Okay. You know what? Best is subjective. Such an amazingly subjective term.
...in saying that, I know that it will do nothing to stop the comments section. Let's roll on regardless with a look at some of the best cosplays of 2015, according to me, some shmuck with an opinion and a platform upon which to air it. Most of these are here because they're impressive or worth bare minimum an amused chuckle, while the very best provoked both.
If you happen to see yourself or somebody you know featured here without credit, please let me know in the comments! A genuine attempt was made to gather as much information for crediting as possible, but cosplayers are occasionally quite mysterious folk.
Character: Aloy, from Horizon: Zero Dawn
Cosplayer: Ely Renae Cosplay
Photographer: Geeks Are Sexy
I spent a non-zero amount of time googling exactly what you'd call Aloy's hairstyle, and came up with absolutely nothing to show for it. I'd like to propose here that it become The Ygritte, named for one of the characters that inspired Horizon: Zero Dawn's protagonist, shown here in fine fettle.
Character: Catwoman, from Batman Returns
Cosplayer: Mandy Caruso
Photographer: Geeks Are Sexy
Stepping straight out of the climax of Burton-directed Batman Returns, Mandy Caruso pulls off a seriously impressive look, positively rife with attention to detail. Nobody tell Keira Knightley that she has been comprehensively out-pouted for all time by this awesome shot.
Character: Harley Quinn, crossover concept
Cosplayer: unidentified
Photographer: Joe Alfano
Now that we've witnessed Harley team up with Wonder Woman (after a fashion), it seems only natural that she'd look to work with some other heroic female icons. There are few better or bigger choices out there than Sailor Moon and her pals, whose favorite things are friendship, eating, and surprisingly caustic banter for a children's show. Sailor Harley here is a great fit for that and a super fun concept that ties in nicely with Harley's Little Black Book comic series.
Character: Happy Mask Salesman, from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Cosplayer: TheEndOfSomethingBeautiful
Photographer: Jason Laboy
Things that everybody in this picture met with, including the poor saps milling about in the background: a terrible fate.
Things that cosplayer TheEndOfSomethingBeautiful probably got tired of real fast: hearing the above.
Character: Wonder Woman, Rule 63 edition ("any male character has been drawn as a female character, or vica-versa")
Cosplayer: some sort of perfect enigma, probably
Photographer: Edward Liu
That is the pose and the stare of a man in pursuit of justice. I am filled with questions about him, most of which I don't actually want answers for. Some things in life are best left as bronzed, glorious mysteries.
Character: The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), from Star Trek
Cosplayer: unidentified
Photographer: istolethetv
I've always been kind of baffled as to why trains were ever added to dresses. Was it a short bride who decided to carry off her ill-fitting dress with panache that started it?
However they entered popular consciousness is irrelevant now, because we have seen their zenith in this beautiful Starship Enterprise dress.
Also, I can't help but notice the Ash Ketchum cosplayer in the background. You can see the gears turning in his head: "is that a Pokemon? By this point the answer is statistically likely to be yes. I mean, we have trashbags and swords for Pokemon, so why not?"
Characters: Captain America, Vixen (Black Panther)
Cosplayers: unidentified patriots
Photographer: Steven Leung
I didn't know that the new Captain America used guns, but this Sam Wilson cosplayer proudly displays one here. Somebody get one of those orange caps for that bicep, stat.
His choice of companion makes one of the strongest cases for a Marvel/DC crossover I've seen yet -- and I don't doubt we'll be seeing plenty more Vixen cosplayers since the unveiling of the CW animated series of the same name.
Characters: Batgirl and Harley Quinn circa the 1950s
Cosplayers: unidentified
Photographer: Steven Leung
Harley Quinn cosplays are the female equivalent to Deadpool cosplays (with apologies to Lady Deadpool), and a 50s take on the look is something that's got plenty of precedent. To still pull somethihng original and fun out of this is no mean feat. I can't pick between Batgirl's Gotham High yearbook or Harley's poodle skirt when it comes to the best part of this shot, but both of these are absolutely the best.
Characters: Iron Asami and Thorra (I'm so mad/impressed that somebody had already thought of these names), Legend of Korra/Avengers mashup
Cosplayers: Karen May and unidentified
Photographer: Just Cosplay Photography
"Who does this? Who thinks of these things? What's their couple name now? Can they be my new best friends? I could be Captain Cabbages!" - me, upon seeing these fantastic mashup cosplays.
And speaking of attention to detail, the four stylized buttons on Thorra's costume contain the symbols of each bending discipline. That is a level of creativity and dedication that demands respect.
Character: dude, it's the Hulkbuster Iron Man suit. This goes without saying.
Cosplayer: Extreme Costumes
Photographer: Dre Shinwho (video still)
If there were a definitive list of the greatest cosplays of all time (with an awards ceremony MCed by Kanye, naturally), this Hulkbuster costume would reign supreme. This is cosplay on another level. The Hulkbuster is very literally head and shoulders above any competition.
Supremacy apparently doesn't come cheap, though. The costume apparently took over 1,600 hours and $60,000 to make.
The fists open and shut! There's a Hulk who gets busted! Everything's fantastic!
Characters: Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, Ms. Marvel
Cosplayers: Riot Cosplay, Shewana Ahmed, Lisa Marie Cosplay
Photographer: Titans of Cosplay
Seconds after this photo was taken, Kamala Khan stretched out her arm and negated the need for a selfie stick. Presumably, anyway.
Are there any missing 2015 cosplays that any self-respecting best of list can't live without? Throw a link to them down in the comments! Cosplay is always best when there's more of it, after all.
(But there might be enough Deadpools and Harley Quinns out there.)
