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Take Another Look at the Reader’s Choice Anime Cosplays of 2023

6 Minute Read
Dec 27 2023
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It’s a woman’s world; the ladies of Yu-Gi-Oh, Evangelion, Sailor Moon, and others star in this highest-viewed anime cosplay list!

As our year comes to an end, it’s time to reflect on the memories we’ve made and those we WILL make next year. Dig up your lightsabers- it’s time to discover which characters our readers loved seeing most! We’ve collected the reader’s choice anime cosplays of 2023 list here—any bets on who’s on top?


Anime is a category that encompasses every genre of film. There are magical settings and post-apocalyptic nightmares. Anime offers stories told in vivid formats that make the impossible into tangible stories. Let’s discover which stories captivated you the most in 2023!


5. We’re Becoming Cardcaptors With This Sakura Kinomoto Cosplay

Sakura Kinomoto, with permission by Andy Pandy Cosplay
Sakura Kinomoto, with permission by Andy Pandy Cosplay

There is charm, elegance, and plenty of humor in the Cardcaptor Sakura series. Cosplayer Andy Pandy cutely captures the nature of the show’s leading lady, particularly with facial expressions and poses. Her wand is a thing of beauty.

There are fifty-two Clow Cards on the loose and we’re going to find all of them with this Sakura Kinomoto cosplayer.

Cardcaptor Sakura is one of those classic animes that keeps coming back over and over. And we love it. Known for its adorable shoujo style, instantly-recognizable characters, mascot, and almost endless collection of costumes, Cardcaptor Sakura has been a fan favorite since its debut in the mid-’90s.


Sakura Kinomoto, with permission by Andy Pandy Cosplay
Sakura Kinomoto, with permission by Andy Pandy Cosplay


4. This Sailor Moon / Star Wars Mashup Cosplay Fights Evil And The Dark Side By Moonlight

Jedi Sailor Moon and Sith Chibi-Usa, with permission by K-Sisters Cosplay
Jedi Sailor Moon and Sith Chibi-Usa, with permission by K-Sisters Cosplay

Take two of the most dedicated fandoms- Sailor Moon and Star Wars- and combine them. What results? The biggest hit imaginable! As a fan of both series, I find this cosplay duo mashup to be astonishing. It took my breath when I saw it the first time! I’m particularly in love with Sith Chibi-Usa’s wig. Stunning.

Fighting Sith by moonlight and not forming emotional attachments by daylight, this is what Sailor Moon would look like wielding force.

There are few things I love quite as much as Star Wars. And one of them is definitely Sailor Moon. So when I saw this this crossover fanart by artist Mahou.Shoujo I saved it right away as future-cosplay-inspiration/reference… Unfortunately, that was in mid-2020 and I haven’t been back to an in-person convention since. But then years later I stumbled upon K-Sisters Cosplay’s take on the same art, recognized it immediately, and was so impressed with their rendition.


Jedi Sailor Moon and Sith Chibi-Usa, with permission by K-Sisters Cosplay
Jedi Sailor Moon and Sith Chibi-Usa, with permission by K-Sisters Cosplay


3. We’re Going On A Thorn Princess Job With This ‘Spy X Family’ Yor Forger Cosplay

Yor Forger cosplay with permission by StardustRoad
Yor Forger cosplay with permission by StardustRoad

You know we can’t resist a black thigh boot and a dramatic dress train. We had to feature this cosplay, which captures the movement and seriousness of Yor. Which story do YOU believe?!

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Is she a world-class assassin or a perfectly normal mother and wife? Let’s find out with this Yor Forger cosplay.

Spy X Family is one of last year’s biggest new anime. It follows the Forger family where the dad is a spy, the mom is an assassin, and the daughter is psychic. And none of them are family; they’re just pretending so the government doesn’t look into their cover stories too hard.


Yor Forger cosplay with permission by StardustRoad
Yor Forger cosplay with permission by StardustRoad, Loid Forger by Kuji. Photo by Martina Brui Photography


2. We’re Joining NERV With This ‘Evangelion’ Misato Katsuragi Cosplay

Misato Katsuragi, with permission by SarahIsLoading
Misato Katsuragi, with permission by SarahIsLoading

The Evangelion series is viewed as one of the best in the world. It’s not surprising to see it towards the top views of our year. The cosplayer SarahIsLoading owned this look and the poses. I love the vivid color combinations of this character, and she’s NAILED them.

Misato Katsuragi is the glue that keeps the Evangelion team together, and this cosplayer has us ready to join NERV.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of those legendarily weird shows. It starts off as a normal-enough post-apocalyptic mech show and eventually goes off of the rails in a way that late-90s anime fans ask each other if they’ve seen that shit yet. It’s also one of the most well-known and popular anime of all time, and the characters are no small reason for that.

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Misato Katsuragi cosplay, with permission by SarahIsLoading
Misato Katsuragi cosplay, with permission by SarahIsLoading


1. It’s Time To D-D-D-D-Duel With This ‘Yu-Gi-Oh!’ Apprentice Illusion Magician Cosplay

Apprentice Illusion Magician, with permission by CosBunnyCosplay

At last, here we are, at the top of the list. Is it a shock to see Yu-Gi-Oh in the top spot? No way. I was always wowed by the gorgeous character art and musical choices of the show. This cosplayer’s use of thermoplastics brings a lot of texture to this look, and her expressions carry it through! She has the same charismatic mystery about her as the card character has.

We’re trusting in the heart of the cards with CosBunnyCosplay’s Apprentice Illusion Magician Cosplay from Yu-Gi-Oh!

I feel like we don’t often see Yu-Gi-Oh! cosplays. Sure, they pop up from time to time, but with a series that’s turning twenty-four this year, it’s fair to say that its most prominent cosplaying years may be in the past. But maybe not its best cosplays’ years.


Apprentice Illusion Magician, with permission by CosBunnyCosplay


That’s all for our Reader’s Choice anime cosplays of 2023. Let us know what YOUR favorite cosplays of the year were!

~Join us next week for more cosplay coverage~

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Author: Jennifer Larsen
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