T5W#258-Top 5 Otakon 2013 Cosplays

For a long time, Otakon 2013 was my second most favorite Otakon of all time (for the record it’s still pretty high up there).  It was a major bounce back from 2012 and it’s where I met many friends who have since become some of my closest family.  When it came to the cosplay, trying to pick five from a weekend of hundreds for this list proved challenging, then again I could say that about this entire Otakon Cosplay Retrospective I’ve been working on.  Still, I think you’ll be surprised by this list as I was.  So enough yapping and onto this weeks Top 5 Wednesday, my Top 5 Otakon 2013 Cosplays.

#5-Renamon

I’m a bit in the minority but Digimon Tamers (or Digimon Season 3 for us in the US) was my personal favorite of the original Digimon series.  I liked the Matrix like angle the show took and the card game did look pretty cool.  But I really liked the bad ass coolness of Rika and she got the perfect Digimon to compliment her style.  Again, I don’t know how people handle being in cosplays like this in the middle of 90 degree weather in downtown Baltimore, but I’m glad they brave it because this Renamon is flawless, like the Digimon Goddess, besides Angewomon, come to life.

#4-Dutch

Black Lagoon is one of the best action Anime of all time and if you haven’t seen it, find a way to do so.  You see a fair few of the series sexy foul mouthed anti heroine Revy around at cons but you hardly ever see any other character from the cast being cosplayed.  Which is a shame because part of the shows appeal is its pretty diverse world and cast.  Thankfully, one of Animes most coolest black characters ever got someones attention and man, if they ever decide to turn it into a live action film (carefully), this Dutch cosplayer would be a perfect fit for the bad ass, no nonsense leader of the Lagoon Company.

#3-Char and Haman

I think I started going to conventions well after the major Gundam cosplay heyday.  I mean sure you see a lot of actual Gundam Mobile Suit cosplays but the main cast of every show is seldom seen.  This goes double for classic characters from the original series all the way through…let’s say G Gundam.  So getting to see a Char Aznable AND Haman Kahn is a real treat.  Two of the biggest and greatest baddies of the Gundam mythos side by side, makes you think of some of the lost opportunities of Gundam ZZ doesn’t it (though they did interact a lot in Zeta Gundam so a little is forgiven).

#2-Lilith (with Pen Pen and Lance of Longinus)

Of all the characters one could think of to see at a convention, you expect to see Shinji, or Asuka, or Rei or Misato, or Gendo or the occasional fun loving Otaku wearing an Eva Unit 01 Kigarumi.  But holy freaking crap, Lilith from the Rebuild of Evangelion, guarded by a Pen Pen wielding the Lance of Longinus?  Nope, I wasn’t seeing things and I wouldn’t not have believed such a cosplay was possible unless I saw it for myself…freaking wow.

#1-The Cast of Gundam Wing

On the chance this is your first time around here, Gundam Wing was my entry point into the Gundam Franchise and remains one of the most important Anime in my life.  I still love the main characters a tremendous amount, their flaws and all.  So when I suddenly spotted a complete set of Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei, Lady Une, Sally Po, Zechs and Otto wandering down the hall…you bet your ass I dared to cause a momentary traffic jam to get this photo.  I regret nothing, even if there was a better chance to see a full on group cosplay and photoshoot dedicated to one of my most beloved cast of characters in all of Anime.  Up until I bought the Special Limited Edition Blu Ray Box Set at Katsucon 2018, I’d never felt happier to be a fan of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing.