Final Fantasy XIII: Éclair Farron aka Lightning

After the death of her parents, Éclair Farron discarded her birth name and chose to be known from then on as “Lightning” in order to escape her insecurities and vulnerabilities. She wanted to become a stronger person so that she could care for her younger sister, Serah. As a result, she is very serious, unforgiving, and relentless.

Cute cosplayer from Winter Comiket! I really love her pink hair and the attitude. Thanks to Misha for sending this!

Technorati Tags: nanao, cosplay, research, holic, cosplayers, costume, role, play, roleplay, anime, manga, game, winter, comiket, 2009, final, fantasy, xiii, eclair, farron, lightning, death, parents, discard, birth, name, escape, insecurity, vulnerability, stong, person, care, young, sister, serah, result, serious, unforgiving, relentless, cute, pink, hair, attitude, misha

Card Captor Sakura: Kinomoto Sakura 06

A 10-year-old girl from Tomoeda, Japan, Sakura finds a mysterious book entitled “The Clow” in her father’s study. There, she awakens the book’s guardian, Cerberus, and find out that the book once contained 19 powerful, magical cards. Cerberus then enlists Sakura to become the card captor in order to reclaim the cards that were lost.

That is the story of the manga, of course. The anime has a different interpretation.

So pretty this cosplayer is from Winter Comiket! She’s definitely the older version of little Sakura, but I don’t think anyone is complaining! Thanks to Yumi for sending this in!

Technorati Tags: nanao, cosplay, research, holic, cosplayers, costume, role, play, roleplay, anime, manga, game, winter, comiket, 2009, card, captor, sakura, kinomoto, girl, tomoeda, japan, mysterious, book, clow, father, study, guardian, cerberus, powerful, magical, enlist, reclaim, lost, interpretation, older, version, complain, yumi

Gundam 00: Neil and Lyle Dylandy

Love only hurts me always...or so you whispered
You were scared of believing and cried, didn't you?

Considered to be the leader of the Gundam Meisters, Neil was killed in the line of duty near the end of the war. However, after 4 years had passed, the Meisters once again had to take arms and Setsuna F. Seiei recruited Neil's twin brother, Lyle to become Lockon Stratos.

Beautiful cosplay by Jesuke and Chii-Bye of Deviant Art! I feel badly for Lyle having to struggle to distinguish himself from his brother, but people are people I guess. Thank you for sharing this!

Technorati tags: cosplay, holic, cosplayer, costume, role, play, roleplay, anime, manga, game, gundam, 00, neil, lyle, dylandy, lockon, stratos, jesuke, chii-bye, deviant, art, deviantart, love, hurt, whisper, scared, believe, leader, meister, kill, murder, duty, war, arm, setsuna, f, seiei, recruit, twin, brother, beautiful, struggle, distinguish, people, コスプレ, コスプレイ, 機動, 戦士, ガンダム, ダブルオー, マイスター, ニール, ライル, ディランディ, ロックオン, ストラトス, 刹那, セイエイ

Bayonetta: Bayonetta

In Virgid, a city in Europe, awakens a witch known as Bayonetta from her 500 year slumber. She is a powerful being who can shapeshift and is very talented in handling firearms and even uses her own hair as a weapon. Unfortunately, she can’t remember who and where she is and only time will help her regain her memories.

Another awesome cosplayer from Winter Comiket 2009! Thanks to Jeremy for the info on Bayonetta. I wouldn’t have known who she was otherwise. Great work!

Technorati Tags: nanao, cosplay, research, holic, cosplayers, costume, role, play, roleplay, anime, manga, game, winter, comiket, 2009, bayonetta, virgid, europe, awake, witch, 500, slumber, powerful, shapeshift, talented, firearm, hair, weapon, remember, amnesia, time, memory, jeremy, info

Fate/Extra: Saber

Ok, I’m no expert when it comes to Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Hollow Ataraxia, Fate/Zero or any other prequel, sequel, spin off there is in this merchandise; but I’m pretty sure that’s Saber.

However, can someone please explain to me why her dress is red? Is this her alternate costume in the video game, Fate/Unlimited Codes?

First seen in Winter Comiket 2009. Thanks Shiro!

EDIT: Thanks to anon for letting me know the cosplayer is Bluewater from Cure!

Technorati Tags: nanao, cosplay, research, holic, cosplayers, costume, role, play, roleplay, anime, manga, game, winter, comiket, 2009, fate, stay, night, saber, arturia, expert, hollow, ataraxia, zero, prequel, sequel, spin, off, merchandise, explain, dress, red, alternate, video, unlimited, codes, shiro

Toradora!: Takasu Ryuji and Aisaka Taiga

Despite having a gentle personality, Takasu Ryuji is often mistaken for being a juvenile delinquent because of his intimidating eyes, making him almost completely hopeless in getting a girlfriend. During his second year of high school, he accidentally knocks into Aisaka Taiga who is said to be “the school’s most dangerous animal of the highest risk level”.

Anther couple from Winter Comiket 2009! And wow, Ryuji really does look scary just as Taiga looks really cute! Thanks to Jared for emailing this!

Technorati Tags: nanao, cosplay, research, holic, cosplayers, costume, role, play, roleplay, anime, manga, game, winter, comiket, 2009, toradora, takasu, ryuji, aisaka, taiga, gentle, personality, mistake, juvenile, delinquent, intimidating, eyes, hopeless, girlfriend, second, year, high, school, accident, knock, dangerous, animal, risk, level, couple, scary, cute, jared, email

Vocaloid 2: Hatsune Miku 03

Last year’s Winter Comiket in Japan has given us a ton of beautiful cosplays without the “luxury” of Photoshop! Many readers have been sending these photos in, and I will do my best to feature as many as I can!

Starting off, we have Hatsune Miku from Vocaloid 2! It looks like a customized version with her fluffy headsets, and the material she used for her arm warmers and skirt is just lovely!

Many thanks to Sam for emailing this! I’ll be posting more very soon!

Technorati Tags: nanao, cosplay, research, holic, cosplayers, costume, role, play, roleplay, anime, manga, game, vocaloid, 2, hatsune, miku, winter, comiket, japan, beautiful, luxury, photoshop, reader, photo, feature, customize, version, fluffy, headset, material, arm, warmer, skirt, sam, email

Unknown Entry 041

I realized there were a lot of resolved cosplays in the Unknown Section, so with the start of the new year, I'd like to introduce the Unraveled Section; where all cosplays I didn't know about are properly labeled thanks to my readers! Now you guys can check out the Unknown Section and see all the cosplays that still need solving!

On to the photo of the week! Pigtails, Japanese school girl uniform, and a katana. I wouldn’t want to cross her, but who is she anyway? Anyone have any good guesses?

Technorati Tags: cosplay, holic, cosplayer, role, play, roleplay, costume, anime, manga, game, unknown, 41, realize, resolve, section, new, year, introduce, unraveled, know, proper, label, reader, solve, photo, week, pigtails, twin, tails, japanese, school, girl, uniform, katana, cross, guess, コスプレ, コスプレイ

Yami no Matsuei: Souryuu, Koujin, and Tenko

The Guardian of the East and Representative of the Golden Emperor of GensouKai, Souryuu is the blue dragon and the strongest among all the Shikigami. The only one who could match his rank and strength is Kurikara, the Fire Dragon. Souryuu has two children: his son, Koujin the thunder shikigami, and his daughter, Tenko the water shikigami.

Too bad Souryuu doesn't like Hisoka very much. In any case, this is such a beautiful cosplay! The patterns are gorgeous and they look really expensive too! Great work! Thanks to Lilibelle for sending this in!

Technorati tags: cosplay, holic, cosplayer, costume, role, play, roleplay, anime, manga, yami, no, matsuei, souryuu, koujin, tenko, guardian, east, representative, golden, emperor, gensoukai, blue, dragon, strong, shikigami, rank, strength, kurikara, fire, children, son, thunder, daughter, water, kurosaki, hisoka, beautiful, pattern, gorgeous, expensive, lilibelle

Final Fantasy Versus XIII: Noctis Lucis Caelum 02

A character whose personality is almost impossible to define, Noctis Lucis Caelum, or “Noct”, hides his shyness around Stella Nox Fleuret by acting “cool” when they first met. Unfortunately for him, however, this gave Stella a cold and unsociable first impression. He does, however, smile and becomes more open to those he is close with.

The effect of this is so nice! The photographer did a very good job of catching this shot at the right moment. Perfect pose from the cosplayer too! Thanks to Feret for sharing this!

EDIT: Thanks to Kaiyobi for letting me know this is *AmenoKitarou from Deviant Art! Please view the original deviation here.

Technorati Tags: nanao, cosplay, research, holic, cosplayers, costume, role, play, roleplay, anime, manga, game, final, fantasy, xiii, versus, noctis, lucis, caelum,character, personality, impossible, define, noct, shyness, stella, nox, fleuret, cool, act, unfortunate, cold, unsociable, impression, smile, open, close, effect, nice, photographer, shot, moment, photo, pose, perfect, water, sword, feret, share

Bleach: Shihoin Yoruichi 02

Highly skilled in tactical combat, Shihoin Yoruichi is known as the Shunshin, “Goddess of Flash”, for her speed in movement is unmatched in Soul Society. She is a master of Shunko, “Flash Release”, a technique that combines hand-to-hand combat with kido abilities. This allows her to fight bare-handed against an enemy’s weapon without sustaining injuries.

Very well-done! I really love her yellow eyes and pose. It makes her look very cat-like, wouldn’t you agree? Thanks to Mishalynne for sending this in!

Technorati Tags: nanao, cosplay, research, holic, cosplayers, costume, role, play, roleplay, anime, manga, game, bleach, shihoin, yoruichi, skill, tactical, combat, shunshin, goddess, flash, speed, movement, unmatch, soul, society, master, shunko, release, technique, combine, hand, kido, ability, enemy, weapon, sustain, injury, yellow, eyes, pose, cat, mishalynne

Pandora Hearts: Oz Vessalius

The son of the reigning lord of the prestigious Vessalius Family, Oz is an energetic and optimistic boy who was dragged into the Abyss for the sin of “existing”. There, he meets a chain named “Alice” and makes a contract with her in order to return to the real world… only to find out that 10 years have already passed since his abduction.

Despite knowing his mother was killed by the Nightray family, he still keeps a loyal friend (and servant) known as Gilbert Nightray by his side.

First, happy new year guys! It’s a bit late, I know, but I was pretty busy, considering all the family reunions we had to go to. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

And finally, awesome cosplay! I haven’t seen or read Pandora Hearts yet, but it looks interesting. Thanks to Sebby for sending this in!

Technorati Tags: nanao, cosplay, research, holic, cosplayers, costume, role, play, roleplay, pandora, hearts, oz, vessalius, son, reign, lord, prestigious, family, energetic, optimistic, boy, drag, abyss, sin, existing, chain, alice, contract, real, world, abduction, mother, kill, murder, nightray, loyal, friend, servant, gilbert, happy, new, year, reunion, wonderful, holiday, anime, manga