Think Through Your Entire Costume
When you are designing and assembling your costume, it is very important to think about the aesthetics of the design and the functionality. An anime costume can look amazing and be completely useless if it does not fit or function properly.
Think about the following things when you are designing and fitting your costume:
- Can I sit down in my costume?
- Can I move around comfortably?
- Am I able to use the restroom while wearing this costume?
- Is this costume breathable and properly ventilated?
Pro Tip: Costumes can get hot and heavy, so it is important to consider the type of materials you are using. Think to yourself, Will I be able to stand wearing this costume all day?
Luffy’s Iconic Pirate Outfit Is Widely Recognizable
As one of anime’s most popular pirates, Luffy’s outfit from One Piece is recognizable to anime fans worldwide. His practical pirate outfit includes his signature straw hat, a red buttoned jacket, a yellow sash belt, denim shorts, and sandals. Luffy’s physical look requires little makeup aside from a scar underneath his left eye and across his chest, alongside a short black wig.
Luffy captains his own squad of pirates in search of legendary treasures, which makes a Luffy costume perfect for seeking out Halloween candy. His upbeat and childish attitude leads to an enjoyable character to cosplay.
How To Make A Collar Stand Up Like An Anime Character
As someone who does not have a background in sewing, there was a lot I had to teach myself about how to make costumes look the way they should. One of the things I had to learn was how to create those gravity-defying pieces of clothing that anime characters wear.
Create a standing collar for your cosplay by using a combination of interfacing and wire piping. Make the collar stiff and sturdy using thick interfacing, then shape the fabric by sewing some wire into the outer seam of the collar.
Ill be honest, my technique for creating gravity-defying collars is not seamstress-approved. It is not the technical, correct way of doing things, but it gets the job done and is fairly simple so any beginner can try it. This basic technique is one Ive used mostly on standing collars, however, it can also be applied to flared coats and capes to give them a shape.
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Tsukimi Kurashita From Princess Jellyfish
Tsukimi is one of the easiest anime character to cosplay as. You do not need any style to look good in fact, you may need to roll all over your bed to look like her! The items you need are a pink sweater, white knee-high socks, large red-rimmed glasses, gray sneakers, blue skirt, and two hairpins.
You only need to work on two braids that are messy. With the time you save from looking like her, you can still make jellyfish toys as props.
Android 18 From Dragonball Z
One of the strongest female characters in DBZ, Android 18 kicks a lot of ass! She is really easy to cosplay because of her regular casual clothing. You could literally grab clothes from your closet and probably be able to cosplay her easily. Another bonus is that Android 18 pairs well with Android 17. Although theyre siblings, its fairly common to cosplay them as a couple. So if you want to cosplay with your significant other, 17 and 18 are a great choice!
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Follow The 5 Piece Golden Rule
Follow your heart, no matter how simple or complex the character you plan to cosplay is. This hack is for those traveling with their gear or whose interests only extend so far as to revel in the thrill of the world of cosplay.
The five piece golden rule advises first timers to choose a character whose ensemble requires three to five pieces to equip because it makes the outfit easy to create and manageable. For instance, cosplayer Jon Rey is Sora from No Game No Life with a few items: wig, red wristband, sneakers, jeans, long-sleeved purple undershirt with a yellow t-shirt on top.
Making Or Buying Your Cosplay
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Nozomi Love Live School Idol Project
Supplies:Costume, Wig, Tojo Cards
As the eldest member of the band s , Nozomi is a third-year student at Otonokizaka High School. She has a love for all things spiritual, especially tarot cards and fortune-telling. Love Live! School Idol Project is a fantastic source for anime cosplay ideas because the characters have so many amazing costumes they wear throughout the show.
Just pop along to the Wikipedia page, and youll see what we mean and thats just Nozomu! This cosplay is her Flowers Bouquet costume, and it has a high cosplay rating. However, some of her other costumes are more beginner-friendly.
Anime Starry Sky Cosplay Costume
If youre looking for a sure way to get all the boys looking your way, one of these cute cosplay costumes is the way to go. This Starry Sky ensemble dresses you up as the daring and bold Tsukiko Yahisa from the show.
As the only girl in an all-boys school, she had to develop a macho personality. Playing her role is a great way to stand out at the next Comic-con if all your friends happen to be male. Find it Here. if no longer available then click here to check out her shop that has heaps more really unique anime cosplay costumes.
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Cosplay In Other Asian Countries
Cosplay is common in many East Asian countries. For example, it is a major part of the Comic World conventions taking place regularly in South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Historically, the practice of dressing up as characters from works of fiction can be traced as far as the 17th century late Ming Dynasty China.
Monokuma Anime Hoodie With Gloves
Enjoy cosplaying Monokuma from Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. Just like the character who inspires the design, the hoodie has a Yin-Yang like pattern that makes it outstanding.
In the show, Monokuma, a robotic bear, had two opposite sides, one totally sinister and the other, more like a teddy bear. This defines both his look and personality and wearing his costume might be what you need to bring out your true character. Find it Here.
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Hide Pockets In Your Costume So You Can Keep Important Objects On You Without Ruining Your Cosplay
After taking great pains to produce a cosplay to your satisfaction, the last thing anyone wants is to haul around a bag or carry personal items that clash with their look. A simple hack for carrying around a convention badge, money, or even a cosplay repair kit, is by adding hidden pockets to your costume.
Capes and cloaks are the easiest pieces to hide pockets in. Or one might even consider cutting into the seam on those cosplay pants to add a slot for money. The opportunities are endless, and it gives cosplayers the freedom to strike their favorite poses without having to worry about where their belongings are located.
Best Anime Cosplay Ideas: Conclusion
Thank you for reading our article on 25 anime cosplay ideas! We hope that it has showed you that anime cosplay ideas can be amazingly varied, range in difficulty, and readily available for everyone.
If youre looking for a cosplay that lets you express yourself, then the best anime cosplay ideas we recommend are Pokemon. There are so many Pokemon available, and more being created all the time, so you have lots to choose from! You will definitely find the perfect anime cosplay idea for you among all those Evolutions somewhere
As always, wed love to hear from you! Let us know what anime cosplay characters are your favorites in the comments. Have you ever cosplayed as an anime character? Wed love to see your photos and hear your cosplay stories!
Heather Trend
As a child of the 80s and 90s, my journey into geekdom was fuelled by warrior princesses, NeverEnding Stories, magical creatures, sword fights, and people going off on adventures. Nothing much has changed really!
Ive always been drawn to stories, and my two great loves are Star Wars and World of Warcraft. I fall in love with fandoms easily, devouring everything I can get my hands on including games, spin-offs, and extra material. As a huge animal lover, Im constantly asking my fiance if I can adopt every cute fantasy creature I come across. Although we already have two cats, Milo and George, I would quite happily have many more even a zoo if I was allowed!
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Team Rocket Grunt Uniforms Make A Great Trick
Team Rocket is infamous within the Pokémon world and Team Rocket Grunt uniforms are instantly recognizable to Pokémon fans. Team Rocket Grunts wear solid black uniforms of long-sleeve turtlenecks and matching pants or skirts, paired with grey gloves and boots, a grey belt, and black berets. The trademark Team Rocket symbol easily adds to a costume with red fabric paint or a shirt decal.
Since many Team Rocket members are also Pokémon trainers, Pokéballs serve as a potential prop option that is easily transportable. A Team Rocket Grunt costume is perfect for fans of anime villains.
Roy Mustang Fullmetal Alchemist
One of the three protagonists of the series, Roy Mustang is a war hero and a State Alchemist in the Amestrian State Military. He specializes in Flame Alchemy and uses a pair of custom-made gloves embroidered with unique flame alchemy Transmutation Circles to give him an edge in combat.
Roys uniform is a specific design that requires careful adjustments that might be too much for a beginner. If you are interested in other Fullmetal Alchemist characters or other anime cosplay ideas from movies, here is our list of best anime movies of all times to get your inspiration going!
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Rg Veda Kendappa Anime Costume
Be queen for a day in one of these bespoke anime cosplay costumes. The outfit was inspired by Kendappa-o from RG Veda, queen over the Kendappa clan. Keen attention to detail is evident in every inch of the design, and this is in keeping with the queens character.
She has a strong, mild and loyal personality that makes her appealing both in and out. You will need to wear both her look and attitude if you have any chance of getting it right. Find it Here.
How To Make Anime Cosplay Armor Costume
Some of the materials you will need include:
- poster board
- masking tape
- thread
The first step will require that you make a pattern of the armor from muslin newspaper or poster board.
Next you will want a reference photo of the exact copy of the anime cosplay outfit you will be creating from scratch, fun foam will make it possible for you to check how the pattern will fit before you complete the rest of the design.
Styrene is a piece of plastic that is used for modeling, hobbies and crafts. It works best because you can curve and mold the shape you will need for the breastplate, undergarments can be sewn by hand, basic techniques for stitching fabrics together applies.
Once you attach all the parts with a hot glue gun you can paint the outer sections and once dry you can try to put on the armor by yourself so make sure the neck hole is big enough and the waistline fits secure,
Then add closures with snaps for the sides and when constructing the gloves take into consideration the fingers because you will need each movement to be smooth and not constricting. Learn more about how to make armor at cosplaylab.
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Masks Are Perfectly Spooky Halloween Costumes
High Rise Invasion’s masked characters are iconic for their trademark white expression masks that mind control or bestow powers on their wearers. Masks come in multiple forms and identify anyone who wears them as a victim of the anime’s mysterious skyscraper-filled world. As a horror anime, the outfits of these spooky masked figures suit Halloween’s atmosphere.
Mask owners wear a variety of outfits, from suits to maid attire, however, only the masks prove necessary for identifying a High Rise Invasion costume. Anime fans can freely customize outfits for their own original masked character costumes.
Know Which Glue To Go For
If youre a cosplayer, youre bound to use a lot of glue. Cosplay props and costumes are usually built up out of different parts and layers that are stuck together using an adhesive. The best glue options for making solid cosplay pieces are:
- Contact glue this strong glue is the best adhesive for EVA foam, leather and other flexible materials. Apply a thin layer to both contact surfaces, leave to dry for a bit, then press together firmly and leave for a few minutes
- Hot glue gun perfect for strengthening the inside seams after using contact glue, or repairing a costume or prop after using it
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Sowhat’s It All About
This work-in-progress guide is designed to provide a research resource to both new and experienced practitioners of Cosplay. It provides a jumping off point for readers interested in getting started. Included in the guide are subjects related to the creation of costumes and make-up. These topics include pattern design, clothing construction, theatre make-up, theatre props and costume embellishment techniques.
The Japanese term, Kosupure, anglicized as Cosplay, is a portmanteau of the English words costume play. The creation of the term is often attributed to Nobuyuki Takahashi of Studio Hard, who may have coined the word after attending the 1984 World Science Fiction Convention in Los Angeles, California. Cosplay is a performance art in which the participants dress in costumes and make-up, representing characters from anime, video games, television and film. In addition to creating authentic costumes, the cosplayers also act in character and are usually subject matter experts on the characters they are replicating.
The texts and sites listed on this home page are selected to give the reader/viewer a taste of the history of cosplay, its basis in Japanese anime and a visual example of some popular cosplayer costumes. Some of the books listed here are on order for the Mansfield Library and are not yet in our collections.
How To Style A Cosplay Wig:
Some of our anime wigs are already styled just like your favorite characters. Others need a little work to give you the look you want to achieve. The first step is to pick a wig that is heat resistant. They may be a little pricier, but these wigs are easier to style and re-use. Angle a comb and cut upwards to form your bangs and, use heavy-duty styling gel or fabric glue to arrange your spikes as needed. Wide-tooth combs and bobby pins are a must! Remember, you can sew two wigs together or use foam for extra body.
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Pick The Best Cosplay Prop Making Materials
An awesome cosplay costume begins with the right raw materials. Luckily, theres no need to reinvent the wheel just follow Waynes advice and try out these top three materials:
- EVA foam this pliable, easy to work with foam has tremendous transforming qualities while remaining flexible when worn
- Thermoplastics thermoplastics, especially Worbla, are flexible when warmed up with a heat gun, then harden out to form a firm, shield-like shell
- PLA this biodegradable plastic can be used for 3D printing all sorts of cosplay props, from lightsabers to elf horns, helmets and even whole suits
Best Way To Make Armor Costumes Props And Accessories
Anime armor costumes and prop making can be done without fiberglass, You will need to collect reference shots of the style of armor you will want and then start with foam, vinyl, paper mache,
it is important to note that making armour is expensive, so to get good results and save money, you can make cosplay armor out of cheap materials such as metal, wood, steel and cardboard,
it requires that you understand how much pressure can be applied on certain types of styrene, which is better than trying to mold a breastplate out of fiberglass.
Making Armor Materials and Tools :
You are going to need scissors, craft utility knife, hot glue gun, hobby sanding films, craft foam sheets, silver and black testors model paint, needle, thread, patterns, plastic sheeting, glue, strips of leather,straps, buckles, velcro for closures, xacto knife, newspaper. Best resource for getting started: http://amethyst-angel.com/armormaking_materials.html
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