Good cosplay is instantly recognisable. Put a costumed fan next to the cartoon frame they studied and you can see exactly which details they chose to copy: a hat brim, a colour block on a jumpsuit, the angle of a hand on a hip. The twenty side-by-side comparisons below cover cartoon and animated characters from the late 1960s to the 2010s, from Velma in Scooby-Doo to Garnet in Steven Universe, plus one video-game fighter.
The word "cosplay", a blend of "costume" and "play", was coined in Japan in 1983 by Nobuyuki Takahashi of Studio Hard, but the hobby is older. Fans Forrest J Ackerman and Myrtle R. Douglas wore homemade "futuristic" outfits to the first World Science Fiction Convention in New York in 1939, and costume masquerades became a convention tradition. Today a costume might be sewn from scratch, adapted from shop-bought clothes, or a mix of both.
Translating a drawing into clothing is harder than it looks. Cartoon characters have impossible proportions, flat colours and hair that defies gravity, so cosplayers rely on wigs, makeup, fabric choice and posing to sell the likeness. For each photo we name the character, where they come from and what makes the recreation work. The cosplayers were not credited in the version of this collection that circulated online; if one of them is you, we would be glad to add your name.
Animated film characters
1. Jessica Rabbit in a ranger outfit
Jessica Rabbit, the singer married to Roger Rabbit, first appeared in Disney and Amblin's 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, voiced by Kathleen Turner. Instead of her famous red sequinned gown, this cosplayer chose a less common park-ranger look, with the green shorts, belt buckle, red heels and wide-brimmed hat. The long red wig with a swoop over one eye and the matching pose are what make the comparison click.
2. Roxanne from A Goofy Movie
Roxanne is Max's crush in Disney's A Goofy Movie (1995), the road-trip film that gained a big cult following among people who grew up in the 1990s. The cosplayer matched the red cardigan, pink cropped top, high-waisted jeans and the red flower pinned in her long dark hair. Her shy, sideways smile mirrors the character's expression in the frame beside her.
3. Sylvia Marpole from An Extremely Goofy Movie
Sylvia Marpole is the librarian who wins Goofy's heart in the sequel An Extremely Goofy Movie (2000), and this frame comes from her beatnik coffee-house scene. The cosplayer copied the black beret, black turtleneck outfit, deep red hair and the small painted dog nose. Holding a coffee cup while striking the same angular dance pose is a nice touch.
4. Lola Bunny from Space Jam
Lola Bunny joined the Looney Tunes in Space Jam (1996), playing basketball for the Tune Squad alongside Michael Jordan. This costume uses a cropped Tune Squad jersey, dark shorts and long blonde braids to stand in for her ears, posed at what looks like a Halloween party. The prop in her hand has no clear counterpart in the film, which is part of the fun of comparing the two.
5. Elastigirl from The Incredibles
Helen Parr, alias Elastigirl, is the stretchy superhero mother in Pixar's The Incredibles (2004), written and directed by Brad Bird and voiced by Holly Hunter. The red suit with its round "i" logo, black mask, gloves and boots, and the short auburn bob are all matched closely. Even the hands-on-hips stance with one foot turned out copies the official character art.
6. Dawn Bellwether from Zootopia
Dawn Bellwether is the soft-spoken sheep who serves as assistant mayor in Disney's Zootopia (2016), released as Zootropolis in some countries. A tight curly white wig shaped into her woolly crown, round tortoiseshell glasses, floppy ear pieces and subtle nose makeup turn a human face into a convincing sheep. The patterned blouse and timid, clasped-hands pose fit her mild-mannered office persona.
7. Margo from Despicable Me
Margo is the eldest of the three girls adopted by Gru in Illumination's Despicable Me (2010). The cosplayer reproduced her olive jacket, plaid skirt, long socks, red high-top trainers, glasses and high ponytail. Sitting on a park bench with arms folded captures the character's sceptical big-sister attitude.
8. The Boss Baby
The title character of DreamWorks' The Boss Baby (2017), voiced by Alec Baldwin, is a toddler who wears a business suit and runs his family like a company. This young fan, in a little tuxedo and bow tie, nails the character's stern frown and commanding pointed finger. It is a reminder that cosplay is for every age.
Classic TV cartoons
9. Velma Dinkley from Scooby-Doo
Velma has been the brains of Mystery Inc. since Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! premiered in 1969. Her look is one of the easiest to recognise: an orange turtleneck sweater, red pleated skirt, orange knee socks, a bob with a fringe and square glasses. This version keeps every element and simply swaps the cartoon's flat colours for real knitted texture.
10. Muriel and Courage from Courage the Cowardly Dog
Courage the Cowardly Dog, created by John R. Dilworth, ran on Cartoon Network from 1999 to 2002. Muriel Bagge is the kind elderly owner of Courage, the pink dog who keeps saving her from ghosts and villains in the middle of Nowhere, Kansas. The cosplayer's white hair, round glasses, yellow apron, green dress, black boots and plush Courage make this one of the most heartwarming entries.
11. Debbie Thornberry from The Wild Thornberrys
Debbie is the eye-rolling teenage sister in Nickelodeon's The Wild Thornberrys (1998–2004), produced by Klasky Csupo, the studio behind Rugrats. Her style is pure 1990s: a big mane of blonde curls, an orange crop top, an oversized green flannel shirt and baggy ripped jeans. The cosplayer's bored half-lidded look is as accurate as the clothes.
12. Penny Proud from The Proud Family
Penny Proud is the teenage heroine of Disney Channel's The Proud Family (2001–2005), which returned in 2022 as The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. This cosplayer staged her photo in a school corridor, holding up a phone with the cartoon on screen for a direct comparison. The pigtails, pink cardigan, white blouse, maroon skirt and purple trainers all match.
13. Ben Tennyson from Ben 10
Ben Tennyson is the boy hero of Cartoon Network's Ben 10, which began in 2005 and follows a kid who finds the Omnitrix, a watch that turns him into aliens. The sequel Ben 10: Alien Force (2008) made him a teenager in a green jacket with the number 10, the look recreated here in shiny leather. The brown hair swept into the character's trademark fringe completes it.
14. Raven from Teen Titans
Raven, the half-demon empath of the Teen Titans animated series (2003–2006), is voiced by Tara Strong. Pale grey face makeup, a violet bob wig, a red jewel on the forehead and a blue cloak fastened with a round red clasp copy her design almost exactly. Large circle lenses make the eyes closer to the cartoon's oversized style.
Family Guy, twice over
15. Meg Griffin
Meg is the eldest Griffin child in Seth MacFarlane's Family Guy, which debuted in 1999; Mila Kunis has voiced her since the second season. This cosplay follows a version of Meg in a pink bandeau top and short skirt rather than her usual outfit. The pink beanie, round glasses, pink choker and earrings tie it firmly to the character.
16. Peter and Lois Griffin
Couple costumes are a cosplay favourite, and few cartoon pairs are as recognisable as Peter and Lois Griffin. He wears Peter's white shirt, round glasses and green trousers; she has Lois's short orange hair, teal shirt and khaki trousers. Copying the exact pose from the promotional art, with Lois's hand on Peter's chest, is what makes it work.
Newer series and a video-game fighter
17. Ladybug from Miraculous
Marinette Dupain-Cheng, alias Ladybug, stars in Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, a French animated series created by Thomas Astruc that premiered in 2015. Her red bodysuit with black spots, red mask and blue-black pigtails tied with red ribbons are easy to recognise but hard to sew neatly. Here the spot placement and flexing pose follow the official render closely.
18. Garnet from Steven Universe
Garnet is the calm leader of the Crystal Gems in Rebecca Sugar's Steven Universe (2013–2019), and in the story she is a fusion of two Gems, Ruby and Sapphire. The cosplayer's bodysuit uses the character's pink, red and black colour blocks, with a star-shaped panel on the chest and wraparound visor shades. Her natural curly hair recreates Garnet's tall square silhouette without a wig.
19. Fionna from Adventure Time
Fionna is the gender-swapped version of Finn the Human, introduced in the Adventure Time episode "Fionna and Cake" (2011) and later given her own series. The white bunny-eared hat, blue top and skirt, green backpack, striped socks and pink sword are all present. Posing outdoors among trees suits the character's adventuring spirit.
20. Chun-Li from Street Fighter
Chun-Li is not a cartoon character but a video-game fighter, the first playable woman in Capcom's Street Fighter II (1991). The reference shows her in a later game's dark qipao-style outfit, and the cosplayer copied the high-slit black dress and strong athletic build. The red roses she holds echo the flowers in the game scene.
How cosplayers get this close to a cartoon
Experienced cosplayers usually start from reference sheets, collecting screenshots from several angles so they can see how a costume looks from the side and back. Colours are matched in daylight, because a fabric that looks right indoors can turn a different shade on camera. Wigs are cut and styled, sometimes with wire or foam, to recreate shapes that only exist in drawings.
Many of the costumes above are built from adapted everyday clothes rather than expensive commissions: a dyed sweater, a thrifted flannel shirt, a store-bought beret. Makeup does the rest, from Raven's grey skin tone to Bellwether's sheep nose. The final step is posing, and the best photos here borrow the exact stance of the reference image.
Accuracy, bodies and respect
A convincing cosplay does not depend on someone having the same body, skin colour or age as the character. Fans have long debated "accuracy", and many in the community now stress that anyone can cosplay anyone. Several of the best entries here, from the grandmother as Muriel to the toddler as the Boss Baby, succeed because of wit and effort, not resemblance.
The community also has clear photo etiquette. Since 2013 the "Cosplay Is Not Consent" movement has reminded convention-goers to ask before taking pictures and never to touch a cosplayer without permission, and events such as New York Comic Con have put up signs saying so. If you share cosplay photos, crediting the person in the costume is the simplest way to respect the hours they put in.
Sources: Wikipedia: Cosplay (history of the term, convention costuming, photography etiquette). Character and series details are from the films and series named. The individual cosplayers were not credited in the version of this collection that circulated online.
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