Cosplayis a beautiful art form that can require a lot of time, dedication, and energy. Experienced cosplayers know how long it can take to craft the perfect getup alongside what could be hours of makeup and wig styling. Those looking to get intocosplayas a hobby or profession shouldn’t be intimidated by this; they just need to know that some cosplays take a long time to put together. Others don’t take nearly as long and can come together relatively quickly. It all depends on the character and if fans want to buy a cosplay outfit or assemble one themselves.

Some video game franchises are very easy to cosplay because the character designs aren’t super complicated. Certain trainers fromPokemonor most of thecharacters fromLife is Strangefall into the easier cosplay category because it’s about assembling the right clothing, especially if fans choose to forego a wig. However, other video game franchises can be incredibly difficult to cosplay due to the character’s design. Anything with armor is probably going to be a lot more difficult than just finding the right clothes.

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Mass Effect

TheMass Effectfranchise has a ton of dedicated fans, so it’s no surprise that players would want to cosplay as some of the characters from the series.Mass Effectcosplaysare by no means impossible, but they definitely require a lot of planning and attention to detail. Even dressing up with just N7 armor requires fans to make it themselves, or commission someone else to do it, because no real armor is allowed in convention venues. The same goes with weapons, so if someone wants a weapon they typically have to make it themselves.

Armor and weapons are only a small fraction of the difficulty that comes with cosplaying fromMass Effect, though. On top of crafting armor from scratch, some fans may want tocosplay as the aliens from the series. This will require more creation on the fan’s part, either by the use of prosthetics for accurate alien details or by creating their own alien head that can be removed like a mascot costume.Mass Effectcosplayers create beautiful work, but there’s no downplaying how much time and dedication it takes.

Kingdom Hearts

TheKingdom Heartsfranchise is beloved by many players and there are already tons of pictures of people cosplaying from the many games in the series. One of the biggest hurdles when it comes toKingdom Heartscosplay is wigs. It’s much easier to purchase a pre-styled wig and keep it in good condition than it is to attempt to style it alone. Some advanced cosplayers can do this easily, but it’s definitely not a move for beginners.

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Beyond the wig situation, fans will also have to craft or buy their own Keyblade depending on the character they’re cosplaying. Depending on skill level, this could be an easy process, but it still takes a ton of time to get just right. Additionally, someKingdom Heartscosplays, like those whowant to dress up as Heartless, will need knowledge of body paint and how to correctly apply it. Bodypaint isn’t easy to master but can make a much more convincing cosplay. Knowing how to apply it and make sure it doesn’t get on anyone else or onto the outfit is crucial for its use.

Five Nights at Freddy’s

WhilemanyFive Nights at Freddy’sfans chooseto go a humanoid route rather than a full fake animatronic suit, the latter option is more accurate to the series. While the humanoid character cosplays still look good, there’s something to be said for how much time and effort goes into creating the pseudo animatronic suits. Especially when fans wear these fairly well-insulated cosplays all day at conventions.

Cosplay can be an incredibly rewarding hobby and profession. Of course, some cosplays are easier to execute than others. It’s best to keep thisin mind when trying to cosplayany of the previously listed franchises, as things can get very difficult very quickly.