The Best Anime Characters For Halloween Costumes

October 14, 2024

Key Takeaways

Sailor Moon’s iconic blonde hairstyle & simple costumes make her recognizable worldwide.
Luffy’s straw hat & red shirt from
One Piece
is a popular choice for fans at Halloween.
No Face from
Spirited Away
offers a spooky, introverted costume option easily recreated.

Dressing up like an anime character isn’t only for cosplay and conventions. Halloween events are fast approaching and it’s time to plan a costume, or many, for the upcoming parties and trick-or-treating that often take place throughout October.

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Anime is popular these days, with several franchises lasting for decades and covering everything from live-action shows to comics, along with the usual animated series that define the genre. There’s no shortage of characters and esthetics for those looking for a unique and impressive costume based on an anime character, but some are easier to emulate than others.

7 Sailor Moon

Even Non-Anime Fans Recognize Her

The school uniform is just one possibility for everyone’s favorite magical girl.

It’s not just that it’s an easy costume to put together, for those with limited resources. Sailor Moon is one of the few anime characters who is so popular worldwide that everyone will recognize her blond “odango” hairstyle.

For those dressing up for a party or with friends, remember that Sailor Moon has a team of beautiful soldiers backing her up, and their costumes would generally be the same, except for the hair and certain basic colors. The villains of this series have a lot going for them too, for those looking for more inspiration.

6 Luffy

The Hero Of One Piece

A simple straw hat and red shirt, but sleeves are optional.

Luffy was always a fan favorite, even before the critically acclaimed live-action adaptation of One Piece premiered on Netflix. Everyone recognizes his iconic straw hat and red shirt as the protagonist of the popular anime series One Piece, which has been running since 1999.

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Like many other anime heroes, Luffy is surrounded by a group of colorful friends and grotesque enemies who would also make decent Halloween costumes. Put a whole crew together and make candy the pirate booty while trick-or-treating or pillaging a Halloween party.

5 No Face

A Hungry Ghost From Spirited Away

A long robe and simple mask that can be terrifying, eerie, or peaceful.

No Face is one of the more obscure choices for an anime-themed Halloween costume, but even if not everyone knows his name, they might recognize his eerie face, and he can be terrifying for those looking for a scarier Halloween costume inspired by an anime character. He also doesn’t say very much, so for those who are looking for a more introverted costume, this could be the ideal choice.

A simple white mask and a long black robe are all that’s needed to make a No Face costume and, for those with an eye for detail, it might be fun to add some accessories. Gold bars and nuggets, small frogs, and other features from the movie are all useful for re-creating this character.

4 Alfonse Elric

Often Mistaken For His Brother, The Real Full Metal Alchemist

All that’s required is a suit of armor, and everyone has one of those.

Alfonse Elric was frequently confused with his brother because many would assume the title “Full Metal Alchemist” was a term that described his appearance. Most were shocked when they found out this was actually a reference to Edward’s prosthetic arm and leg, and not Alfonse’s full suit of armor, which was a running gag on the original show.

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Not everyone has a suit of armor sitting around, obviously, but with some tin foil, cardboard, and silver paint, it’s a fun time putting one together. Dressing up like Edward might take a bit of work, but a long red trenchcoat would help, and anyone going out as Alfonse will need an Eric.

3 Spike Spiegel

The Suave Protagonist of Cowboy Bebop

Who doesn’t want an excuse to wear that cool purple suit?

The distinctive hero of Cowboy Bebop was thrust back into the spotlight when the controversial live-action adaptation launched in 2023. Although the series wasn’t exactly a success, it was a reminder of how much fans love the show.

One of the gripes that viewers seemed to have with the adaptation was the change in the wardrobe of many characters, with Spike being the only one who echoed a look from the anime. The distinctive hair, yellow shirt, and purple suit look great in real life, so even though the adaptation didn’t go over so well, one thing that did work was John Cho looking great when dressed up as Spike.

2 Misa

Kira’s Most Devoted Disciple

A stylish character who wore a variety of distinctive costumes.

Misa’s talents when it comes to changing her look aren’t just based on natural intuition or an elaborate wardrobe. She’s also a teen idol, and her time in the spotlight has given her the knowledge and the resources to disguise herself in a variety of ways. To really kick this up a notch, get a friend to dress up as Rem, the Shinigami that stays by her side, much like Ryuk stays by Light.

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Also known as Misa Misa, one of Kira’s first and most devoted followers was a genius when it came to changing her look using a variety of styles and makeup, even using wigs and glasses in certain situations. For those looking for a more alluring Halloween look, Misa has some great Goth ensembles that perfectly suit the Halloween holiday.

1 Dio Brando

One Of Anime’s Most Notorious Villains

A bombastic villain with a unique sense of style.

For those who want to do something for Halloween like Count Dracula, but at the same time want to break from the classics, there’s the beautiful and unhinged Dio Brando from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.This immortal villain is obsessed with his good looks and dresses accordingly in various outfits but often includes the distinctive features of a high collar, long nails, blond hair, and some kind of headband, all of which come with plenty of detailed embroidery.

It might be easier to design a costume of Dio as a younger man before he took on the power of the vampire and the Stands, but he has so many different looks it’s hard to get it wrong. There’s also his attitude to consider, and Dio’s outspoken character and stinging arrogance are also a part of the dress-up fun.