Holiday Matsuri (or Holmat) is an annual cosplay convention held in Orlando, Florida that tends to close out the year with a bang. As it’s the biggest cosplay convention in the state, and always falls near the end of December (it’s nice and toasty in Florida that time of year, trust me), HolMat is the de facto period on the end of the annual cosplay sentence. As such, there are often some great costumes on display at the event—especially because of its proximity to both Universal Studios and Disney World.
Naturally, some of the looks at HolMat are holiday themed, which only adds to the convention’s allure. I love a cosplay that takes a character’s iconic look and tweaks it to either fit a theme or tell a slightly different story, and HolMat never disappoints. Just wait until you see the Hyrule Warriors cosplay we’ve got on this list.
As always, the incredible photography from HolMat 2023 comes courtesy of cosplay photographer MineralBlu. Check out the video of the convention below, and click through to see some incredible costumes, from World of Warcraft characters to Gotham City’s baddies.
Jaina Proudmoore, World of Warcraft
Polarizing but pretty damn cool-looking WoW character Jaina Proudmoore is a fun costume to do, and this cosplayer pulls it off beautifully. I’m especially fond of the wig, which they clearly styled themselves.
Buggy, One Piece
Buggy is a clown pirate, which automatically makes this character a fun cosplay choice. The thong hanging out seals this for me—it’s brilliant.
Alexis and David, Schitt’s Creek
The commitment to the bit, the likenesses to the characters, the photo session that looks like a still from the comedy series—this is some galaxy brained cosplay.
Dark Ranger, World of Warcraft
Look at the stitch work on that torso piece! The details on the armor! How does anyone have enough patience to work on something like this, I ask, as an Aries.
Nightingale, Skyrim
As someone who spent most of my hundreds of hours of Skyrim playtime looking for an outfit to suit my ever-shifting moods, I can appreciate this Nightingale armor set more than most.
Ahri, League of Legends
Ahri is a fox-like being inspired by Chinese myth who likes to toy with her prey, and as such she’s got a very detailed, somewhat complicated look. This cosplayer did a really cool job constructing the tails, and i love the ombré gloves.
Marian, Goddess of Victory: Nikke
I’d be lying to you if I said I knew anything about Goddess of Victory: Nikke, the third-person shooter made by South Korean studio SHIFT UP. But after a brief Google search, I can say with confidence that this is a very accurate cosplay of Marian, one of the few dozen female characters in the game.
Ada Wong and Leon Kennedy, Resident Evil
I love when cosplayers keep silhouettes simple, and make sure that the few pieces they are wearing look pitch-perfect. This take on Ada and Leon from the Resident Evil franchise does just that—there’s a simplicity here that, if the quality was lacking, would make this cosplay fall flat. But because the details are so perfect, and the fabric looks so good, this cosplay reads incredibly well.
Marceline and Simon/Ice King, Adventure Time
I love Adventure Time, and I love Marceline the Vampire Queen. Therefore, I love this.
Yor Forger, Spy x Family
Yor Forger is a secret assassin also known as Thorn Princess and this take on her iconic look is devastatingly beautiful. Look at the details on the headpiece, and the lining of the skirt! The craftsmanship on display here is incredible.
Attuma, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
This looks so supremely uncomfortable, kudos to the wearer.
Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Gotham City Sirens
I love themed costumes, it’s like a theme-within-a-theme because the costume itself is based off something—you know what I mean? Anyway, the trio of villains from the Gotham City Sirens comic series look like Christmas candies wrapped up in little bows. Look at the white poinesetta on Ivy’s bodice! The red velvet of Catwoman’s catsuit! Harley’s plaid bows! Favorite cosplay of the weekend, hands down.
Zelda, Link, and Midna, Twilight Princess
I don’t often see a Midna cosplay, so I’m very here for this.
Zelda and Linkle, Hyrule Warriors
More. Holiday-Themed. Cosplay. In. 2024.
Jibaro, Love Death + Robots
When it comes to detailed cosplays, Jibaro takes the cake. There is so much beading, so many intricate little pieces here that help make this cosplay look like it was pulled straight from the screen, that I can’t imagine how long it took the cosplayer (or designer) to put this together.
Holiday Barbie
Hi Barbie! You look great!
Amumu, League of Legends
Amumu is a sad mummy, and this costume depicts a special, themed skin from League of Legends. There’s no crying on Christmas!
So there you have it, a collection of the best looks from the last major US-based cosplay convention of 2023. If these costumes are any indication, 2024 will be a year to remember, and we’ll be collating the best looks from the biggest conventions right here, so stay tuned.
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