The best costumes and cosplays of Phoenix in 2025

Arizona cosplayers showed up in force at local conventions and geek gatherings in 2025. And their costumes matched that ambition.

Artistry was everywhere at events like Game On Expo, UwU Con and Phoenix Fan Fusion this year. Local creators rolled in with intricate and exhaustively crafted gear that doubled as a fandom flex and skill showcase.

The staples were all there. Superhero icons from comic books. Anime and video game favorites. Meme references and pop-culture deep cuts that went viral on social media.

Then came the KPop Demon Hunters wave.

After the blockbuster animated film dropped on Netflix in June, its look spread fast. Cosplayers flooded Arizona cons dressed as its neon-soaked characters, including Rumi, Mira and Zoey, the film’s trio of heroines and singers from the fictional K-pop act HUNTR/X.

In other words, it was one of 2025’s most visible cosplay trends.

“Everyone was dressing like ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ this year,” says Phoenix geek Jessika Ros, who cosplays as Jinx. Herself included, as the local cosplayer and co-host of YouTube series “CosTalk Live” attended UwU Con as Zoey. Her co-hosts and fellow costume creators ThermoCosplay and Amber Brite also dressed up.

“I felt a lot like Zoey’s personality and mine matched quite closely,” Ros says. “One of my favorite aspects of cosplay is cosplaying with friends. So when Thermo announced she was doing Rumi, and Amber Brite announced Mira, I knew I’d have a blast as Zoey.”

Phoenix’s best cosplays of 2025 pulled from deep wells of geeky source material.

Tucson resident Kyle Appel, known as Ravenscraft Cosplay, recreated a jaw-dropping suit of shining silver armor inspired by the Lich King from the World of Warcraft franchise. The intricate build turned heads at Phoenix Fan Fusion and other Valley events, thanks to its scale, polish, and painstaking detail.

Phoenix’s Andre Washington, who cosplays as Ronin Kasai, stacked win after win with his costume builds this year. We first spotted his epic Hawkman suit at Superhero Saturday in January, complete with massive, hand-feathered wings. Weeks later, he shifted gears as a fearsome Yautja from Predator. By October, Washington stunned crowds at UwU Con as the Destined One from Black Myth: Wukong.

Another standout cosplay in 2025 were a group of towering mechs from Warhammer 40K that he marched into Fan Fusion’s packed cosplay masquerade. They were both impressive and astounding.

Here’s a look at photos of Phoenix’s best costumes and cosplayers of 2025.