Unless you're an anime fan who's been living under a rock, you're familiar with Death Note. This psychological thriller follows intelligent high school student Light Yagami, who discovers a mysterious black notebook. This notebook is actually a Death Note, and if your name is written down in it, you will die. Light begins to use the book to kill high profile criminals in an attempt to create a utopia. A death god, or shinigami, named Ryuk visits Light and reveals he dropped it onto Earth for his own amusement.
Although Ryuk is invisible to everyone else except the owner of his Death Note, that's probably for the best. Ryuk looks absolutely terrifying at nearly seven feet with giant black wings and bright yellow eyes. Despite the complex design, fans enjoy cosplaying the iconic shinigami. And we have to admit the only terrifying thing is how well they pull it off! In no particular order, here are 10 Ryuk cosplays that look just like the anime, including a few with some unique twists.
10 Ryuk Makeup
What people can do with makeup is impressive, and Tessa Hilliard (IG: sweetchildomakeup) works to impress. This Ryuk makeup looks exactly like the anime; we had to do a double-take to make sure this wasn't a piece of fan art. She lists the products in the caption so other artists can do their own recreation. Although she doesn't use just makeup products. Tessa used card stock to make his spiked-up hairdo and earring, with shading to add realism. She also used liquid latex and cotton balls on her chin to capture his long face. That's genius.
9 Hipster Ryuk
Ryuk liked apples before it was mainstream. Dodory (IG: dodoryco) gives us a fresh take on Ryuk with their "hipster Ryuk." Even with more casual fashion elements, it's still recognizable as Ryuk. This is due to classic markers, such as the emblem on the belt and the feather wings. We personally like the ripped skirt and lined black tights. Those are the features that showcase hipster fashion but also invoke Ryuk's aesthetic. We wonder what Dodory is writing in the Death Note. Maybe the hipster version of Ryuk would write down the name of their least favorite barista.
8 Plague Ryuk
Since he is a god of death, it would make sense for Ryuk to be a Plague Doctor. You could even consider the Death Note as a type of plague. This cosplayer (IG: plague_ryuk) marries the traditional plague doctor mask with elements from Ryuk's outfit. The plague mask looks awesome, and it's a signature for this particular cosplayer. For instance, they have the shinigami wings as well as the black feather tunic. And of course, they're holding a bowl of apples, which we know Ryuk loves.
7 Intrigued Ryuk
This Ryuk cosplay by Daniel (IG: clownkind) is fantastic. Accessories such as the feather shoulder pads and studded bracelets are perfect, invoking his rockstar inspired design. The makeup and hair are on point too.
The upward direction of the black streaks elongate his face, making it more demonic. This photo was taken by Spacey (IG: spaceyphotography). We wonder what Ryuk is thinking about. Whose name is written in the Death Note this time?
6 SFX Ryuk
Wow! Consider us impressed by this Ryuk cosplay donned by Yumit Cosplay (IG: yumit_cosplay). The latex mask adds the three-dimensional concept to the two-dimensional anime, quite literally bringing the shinigami to life. And the cosplayer constructed and painted the mask himself, alongside the hair and the rest of the outfit. According to another post, he scared three children while getting photographed in the woods. That means this cosplay is doing its job, and honestly, we'd run in the other direction, too, if we saw this in the wild.
5 Fem! Ryuk
LaineyCat (IG: lainey.cat) looks drop-dead gorgeous (pun totally intended) as a female version of Ryuk. She takes Ryuk's design and makes it her own. The corset adds a feminine touch, but still fits in with Ryuk's gothic aesthetic. The lighter makeup and different hairstyle suits this version, with the correct color palette, but a look that's more pretty than frightening. This photograph is credited to Sean Price (IG: s1price_lightworks).
4 Ryuk and Rem
Ryuk and Rem have never looked so menacing...menacingly good, that is. These two Italian cosplayers (IG: iosonocosplay_) pull off awesome renditions of the two shinigamis from the series. Rem is the shinigami who gives Misa Amane the Death Note that saved her life. While Ryuk is amused by humans, Rem views them with contempt. She even risks her life to protect Misa. But it makes sense for Ryuk and Rem to team up, as they aren't like most shinigami. This photo was taken by Andrea Mallozzi (IG: andreamallozzi).
3 Travel Ryuk
What would happen if the Death Note landed in Russia and not Japan? Or maybe if Ryuk decided to travel the world after the Kira Investigation?
Whether we consider an alternate universe or sightseeing, we are floored by this cosplayer (IG: p0takus). It is incredible how much the mask resembles the character as if the Takeshi Obata drew it himself. The attention to detail is impeccable, as everything on the costume is exactly like the show. He's even hunched over like Ryuk, committing to the character. With an apple in his hand, of course, because the gods of death love apples.
2 Gothic Ryuk
This rendition of Ryuk done by this cosplayer (IG: monsters_cosplay) is so good, it's scary. Or perhaps so scary that it's good, because this is a Gothic re-imagining of the character. The added volume in the wings and hair make the silhouette larger and more intimidating. Changes in the makeup blend both Ryuk's look and the traditional Gothic look. Not everything has been changed, though, such as the earring and outfit. While this is only a subtle alternate version, we really like it.
1 Classic Ryuk
Simon (IG: simons.aliens) gives us chills with this outstanding Ryuk cosplay. Every single aspect of it is polished and impeccable. As per his caption, he learned many new techniques to create it, such as worbla sculpting, detail stitching, and monster makeup. We can say with certainty that it paid off. And we're so happy he achieved his dream cosplay! The photo and edit were done by Neo Lynn Photography (IG: neolynnphotography).