If you’re looking for cosplay ideas for guys, then you’re in the right place! Let’s face it – some of you don’t care about wearing a bulky costume that costs hundreds of dollars. You just want to wear a nice and comfy cosplay that won’t break your wallet (more on that here). So that’s why I made this list for you dudes who fall into this category. Here we have 10 easy cosplay ideas for guys that are:
- super easy to pull off (i.e. comfortable to wear, don’t have to spend more than 5-10 minutes putting on)
- cheap to buy online or involve very little cosplay-making on your part. Easy methods to obtain a cosplay basically.
- popular and recognizable, where attendees will know who you are cosplaying (i.e. no obscure or unknown characters). A lot of these will be easy Anime cosplay. It definitely makes things easier to break the ice at conventions!
In this post, I included a description of the character so you can see if said character fits your personality or not (e.g. not everyone will want to be #7). I also included similar alternatives for every character so you have options to choose from,
So let’s get started with easy cosplay ideas for guys!
DISCLAIMER: I have some affiliate links in this article if you’re looking to wear any of these cosplays. Either I myself have bought from those stores, or I truly feel they are great deals for a beginner cosplayer. I’ll only post links if I feel the price and quality are of good quality. If you’re buying from these sites, you’re also supporting me and my hobby so I appreciate it!
1. Rei Ryugazaki from Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
Our first cosplay ideas for guys is from Free! For those who don’t know, the Free! series is the ultimate fan service for those who love hot dudes in swimgear. And that’s basically what Rei’s cosplay is about: a jacket and spandex pants. So Ray (or any character from Free Iwatobi Swim Club) is insanely easy. And no, you don’t need to be jacked or have 6-pack abs to cosplay anyone from Free!
Who is Rei: Rei is a high school student, like the other main characters. He’s very smart and analytical, almost to a fault. But that’s okay, because many Free! fans still love him.
What you’ll need:
- Blue wig – Nothing fancy. Just a basic wig will do, and you don’t even have to style the wig much because Rei’s hair is not that flat.
- Free! jacket – Making a jacket may be difficult to do, but you can easily buy one for cheap at a cosplay store, since Free! is a very popular series that is mass-produced.
- Spandex pants – you can just buy regular stretch pants. The characters have a logo on the pants, so you can add it in yourself or just use the spandex pants like that. I’ve also used regular black jeans as well, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
- Red glasses – Rei wears red glasses. You can pick one up at a dollar store for cheap. Just remove the lens. Alternatively, you can buy goggles since it is a swimming Anime!
Alternative characters to Rei
You can do any other Free! character aside from Rei. For the most, part, all you have to do is change the colour of the wig and the jacket.
2. Kyoya Ootori from Ouran Host Club
Ouran Host Club is an older series from the 2000s. But it remains popular, especially with Otaku who grew up watching it. What’s great about this series is that almost every character is easy to cosplay. So Ouran is an easy Anime cosplay.
Most of the outfit is just regular clothing. The only unique part is the blue blazer with the club logo, but you can buy that online or through other easy methods.
Who is Kyoya: Kyoya is the vice-president of the Ouran Host Club. He’s a smart and intellectual person, and takes himself pretty seriously compared to the other members of the host club. Despite being the vice president, his personality lends him to be the leader of the club.
What you’ll need:
- White dress shirt
- Black-colored tie with purple stripe – While the tie if unique with a purple line in the centre, I’ve gotten away with just wearing a regular black tie, so that works as well.
- Dress pants (black)
- Dark colored dress shoes
- Eye glasses – You can just wear your regular eye glasses. Or if you’re like me and don’t wear one, you can buy one at the dollar store and take the lens out and wear the frame.
- Ouran blazer – Again, finding a baby blue blazer like the one in Ouran Host Club will be hard to find in store. So I recommend buying one online, which will probably cost $40 or less.
- Wig – if you’re cosplaying the twins or don’t have blond hair, then you order a basic wig
- Rose or book – Kyoya often carries a rose or book with him, because he is the leader of the club and cool like that.
Alternatives to Kyoya
If you rather not wear glasses or you don’t feel like being the leader of the host club, you have other options as every Ouran character is one of the easy Anime characters to cosplay. Most characters involve wearing the Blue Ouran blazer and black dress pants. Here are other alternatives:
- Tamaki has blond hair and he’s a more eccentric character
- The twins (Hikaru and Kaoru) have orange hair and very popular for their Yaoi-ish tendencies 🙂
- Mori is the macho quiet member of the group, and his hair is easy to do.
- If you prefer more of a Chibi personality, go for Honey-Senpai! Just bring a rabbit plushie with you.
- Although Haruhi is a girl, she’s androgynous enough to pull off as a male character too.
3. Sebastian Michaelis from Black Butler
Sebastian might look like a butler with fancy clothes, but he’s actually quite one of many easy Anime characters to cosplay. Like Ouran Host Club, all you need is a bit of formal clothing and you’re done most of the Cosplay. The blazer is a bit unique however.
Who is Sebastian: Sebastian is actually a demon! Summoned by Ciel to protect him and accomplish his mission, Sebastian is a skilled butler that helps Ciel during the series. In exchange, Sebastian gets to consume Ciel’s soul. Quite devious!
What you’ll need:
- Black dress pants
- Black dress shoes
- Black tie
- White dress shirt
- Grey vest – Sebastian has a vest underneath the jacket that’s much longer than your typical vest. Get someone to make it for you.
- Black blazer with chains – The most unique part of his cosplay, his jacket is different from your typical suit. The back is much longer and the front has chains. The chains aren’t hard to sew, but it could be a hassle. I would just get someone else to make it or buy it for you.
- Red contacts – if you want those red demon eyes like Sebastian does, you’ll have to get some red contacts.
Alternatives to Sebastian
For Black Butler, Sebastian is the easiest one to cosplay and there aren’t any easy alternatives to Sebastian unfortunately. Ciel and Grelle are completely different designs and in my opinion, more complicated to do. So stick to the demon butler.
4. Itachi from Naruto
Most Naruto cosplays are pretty easy Anime characters to cosplay, and Itachi is no exception. A Uchiha clan favourite, you’ll find his cosplay very comfortable to wear, even outdoors when it’s warm! And since Naruto is a popular series, you’ll find Itachi’s cosplay parts cheap to buy. Or something else will probably already have it lying around in their closet.
Who is Itachi: Itachi is the iconic older brother of main Sasuke Uchiha. Apparently working for the evil organization, Akatsuki, Itachi kills every member of the Uchiha clan except for Sasuke. However, as the story progresses Sasuke figures out why Itachi murdered his clan, which sets the tone for the main story. Throughout the series’ long run, Itachi remains one of the most popular characters of Naruto!
What you’ll need:
- Akatsuki cloak – this is the most important part. And since Naruto is insanely popular, you’ll have no problem finding one online or in store for cheap. Or you can make one yourself using the right pattern.
- Ninja headband
- Long black wig
- Sharingan contacts – Itachi is part of the iconic Uchiha clan with those red “Sharingan” eyes. It’s not necessary but will definitely make your cosplay look much cooler!
- Ninja sandals
- Ring – Itachi wears a ring!
- Necklace – You can make it yourself or you can buy it online for cheap
With the exception of the cloak and possibly the ninja headband, everything else you can get on your own. The cloak you should just buy from a store. Naruto cosplays are everywhere, so it’s easy to find.
Alternatives to Itachi
There are lots of different Naruto characters you can cosplay. Itachi’s younger brother Sasuke is the most similar alternative to Itachi.
5. Kiryu from Vampire Knight
Similar to Black Butler, most characters from Vampire Knight are easy Anime characters to cosplay. It’s basically a formal school outfit. And like Sebastian, the blazer/coat has a unique pattern. So if that’s too difficult for you to sew, then you can buy one easily online for cheap.
Who is Kiryu: One of the main characters of the series, Zero Kiryu is a half-human half-vampire. He has allegiance to humans and hatred of vampires due to his family being killed by vampires. He’s a great protagonist to cosplay!
What you need:
- Dress pants
- Dress shoes
- Red tie
- White dress shirt
- Wig – Honestly you don’t even need one and you can still pull off a Vampire Knight character.
- Blazer
Alternatives to Kiryu
You can also cosplay Kaname from Vampire Knight, but personally I think Zero/Kiryu is a cooler character to do.
6. Luffy from One Piece
It doesn’t get any easier than this (well actually it does but we’ll save that one for the next character). If you love pirates, then you’ll love cosplaying Monkey D. Luffy! The iconic main character of this long-running Anime, he is super easy Anime cosplay to do.
Who is Luffy: Luffy is similar to Naruto; they’re both knuckleheads but it’s their fearlessness that make them stand out. Luffy is your typical loveable Shonen main character, and an amazing pirate.
What you need:
- Red button shirt with yellow buttons
- Sombrero hat
- Light blue shorts
- Yellow sash
- Black wig
- Some black marker for marking your left eye
Alternatives to Luffy
Luffy is such a ridiculously easy cosplay ideas for guys, you may want to try a more challenging One Piece cosplay. Zoro is another character that might be worth it, but he is a little harder to do. You’ll need a couple of swords, a nice green wig and some marker to mark your body with some of Zoro’s signature lines.
7. L from Death Note
L is by far THE easy Anime characters to cosplay in all of Anime Cosplaying L is so easy; it’s kind of a joke to cosplay him. Depending on your personality, you may or may not want to cosplay L. But if you do, here’s what you need:
- Long sleeve white t shirt
- Blue jeans
- Sneakers
- Nicely styled black wig (or you could use your real hair)
- Some candy with you! L loves sweets.
Seriously, he’s that easy!
Who is L: L happens to be one of the most popular characters in all of Anime. He’s the leading detective trying to catch the one that is using the Death Note to kill various people in the Anime. L’s demeanor is very weird; he crouches often and eats candy all day. He’s definitely bizarre but very loveable and very smart.
Alternatives to L
You could cosplay Light, but he is the complete opposite of L. While L is unkempt and quite the weirdo, Light is well-dressed.
8. Android 17 from Dragon Ball Z
One of the more recognizable characters from Dragon Ball Z, Android 17 is another easy Anime cosplay. His whole outfit is based on regular clothes and a couple of unique accessories.
Who is Android 17: Originally named Lapis, Android 17 along with Android 18 were kidnapped by the evil Dr. Gero and they were programmed to kill Goku. But things do change during the Cell Saga. Android 17 has a brash personality and loves nature so much that he ends up becoming a park ranger. He is quite the loner but that doesn’t make him less fun or popular to cosplay. Have someone cosplay Android 18 with you to make an awesome duo cosplay!
What you need:
- Long black wig – Android 18 has long hair.
- Black shirt
- White long sleeve shirt
- Orange bandana
- Lime green long socks
- Brown belt
- Holster
- Blue-coloured shoes – Any Converse shoes would work well
- “R&R” logo (to stitch on your black shirt)
Alternatives to Android 17
Other than Android 18 (who is his sister), all the other androids look and dress completely different from 17. Android 17 is by far the easiest Dragon Ball character to cosplay. And let’s not get started with the Saiyans and their crazy hair.
9. Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop
Spike is from Cowboy Bebop, one of the greatest Anime of all time. And thankfully, his cosplay is easy to do. His outfit fundamentally involves a blue suit and yellow dress shirt. However, his wig can be tricky to style as it is very curly!
Who is Spike Spiegel: A total badass character that used to be part of a criminal syndicate, Spike along with his partner become bounty hunters looking for cash. Spike is very skilled at combat and his demeanor is very relaxed and chill.
What you need:
- Curly brown wig – Arguably his hair is green, but it’s actually brown!
- Navy blue suit and pants
- Yellow dress shirt
- Black tie
- Black dress shoes
- Fake cigarette
Alternatives to Spike Spiegel
There is no other recognizable male character in Cowboy Bebop. So stick with Spike.
10. Deku/Izuku Midoriya from My Hero Academia (school boy edition)
My Hero Academia is one of the hottest Anime series today. And fortunately, Deku (the main character) is very easy Anime cosplay, making him a great candidate for one of many cosplay ideas for guys! Deku is your typical cute Shonen main character who overcomes all odds to be the best and fighting evil forces.
Who is Deku: In the world of MHA, each person has a superpower (i.e. Quirks).But Deku initially doesn’t have any of these powers, which leads to him getting picked on. But he ends up meeting the strong All Might, who takes him under his wing and trains him. Along the way, Deku has to fight and overcome evil forces. Sounds like your typical Shonen Anime, does it not? 🙂
What you need:
- Spiky green wig: Deku’s hair is interesting because it’s actually two layers of green. There’s a darker shade on the bottom. (use a photo of my wig). That might be complicated to do, but you can get away from using just bright green.
- School blazer: Just buy it online.
- Red tie
- White dress shirt
- Big red shoes: Deku wears huge red shoes (almost as big as Sora from Kingdom Hearts). But red boots would suffice.
- Brown makeup marker: If you don’t have freckles, then you can draw them on using makeup marker. If you want an extensive guide on makeup, check this post out.
Alternatives to Deku
You can also do his jumpsuit version but that involves a bit more material to wear.
Alright, so those are 10 easy cosplay ideas for guys. I have some bonus ones as well!
BONUS CHARACTERS!
Attack On Titan – the uniform is easy to obtain online. Lots of people love Attack on Titan so you’ll have no problem with attendees knowing who you’re cosplaying.
Anyone from Psycho Pass – All the main characters are crime-fighting characters who wear fancy black suits, so doing a Psycho Pass cosplay is definitely easy to pull off.
Roy Mustang from Fullmetal Alchemist – I’ve cosplayed Roy many times. Not only is he easy to cosplay, but he looks great as well! Don’t you think? 🙂
Summary
To sum this all up, here are 10 easy cosplay ideas for guys:
- Rei Ryugazaki from Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
- Kyoya Ootori from Ouran Host Club
- Sebastian Michaelis from Black Butler
- Itachi from Naruto
- Kiryu from Vampire Knight
- Luffy from One Piece
- L from Death Note
- Android 17 from Dragon Ball Z
- Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop
- Deku/Izuku Midoriya from My Hero Academia (school boy edition)
Conclusion
There you have it – 10 easy cosplay ideas for guys!
If you’re interested in more cosplay ideas, here are some of my other posts you’ll enjoy:
Here are 10+ Cosplay Ideas That’ll Be Popular
What To Do With Your Old And Used Cosplays? 5 Awesome Ways To Get Rid Of It
In the future, I’ll do one for females and ones for video game characters. Would you like to see that? Let me know in the comments below!
My name is Roger Senpai. I’m a cosplayer that’s been in the community for well over a decade now. I’ve traveled all over the world to Anime and Comic conventions and hosted my own cosplay events. Now I’m writing articles for new and experienced cosplayers like you to help inspire, save you money and improve your cosplays!
Super Blog post i like it much 🙂 happy to read more from you 🙂
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Appreciate the love. 🙂
About #7-why is it that guys are unwilling to be barefoot to cosplay this character, leaving it to the gals to have to cosplay him?
Those con hotels can have some stinky floors!
I’d also recommend Shinji Ikari from Neon Genesis Evangelion. It’s a lightweight and pretty simple cosplay to get up.
Haha I totally agree. Shinji is really easy to cosplay!
Definitely! I was planning to cosplay him at Anime North 2019 but that got sidetracked and went as Claude Frollo instead. Fortunately I came across someone going as Shinji on the Saturday of 😅
Nice. Well let’s hope conventions will return in 2021. 🙂