Everything You Need To Know About Cosplay In 2026

Eimee Rodriguez

I spill travel tips , and show you the Japan that tourists usually miss.

3 November 2025

International Cosplay Day is celebrated every August when many communities of people gather dressed as their favorite characters from manga, anime, or video games. It caused real turmoil in Japan, the country of origin of Cosplay in the 70s, but it has since spread rapidly worldwide.

WHAT IS COSPLAY?

The term “cosplay” is a combination of the words “costume” and “play,” referring to the act of wearing a costume to embody a character and perform as that character.

Cosplayers often create their own costumes, paying close attention to detail to accurately represent the character they are portraying. This can involve a range of skills, such as sewing, prop-making, and makeup application. Creating a cosplay costume can be a time-consuming and expensive process, as cosplayers strive to recreate every aspect of the character’s appearance.

In addition to wearing the costume, cosplayers often act in character, mimicking their mannerisms, speech, and behavior. This can involve rehearsing and practising beforehand, as well as improvising during a performance.

Specialized stores catering to cosplay offer a wide range of costumes, wigs, props, and other accessories for cosplayers to purchase. These stores are often found in areas with a large cosplay community and offer high-quality, detailed costumes that are difficult to find elsewhere. Cosplay has become a popular hobby and art form, with events and conventions dedicated to cosplay taking place around the world.

Get a look at this article to discover the most popular cosplay influencers to follow right now!

WHY DO PEOPLE DRESS THAT WAY?

Cosplayers are passionate about their hobby and enjoy it as much as people who engage in any other activity. Many people find it enjoyable to see the attention to detail and realism with which cosplayers dress up as their favorite characters. It can be even better if you are familiar with the character being portrayed.

However, it can be not easy to fully understand the appeal of cosplay if you are not familiar with the worlds of comics (particularly of Japanese origin) and video games. Cosplayers acknowledge that they are perceived as “freakish” by some people, but they take pride in their hobby and do not see it as an insult.

For many cosplayers, being surrounded by like-minded individuals is a liberating experience that allows them to break free from their fears and inhibitions mentally. The act of transforming into a character is a form of self-expression that enables cosplayers to feel comfortable and confident in their own skin, even when they may feel insecure or out of place in other social situations. Overall, cosplay is a unique and rewarding hobby that allows people to express their creativity and passion in a fun and fulfilling way.

COSPLAY EVENTS

When the American cosplayer Jennifer Alice decided to promote International Cosplay Day on August 27, 2010, she wanted events dedicated to the discipline held all over the world. Her dream was for all the cosplayers in the world to come together to claim a hobby that goes beyond dressing up.

Apart from this specific day, the community gathers regularly in significant events held in cities such as San Francisco, Paris, and Tokyo.

Over time, the cosplay ecosystem has gradually become professionalised to the point that people make a living from it. Authentic costume designers who travel the world collecting awards and recognition.

MOST IMPORTANT EVENT: WORLD COSPLAY SUMMIT

If you have to opt for the most emblematic annual event, this could be the World Cosplay Summit in the city of Nagoya, Japan. There, lovers of Japanese pop culture, such as anime, manga, and video games, meet every year for international cultural exchange. Cosplayers from all over the world meet every year in the city of Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture to deepen the exchange. One of the characteristics of this system is that it receives the support of local administrations, governments, and diplomatic missions abroad.

This year WORLD COSPLAY SUMMIT 2026 will take place from Friday, July 31 to Sunday, August 2, 2026. You can read more about this unique and exciting event on their official website.

The festival has three principles that could summarise the essence and personality of everyone who is dedicated to the world of cosplay:

1. AN EVER-EVOLVING FESTIVAL OF POP CULTURE.

The World Cosplay Summit is a pop culture festival focused on a global contest that brings together cosplayers who love Japanese manga, anime, or video games, and that will evolve.

2. A BRIDGE TO WORLD PEACE.

The pop culture featured at the World Cosplay Summit serves as a means of communication for all humanity and is an essential tool in shaping personality. The World Cosplay Summit has the mission of providing a space for communication, whether physical or online, to all people who love pop culture, and the purpose of becoming a bridge to world peace by fostering friendships that can cross any border. And barriers of race, culture, language, or customs.

3. RESPECT FOR CREATORS AND CONTRIBUTION TO CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

Cosplay is a manifestation of respect and admiration for an original work, as well as the essential human feeling of identification with that work. All participants in the World Cosplay Summit express profound respect for creators and seek to protect this space of expression together with them, thereby contributing to cultural development.

CAN ANYONE BE A COSPLAYER?

The good thing about cosplay is that it is an activity open to people of any gender, age, or physical shape. Anyone can be a cosplayer, although only those who are deep within this world can understand the terminology and codes that are used.

For example, it can be said that there are subgenres within cosplay :

Anime cosplay
Video game cosplay
Comic book cosplay
Movie and TV show cosplay
Disney cosplay
Historical cosplay
Crossplay (cosplaying as a character of a different gender)
Mashup cosplay (combining elements from multiple characters or universes)
Casual cosplay (everyday wearable interpretations of characters)
Original character cosplay (creating your own character and cosplay design)

Top Cosplay Influencers in Japan to Follow:

Cosplay in Japan (and across Asia) isn’t just “dress-up.” It’s performance, photography, styling, makeup artistry, character study—and, for the biggest names, a full-on media career. These creators don’t simply wear costumes; they build worlds, run fan communities, appear in magazines, and turn conventions like Comiket into headline events.

Enako (@enakorin)

@enakorin

Number of followers: 2.5 million

Enako (often affectionately called Enakorin) is widely regarded as Japan’s number one cosplayer—and it’s not hard to see why. She’s an ultra-high-profile figure who has appeared on the covers of weekly magazines countless times and maintains a massive presence across multiple social platforms.

Her influence isn’t limited to fandom spaces either: she’s been officially recognized at the national level, including an appointment as a “Cool Japan” ambassador by the Cabinet Office. Off-camera, she’s also a dedicated gamer who shares her gameplay on YouTube—another way she keeps her audience close between major cosplay moments.

At the annual Comic Market (Comiket), Enako becomes an event within the event. Crowds gather specifically to photograph her, and the ring of photographers around her is so famously intense it’s earned its own nickname: “Enakoringu”—a seasonal Comiket phenomenon that regular attendees instantly recognize.

@enakorin

Rosiel Kashou (@kasyou3roshieru)

@kasyou3roshieru

Number of followers: 269,000

Rosiel Kashou is one of those creators who refuses to stay in a single lane. Yes, she’s known for cosplay—but she’s also built a career as a model and gravure idol, which gives her content a polished “editorial” edge that stands out in a crowded feed.

Outside cosplay, she shares gameplay videos on YouTube as a hobby and has also surged in popularity as a VTuber, expanding her fan base beyond people who follow cosplay alone. On top of that, she’s active as a DJ—proof that her audience comes from multiple scenes, not just one community.

@kasyou3roshieru

Marina Amatsu▽ Marina Amatsu (@r_ap82_)

@r_ap82_

Number of followers: 170,000

Marina Amatsu (sometimes introduced with a “2.5-dimensional model” label) has a carefully curated mystique—there’s an intentional sense that not everything about her is publicly explained. That mystery, paired with consistently strong visuals, is part of the appeal.

She’s appeared on magazine covers, built a serious profile as a gravure idol and model, and is well known as a highly popular cosplayer. She’s even opened her own pop-up store—one of those career moves that signals she’s operating beyond “influencer,” into brand territory.

@r_ap82_

Liyuu (@koi_liyuu)

@koi_liyuu

Number of followers: 623,000

Liyuu is a singer and cosplayer from Shanghai, China—and her reach is far bigger than a single scene or country. She’s popular in Japan and China, but her fan base is truly international, driven by a mix of music activity and cosplay visibility.

She’s also appeared on Japanese TV shows, which helped push her into mainstream awareness. Fans often point out the contrast between her everyday “cute” vibe and the fully transformed presence she brings to cosplay. That difference—sweet, then suddenly character-accurate and intense—is exactly what fascinates people and keeps them watching.

@koi_liyuu

Fleia (@fleia0124)

@fleia0124

Number of followers: 59K

Fleia is a cosplayer who’s active primarily through social media and magazines, with an Instagram feed that leans heavily into cosplay posts. If you like accounts that feel consistently “on theme,” hers is easy to follow—there’s always something costume-related to see.

Her range is wide: from calm, everyday clothes to cosplay shoots with a more mature, glamorous style. That contrast is part of what keeps her content engaging—different moods, different aesthetics, but a consistent visual polish.

She also sells self-published cosplay photo books, which are typically affordable. If you enjoy collecting photo books or supporting creators directly, it’s worth checking these out.

@fleia0124

Yami (@real__yami)

@real__yami

Number of followers: 1.511 million

Yami is a cosplayer from China whose popularity has spread quickly across borders. She’s often praised for her sweet, expressive look—and for the kind of polished, “too-perfect-to-be-real” cosplay photos that make people do a double take while scrolling.

Online commenters regularly describe her as “beyond 2D,” pointing to a figure and styling that feel almost anime-like in real life. She’s gained strong international attention, including in Japan, where she’s frequently talked about for being exceptionally cute.

Beyond cosplay, she posts plenty of gravure and modeling photos, plus glimpses of daily life—so the account feels like a full fan hub, not just an occasional costume gallery.

@real__yami

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