Underrated cosplay ideas!
For the longest time, I usually talk about popular cosplays. After all, it’s what a lot of cosplayers want to dress up as. But while popular characters are not a bad choice, there are also a lot of underrated characters worth cosplaying as well!
In my cosplay hype post, I talk about the post-saturation of a character. This is when a character has already peaked in popularity in terms of cosplay, and no longer gets you the kind of attention and engagement online like before. However, these characters are still worth cosplaying for a couple of reasons:
- Still a great cosplay choice. These characters were popular for a reason, whether it’s their design or the story behind them. Whatever the reason, that reason still exists and makes them still a good choice in the present. And you’ll still get a lot of photo requests at cons and engagement online.
- It won’t cost as much to cosplay them today. Chances are a bunch of cosplay stores mass-produced that popular costume and have lots of leftover from that production. So it either ends up on discount or in the clearance section. This is where you can save money on their costume. Not only that, many cosplayers do CosSwapping with these formerly popular characters. This is where you can take advantage and pick up these cosplays at a bargain!
So does this sound convincing enough why you should consider underrated cosplays? If so, then keep reading on!
In this post, I’ll go through 15 underrated cosplay ideas you should try. Again, this is for all the characters that were incredibly popular in the past but not anymore, while still being a great choice today.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
1. Ryuko from Kill La Kill
For those who don’t know, Ryuko is the main character of Kill La Kill, which was super popular back in 2014. Much like Panty and Stocking, the series was ridiculously awesome in every way imaginable! And I’d say to this day, Ryuko is popular amongst cosplayers and attendees, so you’ll still get a nice reaction when you cosplay her.
As for Ryuko, you can opt for her regular outfit which is easy to make or cheap to buy these days. Or you can opt for her transformation outfit which is very provocative!
2. Fionna from Adventure Time
Fionna is also a character that was a popular cosplay choice back 10 years ago. Adventure Time was an awesome Western cartoon that everyone loved. It helps that Fiona is really easy to cosplay. And while she won’t get the cosplay hype that she did 10 years ago, cosplaying her will bring back some nostalgia for you and the attendees. If you’re cosplaying with your partner, you should do a Fionna and Finn duet cosplay!
3. Haruhi Suzumiya from The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya
![The sassy Haruhi Suzumiya. Considered one of the most memorable characters in the 2000s! Photo taken by kxz Chen [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)].](https://rogersenpai.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Cosplayer_of_Haruhi_Suzumiya_at_FF29_20170211b-1024x819.jpg)
Can you believe it’s been almost 20 years since this series came out? 20 years! Time definitely flies. But Haruhi used to be insanely popular back in the 2000s. Everyone loved the character, and the signature dance that she and her crew did.
Haruhi’s outfit is pretty easy to make, as it’s essentially a school uniform with a few modifications. Since it’s been so long, you might find it difficult to buy her outfit today. But if you do, it’ll probably be super cheap!
4. Violet from Violet Evergarden
Violet Evergarden is one of the better series in recent years. But the cosplay hype for Violet died so quickly, which is surprising. I decided to include her on this list because she deserves more love for sure. Violet’s outfit is so beautiful, so I highly recommend cosplaying her!
5. Homura from Madoka Magica
I feel like Homura doesn’t get the spotlight she deserves. When it comes to Madoka Magica cosplays, usually Madoka herself gets most of the attention. Even Mami gets more love than Homura, which is sad considering she is the true hero of the story (in my opinion).
Since Madoka Magica is also an older series, you’ll likely find Homura’s outfit in the discount section of cosplay websites. She’s an easy one to cosplay as well. Just bring a toy pistol with you to complete the cosplay of Homura!
6. Zero Two from Darling In The Franxx
It was only a few years ago when Darling in the Franxx was hugely popular. Everybody was cosplaying Zero Two not too long ago. The Anime was great and the main character is awesome. Although the cosplay hype (link) for Zero Two is not what it was before, she’s still worth cosplaying today. Her bodysuit looks fabulous with her pink hair!
7. Yuu Morisawa from Creamy Mami
I had to include one entry from back in the 80s! Creamy Mami is a classic series that’s completely different from the magical series today. Because unlike many magical girls these days that fight monsters and evil, there are no monsters to fight in Creamy Mami!
In this series, 10-year old Yuu Morisawa encounters an alien that gives her a wand to do whatever she wants with it. And with that power, she turns herself into a 16-year old pop star singer. Yuu wants to make a career as an idol, while also finishing her homework at school.
This ain’t no fighting evil by moonlight or crazy transformations; Creamy Mami is as simple as it gets. Yuu Morisawa is more of a slice-of-life heroine than fighting true evil, and her costume is not that complicated; it’s basically a puffy dress with purple hair while wearing heels!
8. Mavis Dracula from Hotel Transylvania
There are many Disney cosplays out there, and I think Mavis Dracula (aka Mavy Wavy) is an easy, underrated cosplay worth doing.
Remember that movie, Hotel Transylvania? That’s where Mavy Wavy is from! She’s the vampire who is kind and gentle but wants to experience life outside of the hotel. Mavis is a great choice who is really easy to do.
9. Spoiler Midna from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Do you remember Midna? In my opinion, she’s still the best sidekick that Link has ever had. Better than Fi, and certainly better than Navi! 😉
I think at this point now, we all know who Midna is and in particular, how she looks like at the end of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess game. She’s still a pretty popular to this day amongst cosplayers, which is why I recommend doing spoiler Midna! Zelda characters are timeless (no pun intended). So even though Twilight Princess is more than a decade old, Midna is still a fan favorite.
10. Rinoa from Final Fantasy VIII
When it comes to Final Fantasy cosplays, it seems like FF7 and FF10 get all the attention. But don’t forget there are other Final Fantasy characters worth cosplaying as well, including Rinoa from FF8. She’s one of the main characters from the fabulous, and she still looks great after all these years!
11. Cindy from Final Fantasy XV
This bombshell character is from Final Fantasy XV, the latest in the series. When the game first came out in 2016, Cindy was incredibly popular as a cosplay choice. And who can blame them? She’s super-hot and her outfit is like a sexy mechanic! Of course, the hype for FFXV has died down and now everyone is concentrating on the FF7 Remake.
So now is a good time to find Cindy costumes on cosplay websites on a discount and relive that cosplay hype for her a few years ago. She’s a fun character to cosplay for sure.
12. Yoko from Gurren Lagann
Yoko was one of the most popular characters back in the day! Who doesn’t love a badass girl who carries a gigantic sniper rifle? Her outfit is very unique in that it’s a semi bikini and her flashy red hair. Even though Gurren Lagann is considered an older series now, trust me. Most people will know you are if you decide to cosplay Yoko. She’s so recognizable that no one can ever forget her!
13. Seras from Hellsing
Remember that awesome show, Hellsing? It was such a great series back 10-15 years ago. And although Alucard got most of the attention in the cosplay world, there’s also another character worth cosplaying, and that’s Seras! She’s an awesome woman who carries a bazooka as her weapon. Her outfit is a bright yellow and it is beautiful. Cosplaying Seras is a trip back to the past.
14. Princess Tutu from Princess Tutu
Magical girl stories are all about an ugly duckling turning into something beautiful. Well, that’s no exception with Princess Tutu, an older series from the 2000s. Princess Tutu is about a duck that’s been given an amulet, allowing the duck to transform into a girl who becomes Princess Tutu. She sets out on a quest to regain a prince’s shattered heart in order to save him.
Overall, she is a cute character to cosplay. If you’re into dresses or ballerina, Princess Tutu is perfect for an underrated cosplay ideas!
15. Tohru from Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
One of the main characters of Dragon Maid, Tohru is a female dragon who has been brought to the regular world. In her human form, she’s a cute and bubbly girl. Her outfit is really cool so if you want to be a dragon maid, Tohru is your girl! Dragon Maid is a few years older now, so the hype has definitely simmered down. But Tohru is still a great choice for an underrated cosplay ideas.
Summary
To summarize, here are the 15 underrated cosplay ideas you should try:
- Ryuko from Kill La Kill
- Fiona from Adventure Time
- Haruhi Suzumiya from The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya
- Violet from Violet Evergarden
- Homura from Madoka Magica
- Zero Two from Darling In The Franxx
- Yuu Morisawa from Creamy Mami
- Mavis Dracula from Hotel Transylvania
- Spoiler Midna from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
- Rinoa from Final Fantasy VIII
- Cindy from Final Fantasy XV
- Yoko from Gurren Lagann
- Seras from Hellsing
- Princess Tutu from Princess Tutu
- Tohru from Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
And there you have it; 15 underrated cosplay ideas for you!
If you’re having trouble finding cosplay ideas, I made an entire guide on how to find cosplay ideas for you. Click here to read it.
Which one do you plan on trying? 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!
