Pokemon cosplay ideas!

Pokemon is one of those series that you don’t care much for…or you really love it! I happen to fall in the latter; it’s one of my favorite series of all time. It’s also the 2nd most successful video game franchise of all time (Bainbridge, Jason. “‘It Is a Pokémon World’: The Pokémon Franchise and the Environment.” International Journal of Cultural Studies, vol. 17, no. 4, July 2014, pp. 399–414, doi:10.1177/1367877913501240.). So you can bet that Pokemon will be around for a very long time.

In this post, I’m going to be talking about 25 Pokemon cosplay ideas!

There are so many Pokemon and characters out there. With most of us cosplayers being on a tight budget, we can’t simply choose to catch ‘em all – in terms of cosplaying all the characters! But I made it easy by picking 25 different cosplays for you.

There is at least one Pokemon character from every generation in this list. So if you’re not a Genwunner – or you want to cosplay the latest characters – or you rather do an obscure cosplay from an older Pokemon game, this list can help you with all that!

Without further ado, let’s get started with cosplay Pokemon!

1. Nessa (Pokemon Sword and Shield)

Nessa Pokemon Cosplay
The wonderful gym leader Nessa! Cosplayer: hoshiidesu. Photo by chico.del.cuenco.

Of course I will start the list with a character from the newest game, Sword and Shield! Nessa is a cute-looking gym leader who specializes in water types. Like most Pokemon cosplays, her outfit is really simple to do. Nessa in particular would work well with outdoor/summer conventions like YetiCon!

2. Candela (Pokemon GO)

Candela from PoGo
The fearless leader of Team Valor, Candela. Cosplayer: annrielle_. Photo by gelo31415.

Whoa! People still play Pokemon GO? Of course they do. And in terms of cosplay Pokemon, Candela is a wonderful choice!

Candela is the leader of Team Valor in Pokemon GO. Even though I’m forever Team Instinct, I have to show my appreciation for the other teams like Blanche and of course Candela. She is the Valor boss!

3. Misty (Pokemon Red And Blue)

Misty from Pokemon. She's not that important in the game, but prominent in the Anime! Photo taken bykxz Chen [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)].
Misty from Pokemon. She’s not that important in the game, but prominent in the Anime! Photo taken by kxz Chen. Licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Misty first appeared in the first generation games, Pokemon Red and Blue. But most of us know her from watching the Anime, as she was Ash Ketchum’s sidekick. Misty is a water-type user with Pokemon like Staryu, Goldeen and of course Psyduck. An orange wig, yellow shirt and blue shorts are all you need to cosplay Misty! Don’t forget to carry around a Togepi with you.

4. Mimikyu (Pokemon Sun and Moon)

Mimikyu Pokemon cosplay
Mimikyu is not only a popular Pikachu clone, but it’s actually really good for battling! Cosplayer: aerialcosplays. Photo by ryanweeeessst.

Every Pokemon game has a “Pikaclone” that’s very notable. From Marill, Plusle/Minun to Emolga, Nintendo always ensures Pikachu gets the love as the mascot of Pokemon. But by far, Mimikyu is the most notable clone because it pretends to Pikachu itself! And Mimikyu is a cool Pokemon that’s so adorably scary; it’s a great choice for a Pokemon cosplay!

5. Eevee (Pokemon Red and Blue)

Eevee
Eevee is one of the most well-known Pokemon. Cosplayer: resident.ginger. Photo by hannahmitc29.

There are a few Eeveelutions cosplay Pokemon in this list but let’s start with Eevee first. This little dog has been around since Gen 1. It’s definitely a fan favorite for being so cute and adorable, while having a bunch of different evolutions that only spawn even more cosplay ideas. Eevee is so popular that it got its own game: Let’s Go Eevee!

6. Klara (Pokemon Sword and Shield)

Klara is a new character from the latest Sword and Shield expansion pack! Cosplayer: phantomiris.

Another character from the (relatively) new Sword and Shield game, Klara happens to be your rival in the Isle of Amor expansion pack. With that pink fluffy hair and Dustox-looking headband, Klara is a good cosplay Pokemon choice if you want to dress up as someone new and different.

7. Nurse Joy (pretty much every Pokemon game)

Nurse Joy
We hope to see you again! Cosplayer: themajoroni. Photo by ruffshotsphotography.


How can you not love Nurse Joy? She’s the one that heals your team at the Pokemon center after a hard battle! With the Anime she became even more notable, especially with Brock falling in love with her. Nurse Joy is a great choice, because almost everyone knows who she is. All you need to cosplay her is a pink wig and her hospital gown and headwear. A great Pokemon cosplay female choice!

8. Sylveon (Pokemon X and Y)

Sylveon
Sylveon is probably the cutest Eeveelution. Photo by Stefan Schubert. Licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Sylveon is a beautiful-looking fairy type Eeveelution from Pokemon X and Y. Even though the game has been out for a while, Sylveon is still a relatively popular Pokemon cosplay. I’ve seen many variations of Sylveon: you can just wear its signature pink ears, do a leotard version or go all out with Worbla armor!

9. Beedrill (Pokemon Red and Blue)

Don’t mess with Beedrill! Cosplayer: boiiwondercosplay.

I feel like Beedrill is a cool Pokeon that’s underrated. Overshadowed by its more beautiful rival Butterfree, as well as being super weak, Beedrill doesn’t get much love. But with Weedle receiving a Community Day in Pokemon GO, as well as Beedrill gaining a Mega Evolution, maybe the big bee will finally get the love it deserves!

10. Leon (Pokemon Sword and Shield)

Leon Pokemon
The great Leon! Cosplayer: zer0_c0splay. Photo by FabeledFocus.

Leon is the ultimate trainer in Sword and Shield! He’s quite the formidable opponent in the game. Leon’s outfit is amazing. So if you’re looking for a male character to cosplay from this game, Leon is your go-to guy!

11.  Umbreon (Pokemon Gold and Silver)

Umbreon is the dark-type Eeveelution! This Pokemon is a good cosplay choice if you’re looking for a goth/emo look. Like Sylveon and other Eeveelutions, you can either do a casual-hoodie type of cosplay, or go for armor-themed that would look totally badass!

12. Dawn (Pokemon Diamond and Pearl)

Dawn is the female avatar in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. I remember a lot of my friends cosplaying her back when the game came out. Dawn Pokemon cosplay is still cool to this day, and you get to carry a Piplup with you! Now that the Diamond/Pearl remakes are out, the cosplay hype for Dawn has definitely returned! So in terms of a Dawn Pokemon cosplay, I say go for her!

13. Marnie (Pokemon Sword and Shield)

Marnie
You’ll be seeing Marnie a lot in Sword and Shield! Cosplayer: taichou.cos. Photo by m.f.a.theater.

Forget Gary Oak; Marnie makes for a better rival for you in Sword and Shield! Given her personality, she specializes in dark type Pokemon. So if you enjoy a Pokemon cosplay female with stoic traits, then Marnie is your girl!

Cosplayer. princess_piyo_chan. Photo taken by kvwolf.

14. Spark Cosplay (Pokemon GO)

Gotta represent my PoGo team Instinct. Photo by mireadcartoons.

All hail Team Instinct! The leader Spark has got that snazzy look. I myself enjoyed cosplaying him. All you need is super-spiky hair, a leather jacket, yellow sweater and black jeans.

15. N (Pokemon Black and White cosplay)

“Hold on. Your Pokémon are hurt. There is no triumph to be gained in battling a weakened opponent.” Cosplayer: Alex

If there’s anything that made Pokemon Black and White stand out, it’s this character. N is one of the most complex characters of any Pokemon game. While he is one of the main villains in Black and White, he’s a truly misunderstood villain who has good intentions (sort of like Edelgard from Three Houses). It’s been a while since Black and White came out. But let’s not forget N by cosplaying him!

16. Professor Kukui (Pokemon Sun and Moon cosplay)

Kukui Cosplay
Isn’t he just the most epic Pokemon professor? Cospalyer: SigmaJump Cosplay. Photo by CocoChocoBoo Photography.

Kukui is a laid-back professor that totally fits the vibe of the Alolan region in Sun and Moon. If you’re looking for a cosplay that’s easy and comfy to wear, then Kukui is your best bet!

17. Flareon (Pokemon Red and Blue)

Flareon
Flareon is the fire type evolution of Eevee! Cosplayer. Bluebonnet cosplay.

Flareon is fairly underrated as well in my opinion. In the game, Flareon kind of sucks because it has garbage moves and fairly average stats that don’t make it stand out. Maybe the fluffy white coattail isn’t big with Pokefans? But in any case, I’m glad we some cosplayers giving Flareon some love though!

18. Melony (Pokemon Sword and Shield cosplay)

Melony
Cosplayer: __reminiscent.lilac. Photo by darksquirephotography.

Melony is the ice queen in Sword and Shield. She is the gym leader of Chirchester stadium and if you couldn’t guess from her outfit, she specializes in ice type Pokemon! A great Pokemon cosplay female choice.

Melony cosplay
Cosplayer: deliciouspancakes_cosplay.

19. Professor Sycamore (Pokemon X & Y cosplay)

Sycamore
Doesn’t this remind you of Kalos?

Pokemon X & Y was one of my favorite gens for a lot of reasons: mega evolutions, new fairy type and the strongest starter of all time (Greninja). But one of the cooler characters is Professor Sycamore. And he’s really easy to do: all you need is a navy-blue dress shirt, lab coat and yellow belt! His wig however, can be difficult to style. I commissioned someone to style it for me. 🙂

professor
Who would you choose? 🙂

20. Jessie and James from Team Rocket (Pokemon Anime cosplay)

Team Rocket
Prepare for trouble! Photo by Paul Fenwick. Licensed under CC BY 2.0.

If you don’t know Jessie and James from the Pokemon Anime, you had no childhood! The Team Rocket duo is out to protect the world from devastation…and to capture Pikachu. I highly recommend cosplaying Jessie and James because they make a great cosplay couple.

21. Solgaleo (Pokemon Sun and Moon cosplay)

Solgaleo
Photo by YinChannel. Licensed under CC BY 2.0.

One of the mascots of S&M, Solgaleo is the ultimate sun Pokemon. I wanted to feature Solgaleo because this cosplayer did such amazing work with this cosplay!

22. Arbok (Pokemon Red and Blue)

Arbok
Did you know that Ekans and Arbok is snake and kobra spelled backwards? Cosplayer: aerialcosplays. Photo by ivan_aburto.

Char-bok! Arbok is that snake/cobra Pokemon from Red and Blue. But many recognize Arbok for being Jessie’s main Pokemon for the first few seasons. Why not cosplay this menacing Pokemon?

23. Milotic (Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire cosplay)

Milotic cosplay
Did you ever have trouble catching Feebas and evolving it into Milotic? Cosplayer: Nisaba.cosplay. Photo by linsan_photography.

A lot of Genwunners forget about Milotic. It’s almost exactly like Magikarp; an ugly fish in its first form. But unlike Magikarp, Feebas doesn’t turn into a scary dragon fish like Gyarados. It turns into Milotic, a beautiful-looking sea creature who is pretty good to battle with. Milotic may not be well-known, but it’s a good choice if you’re planning to hit up a resort convention like YetiCon where you can jump in a pool!

24. Jigglypuff (Pokemon Red and Blue)

Jigglypuff
Photo by Oliver Ayala. Licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Jigglypuff, much like Pikachu, is an iconic Pokemon character. It’s been in so many Pokemon games since the first generation, including every single Super Smash Bros! Jigglypuff was notably a running gag in the Anime too, putting everyone asleep with her lovely singing! So you can’t go wrong with cosplaying the Puff! Bring a microphone with you if you do.

25. Rosa (Pokemon Black and White 2/Pokemon Masters)

Rosa
“Is it the buns on my head look like meatballs or something?!” Cosplayer: Anthea_time. Photo by skoguno.

Oh Rosa! While she made her first appearance in Pokemon Black and White 2 almost a decade ago, she is most recently known in her appearance in the mobile game, Pokemon Masters. She says some pretty hilarious stuff in the game with that legendary meme face! Rosa has an easy and cute-looking outfit, so she’s a good choice.

Here are a few BONUS characters for you…

26. Wicke (Pokemon Sun and Moon)

Ms. Wicke (Pokemon cosplay)
Cosplayer: meganiumkisses.
Leaf! Cosplayer: wyvu.cosplay. Photo taken by Splashing Lights Photography.

Summary

Here’s the list of 25 Pokemon cosplay ideas you should try:

  1. Nessa (Pokemon Sword and Shield)
  2. Candela (Pokemon GO)
  3. Misty (Pokemon Red And Blue)
  4. Mimikyu (Pokemon Sun and Moon)
  5. Eevee (Pokemon Red and Blue)
  6. Klara (Pokemon Sword and Shield)
  7. Nurse Joy (pretty much every Pokemon game)
  8. Sylveon (Pokemon X and Y)
  9. Beedrill (Pokemon Red and Blue)
  10. Leon (Pokemon Sword and Shield)
  11. Umbreon (Pokemon Gold and Silver)
  12. Dawn (Pokemon Diamond and Pearl)
  13. Marnie (Pokemon Sword and Shield)
  14. Spark Cosplay (Pokemon GO)
  15. N (Pokemon Black and White cosplay)
  16. Professor Kukui (Pokemon Sun and Moon cosplay)
  17. Flareon (Pokemon Red and Blue)
  18. Melony (Pokemon Sword and Shield cosplay)
  19. Professor Sycamore (Pokemon X & Y cosplay)
  20. Jessie and James from Team Rocket (Pokemon Anime cosplay)
  21. Solgaleo (Pokemon Sun and Moon cosplay)
  22. Arbok (Pokemon Red and Blue)
  23. Milotic (Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire cosplay)
  24. Jigglypuff (Pokemon Red and Blue)
  25. Rosa (Pokemon Black and White 2/Pokemon Masters)
  26. Wicke (Pokemon Sun and Moon)

And there you have it – 25 Pokemon cosplays just for you! Check out these other posts for more cosplay ideas:

Which Pokemon cosplay is your favorite? And do you plan on cosplaying from the series? Let me know in the comments!

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