MomoCon’s cosplayers were decked out in some of the best gaming duds we’ve ever seen, and at least one costume was definitely against the law.
MomoCon has always been a Mecca for anime lovers, but over the last few years, the convention has been attracting another group of costume-loving nerds: gamers. So these days no MomoCon Gallery can be complete without a few shots of the con’s gamer-made costumes.
Just a warning, though: some of these costumes may be confusing and/or disturbing, so it’s important for you to keep an open mind. For instance, if you hate the idea of a My Little Pony/Fallout mashup or an illegal Mortal Kombat getup, this gallery will be difficult.
But if those things sound awesome, you’re in for a treat.
Enjoy.
Matt Dodson as Hyrule Link
It’s not uncommon to see Link wandering around a cosplay-centric convention, but Matt Dodson isn’t your average Link. He spent the last year handcrafting his costume’s chainmail, and one of his friends (a fellow named “GP Funk”) designed the leather elements.
If you like Matt’s work, you should probably check out his Facebook page.
CJ Brooks as Vincent Brooks
When I asked CJ why he chose Catherine’s Vincent Brooks, his response was far more existential than I’m used to.
“Vincent Brooks chose me, actually,” he said. “We both look and act similarly, so I didn’t really have a choice.”
Like CJ’s stuff? Let him know on Facebook.
Baka Tama and Alex Bradley in a My Little Pony/Fallout Mashup
If you’ve ever wondered what My Little Pony would be like in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, Baka Tama and Alex Bradley have the answer. This My Little Pony/Fallout mashup was inspired by a fan-fiction series called Fallout Equestria.
Hikari Chan as Dante
When Capcom rebooted Devil May Cry in 2013 and Dante dipped his head in a bucket of John Stamos’ hair die, Hikari Chan wasn’t happy.
“I died a little inside when I saw that new hairdo,” she told me.
So, she’s keeping the silver-haired demon slayer’s memory alive with this picture-perfect costume.
Andrew Baxter as Garrus Vakarian
When Andrew Baxter isn’t attending cosplay conventions, he works as an electrical engineer. And he put those skills to use in this Mass Effect getup.
“I designed the suit to radiate my body heat, and I rigged a little amplifier/microphone system so people can hear me talk,” he said. “Plus these lights all work.”
And if that doesn’t make you love Andrew, listen to this: he brought his adorable three-month-old baby to MomoCon. I watched him bounce the baby without taking off the Garrus costume, and I wanted to give the whole family a big, awkward hug.
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Tristan Ashley as Freddy Fazbear
I’ll admit it; whenever I see a Five Nights at Freddy’s character I get a little nervous. So when Freddy Fazbear sauntered onto stage during MomoCon’s costume showcase, I could feel my sweat glands working overtime.
Johnny Youssef and Michael Schaffer in a Final Fantasy VII/Tron Mashup
Cosplay mashups are always fun, but they’re not usually taken very seriously-typically, they’re just meant stimulate a few giggles. However, Johnny Youssef and Michael Schaffer take mashups very seriously.
The attention to detail on this Final Fantasy/ Tron crossover is ridiculous. Don’t believe me? Check this out.
This is what their costumes looked like when I took a standard photo.
This is what they looked like when I used a flash.
Candice Clark as Princess Zelda
If you thought we could make it to the end of this gallery without a Zelda costume, you must be new to the cosplay scene.
Candice told me that she chose this particular rendition of Zelda because she used to play Twilight Princess with her dad.
If you like this costume, you should probably check out the rest of her work on Facebook.
Jerimiah York as Gnar
League of Legends was one of the most cosplayed franchises at MomoCon, but that goddamn game has so many goddamn characters that it was rare to see the same costume twice.
Jerimiah told me that he created this costume because “Gnar is the cutest character in the game.” I can only assume that he considers his own cuteness to be on par with Gnar’s.
If you think Jerimiahs cute, let him know on Facebook.
Scott Wyman as Dark Pit
Kid Icarus costumes are hard to find, and Mr. Wyman’s was on point. That silver bow even unscrewed, transforming it into a pair of wicked-sweet swords.
If you dig Scott’s work, you should probably check him out on Instagram and Deviant art.
Robert as Enzio
Robert’s costume drew a wave of applause during MomoCon’s costume showcase, and it’s easy to see why.
Very nice work, Robert.
Sahee Jon as Ahri
I bumped into Sahee as she was heading back to her hotel room for a costume change. She told me that she used to be a hardcore League of Legends player, but these days she spends far more time working on costumes than ganking lanes.
Check out the rest of her work on Facebook.
Destiny: Ian Constantine as a Hunter and Drac Thalassa as a Warlock
Ian and Drac have the coolest real-life names on the planet. I could feel their judgment when I introduced myself as “Josh.”
And the coolness of their names is only rivaled by the coolness of their Destiny costumes. The outfits are based on Ian and Drac’s in-game characters, and they spent a lot of time getting the details just right.
Also, those guns shoot Nerf bullets. So, if you see these guys coming, you better be strapped.
If you’d like to see more of their work, check out Lord Drac’s Facebook page.
Dead Rising 3: Jesse and Heidi as Rhonda and Nick
Jesse and Heidi are married and they like to cosplay together, but Heidi is the brains of the operation. So, obviously, she took Dead Rising 3’s main character for herself.
Jesse was happy to play along, though. While Heidi turned Dead Rising’s Nick Ramos into a “Nicky,” Jesse transformed Rhonda in “Rob.”
Very clever, you two.
Daniel Painter as Blackhand
Daniel Painter doesn’t have Blackhand’s grey completion, but the rest of his getup is spot on.
Painter chose Blackhand because he’s one of the current-tier bosses, and he looks sweet. Plus, Daniel is an avid Warcrafter, and this helps feed his addiction when he’s forced to hang out in the real world.
Devin Brown as Lich
If you’ve ever played Terra Battle, you’re undoubtedly impressed with Devin’s Lich getup. When I asked him why he created the costume, he told me that he prefers to cosplay as a villain.
“If you’re a villain and you’re mean to people, they just think you’re acting like your character,” he said. “But if you’re a hero and you’re mean, everyone just thinks you’re a dick.”
Wise words.
League of Legends: Cecilia Hsia as Lux. Christian Wellman as Blitzcrank, and Susan Dang as Fiddlesticks
Cecilia, Christian, and Susan decided to pay homage to their favorite League of Legends characters with a coordinated cosplay.
Christian’s Blitzcrank was one of the convention’s most ridiculous costumes. And even though the entire thing is obviously made out of cardboard, people constantly asked him how he constructed the suit.
Pins-snip Cosplay as Pac-Man with Space Ghosts
While most cosplayers try to recreate every single detail of their character, the Pins-Snip trio took an entirely different approach. From now on, Pac-Man will always be a game about a terrified astronaut who fends off undead aliens while desperately clawing his way through the cold vacuum of space.
If you dig this, you’ll really love their Tumblr page.
Hilton George as Raiden
I’m not sure what it is about Mortal Kombat cosplayers, but they’re perfectly happy to cross legal lines in the name of costume creation. In this case, some UV-reactive contact lenses were used to give his eyes a healthy, blue glow. And according to Hilton, lenses like this are illegal in the US.
Hilton spent about nine months perfecting his Raiden getup. But judging from the size of the crowd that he drew at MomoCon, it was worth the effort.
If you’d like to compliment Hilton’s work, head over to his Facebook page.
