How Do Girls Cosplay Male Characters: 5 Tips For You To Easily Navigate
Do you ever find female cosplay characters…well…a little limiting? If so, you're not alone. In fact, it's increasingly common for girls to cosplay male characters, especially in the modern age. However, you don't always have to create costumes from scratch—in fact, there are many female-oriented costumes based on famous, beloved male characters that make realistic cosplay a snap! Let's look at how girls cosplay male characters, with five easy tips for how to navigate this type of roleplay.
Cosplay As Trailblazing
Not every girl's dream is cosplaying meek and hyper-feminized fictional characters. In fact, many girls choose to cosplay males as an act of trailblazing and boundary-pushing. If you ever want to step outside your comfort zone, it takes a great leap of empathy and character understanding to cosplay the opposite sex. In fact, sometimes cosplaying a male character as a girl can bring different levels of complexity and depth to a character that might otherwise seem one-dimensional on a screen. Let's take a look at some of the top tips for navigating male cosplay as a girl.
Tips For Girls To Cosplay Male Characters
Cosplaying a male character as a girl can sometimes require a leap of the imagination—but that does not mean it can't or shouldn't be done. Here are three basic steps to get you started.
1.Choose The Right Male Character
As a girl, choosing the right male character to embody is everything. Understanding the characters intimately and what makes them tick can help you to play the role more convincingly—and to have more fun stepping out of yourself and enjoying trying on a completely different hat for a while! Look for characters who have an interesting history, story arc, or character development throughout your favorite fictional show and get to work!
2.Consider Height, Body Type, And Features
Additionally, it's obviously easier to convincingly pull off cosplay if you don't have to work against your chosen character's body type, but with it instead! Do you have long hair? Look for a male protagonist with longer hair. On the other hand, if you have a muscular frame, look for a male character who also has one. Brown eyes? Same story. Lean into your strengths and play with them!
3.Five Easy Male Characters To Roleplay For Girls
Especially if this is your first time cosplaying a male character, you'll want to start with a fictional icon that you already know like the back of your hand. Here are our top five suggestions!
Rick And Morty-Rick
Everyone's favorite complex mad scientist, Rick of "Rick and Morty",is always getting up to some kind of zany adventure. Along with his sidekick, Morty, the two tackle interdimensional space travel with a zeal and wacky sense of humor that has cultivated a strong cult following amongst its audience. Grab a lab coat and a portal gun, and you'll be ready for mind-bending journeys outsmarting aliens (or even your local school system)!
Legend Of Zelda-Link
Often felt more like the sword-carrying hero of the story rather than the damsel in distress? Enter the world of Hyrule and initiate your quest to save Princess Zelda! If you really want to go over the top, you can travel the plains on horseback to thwart the evil Ganondorf-but if you're just trying out male cosplay.
Honkai Star Rail-Dan Heng
Especially if you've got a background in martial arts (or even athletics), this might be a great character for you. Tap into your mysterious side and play the determined and enigmatic Dan Heng, who battles the forces of chaos scheming to throw the universe into evil and darkness. Playing this character offers great interplay between the disciplined warrior and thoughtful cosmonaut, and offers ample opportunity for creativity.
Genshin Impact-Tighnari
Ever wanted to ride atop a dragon? Yeah, us too. You can do so in spirit when you play Tighnari of “Genshin Impact,” who travels the fantastic world of Teyvat to reap treasure and restore balance to the forces of good and evil. Known for a friendly attitude that creates alliances with all sorts of colorful characters, playing Tighnari offers a chance to play a more masculine character truly in charge of their own destiny.
Star Wars-Obi Wan Kenobi
If you've ever suspected your midichlorian levels were higher than usual, you might be a great fit for an Obi-Wan Kenobi cosplay. With such enticing props as a lightsaber, you will feel ready to face the forces of evil (including the sinister Sith) and work to bring up the next generation of Jedi knights. Embrace the wisdom of the Force and tap into your inner knowing as you set forth to restore balance to the galaxy at a time when your presence is so desperately needed!
Research And Understand Roles
Everyone can see the difference between someone who's simply in an unusual outfit and one who's gone the extra mile to truly become their character. To do so requires a little bit of imagination, a dose of empathy, and a fair amount of research into the character's history, motivations, fears, and desires. Immerse yourself in their fictional world and reach into your own love for their character to see how you can best bring them to life.
Explore The Romantic Atmosphere
Especially if you have a friend or partner who's looking to buddy up with your cosplay, this can be a great opportunity to explore your character's innermost workings and how they relate to the world. Even if your character is a lone wolf, imagine their romantic life (or lack thereof) and how they might either socialize or choose not to. This can be a great opportunity to live out subplots or storylines that you know would fit the character that might not have necessarily made the big screen.
Focus On Accurate Costumes And Props
It's ok if acting isn't your thing—especially if you've gone the extra mile to really look the part. Be sure to find accessories that look realistic if you choose to go this route. For example, would Link ever be found without his trusty sword or shield, or Obi-Wan without his iconic blue lightsaber?
Be Confident And Embrace The Role
Most of all, remember to have fun with this experience. Embrace your inner male energy and find your confidence. This is a great opportunity to expand areas of yourself that are either dormant or rarely get to come out and play. Confidence is everything with cosplay—just shy of knowing your character and finding an authentic outfit!
In short, with cosplay, it's really not about your gender or sex—and much more about your love for the character and your understanding of their world. Especially when such amazing costume and prop resources exist, there's no reason not to go for it and really push the envelope!
Step outside of your comfort zone with us today—or find new ways to expand into personality traits you want to hone and develop. Who knows, you could even have a little fun!