Halloween is coming up and now is the time to find inspiration for a costume and finalize online orders. Thanks to anime’s ever-growing popularity, many retailers stock pre-fabricatedNarutoandDemon Slayercostumes that are as easy as click-and-collect. Some people will get creative and make a low-effort costume or go all-out like Heidi Klum and invest in an over-the-top outfit. Luckily,anime provides endless references to draw from, especially for couple and group costumes, theme parties, or just showing off pop-culture literacy.
The easiest anime references are the iconic school uniforms, which are not only required attire at Japanese schools but are a symbol of youth and one’s formative years.Sailor Moon, Dan Da Dan, and Neon Genesis Evangelionall feature fairly basic uniforms that can be made with plaid skirts, white button-downs, and a tie or bow. Other anime characters can be captured simply with a cool suit, sunglasses, and a (fake) weapon, likeCowboy Bebop’s Spike, orJujutsu Kaisen’s fan-favorite hero Nanami.This Halloween is the perfect time to get creative and experiment with anime cosplay.
Hunter X Hunteris Yoshihiro Togashi’s story of adventurers seeking their hearts' desires through training, discipline, and cunning strategy, best known from its 2011 anime adaptation (one of studio Madhouse’s best anime). Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio form the quartet of main characters at the show’s outset, which sees them enter the Hunters Exam and form bonds of friendship. Along their adventures, they encounter adversaries and allies with distinct outfits and memorable personalities, like Hisoka the Clown, and Melody the Rare Music Hunter.
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Costume ideas range from mundane clothing like Killua’s shorts and t-shirt, Leorio’s suit and sunglasses, or the Phantom Troupe’s Pakunoda in a purple skirt-suit, to adventurous, like Zodiacs or Chimera Ants. Shaiapouf, the Ant King’s Royal Guard member, wears simple black slacks and a white button-down, which could be paired with butterfly wings, antennae, and a violin to achieve his visual aesthetic. Matching his manic, melodramatic personality is far more difficult.
One Pieceis more popular than ever, with the recent announcement of a remake of the original anime, Netflix’s live-action adaptation entering its second season, and the original anime and manga still going strong. Eiichiro Oda’s nearly 30-year-old epic tale of thepirate captain, Monkey D. Luffy and his friends' search for the titular treasurestill inspires cosplay and fan art because of its colorful cast of pirates and bounty hunters.
Netflix’sOne Piecepresents the characters in more realistic versions of their signature costumeswhile maintaining their spirit. Luffy’s got his iconic sleeveless red shirt, denim shorts, and a straw hat. Nami’s introductory look is pared down to a simple white t-shirt, black denim shorts, and some yellow striped tights. Characters like Boa Hancock take a little more work to emulate, especially considering how wellMegan thee Stallion nailed the look in her recent music video.
Jujutsu Kaisenis an award-winning anime that’s taken the world by storm and captivated its audiencewith breathtaking visuals and gut-wrenching emotional twists. Gege Akutami’s story of sorcerers wielding demonic cursed energy in modern-day Japan focuses on three young students at Jujutsu High, where they train using their powers and eliminate spirits haunting the city. The human characters in the world ofJujutsu Kaisenare typically grounded and laid-back, while the paranormal characters are inspired by Japanese folklore and nature.
Gojo and Sukuna costumes are the most recognizable charactersfrom the show and require little more than a white wig and blindfold, or a pink wig, and extra eyes drawn on the face. Jujutsu sorcerers like Nobara and Nanami are really easy costumes, although Nobara’s hammer and nails might be difficult props to work with. Momo Nishimaya’s aesthetic works on multiple levels and those who don’t get the reference will just see a witch.
Spy X Familyis about a government spy, Loid, who marries a stranger and adopts an orphan to pose as his wife and child while he works undercover. Unbeknownst to him, his new bride, Yor, is an elite assassin, and their daughter Anya can read others' thoughts. What follows isthe hilarious and heartwarming story of the Forger familyand the lengths each member will go to in order to guard their secret and protect their newfound home.
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Spy X Familyis perfect for parents with young childrento put together a cohesive family costume that captures the thrilling yet whimsical nature of the series. Loid, Yor, and Anya wear simple clothing, each has a different look for various occasions, like work, school, spy adventures, and undercover disguises. Ultimately, the costumes can be loosely interpreted, as long as the family captures the anime’s spirit of togetherness, understanding, and acceptance while they’re out trick-or-treating.
Pokémonis an international hit anime, film, and video game series about a world where human trainers capture and train creatures inspired by everything from real animals to everyday objects, mythological beasts, and everything in between. Since its inception as a video game in 1996,Pokémonhas become one of the most recognizable franchises ever, and merchandise like toys, clothing, and accessories are widely available.
The anime’s most iconic trainers, like Ash, Brock, and Misty, wear very plain outfits that are easy to recreate, butthe beauty of Pokémon is that anyone can be their own unique trainer.With a favorite Pokémon stuffie or the addition of Poké Balls to a belt, almost any outfit could pass as a Gym Leader’s. Team Rocket’s Jessie and James are a staple of the cosplay world and would be the perfect couple’s costume for a night of trouble.
Mashleis an anime based on Hajime Kōmoto’s manga series about a world where almost everyone has the ability to wield magic, and those who can’t, like Mash, are outcasts. Mash’s adoptive father trains him rigorously to compensate for a lack of magic with superhuman athleticism.To prevent his and his father’s execution, Mash agrees to attend magic school and graduate as valedictorianto prove God’s acceptance of a magic-less person.
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Mashle’s debut comes at a time when many people are looking for a new use for theirHarry Potterrobesand wands.The Hogwarts-like school uniforms are basic black robes, with a simple shirt and tie combo underneath. Where dressing up like aMashlewizard differs is with the Magic Mark, a unique symbol that appears on each magic user’s face and indicates their power level. Anyone dressing up as Mash should have cream puffs on hand, of course.
Haikyu!!is an anime based on Haruichi Furudate’s manga series abouta short-statured teen determined to become an elite volleyball player. The protagonist, Shoyo Hinata, embodies the human spirit’s ability to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles through self-improvement and perseverance. However, the show is also about individuals learning to work as a team and the necessity of sacrificing one’s personal goals for the betterment of the group.
A sports costume is low effort, great for last-minute occasions, and easy to coordinate with others for a group theme. Whether a Kansas City Chief on the arm of a Swiftie, or Ted Lasso and Beard, sports-themed costumes will be everywhere this year, andShoyo and his rival, Tobio Kageyama, make a great addition to the pantheon of sporty duos. New athletic anime likeBlue Lock,or older classics likeThe Prince of Tennisprovide endless options to turn everyday equipment into a costume.
Cowboy Bebopis a seminal neo-noir space Western created by Shinichiro Watanabe and Sunrise, which ran for 26 episodes and a feature-length film,Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven’s Door. The series' core group of misfit bounty hunters travel together looking for their next big score while trying to outrun their pasts, with aTarantino-like style and killer jazz soundtrack. The show’s aesthetic is all-at-once sleek, bombastic, timeless, and lived-in, from grungey cigarette-smoke-filled clubs to after-hours at a Martian amusement park.
The easiest characters to draw inspiration from are the main character, Spike Spiegel, and Edward, a young hacker with an adorable Welsh Corgi always by her side.Heaven’s Dooris set at Halloween with a parade of costumed trick-or-treaters and gigantic pumpkin floats at the film’s climax.Ed even dresses up her usual outfit with a blue cape and a Jack-o-lantern on her head, for anyone who wants a niche anime costume that requires less explanation.
Narutois one of the most popular anime series and continues to gain fans with its follow-up series,Boruto. The world of Masashi Kishimoto’sNarutofocuses on the titular character’s journey from a downtrodden orphan to the leader of the Hidden Leaf village, and center of a large chosen family. FromNaruto’s iconic orange top and pants to the Akatsuki’s signature black robes covered in red clouds, the series has endless visual inspirations for costumes.
The benefit ofNaruto’s enduring popularity is the availability of pre-fabricated Halloween costumes available at retailers, both in-store and online. An essential item for any Hidden Leaf Shinobi isthe classic headband bearing the village’s spiral leaf symbol, which can be worn with any vaguely ninja-like outfit. With one of the largest casts in anime, there are plenty of options for group costumes, or human/pet combos including, Kiba and Akamar, or Kakashi and his pug, Pakku.
Uzumaki: Spiral Into Horroris the new anime series based on Junji Ito’sbeloved manga series,Uzumaki. It tells the story of Kurouzu-cho, a town cursed bysupernatural events involving spirals, creating obsession and paranoia within its residents. Everything from curly hair to the spiral shape of a typhoon can become a sinister incarnation of the symbol, and both the anime and its manga source feature breathtaking artwork and morbid body horror perfect for the spooky season.
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The decision to maintain the manga’s stark and foreboding black-and-white color palette in the anime adds to its unsettling vibe.Dressing to match the black-and-white scheme is a breeze, and this provides an excellent opportunity to put makeup skills to the test and experiment with grayscale effects. AsUzumaki: Spiral Into Horrorproves, anything with a spiral can become a symbol of horror and a slow descent into madness, making Halloween costume possibilities endless.
