Valley residents packed Steele Indian School Park this past weekend for Arizona Matsuri, the two-day festival of Japanese culture.
This year’s event, which took place on Feb. 21 and 22, was filled with vibrant sights and activities. One of the more attention-grabbing aspects of Arizona Matsuri, which features taiko drumming, traditional dance and bustling vendor rows, were the colorful looks that many attendees were wearing. Dozens of local cosplayers roamed the park in elaborate outfits inspired by anime, manga and video games, turning the celebration into a living comic con.
Arizona Matsuri’s annual cosplay contest featured dozens on participants, each dressed it colorful and imaginative costumes.
Local cosplayer giolilies.cos poses as Bruno Bucciarati from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure at Arizona Matsuri 2026 in Phoenix.
This year’s crop of costume-wearing attendees at Arizona Matsuri included all the staples of anime cosplay. There were multiple people dressed as characters from the hit series “One Piece,” as well as other anime stand-bys as “Pokemon” and games like “The Legend of Zelda.”
Elsewhere in the park, fans posed for photos, traded compliments on detailed stitching and foam armor, and swapped recommendations on the latest shows. Some costumes were playful and improvised. Others were painstakingly screen-accurate, complete with oversized weapons and gharly-looking accessories.
For many attendees, dressing up is part of the ritual. It’s a way to celebrate the pop culture that introduced them to Japanese language, art and storytelling in the first place. And at Arizona Matsuri, that fandom energy blends seamlessly with tradition, creating a weekend where centuries-old customs and modern obsessions share the same stage.
Here’s a look at the best costumes and cosplay at Arizona Matsuri 2026
Tempe cosplayer and model Aila Link, left, as Princess Peach, and Mesa cosplayer Steven Reed as Luigi.
Benjamin Leatherman
Eli Morris of Chandler took second place for his fun cosplay of Crocodile from “One Piece” during the costume contest on the second day of Arizona Matsuri.
Benjamin Leatherman
A group of cosplayer friends dressed as characters from the game “Demon Slayer,” including, clockwise from left, Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, Kyojuro Rengoku, Muichiro Tokito, Mitsuri Kanroji and Shinobu Kochō.
Benjamin Leatherman
Nathan Whitmer of Gilbert as Link from “The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.”
Arizona cosplayer Gen Panicker as a character from the 2021 fantasy anime “Belle.”
Benjamin Leatherman
Surprise resident Micayla Lessi as K.K. Slider from the Nintendo game series “Animal Crossing.”
Benjamin Leatherman
Local cosplayers Daniel Krupela, center, Arabella Noire, left, and her cousin Fae portrayed the Forger family from the Japanese web manga series “Spy x Family.”
Benjamin Leatherman
Bret McLaughlin of Riverside, California, as Master Roshi from “Dragon Ball Z.”
Surprise resident Zack Bodnar wore this fantastic cosplay of Sogeking from “One Piece” at Arizona Matsuri 2026.
Benjamin Leatherman
Arizona cosplayer Tatyanna portrays Wanderer from the video game “Genshin Impact.”
Benjamin Leatherman
Phoenix resident Ruby Redding at Cell from “Dragon Ball Z.”
Benjamin Leatherman
Local comedian and cosplayer “Uncle” Yuhki Kanetani portrayed Okarun, the protagonist of the anime and manga “Dandadan,” during the second day of Arizona Matsuri.
These friends portrayed Japanese Vocaloids Kagamine Len, left, Megurine Luka, center, and Hatsune Miku at Arizona Matsuri 2026.
Benjamin Leatherman
Local cosplayers Sora McLeod, left, as Monkey D. Luffy; Psylaw, center, as Trafalgar D. Water Law; and Brayden Larson as Roronoa Zoro from the popular anime “One Piece.”
Benjamin Leatherman
This Ash Ketchum cosplayer wants to be the very best.
Benjamin Leatherman
Local cosplayer Lionel Flores as Doma from the anime series “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.”
Benjamin Leatherman
Tyler Denison of Surprise as Gregor from the video game “Limbus Company.”
Benjamin Leatherman
Valley residents Kevin Do, left, portrayed Beidou from “Genshin Impact,” while Shay Hatsune portrayed an original character inspired by various kitsune spirits.
Benjamin Leatherman
Local resident Bingo Mason dressed vibrantly for Arizona Matsuri 2026.
Benjamin Leatherman
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Benjamin Leatherman is a staff writer for Phoenix New Times where he focuses primarily on arts, culture, music and nightlife. He joined New Times in 2003. Prior to that, he contributed to magazines such as Tips & Tricks and The Wrestler. Benjamin has earned multiple awards from the Arizona Press Club including an award for sports enterprise reporting in 2009 and an award for statewide arts reporting in 2014. He holds a bachelor’s of arts in journalism from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Culture Editor Jennifer Goldberg
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