It’s common to see characters grow emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually. But, seeing characters transform into an older more mature version of themselves is always a treat. This only happens a few times in anime as many characters stay the same size and age throughout the series. Occasionally, the creators treat us with the adult or teenage version of some of our favorite characters. Today I want to look at a few of these characters as I think they would be great parent and child cosplays. Just imagine, your son or daughter is the younger version of your adult costume. Definitely something I would like to see.
Goku
First up we have Goku. Goku graced us with his child form in both dragon ball and dragon ball GT, but we don’t talk about the later. Anyways, Goku fully transformed from his childlike form into the amazing badass that we have all grown to love in the Piccolo junior saga. I have to say I did not enjoy his smaller form as there was something about a small child beating grown men that irked me. I’m glad they eventually moved away from this form and transformed Goku into the legendary super Saiyan that we have today.
Simon
Simon was actually not that bad looking as a child. He was extremely energetic and full of hope and wonder. Now that I think about it, I don’t think I would have mined Simon staying a child throughout the entire Gurren Lagann series. But once they graced us with his adult form, there was simply no going back. A little bit of Simons wonder and passion died along with Kamina and I feel it was appropriate to transform him into an adult version. His urge to be more like Kamina definitely showed as he aged and of course with his attire. Still one of my favorite series to date.
Naruto
You know I had to include the 9 tailed jinchuriki on the list. Naruto has actually gone through several transformations but I would have to say I hoped he would look more like his dad. The Yellow Flash was definitely easy on the eyes and I guess Naruto inherited a bit more of his mother’s looks than I hoped. But that’s ok as his adult version isn’t the worse. My personal favorite was his Shippuden look. He was still at that in-between age where he was discovering himself while looking for approval and this made him appear both confident and needy at the same time.
Edward Elric
There’s no doubt that the Full Metal Alchemist could not have become the handsome young man he is now without his traumatic past. Aside from the fact that it was terrible and no child should ever go through this, his metal arm actually looks rather badass. He also decided to grow out his hair which is a win. The Red Coat goes extremely well with his yellow hair and black pants. He of course also developed that rock-solid six-pack which I’m sure gives some added protection from those gut punches every anime character seems to receive.
Coby
To be honest, I did not recognize this character when they re-introduced him. His original artwork was so bad that I did everything I could to forget it. I see Coby took this opinion to heart as he came back a whole new man. I mean this character absolutely blew up. He grew into that huge head and ditched the weakling attitude. As if this wasn’t enough, he had to go and get a badass forehead scar witch he certainly did not acquire as a result of doing something peaceful. I tip my hat to you sir and hope that I will age as graceful as you did.
Natsu Dragneel
Similar to Goku, Natsu Dragneel is an absolute badass that looks and is much stronger as an adult. Now I won’t go as far as to say I didn’t like his younger form but it’s just not what id imagine for a dragon slayer. As an adult, he decided to rock a black vest, parachute looking pants and of course that iconic scarf. Although I think his outfit isn’t the most impressive in the anime world, it seems to clash well with his red fire spells and salmon-colored hair. No matter you’re apparel taste, you have to admit Natsu Dragneel is one sharp character as an adult.
Shanks
I don’t know how you could forget that traumatic moment when this awesome pirate sacrificed his arm to save our upcoming pirate king Luffy. Although this moment was epic, I’m sure a lot fewer people paid attention to Shanks appearance. He was much less defined and wasn’t even drawn with any peach fuzz on his face. As he grew older, shanks sported his awesome 3 slash scars on his eyes and of course didn’t let his handicap slow him. I mean hell the man is one of the 4 emperors of the sea so that just goes to show any dream is possible with determination.
Kakashi Hatake
Next up we have the copy ninja himself. I know everyone loves this character and I always see him cosplayed at conventions but you know who you don’t see? Any takers? That’s right his younger version. Of course, I’m sure there are people that do cosplay as young Kakashi because it looked great for its time. But then, Masashi Kishimoto had to go and create his badass adult form. He constantly covers his secret weapon and is a man of few words. I believe this added to his mystery throughout the series while also making him intriguing. It’s rare for me to not see a Kakashi cosplay at a convention. His awesome older appearance simply speaks for itself.
General Iroh
I’m not sure if a lot of people will agree with me on this but General Iroh looked awesome in his old age. The flashbacks throughout the series that depicts his younger form did not appeal to me. I’m not sure if it was his appearance or amazing personality that really did it for me but either way, I prefer his aged look. To add to his already amazing attire, he went and got buff while locked up! This was basically a cherry on top of an already phenomenal ice cream cone. I was fortunate enough to meet a cosplayer dressed as General Iroh at Anime Weekend Atlanta. All he did was sit, tell stories, and hand out tea. It was one of the best experiences I have ever been graced to encounter.
Master Roshi
Last but not least we have Master Roshi. This character did a complete 180 and looks nothing like his original self. He now walks around appearing to be a feeble old man but is actually an utter badass. In his youth, he could be seen sporting a purple suit with dark hair and shades. Well, I’m super glad that time helped him ditch this look as his grey hair and wife-beater look much better. Like General Iroh, he faced aging head-on and came out on top.
Getting to view characters age is certainly a bonus. Knowing that characters are also facing the reality of getting older makes them all the more relatable. Some series such as Naruto and One Piece went on for a while and seeing the characters grow was much appreciated. I really hope they bring back hunter x hunter as I would love to see adult Gon wreak havoc across the battlefield. Thanks so much for checking out my site. To see more awesome cosplay news feel free to click HERE! Also, check out my YouTube channel as it features some great cosplayers. Until next time, stay BOUNDLESS!!!
