In the Mix: League of Legends Cosplay

Certain hobbies related to video games and anime have picked up in popularity in recent years. Chiefly among them is cosplay. Cosplay essentially boils down to creating a costume of a particular character and then wearing it for photo purposes. With social media being an ever-increasing presence in today’s society, cosplay has found an audience and medium that allow it to reach its full potential. Cosplay is not restricted to any particular demographic, and its ability to encompass everyone has allowed it to find mainstream appeal.

In having so many champions and being such a wide-reaching title, League of Legends has seen its fair share of cosplay over the years. League of Legends Cosplay requires a tremendous amount of effort and important League of Legends events scattered throughout the year as well as the Internet itself, is the perfect means of showcasing the talent and exposing oneself to the player base.

What are the 5 best League of Legends Cosplay?

• Tryndamere – PortgasDAceXx
• Vindicator Vayne – Minus10GradCelsius
• Shyvana – Chimeral-CosplayArt
• Bloodmoon Kalista – AlexReiss
• Ghost Bride Morgana – Kitsune-Raposa

What makes a particular cosplay stand out is perfectly encapsulating a champion with an outfit. The following cosplay is a notch above others in their ability to bring a champion to life in a meaningful way.

1. Tryndamere – PortgasDAceXx

The Tryndamere cosplay by PortgasDAceXx does an incredible job of showing how Tryndamere would look if brought to life. Not only are the physique and physical traits accurate, but the armor also exhibits the same style as seen in the game. This cosplay sets a standard for quality for male characters and aspiring cosplayers should look to this costume when needing advice and or inspiration.

2. Vindicator Vayne – Minus10GradCelsius

Vindicator Vayne by Minus10GradCelsius is a take on a specific skin for one of the most controversial champions in the League of Legends community. This particular cosplay while being spot on in terms of details, makes a name for itself by how well realized the weapon is. For champions that are defined by their weapons, putting effort into its creation is the best way to tackle the cosplay and this particular cosplay shows a lot of thought was put into making the weapon as realistic as possible.

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3. Shyvana – Chimeral-CosplayArt

Makeup can make or break a cosplay and there is no better example of the value of makeup than Shyvana by Chimeral-CosplayArt. The use of makeup for this cosplay elevates it to another level. In being a dragon, makeup helps to portray that important distinction about Shyvana and combined with the well-crafted armor pieces, it feels like the champion is looking back at you in the mirror.

4. Bloodmoon Kalista by AlexReiss

Cosplay exists because it combines physical appearance with a costume to create an aesthetic representing a fictional character. With some cosplay, the outfit is more important than the physical appearance and this is especially true for Bloodmoon Kalista by AlexReiss. The Bloodmoon skin makes good use of a mask and this portrayal perfectly uses the mask as the defining overall feature. The cosplay comes together around this particular feature and when looking for examples where the physical traits are less important, this cosplay will provide clear direction.

5. Ghost Bride Morgana – Kitsune-Raposa

Ghost Bride Morgana by Kitsune-Raposa succeeds because it captures the haunting ambiance that this skin has. In being a horror-themed skin, there is a certain level of atmosphere that is expected from it. It has a distinct vibe that is accentuated by the blue color palette, and this cosplay nails the color down to the tee and is the dominant reason behind the cosplay’s success.

For more LoL, check this out: League of Legends Items Guide to Increase Your Understanding

What are the 3 important cosplay events?

• MCM London 2018
• PAX West 2018
• 2018 World Championship

1. MCM London Comic Con

MCM London Comic Con is a fan convention held twice a year to celebrate a variety of niches. Held in London this past May, this year’s event featured a high number of quality cosplay from League of Legends. A large variety of champions was showcased and more cosplay will surely be on display during the October event next month, just in time to celebrate Halloween.

2. Pax West 2018

Riot has historically had a large presence at PAX events, and this year’s PAX West 2018 was no exception. It makes sense than to expect League of Legends Cosplay at the event and during this year’s event, cosplay was directly supported by the developer by providing a Cosplay Repair + Creator Pit Stop. Directly supporting cosplay encourages more and more people to participate in the hobby and PAX events are prime opportunities to see quality cosplay on display.

3. World Championship

Every year during September and October, the World Championship event is held in order to crown that year’s best professional League of Legends team. This year the World Championship will be held in Korea and fans from all across the world are expected to attend. This event is arguably the most important event of the year for the health of the scene and as a result, many cosplayers attend to show off their costumes and further their social media brand. With so many skins released this year, there is a lot of material for the cosplay community to work with and it is expected they will have a big presence in 2018.

For more LoL, check this out: Enhancing Your Appearance with League of Legends Ward Skins

How does Riot Games directly support cosplay?

In February of 2017, Riot introduced a new event for specific members of the League of Legends community known as Cosplay Lab. It was envisioned as a three-day workshop where cosplayers could work together to discuss ideas and innovate. Riot invited approximately forty individuals important in the cosplay community to attend the event.

This move by Riot shows a willingness to engage with the League of Legends community in a positive, healthy way. Bringing people together to discuss new ideas and brainstorm shows a clear foresight as to how much the cosplay community can promote the game with their costumes and social media presence. With so much bad publicity surrounding the company this year, looking back at this event shows there are decisions that should be lauded on some level.

Final Thoughts

League of Legends Cosplay has had a positive impact on the growth of and health of League of Legends. The costumes and photos created by the cosplay community work to create a conversation around the game that is not solely based on gameplay or current events. There are specific cosplay that stands out above the rest for a variety of factors and if someone is looking to break into the scene, these cosplay should be looked to for inspiration. If you are looking for events to attend, there are a number of annual events that do a tremendous job in showcasing the efforts of the community and together with steps taken in the past by Riot to directly support cosplay, the future is bright for the hobby.

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