Convention season 2026 has finally begun, and that means Kotaku‘s intrepid photography friends Mineralblu awaken from their hibernation and return to the halls of cosplay. First up for 2026 is this year’s Katsucon, the three-day event that takes place near Washington, DC, celebrating fans, entertainment and Japanese culture. And a new year brings a whole new range of cosplay themes.
Katsucon, which describes itself as “for multicultural enthusiasts,” takes place each year in the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of DC, and has been running in some form since 1995. It’s one of the smaller, more intimate events on the cosplay calendar, but still pulls in guests like My Hero Academia‘s Justin Briner and Date a Live‘s Michelle Rojas. And of course the cosplayers, with a large Saturday Masquerade on the first night of the event, and a lower-key event for those who would like their fits judged without having to parade on stage.
2025 was packed with outfits based on Marvel Rivals, Overwatch, Arcane, and always Elden Ring, but those are all pushed aside for our first outing of 2026. They make way for Dispatch, Expedition 33, and It Takes Two. Oh, and even Peak! But worry not, we’re sure the others will inevitably return, and old faithfuls like Naruto, Zelda and League of Legends make their customary appearances. Scroll on for Mineralblu’s picks of the best pics, starting out with two incredible fits from Dispatch.
Blonde Blazer – Dispatch
Malevola – Dispatch
Aliens
Turbo Granny – Dandadan
Expedition 33
Doomslayer – Doom
Rodimus Prime – Transformers
Lux – League of Legends
Link – The Legend of Zelda
Hinata, Sakura & Ino – Naruto
Naruto – Naruto
Hyaku Shiki – Gundam Zeta
Riyo – Gachiakuta
KPop Demon Hunters
Predator
May & Cody – It Takes Two
Peak
