Types of Cosplay

Cosplay Types

Cosplayer Types

Amateur Cosplayer

• Casual Cosplayer - cosplayers who don minimal articles of clothing to give the impression of a character they wish to portray or homage. Examples include; wearing a Yoshi onesie as a Yoshi cosplay, wearing a shirt and tracksuit of Goku's gi instead of his actual gi, or wearing their hair in Sailor Moon's signature pigtail design but otherwise wearing casual clothing.
• DisneyBound - A fashion movement created as a way to cosplay as a character at Disney theme parks that have a law that individuals over the age of 14 can not dress in costume (to avoid being confused with Park Entertainers), the notion of "DisneyBound Cosplay" is to wear an outfit "inspired" by a favourite character, rather than attempting to exactly copy the character design. The cosplayer puts together an outfit that matches the colours, patterns, or personality of their favourite character.
• Standard Cosplayer -
• Live Action Roleplayer (LARP) -
• Cosplay Model -
• Cosplay Streamer -
• Competition Cosplayer -

Professional Cosplayer

• Cosplay Champion -
• Cosplay Model -
• Cosplay Streamer -
• Charity Cosplayer -
• Maid/Butler -

Professional Costumer

• Party Entertainers -
• Park Entertainer -
• Mascot -

Cosplay Creator Types

The Fabric

These cosplayers are famed for their sewing skills and ability to make dresses and other "soft parts" from scratch. The posses knowledge, skills and equipment in sewing. They will occasionally run businesses specializing in seam stressing to sell to other cosplayers.

The Builder

These cosplayers are famed for making props and armour pieces from scratch. They posses knowledge, skills and equipment in handcrafting. They are known for their suits of armour and will occasionally run businesses specializing in prop creation to sell to other cosplayers.

The Armourer

Similar to the Builder except that while the Builder specializes in props, weapons and armour pieces, Armourers build full mech suits and weapons and armours that exceed human height. The best example of an Armourer will be the Warhammer 40K cosplayers whose cosplays are so large they can not fit through conventional doors.

The Body Builder

Also known as "Fitness Models" or "Fitness Nerds", these cosplayers not only focus on building their costume but also focus on physically building their body to match the fitness level of the character they are portraying.

Vehicle and Construct Mods

Cosplayers who build, construct and modify vehicles and large display pieces to assist in their cosplay. Examples include; the Flying Nimbus (Dragonball Z), Batmobile (Batman), Speeder Bikes, AT-AT, TIE Fighter (Star Wars).

Cosplay Types

• Casual Cosplay -

• DisneyBound -

• Original Character - Cosplayers who choose to create their own unique character set in an already established franchise. Examples include Dungeons and Dragons, Elder Scrolls and World of Warcraft.

• Closet - Cosplayers who choose their cosplay based on what's obtainable from their clothing closet or clothing stores. While this may be true for their costume, often times Closet Cosplay will still entail wig and/or prop obtainment. Any characters that wear casual clothing can be counted as Closet Cosplay (eg Android 18 (Dragonball Z), Kiki (Kiki's Delivery Service), Misty (Pokemon)).

• Mashup - Cosplay combining a character with a franchise or character not otherwise associated with said character. Examples include; Mandolorian Disney Princesses, Ironman Wolverine. Note the Spider-Man and Dead Pool fandoms specialize in Mashups with their cosplay.

• Sexy Version - Cosplay of a traditionally "unsexy" character purposely made to look "sexy". Often crosses over with Gender Swap Cosplay. Known as "Sexy no Jutsu" in Naruto cosplay fandom. Examples include; Sexy Nurse, Sexy "Horror Movie Icon".

• Unsexy Version - Cosplay of a traditionally "sexy" character purposely made to look "unsexy". Typically done for humour. Often crosses over with Crossplay Cosplay. Examples include Male Sailor Moon, Wonder WoBear

• Gender Swap - Cosplay where the character's traditional gender is swapped to match the cosplayer's. Examples include Female Boba Fett, Female Bilbo, Male Elsa, etc. At least two characters are immune to this cosplay type; Ranma (Ranma 1/2) and Soldier Mulan (Mulan).

• Crossplay - Cosplay where the cosplayer swaps their apparent gender to match the character. Considered a type of "drag show" in the case of males dressing as female characters. At least two characters are immune to this cosplay type; Ranma (Ranma 1/2) and Soldier Mulan (Mulan).

• Erocosplay - Cosplay where the breasts (female) and/or genitals of the cosplayer are exposed. It is often excluded from conventions in due to public decency laws. Most erocosplayers publish their work on crowdfunding platforms like Patreon or OnlyFans.

• Armour Cosplay - Cosplay where the character is donned in full armour. Examples include Ironman, Spartans (Halo), Mandalorians/Stormtroopers (Star Wars), and Armoured Samus (Metroid).

• Heavy Cosplay - Also known as "Large Cosplay". A variation of the Armour Cosplay where the armour suit exceeds typical human height and width. Examples include Space Marines (Warhammer 40K), large Transformers characters, Hulk Buster Ironman suit (Marvel)

• Group Cosplay - Cosplay where the cosplayer is not intended to be presented as an individual (like most cosplays usually are) for maximum effect but as part of a larger group of cosplayers. Examples include; the Eeveelutions (Pokemon), Stormtroopers (Star Wars)

• Couple Cosplay - A type of Group Cosplay where the cosplayers are involved with each other in some way and they cosplay characters who are also involved with each other in some way. Examples include romantic couple characters.

• Family Cosplay - A type of Group Cosplay where the cosplayers are all family members cosplaying as either characters who are also family members or characters from the same franchise. Examples include Spider-men (Marvel Comics), Son Family/Brief Family (Dragonball Z), Skywalker Legacy (Star Wars).

• Gijinka Cosplay - A cosplay where the cosplayer creates a humanized cosplay design based on the design of a non-human character. Common for Pokemon characters.

• Animegao Kigurumi - Once known as "Doller Cosplay". These cosplays involve a full suit that covers the entire body (including a skin-coloured suit to cover arms and legs) and a mask of the character's face they intend to portray.

• Onesie Kigurumi - Cosplayers wear character-themed onesie pajamas instead of elaborate costumes.

• Fursuit -

• Mascot -

• Sauna Suit - Full body character suits made of latex. Dubbed "sauna suits" due to how hot they are to wear. Examples include Predator and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (live action) characters.

• Drag -

• Courture Cosplay - Cosplay designs that are intended to reflect the methodology of "couture fashion" designs: "one-of-a-kind, high-end fashion that’s supposed to push the imagination". Costumes are intentionally built for photo and display purposes rather than performative or functionality.

Visual Style Theme

• Playboy Bunny - Cosplay of characters but their outfits have been altered into a playboy bunny suit while retain the character's colour or apparel themes.

• Pimp - Cosplay where the cosplayer cosplays a character in a pimp suit themed after said character they are portraying.

• Ballerina - Cosplay where the cosplayer cosplays a character in a ballerina dress/suit themed after said character they are portraying.

• Formal Wear - Cosplay where the cosplayer cosplays a character in a formal gown/suit themed after said character they are portraying. Characters who are traditionally associated with formal gowns and suits are immune to this cosplay type.

• Historical - Cosplay where the cosplayer cosplays a character in a real-world historical-themed outfit (beit victorian gown, knight armour or peasant dress) themed after said character they are portraying. Historical characters are immune to this cosplay type.

• Apocalyptic -

• Steampunk -

• Retired Hero - Cosplay often performed by elder cosplayers where the cosplayer cosplays a character but purposely advances their age (often to match their own) and has them act like "retirees" for comedic effect.

• Original Design - Cosplay of an established character wearing an outfit they have never before been seen wearing in their franchise.

• Joke Cosplay - Cosplay where the cosplay's design is intentionally "primitive" or "simple" (made of cardboard boxes or paper bags), or dramatically out of proportion from the cosplayer's body or the character's original design as an intended comical parody of the character.

Other Type Classifications

• Bishi Cosplayer - also called "bishoujo" or "bishounen," are the "pretty boy" cosplayers. These are cosplayers (not always male) who gravitate towards portraying cute, handsome, or beautiful male characters.
• Shoujo Cosplayer - are the "pretty girl" cosplayers. These are cosplayers (not always female) who gravitate towards portraying cute, pretty, or beautiful female characters.
• Specialist - these cosplayers will do multiple cosplays but only focus on one character or franchise. For example a Sailor Moon Specialist will have a cosplay of each of Sailor Moon's costumes (School Uniform, Sailor Outfit, Princess Outfit, Casual Outfit from Episode 9, etc).
• Fuku Cosplayer - short for "Sailor Fuku"; a term used to refer to any Japanese school uniform cosplays. Term first developed in the Sailor Moon fandom.
• Pop Cosplayer - a cosplayer that only cosplays characters or themes that are currently popular or trending and has no emotional attachment to them. Common in streaming cosplayers.
• Cause Player - a cosplayer that uses their cosplays to aid in not-for-profit fund raising and/or foundation events.