Plus-Size Male Cosplay Ideas
For those of us who can’t seem to stomach the idea that Halloween only comes once a year, there is cosplay. This term was coined in 1984 most likely at Worldcon, though people have been doing cosplay since the late seventies. This hobby has quickly spread throughout the world with some people even creating professional cosplay costumes as a full-time career.
So for the larger gentleman looking to get into the hobby, it can feel overwhelming and often scary to attempt. Don’t be intimidated, there are a number of different ideas to choose from and plenty of other like-minded, barrel-chested brothers-in-arms who have been in your shoes.
To give you a head start in the fascinating world of cosplay, I’m going to go down a lengthy list of cosplay ideas from every form of entertainment imaginable.
Costume Ideas
There is no shortage of husky heroes and voluptuous villains regardless of the entertainment medium. So to give you a wider range to choose from I will be covering at least two cosplay ideas from comic books, anime or manga, movies, and of course popular novels.
Hagrid (Harry Potter)
If this hirsute, huggable bear of a man didn’t melt your heart in the Harry Potter films and novels, you don’t have one. This is fantastic for anyone with a particularly impressive beard or someone on the taller side. To make it even better, this cosplay costume can be as in-depth or as subtle as you like.
To make things even easier there are a number of different outfits available online that are designed after the Hogwarts gatekeeper. So regardless of how complicated and intricate you want your costume to be, Hagrid is a great option.
Samwell Tarly (Game of Thrones)
While Jon Snow is the more commonly cosplayed brother of the Night’s Watch, Samwell is a fantastic choice with very similar attire. So while many can dress as Jon Snow and imitate his endless sour expression, why not go for his compassionate companion (who is far better company, anyway)?
Game of Thrones took the world by storm and there is an unbelievable amount of outfits you can find online to help you with your costume. Toss on a plastic sword or a bunch of well-worn books, grow your hair and beard out a few inches (or buy a wig) and you will be well beyond the wall in no time!
Kingpin (Marvel Comics)
Kingpin is one of the most easily recognizable Marvel villains in the universe today and he rarely wears anything more than a button-down shirt and bald head. Marvel Universe’s Al Capone with a chrome dome is wildly popular for his ruthless behavior that puts several heroes in danger including, Spiderman, Daredevil, and even the Punisher.
This cosplay is fantastic because all you need is a white button-down, maybe some shoulder pads (Kingpin is a big, burly boy), and an aerodynamic haircut. You can just as easily pop on a bald head wig as well if you don’t wanna shed those sweet, luscious locks you’ve been working on. So if you ever wanted to be a crime lord without the risk of felony charges, Kingpin is a fantastic choice!
Doctor Octopus (Marvel Comics)
When it comes to the most notorious nemesis of Spiderman, Doctor Octopus has to be in the conversation. This Lenscrafter-loving intellectual is the former mentor of Peter Parker in the movies and is responsible for one of the greatest action scenes in movie history.
So depending on which iteration of Doctor Octopus you choose to resemble, there are a number of different ways you can approach this villainous ensemble. If you choose to go the movie route you can go for a darker leather jacket and some tea-shade sunglasses. For the comic book route, get your best green jumpsuit and a bowl-cut wig.
The hardest obstacle to overcome with this outfit will be the arms. There are a number of different helpful tutorials specifically for making these arms that you can find on YouTube. It will be a bit of a project, but if you want something more intricate, this is an excellent pick!
King Kai (Dragon Ball Z)
This nasal-toned tutor of Dragon Ball Z’s main protagonist, Goku, is an often overlooked choice to cosplay, despite how easy the king of the north area is to recognize. Not only is this a cosplay that is sure to land a good amount of recognition regardless of the convention you attend, but it’s also fairly simple to pull off.
You are gonna have to go full smurf on this cosplay, but outside of that, you can actually find the entirety of this outfit online (antennae included)! That doesn’t mean you can’t just as easily DIY this afterlife afterthought yourself. Bonus points if you manage to bring along a monkey as well.
Choji Akimichi (Naruto)
In a show that excelled at making interesting characters, Choji still stood out as incredible. This plump ninja of the hidden leaf village quickly became a fan favorite with his loyal nature and fun fighting style. With a popular title like Naruto, you will have plenty of options when it comes to Choji.
Depending on which age you plan to replicate you will have a different outfit altogether. Whether you want to order the attire on the internet or design every piece yourself, there are a number of resources online to show you how.
Coach (Left 4 Dead)
Coach has outgrown his original franchise so much that most people who recognize him couldn’t place what videogame he actually originated from. This hard-hitting high school health teacher is one of the four playable characters in the game and easily one of the most charming.
This is another character that is one of the easier outfits to pull off, all you need is a shaved head, a purple shirt, and maybe some pills and a plastic gun if you really wanna be in character. Coach is a character that has a shelf-life in the public eye that has outlasted the game itself and has become a popular figure in the gaming community.
Bowser (Mario)
When you think of cosplays based around Nintendo’s smash hit, everyone always immediately goes to the popular plumbing brothers. This has become very common, which is a shame because Bowser is a great and creative choice for any nearby convention you may visit.
This devious dinosaur is incredibly recognizable while also being one of the more rare choices in cosplay, for whatever reason. While there are plenty of examples of beautifully made outfits that really bring this popular antagonist to life, you can also choose to get the entire set online if you are in a pinch. Just don’t abduct any princesses while you are there, it’s frowned upon at most conventions.
Carl (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)
If you are reading this article twenty minutes before your friends pick you up to go to a convention, you might actually be able to pull this off with stuff around the house. Carl, the morally questionable neighbor of the protagonists, is an iconic fan favorite from the former Adult Swim show.
Get a tank top and really disrespect it with as many stains as you can manage. After that get a pair of pants that don’t really fit you that well and throw on some light green sandals and you are about there! As for the hair, shave the top of your head (or buy a wig more preferably) and throw on a tasteful mustache.
Hank Hill (King of The Hill)
The quietly intelligent Hank Hill is a sleeper hit pick for cosplayers looking to pin down a character with a “dad bod”. Hank Hill has a very squared haircut and typically wears a white shirt, and blue jeans, and is usually seen with an Alamo beer can in his left hand.
This is another simpler outfit that is for the more laidback cosplayer, as most of the items needed can be found already in your closet. Thankfully, however, he has become such a recognizable figure in western entertainment that you will surely get several knowing nods with this simplistic choice.
The Thing (Marvel Comics)
Most of us have seen this costume done incredibly well, but also handled in a hilariously simplistic manner. The bulky brawler of the Fantastic Four, the Thing is a costume that is likely going to take a bit of time to be done well. That doesn’t mean you can’t just throw some padding underneath an orange shirt and draw black lines on it, however.
You will probably be able to find several different outfits for the thing ranging from cheaply made to impressive “mascot-like” costumes. Just keep in mind this is an outfit that will likely get hot the longer you stay in it (especially in warmer climates) so keep hydrated and consider a place you know will have good ventilation.
Conclusion
Cosplay is only going to become bigger and more popular as conventions begin to spread throughout the globe. With the increase in popularity, we are seeing several different masterful variations on popular choices and many unique outfits we have never seen before!
There are a few thousand ideas that you can do, but this group of choices will get you on the right track!
