LVL UP EXPO is a Las Vegas fandom staple. The three-day expo consistently brings in over a hundred thousand fans with interests across the gamut. Like any self-respecting fandom convention, LVL UP EXPO has become a hub for carefully curated cosplay. Here are some of our favorites from the weekend that are, dare we say, award-worthy.
The Cult of the Lamb has become a rapidly moving cult classic. In August 2024, the title became co-op and introduced the second player- the goat. The lamb and the goat move in tandem, caring for their flock and dungeon crawling as a team. There were a few cosplayers evoking the unholy image of the lamb, but only a brave few paired up to replicate the unholy alliance of the lamb and the goat. The shawls, the bells, and the hats brought this whole look together, all while the cosplayers still got to be comfortable while moving around the convention floor.
I’m more of an In-N-Out girlie, but hearing someone yell “FIVE GUYS!” was still enough to make my head turn. Instead of seeing smashed burgers with an overflowing bag of fries, I got a close-up look at five silly boys in perfect fast food-infused cosplay. The self-appointed mayor of Flavortown, Chef Guy Fieri, has several restaurants in Las Vegas, and his impact on the city is clear. Interestingly, the boys did not appear to have any edible props on hand, although I’m sure edibles were involved while putting this group cosplay together*.
*For legal reasons, this is a joke.
To date, Doodlebob has only appeared in six episodes of Spongebob Squarepants, but their impact is unparalleled. True to form, the character is paired with the magic pencil at all times. This fit is highly accurate to the original design; however, its natural nautical nonsense created a lot of blind spots and limited mobility. The small bar for visibility blends well into the cosplay, but does not provide nearly enough range of vision for the wearer. The costume is simple, but complex in actual execution. Major props to this cosplayer, especially for doing this in Doc Martens; that shows true bravery.
Anime fans are more intense than Swifties all day, every day. This brave soul walked the floor in a literal trash can covered in some of anime’s favorite waifus, declaring war on the weebs. The entire trash can was covered in babes fit for a body pillow, and, if you were kind, the cosplayer was handing out stickers. Their demeanor was not aggressive or unkind; actually, at every point, they were very lovely to interact with. Being pleasant while wearing a large plastic trash can is a talent, and this cosplayer had that in spades.
This cosplay was an absolute showstopper on the showfloor. They worked their way through the convention hall fully emerging out of a suitcase while teetering on a whole ass table. The actual costume on their upper half is spot on for the movie-accurate Newt Scamander, while their bottom half is just a delight. The tablecloth was just long enough to conceal their footsteps without snagging on anything as they moved around. The magic of this is heightened by their demeanor-they were happy to wave to admirers of their work. It’s an extremely clever cosplay that delivers on the theme of magic.
The scream I scrummed. These two cosplayers were attending the show together, and when I stopped to ask for a photo, the Sephiroth cosplayer asked, “Would you like me to stab her for the shot?” Naturally, this happened, and impressively, they clicked into action quickly. Aerith was careful to lay her flowers down in frame while Sephiroth positioned their sword to ensure that moment would be caught perfectly. It was devious and extremely well executed, albeit a bit heartbreaking to watch in real time.
What are your favorite cosplays? Are you working on anything new for an upcoming convention? Let us know in the comments below!
