Numerous stores contain fun costumes for dressing up either for Halloween or just for fun. Most of these stores are aimed at teenagers and young adults, who are more open to wearing costumes and also enjoy standing out due to their clothes. It is important for many young people to make a statement or tell you about their personality through their costumes.

This is why cosplay has become so popular. If you are considering to do cosplay the most important part is deciding what character to be. Think about what characters you love from all the common cosplay mediums such as video games, manga, anime, or movies. If you can think of a wonderful costume that a character has worn that you absolutely loved that is another great choice for cosplay.

When doing cosplay the best route is to create your own costume, this means just the basic costume. It is important because the costume will fit you better and can be exactly what you want if you create it yourself. However, it is fine to use some bought materials for certain pieces like jewelry a character always wears or maybe a symbol. Naruto cosplay costumes should be exact for example, make sure to get contacts if cosplaying as Sasuke.

Here is some general information about Uzumaki Naruto. He was born October 10th and is now 13 years old. He comes from Leaf and is a Genin. He is a Libra and has numerous teachers who have helped him. His goal is to make the village appreciate him.

About 13 years ago, demon called Kyuubi attacked Leaf. To protect the entire village the 4th hokage sealed Kyuubi inside a baby. The baby, which holds the demon inside him was Uzumaki Naruto.

Naruto was hated by everyone in the village because they viewed him as the demon itself. So Naruto was always alone while growing up and had no friends. He became determined to be the best hokage so that the people in village would accept and appreciate him.

Naruto does gain approval from the 3rd hokage known as Unimo Iruka and Konohamaru. However, the only person Naruto wants to notice him now is Sakura because she is his crush. The only problem is that she has a crush on Sasuke. This is the reason Sasuke is the biggest rival to Naruto.

Naruto is a ninja, but he is also wonderful at connecting with troubled children like himself and has helped out a number of people. Naruto helps out Jiraiya by forcing him to study for the Chuunin exams, so they became extremely close and Naruto thought of him as a father figure. Naruto helped out Tsunade by saving him from Kabuto and making him become the 5th hokage.

Now that you understand the characters in Naruto, it is time to pick what Nauto cosplay costume you will make. Naruto cosplay costumes can be a number of people depending on what character you like the most or which character you look the most like. For example if you have black hair a good Naruto cosplay costume would be Sasuke. But if you have blonde hair it may be better to dress up as Naruto himself.

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Call it over-hyped, bash the characters all you like, but you can't deny that Naruto is one of, if not the most popular manga & anime series around. Yes, the series is still going strong until now, and remains at its comfortable #01 'Most Popular Shounen Manga Series' seat at onemanga.com as well as several other manga scans sites. So like it or hate it, do stay on to see, as the title suggests, Best of Naruto Cosplay.

One word: Awesome.

*Credits to all of the cosplayers feature here for your hard work and dedication. Please do continue to do your best in cosplaying, so that people like me could continue to admire (and drool) at your great work.

Uzumaki Naruto

I wonder why most of the Naruto cosplayers whom I have seen before are all girls. C'mon guys, what are you doing? Yes buddy, the Naruto in the picture is a girl, in case you didn't know. Nonetheless, this is one of the best Naruto cosplay that I have come across.

The snowy background chosen for this picture clinches everything. Background is very, very important in cosplaying; I simply cannot emphasize more. Imagine if the background of this photo is a bustling road in Tokyo. Can you see the difference now?

Moreover, I like the way this cosplayer posed. 'Naruto' looks like he is about to do his signature "Kage Bunshin No Jutsu" immediately after this photo was taken. The outfit is right too, complete with the kunai and metal plated headband.

Haruno Sakura

A good Sakura cosplayer is difficult to come by, and I am glad that I have found this good Sakura cosplayer.

Firstly, I must say that I like her hair colour. Somehow, I feel its much more nicer than the common cotton candy pink shade of hair. Furthermore, i like the way that she pose as well as her strong gaze, as if daring you to fight her, right here, and right now. It is almost difficult to look away, and that is saying alot, since this is just a photo.

Its a pity that we cannot see the full length pose, as well as a clearer view of the background behind. There seems to be a net behind her? However, overall, still a good attempt.

Uchiha Sasuke

I have just realised, that when it comes to cosplaying (especially for Japanese), it is rather difficult to tell whether the cosplayer is a girl or a guy. However, I am pretty certain that this cosplayer here is a guy. I think..

Back to the main point. I like the way this cosplayer had painstaking drew on the curse marks/tattoo onto his shoulder, neck and cheek. It must require alot of effort to draw those patterns on by yourself, unless you had some help around. He had also gotten the Sharingan, metal plated headband and clothes down pat.

This cosplay could be even better if the picture was not so overly exposed (kinda too bright) and that 'Sasuke' have a more menacing glare. Nonetheless, this cosplay is great, and even better with the drawn-on tattoos. (His mother probably got a fit seeing those tattoos)

Hatake Kakashi (ANBU)

This was when Kakashi was in the ANBU squad, explaining the different outfit.

The scarf around his neck adds a nice and simple touch to the otherwise plain outfit. And of course there would be the mask which ANBU members uses to hide their face. Not that Kakashi needs it anyway, since we had never got a glimpse of his handsome mug before.

And if you zoom into his face really closely, you can see how this cosplayer pays close attention to details. There is Kakashi's Sharingan in his left eye, which means that he had to buy a pair and use one side only (such a waste).

I guess one way to improve this cosplay is to change 'Kakashi's hair here. Although the white colour windswept wig(?) is pleasant to the eye, I still feel that it is better to have Kakashi's original grey-silver hair instead. Furthermore, 'Kakashi' here could be doing something else instead of staring at the floor. How about grabbing a book to read? I do recall one of Kakashi's favourite erotic novel is called "Flirting Paradise" or something.

Hatake Kakashi

I shall admit, I had chosen this other cosplay of Kakashi because of the hair. Yup, that's right, Kakashi's signature hairstyle.

If that is real hair, which I presume that it is, wow, I wonder how much hair cement this cosplayer used. See how the hair at the top are standing up and defying gravity?
And the hair colour is correct. Silvery gray with a bit of black. Do compare it with the ANBU Kakashi above, and you will know how much difference hairstyle and colour can make.

Again, it is a pity that we cannot see the full body pose of this Kakashi. However, this portrait shot of him is excellent too, and the pose is just right. The Shurikens/throwing stars adds a nice touch too, and makes me feel like getting my own to throw.

Rock Lee and Might Guy

Despite being great and funny characters, I guess Rock Lee and his sensei Guy must have gotten with a lot of trouble with the fashion police. Awful-shade-of-green jumpsuits, helmet hair and the bushiest eyebrows seen EVER, both characters must have ended up in the worst-dressed list every year.

Which is why this cosplay is awesome. It looks like the two characters have just stepped out from the book. Seriously, what Might Guy needs is the usual sparkle effect whenever he smiles so brightly that it almost hurts. Besides that, this cosplayer is totally into character, and the best Guy/Gai cosplayer that I have seen so far. (=

Lee, like his sensei, is great too, but unfortunately his sensei steals the limelight from him in here. I like his usual upbeat attitude and that cheerful pose here. The prop that Lee is holding also adds a good touch to this photo.

Rock Lee

This is one of the best Lee cosplay that I could find on the net. As Rock Lee is Chinese (see any similarities in his name as Bruce Lee?) I believe that it would be easier to cosplay as Lee if you are an Asian.

Not only do the cosplayer need to look like the character, they also need to get into character by behaving and acting as though they are they character. This cosplayer has done well on both counts. The brown vest on Lee also adds a nice touch by covering up that otherwise fashion disaster of a jumpsuit. I also like how that cosplayer wrapped up both of his arms with bandages, just like Lee's.

This cosplay also tells us that the pose of the cosplayer is important, as well as the angle of the shot. Both makes a huge difference to the overall effect.

However, to improve it further, and I can't believe that I am saying this, but this Lee cosplayer could have bushier eyebrows like the character's. Yep, those scarily thick brows that creep out Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke when they first met Lee and Gai. This cosplayer's eyebrows are sadly not thick enough to match Lee's.

I should also recommend that the photographer use 3-point lighting instead. Look at the part of the cosplayer's right bandaged arm. It can just blend in with the white background. To make it look more realistic by having a shadow at least, they could have used three point lighting by placing another source of light at the back. That way, Lee does not look like he is part of the background, but in front of it. But perhaps the photographer deliberately did this

Hyuuga Neji

Again, I am not sure of the gender of this cosplayer, but no matter which it is, he or she has done a good job. The close up shot of the face emphasizes the Byakugan in here. I don't know the photographer, but he/she knows how important the 'Rule of Thirds' used in photography is, thus Neji face is not just focused in the centre.

The Byakugan is simply awesome. I also like the effect of how the veins seem to 'pop' out beside his eyes. It looks realistic and exactly the same as Neji's. Hmm, I wonder whether there are places selling completely off-white contact lenses? It would be kinda scary, don't you think, if you were walking on the streets and saw someone with no colour in their pupils?

I guess if Neji was real and alive, he would definitely look 95% like this cosplayer here. I have included another photo of Neji below so you guys can see his full Neji attire. I do not think that a Neji cosplay would be complete if the cosplayer did not include the Byakugan or the veins effect. It would be a crime.

Tenten

Tenten's outfit here is from the Naruto Shippuden period, in case some of you here don't know. I would have to give this cosplay a 100 marks, as it looks really natural and realistic.

From costume to hairstyle to her pose, everything could be said to be spot-on.

The photography is great too; the photographer deliberately used a little depth of field and focusing so that the background would not steal the limelight from the cosplayer. Lighting used in here is great too, and the shadows just nice.

Nara Shikamaru

This cosplay is one of the more popular Shikamaru cosplay around. The reason is pretty obvious: there is hardly anyone else who has done a better Shikamaru cosplay.

The pose of this cosplayer is one that Shikamaru often uses when he is thinking very hard. Shikamaru has an IQ of over 200 and could think of many battle strategies and possibilities quickly, and this pose aids him in thinking better. It works 10 out of 10 times, and you could say that the game is over for Shikamaru's enemy after Shikamaru is done.

This cosplayer also got the costume and hairstyle right. This was Shikamaru's usual outfit before he got chosen as a Chuunin. The background behind also added a nice touch to the overall feel.

Chouji

This cosplayer was born to cosplay as Chouji. No, it should be, this is the real Chouji staring at you now. I cannot imagine how could someone look so much alike to a manga character. This should not even be counted as cosplay; it is just Chouji standing there.

The costume, scarf, hairstyle, drawing on the cheeks, and *ahem* size, is exactly same as the manga character. Often, it is difficult to find a good Chouji cosplayer because only a few could be the same body size as Chouji. It ends up that some Chouji cosplayers are too thin or too overweight to be like Chouji. Thus, this cosplayer's size is just nice.

Yamanaka Ino

I think this is one of the prettiest non-Japanese Ino cosplayer around. I am sure most of the guys here would agree with me.

Frankly, I do not see any fault in this cosplay; everything is perfect. Some Ino cosplayer got the hair colour for Ino's hair wrong, using either brown or deep blond when Ino's hair is very pale blond. Thus, this cosplayer has fulfilled all the requirements: pretty face check. right costume check. fishnet accessories check. long pale blond hair check. Even the background with the flowers enhances this picture, making it more lovely. I like the lighting in this picture, and even better that the shadows are not harsh.

Hence, to people who think that only the Japanese are the best at cosplaying manga/anime characters, you are proven wrong with this cosplayer.

Kiba Inuzuka

Kiba cosplayer's expression clinches everything. The rage shown on his face is raw, full of emotion and almost... animal-like. I would give 100 marks for the facial expression alone.

Not only that, his costume and stance is accurate, completely the whole cosplay. Kiba looks like he is about to attack any time. Perhaps attacking with his kunai or teamwork with Akamaru? Speaking of the latter, extra points for the cute Akamaru plushie.

I am sure that this cosplay would be even better with a change of the background and scenery. For example, they could have taken this shot outside near somewhere with trees and grass? It would be nicer and add a touch of realism to the photo, since Kiba and Akamaru always like to train outdoors in the forest in Konoha.

Hyuuga Hinata

This is the best Hinata cosplay that I can find. You can tell that it is rather professional too, and the photographer had even took time to edit the photo and add in the Naruto logo.

Although it is just an upper body shot, we can still see clearly the Byakugan and Hinata's straight cute bangs. Of course, the cosplayer's sweet and innocent expression helps in portraying Hinata's character even better. The costume that the cosplayer is wearing is also exactly like HInata.

To cosplay as Neji or Hinata without buying white colour contact lens would be a crime. No grey coloured contacts either. You might as well be saying that Naruto should have red hair instead. The Byakugan is something that only the Hyuuga clan has and if someone were to cosplay Neji or Hinata, it would be best to invest in a pair of white coloured contact lens.

Aburame Shino

This is one of the standard pose that Shino does when he commands the parasitic insects inside his body to do things for him. Commanding those insects are something that only the Aburame clan can do, as they act as a living host for the insects to feed on. Those insects are special kinds which feed only on chakra, hence, they need a living human to feed on. In return those insects would do the commands of the host, which in this case is Shino.

I have never seen Shino's face without his shades on. Just like Kakashi, Shino never reveals his full facial features before, and that only adds to his mysteriousness. I like this cosplay as it looks very natural and realistic. The cosplayer here looks just like Shino from head to toe. He had also made a right choice in taking this picture outdoors, using the trees at the back as a nice background. Just like Kiba, Shino often trains in the outdoors and forests with his insects, hence this cosplay outdoors adds a nice touch.

Another way to improve this already very great cosplay is that the photographer could consider adding in some little insects and photoshop them into the photo? It would be really awesome if there is some of those creepy crawlies around, so it would be more realistic. Most of the Shino cosplay that I have seen so far have added some insects via computer effects or fake toy bugs.

Gaara of the Desert

This is the best Gaara cosplay I had every seen. Awesome is an understatement for this.

This cosplayer had apparently taken note of every single detail there is. From clothes, make-up and accessories, everything is perfectly done. The umbrella, gourd, headband and scarf adds an authenticity touch to the whole cosplay. The use of colours and lighting here is amazing. And I have no idea how, but this cosplayer looks just like Gaara. The solemn expression on his features is also spot-on. I could rant on and on about the good qualities of this cosplay, but perhaps I should spare you the agony and time.

The angle of this picture taken is also good. The photo may be deliberately over-exposed, but I guess it is to block out any unnecessary diversions, and to make us focus on the primary object which is the cosplayer. Very wise move.

Temari

I must first say that I love this cosplayer's outfit. Again, this Temari cosplayer had taken note of the slightest details. Everything from the costume with the black sash to the fishnet leggings to the headband with the symbol of the Sand is accurate.
And of course, I like the gigantic fan with the three red markings. I wonder where did the cosplayer obtained it from? Was it handmade or store-brought?

Moreover, having a pretty face helps, and the pose in this picture is very much like Temari's. Furthermore, the cosplayer had taken pains to have the same hairstyle as Temari's, both hair colour and style. Temari also have a habit of putting the metal plate headband around her neck, and this cosplayer got this trait right as well. It is almost as though I am staring at a living Temari, straight out of a manga book.

Kankuro

A good Kankuro cosplay is difficult to come by too. If the cosplayer missed out Kankuro's puppets, all his other efforts have just gone down the drain too. Here is this picture offering you two at a price of one. Not a very bad attempt in cosplaying as Kankuro's puppet, I must say. Most Kankuro cosplayers prefer to wear or hold onto a puppet prop instead. However, this cosplayer has even gone to the effort of cosplaying one of Kankuro's favourite puppets, Karasu.

I am not sure whether the costume of Karasu is handmade or store-bought, but nonetheless, not a bad attempt. It looks rather realistic especially the disjointed joints part. As for Kankuro here, not much is seen here except the upper body part, but it is still good. There is of course the Country of the Sand headband, as well as the face paint drawings, part of Kankuro's trademark. I have always wondered why there are two pointy horn-like shapes on top of Kankuro's costume? Hmm..

Naruto and Hinata

Tsunade

Wow, this cosplayer looks like a real Tsunade in the flesh. Everything from the hair to her glare is scarily exact as Tsunade. I almost expect her to yell out orders (or at Naruto) anytime. Or bash the wall at the back with her supernatural monstrous strength.

The cosplayer had paid close attention to the details, whether it is the mark on her forehead, the necklace and Tsunade's hairstyle. The outfit is right too, revealing at some parts *cough cough*. But before your eyes stray somewhere else, you should probably think twice. I had already warn you about her crazy strength, and she ain't looking like she is in a good mood either.

Jiraiya

Perhaps Jiraiya or rather, Perverted Sage/Sannin should not exert himself by posing like that; he's not very young. But since we are talking about one of the three legendary Sannin, I guess it would be okay then.

It must have been very tiring to walk around under the hot weather wearing such a thick and heavy wig. Furthermore, the cosplayer had taken pains to find and carry the Toad Scroll, something which Jiraiya uses to summon the Frog Boss. The end result of the complete outfit is exactly the same as Jiraiya's.

If I did not recall wrongly, this pose is the one Jiraiya always strikes after giving a long and not very modest introduction about himself. And if I had recalled Naruto's facial expression the first time he heard Jiraiya's introduction, it looked something like this: (-___-)lll

Orochimaru

Again, OH. MY. GAWD.
This is Orochimaru alive in the flesh. I did not know that there could be someone who looks so much like him in this world. Oh gosh, everything from the intimidating yellow eyes to the oily looking hair that would put Severus Snape (Go read Harry Potter) to shame, I do not think that there could be a better Orochimaru cosplayer than this dude.

Wow, I wonder how much face powder he had used to achieve this effect? Geishas would be put to shame. And yes, he has that "I'm-going-to-have-your-body-soon-Sasuke" evil smirk on his features.

This Orochimaru cosplayer does not disappoint. Perhaps he could improve this (and creep us out further) by sticking out Orochimaru's long snake-like tongue?

Kurenai Yuhi

Kurenai is a master of Genjutsu which literally means illusion techniques, but this pretty Kurenai here is definitely not an illusion. I love the way this cosplayer carelessly carry off Kurenai's attitude here. Stunning, you might say.

The outfit from head to toe is complete and exact, and the traditional looking Japanese umbrella adds a nice touch to the picture. And of course, the background especially the tree behind makes this cosplay even greater. She is definitely wise to choose that location. The effect is that there is a sort of a... dreamy feel to this picture. (=

Hmm.. I wonder who or what she is gazing at. Asuma-sensei perhaps?

Asuma Sarutobi

The son of the Third Hokage and Konohamaru's uncle, Asuma is also Kurenai's lover and the teacher of Team 10 consisting of the Shika Ino Chou combination.

I like this cosplay alot. Besides looking like a real life Asuma, this cosplayer also possesses Asuma's brass knuckles and dagger combination weapon