image by Alan Gee
The Naruto anime and manga, as well as its spin offs, has created a dynamic and interesting world. The high-energy storylines make for a great deal of excitement and edge of your seat action.
While the idea of becoming one of the brave that dot the fantastic battlefields of the series can get your blood pumping, it’s also quite confusing to pick one to portray.
This same difficulty makes it all the more alluring. Many people have engaged in Naruto cosplay, but very few get the characters down perfectly. In fact, despite it being one of the most popular series around, there are few fans that really think like the characters.
If you’re poised to become a powerful Shinobi or Kunoichi, then perhaps these steps may be of some assistance. Walking the path of the Ninja Academy is not an easy one, and the path is littered with danger. However, if you can overcome to achieve that victory, the rewards are incredible.
1) Designate a color scheme for yourself. Masashi Kishimoto’s world is one of stark contrasts. Some characters, like Naruto Uzumaki, wear very bright colors. Others, such as Rock Lee, are more subdued.
2) Many conventions will encourage a performance aspect of Cosplay. If this is true, learning some Chakra hand signs will be very useful.
3) Along with this, learn the names of the different Jutsu used by your character so that you can shout them out while ‘working’ them.
4) If cosplaying with friends, it might be a good idea to set up different teams or ninja cells, like the Leaf Village has done for organizational purposes.
5) Along these same lines, you might want to experiment with the other villages. Though Leaf Village shinobi are by far the most popular characters, some of the other villages have many unexplored possibilities.
6) Think about the relationship to the village that you might have when in character. The bright and cheery Land of Fire and the mountainous Land of Lightening are very different, for instance.
7) Elbow pads might be a nice addition; characters like Sakura Haruno wear them.
8) Try out some fishnet. Fishnet leggings, shirts and sleeves are common attire for ninja in the world of Naruto.
9) You should either acquire an official headband or have one made. The headband, though not always worn on the head, is the symbol for any ninja in the world created by Masashi Kishimoto.
10) Once you have a headband, develop a certain way to wear it. While many characters wear it like a regular headband, others have come up with unique ways to don it. Sakura wears one on her head, Rock Lee wears his like a belt, and Shikamaru wears his like an armband.
11) Have a good relationship with a pet, if you already have one. Characters like Kiba and Jiraiya both have strong animal companions.
12) Always be prepared; whether you end up needing something at a convention, or a part of the costume fails, a ninja would always have a back up plan.
13) Strive for the best. Even if it were just a costume award, a Shinobi or Kunoichi would never enter into anything half-hearted.
14) Don’t simply act like everyone else; each character in the world of Naruto seems to have a very distinct personality. Kakashi’s laid-back persona is a striking contrast to the over-excited Naruto.
15) It’s always best to expand your Naruto collection with as much merchandise as possible like the Sasuke Ultimate Chidori Statue which can lead to fresh and exciting ideas for your new character.
