I was introduced to the awesome & fascinating world of Cosplay this year – Sure I had seen people dressing up at movie premiers and the occasional costume at some nerdier events I’ve attended but seeing it so mainstream, in full force as an art form, sometimes even competitively so was an unexpected turn of events that led me to attending events & photographing cosplayers on both coasts in everywhere in the middle this year.
Cosplay has influenced the advertising industry, in which cosplayers are often hired for event work previously assigned to agency models. Thus, new variant of cosplay has developed in which cosplayers attend events mainly for the purpose of modeling their characters for still photography. Some cosplayers have since transformed their hobby into profitable, professional careers thus introducing the Pro Cosplayer,.
Regardless of your an amateur, pro or just a first timer I wanted to recognize the people we met this year.
This is in no way some sort of comprehensive list or I think that I know best, just a fun list of fun people we ran into this year that we put on a ballot and voted on by our readers.
10) Kelsey Topper (Dallas, TX)
One of the friendliest people I met this year, was Kelsey Topper, we are based in the same city so I first started going to events we would keep running into each other & each time she had a more impressive cosplay. She’s part of a close-knit community of cosplayers in the DFW area and is leading the pack with her always awesome creations.
Where we met her: North Texas Comic-Con
Dallas Gaming Expo
Retropalooza III
A-Kon
Vamprilla (left)
& Lollipop Chainsaw(right)
9) Vii Love (Houston, TX)
I kept seeing Vii Love’s cosplay online & was intrigued by how egoless & just fun she seemed. I saw on social media she was going to be at Exxxotica the same time we were & was hoping to run into her. Thankfully we did, became fast friends & her & her husband joined us for a concert after-party later that night.
What makes Vii so appealing is her confidence, willingness to be playful & sexy and just have fun with it.
Where we met her: Exxxotica (Dallas)
Princess Leia (left)
& Harley Quinn (right)
8) Jessica Rabbit (Dallas, TX)
We also ran into Jessica Rabbit at Exxxotica – a cosplayer we met earlier in the year at Dallas Comic-Con. She has such a unique look, fearless attitude & love for the art form how could she not be on this list?
Where we met her: Dallas Comic-Con
Exxxotica (Dallas)
7) Vivid Vivka (Los Angeles, CA)
I had met Vivid Vivka a few times over the years – she’s pals with my buddy Igor who has shot her several times for this site Drivenbyboredom.com and we’ve met at parties & industry events. However, it wasn’t until she came to Dallas where things weren’t so crazy we had a chance to hang & talk for a bit.
Besides her always movie-grade/character accurate smokin’ hot cosplays. Vivka provides an invaluable education and reassurance to all con-goers with her Cosplay is Not Consent panels. She also promotes body-positivity, is a writer & (based upon the recognition game we played) has great taste in music.
In other words, she rules.
Where we met her: Dallas Gaming Expo
Vamprilla (left)
& Nick Fury (right)
6) Vert Vixen (Los Angeles, CA)
Tall, awesome & philanthropic – check out Vert Vixen – a super talented cosplayer based in LA we met at the Hollywood Roosevelt at a breast cancer fund raiser we were participating in. She was impossible not to notice and if check out her website, she makes & designs practically everything herself and can seemingly cosplay anything.
Where we met her: Hollywood Hotness for Breast Cancer Charity
Bison/Cammie (left)
& Nova (right)
5) Mika Nicole (Austin, TX)
A pro cosplayer & fellow Texan, Mika Nicole dazzled everywhere we saw her this year. She’s been featured in Almost Nerdy, Project Nerd, Samaze & Cosplay Fanatic magazine just to name a few.
Where we met her: Dallas Comic-Con
MAD about North Texas Con
Phoenix (left)
& Anarchy Panty (right)
4) Raychul Moore (Los Angeles, CA)
Of all the Pro Cosplayers we met this year, Raychul Moore was the nicest & most welcoming. I had ran into a few that were unexpectedly the sheer opposite of that & had allowed whatever Twitter fame they were currently enjoying go to their heads, but like anything else when you meet someone that’s doing it for real you won’t see any of that. In 2015 Raychul became one of the most recognizable & popular cosplayers in the game & it’s no doubt thanks to how she presents herself & freaking kills at any character she’s cosplaying.
Where we met her: Star Wars Celebration Anaheim
Dallas Gaming Expo
Posion (left)
& Cammie (right)
3) Michelle Labelle (Los Angeles, CA)
Also at the aforementioned Breast Cancer Benefit at the Hollywood Roosevelt, we met Michelle Labelle, who was the total hit of the entire event.
Super witty with off-the-charts style, you’ve probably been charmed by Michelle at one the larger comic-based events in LA like Stan Lee’s Comi-Kaze or the big one in San Diego. Much more than her pretty face & enviable perfect little body, Michelle tirelessly promotes equality of gender, race & sexual orientation as a proud member of the LGBT & polyamory communities.
Where we met her: Hollywood Hotness for Breast Cancer Charity
Dominatrix Harley Quinn
2) Kitty Catorie (New Orleans, LA)
Easily one of the coolest & most talented people we met all year in any capacity is Kitty Catorie. Profoundly talented in her approach to every character she cosplays, with an It Factor that she just had to be born with. In 2016, it’s my prediction you’ll be seeing alot more of this lovely & unique model.
Where we met her: Anime Overload (Austin, TX)
Jinx (left)
& Jinx/Cammie (right)
1) Joanie Brosas (Salt Lake City, UT)
I first met Joanie Brosas in her hometown of Salt Lake City earlier this year at the SLC Comic-Con Fan Xperience.
That con & meeting Joanie both set off a chain reaction that inspired me to attend almost a dozen more events this year that helped me really get to know the Cosplay community & develop a deep appreciation for this art form.
This girl is a true nerd who also just happens to be impossibly attractive. Her Twitter feed is a delight of socially engaging inquiries, inspired photos & body/image positive messages that promote acceptance of all. Seriously, no one is doing cosplay this legit, this hot, with such a fun, positive attitude.
Where we met her: Salt Lake City Fan X Experience
Star Wars Celebration Anaheim
Vampirella (left)
& MaryJane (right)
Laura Croft (left)
& Pokemon Ash (right)
Photos –
Kelsey Topper – Roy Turner
Vii Love – Marcos Betancourt & J.R. Flood
Jessica Rabbit – Roy Turner
Vert Vixen – Green Phantom & York in a Box
Vivid Vivka – Cosplay Deviants
Mika Nicole – Caffienated Ginger & Jeramy Paxton
Raychul Moore – Rick Basaldua
Kitty Catorie – Axela
Joanie Brosas – Ngo Photography/Cosplay Corral/Chad B Faces/El MAldo
