expressions of condolences that Ash’s influence extends to numerous lives and that his absence will be felt.
A Community Left Searching for Answers
Though there has been no direct statement regarding the reason behind Ash’s death, an anime-related page, ‘A Dose of Anime’, has shared a post that stated what all of us may have been fearing. The page wrote that various people in the community suspected Ash to be a suicide.
The post, paired with pictures of Ash in some of their most impressive cosplays, claimed that the young creator was subjected to constant bullying and racism. It was stated that Ash was singled out and harassed for creating characters that were conventionally rendered as light-skinned and/or non-black. This, of course, was not based on any sort of truth but was, instead, based entirely on racism.
“Ash’s death was heavily influenced by relentless online racism, colorism, and harassment they faced for portraying light-skinned or non Black characters, including Ellen Joe,” claimed the page.
“Comments targeting their skin tone and appearance made their struggles with depression even worse, leading to this heartbreaking outcome.”
Although the specifics are not clear, one thing is evident from this conversation that has emerged in fandom communities, and that is that cosplay is intended to be a celebration of imagination and artistry, but it has never been an equal playing field for black artists.
