Pokemon cosplayer defends Cerulean City as Gym Leader Misty

A Pokemon cosplayer made waves on Instagram after sharing her adorable transformation into popular Kanto Gym Leader, Misty.

Making her debut in Pokemon Red & Blue in 1996, Misty has gone on to become one of the series’ most popular characters. The Water-type Trainer was even one of the anime’s main protagonists for a handful of seasons.

A talented cosplayer celebrated the beloved heroine by bringing her to life with an insanely accurate costume. The artist looks so much like the character, it’s almost as if the Gym Leader has swam out of the screen.

Game Freak / The Pokemon Company

The red-haired Gym Leader is still one of the most popular characters in the Pokemon franchise.

Pokemon cosplayer becomes true-to-life Misty

Many fans were first introduced to Misty as the second Gym Leader in the Game Freak RPGs on the Nintendo Game Boy. Players had to face off with the fierce Water-type user after entering Cerulean City.

Throughout the anime, she often held a Togepi in her arms, which cosplayer Neko ‘nekkiracosplay‘ re-created with her insanely accurate costume. The artist transformed into the Pokemon heroine in an Instagram post on February 5.

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She faithfully captured the character’s classic look, which includes a yellow tank top and red suspenders which clip to her jean shorts. Tying the whole thing together, she included an adorable plush of the Johto egg Pokemon.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKeu8fvDlL8/

Neko-Kira-Sama gave viewers another look at just how accurate her portrayal of the Gym Leader actually is in a second close-up shot posted to her social media.

Not only does the cosplayer nail Misty’s red-hair, she also mirrors the character’s striking blue eyes. The artist mirrored her signature pose from the anime by throwing up a peace sign with her hand.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CK6sTSZj9az/

While no longer a main character in the RPGs, Misty was featured in the 2018 Gen I remake Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee. The iconic character has also made an appearance in the anime, as well as several films.

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In 2021, Pokemon is gearing up to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Despite being decades old, the Nintendo series has never been more popular, and is the now the highest-grossing media franchise of all time.