HERE ARE 22 COSPLAY IDEAS THAT’LL BE POPULAR IN 2022!

It’s that time again; popular cosplay ideas for this year!

In terms of the cosplay world 2021 gave us a glimmer of hope. Unlike 2020 where pretty much all cons after March were cancelled because of the pandemic, 2021 saw the return of cosplay conventions.

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I honestly got so emotional watching Cosplay Music Videos back in the summer and seeing cons happen again! Because there was a time when we truly thought that cons would never return. Yet here they are!

And while they’re not quite the same as pre-pandemic (click here to see how things have changed and how you can be ready for your next con), it’s good to see we’re making progress again. It definitely won’t be easy with the situation going on. But I’m sure we’ll get there.

If you’re reading this post, I’m sure you’d like to know what’s going to be popular and trendy in terms of cosplay for 2022. After all, it’s always fun finding the same characters to cosplay as others and not only do popular cosplays help you socialize with people who are into the same series, it’s also great for social media purposes. (If you want to learn the pros and cons of cosplaying popular characters, click here to read my article about that).

IN THIS FEATURED ARTICLE, I WILL LIST THE MOST POPULAR COSPLAY IDEAS FOR 2022. I WILL START WITH THE MOST POPULAR SERIES, WHICH WILL LOOK LIKE THIS:

• The definite picks cosplay picks for 2022 that will for sure be popular this year (you guys who follow my IG wanted me to start with the definite ones first, so I’m giving what you want!)
• My bold predictions that I have a good feeling will become viral and popular
• Characters or series that MIGHT be popular, but also the chance that they may not (longshots)
• And for one character from each series (with a few exceptions), I will list all the materials and accessories you’ll need to make that particular cosplay!

Of course, it’s always difficult to predict with absolute certainty what people will be cosplaying as; memes always pop up out of the blue (e.g. Bowsette, Among Us) and various series can end up being popular all of a sudden (e.g. Lady Dimitrescu, Gawr Gura in 2021).

With that out of the way, let’s get started!

    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 believe they are fairly sweet deals. If you’re buying from these sites, you’re also supporting me and my hobby so I appreciate it!

Click here to read the full disclosure policy.

DEFINITE PICKS

1. GENSHIN IMPACT

Does this series need any introduction? Maybe you already know about it, or you know someone who has already cosplayed from it.

But in case you need a reminder: Genshin Impact has taken over the gaming world by storm! This gacha game has generated over 3.7 billion in revenue. For a game that can be played for free, Genshin Impact has it all; beautiful world landscape (similar to Breath of the Wild), lots of Waifus and Husbandos, addicting gameplay and quite the immersive story and quests.

It helps that the character designs are so beautiful and amazing.

I have an entire article dedicated to Genshin Impact cosplay ideas (including new ones for 2022). So if you’re interested, click here to check out it out.

So to sum it up: Genshin Impact WILL be the #1 fandom that’s going to be the most popular cosplay idea for 2022.

What you’ll need to cosplay Amber from Genshin Impact:

• Red coat, headband, details – you can thrift a cotton or polyester hoodie and alter to fit your body. Cut the shape to be similar to Amber’s M-shaped bangs to get the best effect.
• Brown wig – One of my favourite wig stores is Wig Supplier and you can find an Amber wig or just a generic brown wig.
• Belt and gloves – Dollar store gardening section all the way.
• Shirt – get a brown shirt and a white hurt and hack them together to make a brown and white shirt! Fabric paint the details.
• Gold embroidery – You can get puffy paint from your local craft store to achieve a raised effect and use craft foam for the base.
• Brown shorts – Thrift store is your best bet to find some class brown shorts. Look in the pants section too and you might be able to find a steal.
• Thigh-high boots – You need a cheap heel and some thigh-high socks. Cut a hole in the heel of a white thigh high sock and slip the heel though and you’ve got some DIY thigh-high boots.
• Goggles – Amazon has some dank aviator goggles!

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR GENSHIN IMPACT

Where do I even begin? There are so many characters to cosplay in this game that look fabulous and totally fun to cosplay!

If you’ve played this game, I’d say you should cosplay your favourite character if you can handle the difficulty. Pretty much every character has lots of specific detailing and embroidery with their clothing. So if you can pull it off yourself, you’re gonna look AMAZING.

But with that said, you can always do a casual version. For example, you can cosplay Kaeya and Diluc casually by wearing a blue or red wig and a dress shirt. Most Genshin players would recognize you, as both of those characters are really popular!

Other favourites are Amber, Lisa, Sucrose, Fischl, Venti, Mona and Bennett. Definitely the most recognizable would be Paimon, your fairy-sized travel companion/emergency food!

Again, if you’re looking for even more Genshin Impact cosplay ideas (40+ ideas), click here to check out my separate article regarding that.

If you want to buy the costumes for Shenhe and Paimon, click below!

2. LEAGUE OF LEGENDS (OR K/DA TO BE EXACT)

In my opinion, K/DA and League of Legends will be the 2nd most popular cosplay choice of 2022. Mostly K/DA though.

Originally meant to just sell skins for League of Legends, K/DA has become a phenomenon that mostly everyone loves.

Ever since the first K/DA music video Pop Stars was released, the League of Legends world was never the same. Now you see cosplays Ahri, Akali, Evelynn and Kai’Sa all the time! And that’s definitely not going to change in 2022, especially with the newest KD/A videos More and Baddest.

In addition to K/DA, Riot Games continues to release new music videos and skins for other League characters. So not only will this game be relevant into the 2020s, so will the cosplays.

What you’ll need to cosplay Evelynn K/DA from League of Legends:

• Black Trench Coat – If you’re looking for a closet cosplay, Evelynn might be something you and a few friends could put together by combining your wardrobes. The black trench coat is a closet staple, and if you don’t have one, I guarantee your local Goodwill or Value Village will.
• Necklace – This necklace charm is super easy to make. All you need to do is loop a length of ribbon into an old earring. You can also find lots of similar charms at the craft store, corner store, or Ardene’s.
• Earring – Evelynn’s earrings here are just small hoops, which you can find online for about $2 on eBay. These are also in the bargain section at Claire’s or Ardene’s.
• Belt – A common black belt can be purchased at any corner store.
• Wig – Evelynn’s cat ear hair is what gives her the iconic look in this K/DA version. I would recommend buying some strong hair spray and set aside an hour or so to twirl the hair in the same way. You can buy her wig right here (affiliate link).
• Glasses – Glasses are a challenge to craft. The best hack for glasses is to find some similar frames and tint the lenses with see-through acrylic sheets such as soft binders, or photography gels.
• Claws – Honestly, paper is the tried-and-true method for the most comfortable claws. You can also do foam for a longer effect. Paint with silver acrylic or Rub n Buff.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR LEAGUE OF LEGENDS

K/DA is obviously the first option. The Pop Stars outfit has been so popular for a while now, so you can definitely snag an outfit for very cheap now, like this Kai’Sa outfit.

If you’re looking for their newer outfits from Baddest or More, you still don’t have to break the bank either. RoleCosplay has an amazing deal for Ahri; only $10 for her Baddest outfit!

By far the K/DA crew is the hottest League cosplays at the moment, but you don’t have to go the mainstream route; there are several champions to choose from. League has tons of cool-looking characters to cosplay such as Jinx, Ashe and Ezreal. And there are a variety of looks to choose from; either you can cosplay the looks that the characters sported when the game first came out, or you can go for the more recent looks like the Spirit Blossom.

3. MY HERO ACADEMIA

Plus Ultra!

What’s there to be said about My Hero Academia (MHA) that hasn’t been said already? I hate to compare the two, but MHA is new the Naruto! It’s going to be the cosplay choice for both beginner and experienced cosplayers. Because you can do a casual Jirou or go all out with body paint as Mina Ashido!

This top Shonen Anime has been superhot for the past few years and 2022 will be no exception. MHA characters have wonderful designs and the Anime is highly acclaimed.  All these things will ensure that MHA characters will remain a popular series to cosplay for a long time.

What you’ll need to cosplay Camie from MHA:

• Black bodysuit – A full bodysuit can be purchased online on eBay or at any Halloween/theatre store.
• Black hat – These kinds of police hats are super easy to find during Halloween season, so go early and stock up! Use a red ribbon (or rope) to add the detail and craft-foam for the emblem.
• Wig – When you’re saving on the costume, it’s very important to be careful of the details. That’s why I will always recommend Arda Wigs for all my wig needs. Arda’s fibre blends look so realistic and they even have lace fronts!

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR MY HERO ACADEMIA

The nice thing about MHA is that despite having a ton of characters to cosplay, they’re all unique in their own way with their “quirks.” And in terms of cosplay, every character is so cool-looking!

The main characters like Deku, Bakugo, All Might, Ochaco and Todoroki will always be a great choice. Season 6 is coming out in 2022 later this year, so be on the lookout for new characters. (NOTE: you can always read the manga to skip ahead, but all I will say is…be ready for a shock).

Since MHA is probably the biggest Shonen Anime right now, online cosplay stores are mass-producing costumes from the series. So it’ll be relatively cheap to buy one off those sites.

4. DEMON SLAYER

My initial guess was way off! When Demon Slayer first came out, I expected the hype to die down after a year or so. Boy was I wrong! Because not only is Demon Slayer still popular to this day, with a new season coming out it’s going to be mainstream for a while.

And that means you’ll be seeing lots of Demon Slayer online and at conventions. This is why Demon Slayer is #4 on my list of popular cosplays for 2022. And why not, those Demon Slayer outfits look so amazing!

What you’ll need to cosplay Nezuko from Demon Slayer:

• Yukata – Nezuko’s yukata is popular enough that you can purchase it online from MicCostumes, Amazon, or Aliexpress. I don’t recommend sewing one from scratch unless you really want to.
• Bamboo muzzle – Many cosplays will come with this prop. However, if you want to upgrade, you can create a prop muzzle from craft foam or PVC pipes. Remember that anything going in your mouth should be sanitary – don’t eat paint! Make sure you seal your paint.
• Shoes – Search for geta and geta socks.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR DEMON SLAYER

Nezuko is by far the most popular cosplay from Demon Slayer. But there are so many amazing and wonderful characters you can dress up as, including:

• Tanjiro
• Shinobu
• Mazen
• Inosuke
• Giyuu
• Mitsuri

5. LOVE LIVE!

Can you believe that Love Live! is over half a decade old? Yet the series is still the classic idol Anime series that’s going to stay on top for a very long time. And who doesn’t love idol groups? Everyone seems to be starting or continuing idol groups based on Love Live! So unless a new series comes out that’s just as good as Love Live! it’s going to stick around for years to come.

The creators behind Love Live! continue to produce new content such as Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club. So you can bet that Love Live! will be popular among cosplayers for a long time.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR LOVE LIVE!

You don’t need any cosplay ideas for Love Live! because there are so many outfits and variations for every character and they’ll always be adored by many. Fortunately, Love Live! cosplays tend to be on the cheaper side.

You can buy the basic outfit for dirt cheap under $30 USD. However, some of the dresses (e.g. Arabian dancer) will be more expensive. So while you might pay more for some Love Live! costumes, all of them are still in the low and middle-end of cosplay pricing.

The easiest way to obtain this costume is to find one second hand or from Taobao. Love Live! Season 1, which was popular back in 2012-2014, was so popular that so many cosplay stores made their own rendition of it. However, if purchasing online is not an option, you can find the following items and put it together yourself.

Note that you’ll stand out even more if you have a group to cosplay Love Live! together with. Check out my post on how to start a Love Live! group.

6. STAR WARS

You might not see too many Star Wars cosplays at an Anime convention. But rest assured, you’ll definitely a lot of Jedi’s and Stormtroopers at a comic con! Star Wars will forever be popular not only in general, but in the cosplay world as well. With Disney continually pumping out new content such as Mandarlorian, you can bet that Star Wars cosplays will be prominent in 2022.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR STAR WARS

The amount of characters you can cosplay is as vast as the Star Wars universe. You have tons of options! However, if you’re looking for the most popular (in my opinion), they are:

• Rey
• Princess Leia
• Darth Vader
• Stormtroopers
• Rebel pilots

7. NARUTO

No, I didn’t put Naruto at #7 because of Team 7. One of the most popular Shonen of all time deserves a high spot in cosplay popularity. No matter which Anime convention you attend, you’ll always see some sort of Naruto cosplay. Whether it’s a simple outfit like Akatsuki, or a cosplay couple (link) such as Naruto and Hinata, there are tons of cosplayers who are into the series. And that’s not going to change in 2022!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO COSPLAY SAKURA:

• Pink wig – Sakura is a popular character, so you can her character wig anywhere, or get any pink wig and trim to length.
• Red vest – Finding a red vest is going to be moderately difficult at a thrift store. But check out the suit and outerwear section and you’ll probably find something. You may need to cut off the sleeves and remake the neckline to get that turtleneck look. Add a white zipper from your local fabric store like JoAnn’s or Michael’s and you’re all set.
• Pink skirt – If you’re looking for accuracy, it is best to find a tablecloth and make a circle skirt from scratch. However, cosplay is meant to be fun and finding a generic pink skirt may be easier than you thought at the thrift store.
• Knee socks – If you’re looking to grab a pair of cheap knee socks, you can visit your local Ardene’s. They carry socks of all lengths and colours that are sure to fit the aesthetic we’re looking for. Alternatively, you may even find knee socks at other cheap online retailers such as Shein or Romwe.
• Accessories – You can find some black gloves at the dollar store. For the hip pack, you can find either a fanny pack or a small wallet or utility case. Sew on some belt loops if your pocket doesn’t come with one.
• Headband – While you can make your own easily from a piece of fabric and foam, there’s something nice about owning a metal headband from the leaf village. There are a ton of Naruto-themed headbands floating around the internet and you can get your own too on Amazon, ebay, or any other cosplay site.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR NARUTO

The most popular cosplay choices for Naruto are:

• Naruto (of course)
• Hinata
• Sasuke
• Kakashi

For a full list of Naruto cosplay ideas, check out my article about that!

8. ATTACK ON TITAN

We thought that Attack on Titan would be over in 2021. But not yet; there’s a 2nd part to the final season of this wonderful series. Why would we want Attack on Titan to end anyways? It’s been an awesome fandom for the longest time and in terms of cosplay, AoT is perfect if you have a group of friends. You can all wear the military outfits! It’s great for beginner or casual cosplayers.

For this entire cosplay, I highly recommend just purchasing one from Taobao to save yourself the anguish of measuring and putting on 300 belts. Also, Attack on Titan is so popular that Season 4 has just finished, which means there is an adequate demand for costume makers to make versions of this costume.

If you insist on putting together your own version, you can actually purchase Attack on Titan embroidered patches. Add a pair of white jeans and a cropped brown suit jacket, and you’ve got yourself your own unique Survey Corps uniform. Not bad for some great cosplay ideas! 🙂

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR ATTACK ON TITAN

While many of the characters wear similar outfits, each one has a slightly different style. There are a variety of characters, including Eren, Levi, Mikasa, Hange, Armin and more. And you can also cosplay the Titan demons as well; you can either wear a bodysuit or go all out with body makeup!

9. FINAL FANTASY VII

FF7 has been the most popular Final Fantasy game of all time. When the first part of the remake was released, there was renewed interest in cosplaying the most well-known characters like Tifa and Aeris.

And now with the 2nd part of the remake being scheduled for release in 2022, there will be even more FF7 cosplays to see. I’m hoping there will be newer design of characters like they gave Tifa!

What you’ll need to cosplay Tifa:

• Tank top – A white tank top can be easily purchased almost anywhere – just trim it to your desired length. For a battle damaged version, make sexy cuts.
• Harness – Customize a pair of suspenders with craft foam pieces to imitate Tifa’s style. Depending on the version, some reference photos of her have more fancy suspenders than others.
• Skirt – If you can’t find a skirt at the correct length, crop a full length skirt to your liking. Sometimes, cosplayers choose to alter costumes in a way that makes them more comfortable. You don’t need to have the exact length of skirt to cosplay Tifa, but if you want to, all the more power to you!
• Black wig – A black wig is a staple in any cosplayer’s wardrobe. You can grab one from Amazon, or a quality wig from Arda.
• Arm guards – Matching the colour of the gloves and the arm guards will be difficult with paint, so I suggest finding red pleather and making everything from scratch. You can find a simple glove pattern online. Then add the gauntlet bits with 5mm craft foam and cover with your red pleather.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR FF7

Final Fantasy VII has so many memorable characters that you have lots to choose from. The most notable ones will definitely be Cloud, Tifa, Aeris and Sephiroth. They’ve already gotten a new look in the remake/Smash Bros, so it makes sense to cosplay them. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do the other memorable characters like Yuffie or Barret.

10. JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has been around for a long time. I believe the manga first came out way back in 1987 apparently! Ever since the acclaimed Anime in 2016 was released, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has been a staple at Anime conventions for a while. But with a new Anime series (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean) airing right now, there’s definitely going to be a lot more interest for cosplays from JBA!

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE

Some popular characters from the series include:

• Jotaro
• Jolyne
• Trish

11. JUJUTSU KAISEN

Jujutsu Kaisen is a relatively new manga series that started in 2018, and had an Anime adapation last year. With the awesome characters and interesting story, Jujutsu Kaisen became a hit not only for Anime viewers, but also for cosplay. While the first season is done and a second season hasn’t been officially confirmed, it seems like a big probabity that there will be another season coming shortly. Not only is the manga still going, but the story isn’t quite finished.

So I am pretty sure we’ll be seeing more Jujutsu Kaisen cosplays in 2022.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR JUJUTSU KAISEN

There are so many cool-looking characters from Jujutsu Kaisen, so you’ll have lots to choose from! Including:

• Mahito
• Maki Zenin
• Satoru Gojo
• Nobara Kugisake
• Yuji Itadori
• Sakuna

12. SHIELD HERO

Okay last year I was wrong about Shield Hero being a popular cosplay for 2021. While I did see a few Raphtalia cosplays last year, there weren’t as many Shield Hero cosplays like in 2019, when the 1st season came out. The 2nd season was supposed to be released last year, but it was delayed.

So if the 2nd season finally comes out in 2022, you can rest assure that Shield Hero will be popular again in the cosplay realm.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR SHIELD HERO

There are really only 3 characters worth cosplaying in Shield Hero:

• Raphtalia (best girl)
• Naofumi (the main character)
• Filo (the cute sidekick)

NOW THAT WE’VE GONE THROUGH WHAT WILL DEFINITELY BE POPULAR AND SOME OF THE WILD GUESSES/BOLD PREDICTIONS, LET’S GO THROUGH SOME SERIES I FEEL THAT COULD BE POPULAR BUT NOT ENTIRELY CERTAIN. DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULDN’T COSPLAY THEM…JUST DON’T EXPECT MUCH HYPE AROUND THEM IN 2022.

BOLD PREDICTIONS

13. FIRE EMBLEM

Fire Emblem will always be popular at conventions. Go to any scheduled group photoshoot at an Anime convention and you’ll always see Fire Emblem cosplayers there. The games always have a great story with awesome characters and most importantly, the character designs translate beautifully into cosplay. Hence the continued popularity of Fire Emblem cosplays.

Now it has been a while since a new Fire Emblem was released; Three Houses came out in 2019. So that’s why I have Fire Emblem lower on this list in 2022. Still, there will always be Fire Emblem cosplayers at conventions.

And I have a strong feeling that a new Fire Emblem game will be released in late 2022 or early 2023. If it does actually happen, then you can bet that Fire Emblem will be even higher on this list in terms of cosplay popularity.

What you’ll need to cosplay Mercedes from Fire Emblem: Three Houses:

• White dress shirt – Hopefully you already have one of these lying around!
• Shawl – Find a white fleece scarf and add fleece trim to the edges. It’s very important to do all of the details in fleece or embroidery to ensure that the material flows well and makes sense with the overall fit.
• Black skirt – If you’re looking for accuracy, you might want to make a large circle skirt from a thick material. However, you might be able to find a long maxi skirt in the same colour. You can add some horsehair braid to the end to help the skirt stay flouncy and sharp. Don’t forget to wear a petticoat to achieve the cupcake shape.
• Blue tights – I struggled with opaque tights for a long time but I finally discovered the Hue line that has tights in all the colours of the rainbow. Try Hue for quick shipping and hassle-free customer service.
• Brown Shoes – these brown lace-up booties can be found at Brown’s or Aldo’s.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR FIRE EMBLEM

There are so many Fire Emblem characters to choose from, so you have plenty of options.

You can opt for classic characters like Marth, Celica or Tiki. Or you can go for newer characters like Chrom, Lucina, Tharja or Robin. The newest game, Three Houses, has some pretty cool characters such as Edelgard and of course Byleth. 🙂

Fire Emblem cosplays tend to be more on the mid-range to high-end in terms of cosplays costs. Many characters have fine detailing and intricate design with their outfits, as well as embroidery and armor to help their costume stand out. Not to mention that many of them carry cool-looking weapons such as swords and staves.

So unless you’re going for a low budget or “beach/summer” version of a character, be prepared to fork out a bit more money to either buy or create a Fire Emblem cosplay.

14. PERSONA

Much like the other fandoms above this, Persona is always a staple at conventions. The games themselves are top notch. But the outfits are perfect for all cosplayers. If you’re a beginner cosplayer or on a budget, you can opt for casual cosplays like Protagonist and Futaba. But if you want to cosplay something more eccentric, you can go for Ann’s cat outfit or cosplay as the cool-looking Joker.

I have Persona lower on this list because there isn’t much new content being released in 2022. So it won’t be a new video game that will make Persona stay popular at conventions; it’ll be the long-lasting reputation that this series has.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR PERSONA

So many to choose from! You can opt for older characters from the earlier games. But the most popular ones are from Persona 5, including:

• Joker
• Protagonist
• Ann
• Futaba
• Makoto
• Ryuji

15. FATE

There have been so many Fate spinoffs for several years! Not to mention the mobile game, Fate/Grand Order.

With that said, I feel the Fate cosplay hype is dying down. I haven’t seen too many Fate cosplays like I used to. So this series barely scratches the list. In fact, it’s on the bottom, borderline made it.

Perhaps a combination of new Fate spinoffs, on top of the mobile game (Fate Grand Order) and releasing new outfits will keep this series popular at conventions!

What you’ll need to cosplay Scáthach from F/GO:

• Maid costume – Amazon, eBay, or any regular costume site are your best bet. If you have cosplay friends, chances are that they already have a maid costume lying around. Reuse when you can.
• Heels – These black pumps can be found in any corner of the world. Head to your local shoe store for a relatively inexpensive option.
• Thigh-highs – You can find lacy thigh highs with any maid lingerie set online, or you can buy them separately from underwear stores such as La Senza.
• Wig – Search for a dusty rose colour or brown wig if you can’t find a specific Scáthach costume.
• Purple gloves – this one is going to be a little bit difficult to find. One thing you can do is find some two way stretch spandex and create the gloves and matching ruffles.
• Plate – just grab one from your kitchen!

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR FATE

There are several characters to cosplay from Fate you could cosplay. You could go for the favorites such as Saber, Rin or Archer. The mobile game, Fate/Grand Order, has spawned tons of different cosplays such as Scathach and Shielder. I suggest picking a character that either suits your personality or whether you like the character design. For example, if you want to be a nice lady knight, then Saber is perfect for you. Or if you rather be a character that’s simple to do, the cold-hearted Rin Tohsaka would be a great choice.

16. ANIMAL CROSSING

Ever since Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released on the Nintendo Switch, the series has never been more popular than ever. And while Animal Crossing cosplays aren’t the most noticeable at conventions, there are still quite a few cosplayers who dress up from the series. Whether it’s Tom Nook, Isabelle or one of the villagers, Animal Crossing has a place in cosplay. And that’s why I included it on this list.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR ANIMAL CROSSING

Definitely the most popular cosplay ideas from Animal Crossing are:

• Isabelle
• Tom Nook (with usually a personal custom touch)
• Vilager (main character avatar)

If you’re looking for some more Animal Crossing cosplay ideas, check out my article here.

NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT’S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE POPULAR COSPLAY IDEAS FOR 2022, LET’S MOVE ONTO MY LONGSHOT PREDICTIONS FOR WHAT ELSE WILL BE HOT THIS YEAR. THESE ONES I’M LESS CERTAIN IF THEY WILL BECOME POPULAR, BUT UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY CERTAINLY CAN.

LONGSHOT PREDICTIONS

17. KONOSUBA

Explosion! Konosuba has been one of the most well-liked Anime recently. There may be a lot of isekai Anime these days. Basically that means our main characters get transported into a fantasy world where they must fight to survive and get out of that fantasy world! Does that sound familiar?

I am fairly certain that Konosuba will a popular cosplay choice for 2022. Why? Because a 3rd season has been officially confirmed! However, there’s no release date announced, so that’s why i have KonoSuba as a maybe for now.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR KONOSUBA

The most popular cosplay ideas for KonoSuba are:

• Megumin
• Aqua
• Kazuma

18. YU-GI-OH!

Whoa! Unless you’re still playing the popular card game…when was the last time you heard of Yu-Gi-Oh!? But here me out; I have a hunch that Yu-Gi-Oh cosplays will be popular in 2022. Why? Because a new Anime series is coming out!

The original Anime came out almost 20 years ago, so it’s definitely been a while. But there are still a lot of loyal fans of the series. So when the Anime is released and new characters are shown, there will probably a renewed interest in cosplaying from Yu-Gi-Oh!

Cosplay ideas for Yu-Gi-Oh!

You’ve probably seen a lot of Yu-Gi-Oh! cosplays in the past, including:

• Yu-Gi-Oh himself
• Dark Magician Girl
• Kaiba Seto

Those will be the most popular cosplays from the series. But once the new Anime comes out, we may see new characters and designs worth cosplaying. So be on the lookout so you can jump in on the cosplay hype.

19. BLEACH

Bleach is also another forgotten relic of the Anime past. If you went to an Anime convention over 10 years, you couldn’t walk around without seeing Bleach cosplayers! Well, those days might be coming back again. With a new Anime series being announced for later this year, we might see a renewed interest in Bleach cosplays again. It’ll be good times if it does happen!

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR BLEACH

The most popular characters to cosplay from Bleach are:

• Ichigo
• Rukia
• Orihime

The nice thing about Bleach cosplay is they’re not hard to do!

20. OVERWATCH

A couple of years ago, I would have had Overwatch near the top of this list. But it looks like there isn’t much excitement or cosplay hype for this game anymore. Still, I had to include it on this year’s list because Overwatch has been a staple in the cosplay community for a while now. If the Overwatch sequel actually comes out in 2022, then you can expect to see renewed hype for this game. Or if a lot of new skins come out, that could also be a possibility. I wonder if Overwatch will ever have a K/DA moment…who knows.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR OVERWATCH

Still, there are lots of cool-looking characters to cosplay and unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve already seen a bunch of them at various conventions. If you’re looking for someone easy to do, D.va and Soldier 76 are good choices. If you want to cosplay someone more challenging, then try characters like Mercy and Lucio. Blizzard occasionally releases skins and updates for characters, so keep an eye on those for new Overwatch cosplay ideas.

21. KAKEGURUI

I am predicting that Kakegurui will be popular again in 2022. The Kakegurui Twin anime is releasing in August 2022 on Netflix (for better or worse). So even though the original Anime series ended not too long ago, we’ll probably see renewed interest when it comes to cosplay. The main characters aren’t too difficult to dress up as, and they look fabulous.

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR KAKEGURUI

For Kakegurui, by far the most popular is the signature red school uniform outfit. Not only is it easy to wear, but also very customizable to your own tastes. Many cosplayers dress up as Yumeko Jabami (the main character) with the school uniform. Yumeko also has a bunny outfit that’s also a popular outfit. You can also opt for Runa Yomozuki with her cut hoodie onesie!

22. BLACK ROCK SHOOTER

Remember when Black Rock Shooter was a thing? Pepperidge Farms remembers. But with a new Anime coming out next year, I have a feeling that Black Rock Shooter will make a comeback in 2022. That means we’ll be seeing those tank top trench coat outfits again!

COSPLAY IDEAS FOR BLACK ROCK SHOOTER

There’s really only one character that’s the most popular from this series: Mato Kuroi (the main character) and her badass alter ego: Black Rock Shooter!

BONUS!

LOVE AFTER WORLD DOMINATION

So this is my wild, out of the ballpark prediction for a sleeper contender for popular cosplay in 2022. So what is Love After World Domination? It’s about a guy (Fudou) and girl (Desumi) who are sworn enemies in public, but actually have a secret relationship behind the scenes. Sounds like it’ll be an interesting Anime next year. Desumi has a hot outfit that I’m sure will be much liked by cosplayers. If this Anime takes off, Fudou and Desumi would make a good cosplay pair for you couples out there!

SUMMARY

To sum it all up, here are the 22 cosplays ideas that will be popular in 2022:

1. Genshin Impact
2. League of Legends and K/DA
3. My Hero Academia
4. Demon Slayer
5. Love Live!
6. Star Wars
7. Naruto
8. Attack on Titan
9. Final Fantasy VII
10. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
11. Jujutsu Kaisen
12. Shield Hero
13. Fire Emblem
14. Persona
15. Fate
16. Animal Crossing
17. KonoSuba
18. Yu-Gi-Oh!
19. Bleach
20. Overwatch
21. Kakegurui
22. Black Rock Shooter
23. BONUS: Love After World Domination (perhaps)

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT; 22 POPULAR COSPLAY IDEAS FOR 2022. I’M REALLY EXCITED FOR THE COSPLAY SEASON AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU GUYS WILL BE COSPLAYING AT THE CONS!

I’m certain that this year will be a full year we get to see these cosplay live at conventions, which will be much better than what 2020 and 2021 had.

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