Our Favorite Cosplay From Anime NYC 2023
It may be 2024, but we havenât forgotten about 2023’s Anime NYC, the three-day anime convention that takes place in the same hallowed halls as New York Comic Con. Anime NYC 2023 took place in mid-November, and drew 60,000 people to the Javits Center on the west side of Manhattan. As you might expect, many of the cosplays featured here are from popular manga and anime series like One Piece, Attack on Titan, Sailor Moon, and moreâbut thatâs not all that was on display last year.
I admittedly know very little about anime, but I know a good cosplay when I see one, and all of the ones here are jaw-droppingly gorgeous, meticulously designed, and just plain impressive. It was a total joy scrolling through these and seeing how much fun everyone is having, even if I know nothing about Yuffy or Luffy or whatever.
Weâve gathered our favorite cosplays from Anime NYC 2023, brought to you by Mineralblu, the cosplay photographer who has given us some incredible collections to pore over in the last few years, including the best looks from 2023’s NYCC. Click through to see our favorites from last yearâs NYC anime convention, and let us know your favorite in the comments.
Image: Mineralblu
As I said, I know basically nothing about anime, but anything that has a title like this piques my interest. I love that their halos look like little ring lights. This is very cunt.
Image: Mineralblu
Once again, I had to Google these characters, but I cannot deny the craftsmanship on display here. That dress! The pirate shirt!
Image: Mineralblu
Very pretty people cosplaying as very pretty people, itâs easy.
I love a crossover cosplay, and this Sailor Moon X Chainsaw Man one is amazing, from the cute little chainsaw headpiece to the perfect tights and well-styled wig.
Image: Mineralblu
Should I be scared of her? Iâm scared but also…attracted? Is this what that character is supposed to do? Anyway, this Celestia fit is amazing and the brilliance behind the wig construction is really special.
Image: Mineralblu
I always said Tangela just sounded like Angela with a âTâ tacked on the front of it, and this cosplayer took that notion and ran with it. Itâs Tangela but make it an adorable fashion girly! I see the Astro Boy boots!
Another brilliant Sailor Moon crossover cosplay, but this time sheâs Star Wars: The Mandalorian. Look at the on-theme Grogu in her bag. Iâm screaming! The gun with the moon staff at the end? The pigtails? This is head-to-toe genius. Give this person an award, I donât know which one, but hand it over.
Come through, lady Autobot leader, and serve at the Javits Center!
I may have had to ask Kotaku EIC Jen Glennon who these people were, but I can safely say these are all rock-solid cosplaysâand itâs especially cool to see how both Ryuji cosplayers interpreted the looks differently. This is what makes cosplays so special, the individuality that still shines while dressed as specific characters.
Beautiful, ethereal, princess-ly. Zero notes.
She looks like sheâd bully me in the T-shirt section at Hot Topic, and Iâm not mad about it.
Thereâs the pretty cosplays, the scary cosplays, and the construction cosplays. You know where this one lands, and you know that you could never make this yourself. How was your gingerbread house this year? I rest my case.
Image: Mineralblu
This is so good it looks like something youâd see in a theme parkâseriously, itâs flawless. I canât even see seams or imperfections, just perfectly smooth surfaces and sharp edges. This is wild.
Iâm a little scared of this, but itâs very, very cool. What kind of sniper rifle is that? It looks…dangerous.
Here we go, my favorite cosplay of the entire conventionâthree buff femme-presenting people dressed as the very-buff Inosuke from Demon Slayer. The fitness on display here! Itâs impressive! I wonder what they shoulder press…
Iâm sure the people at Nintendo are delighted to see slutty Animal Crossing cosplays, right? I know I am.
I did some research, and apparently Hangeâs gender is sort of a question mark in the Attack on Titan fandomâHanji is considered the female version in the anime, while the Hange spelling denotes masculinity. The Attack on Titan creators have purposefully left their gender unclear, and I fuck with that. This cosplayer looks incredible, and seems to capture the characterâs essence really beautifully.
I donât know what is on this personâs arm, but it looks like it would hurt if it hit you. I love how glowing and bizarre the armpiece is, it truly looks like itâs from another world.
There you have it, the best cosplay on display at 2023’s Anime NYC. Which one was your fave?
Nice