The Earth Kingdom Avatar was the eldest and fiercest of Avatars. Her legacy continues with these Avatar Kyoshi cosplays!
Avatar: The Last Airbender is the franchise that keeps on giving. The original anime was so popular it spawned a series of graphic novels, then a movie, and now a live-action reboot. The show has gained in popularity in recent years after its re-release on Netflix in May of 2020, and the new movie is finally coming! Today, we’re featuring ATLA‘sAvatar Kyoshi cosplays!
In the world of Avatar, Aang’s predecessor, Kyoshi, came before the great Master Roku. She hailed from the Earth Kingdom, abandoned by her parents (members of the Flying Opera Company), and adopted into the southwestern region of the kingdom. She endured many hardships during her youth, which served to forge her core of steel which she became famous for as an adult.
During Kyoshi’s tenure as the Avatar, she conquered many foes and brought stability to her kingdom. Once she mastered the Avatar state, Kyoshi brought balance between the four nations. Kyoshi became a bisexual icon for fans of the series, advocating for acceptance in the conservative Earth kingdom. Though it had little effect at the time, she eventually began training women in self-defense—a practice that would far outlive her.
Today, Kyoshi is a shining example of strong, dynamic character development which appeals to so many cosplayers. Like this week’s Kaeya feature, Kyoshi cosplayers come in a myriad of sizes, presentations, and orientations.
It’s a refreshing sight to behold. As we prepare to see Yvonne Chapman take on the live-action role of Kyoshi in the upcoming show, please enjoy these delightful and dynamic Avatar Kyoshi cosplays!
“Nope! Gonna cut you off right there. The last time I listened to a Firebender talk about ‘honor’ my ears nearly rotted off my skull. Had to kick him out of my bed with both feet.”
“All this fretting about the spirits. I’m trying to teach you about the mind. An infinite world that’s been neglected by far too many explorers.”
“Where you go, I go. Besides, there’s only one bison, rocks-for-brains.”
“It’ll never get easier. If you had a strict rule, maybe, to always show mercy or always punish, you could use it as a shield to protect your spirit. But that would be distancing yourself from your duty.”
“Determining the fates of others on a case-by-case basis, considering the infinite combinations of circumstance, will wear on you like rain on the mountain.”
“You will never be perfectly fair, and you will never be truly correct,”
“Preparedness carries the day.”
“They look at themselves like forces of nature, as inevitable ends, but they’re not. Their depth is as false as the shoals at low tide. They twist the meaning of justice to absolve themselves of conscience.”
“With their eyes on each other, it was easy to be brave. Maybe that’s the only way we get through this, Kyoshi thought. Just never look away.”
Join us next week for more cosplay coverage!
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Jennifer aka "Mayhem's Muse" is the Cosplay Editor for BoLS and manages Ad Sales and Communications. Her cosplay awards include the RTX Judge's Choice Award and Dragon's Lair Austin's Cosplay Symposium.
Jennifer has been a Cosplay Guest Judge at RTX, Tacticon and Genghis Con in Colorado. She regularly attends conventions to cover cosplay for BoLS. Her cosplay work has been featured in publications such as Girls Who Love Monsters, Geek Fuel, and Renaissance Magazine. Jennifer has modeled in the Her Universe Fashion Show, Precision Camera's yearly Precision Camera University, and has taught several workshops for photographers about partnering with cosplayers and creative muses/models.
Jennifer is a lifelong enthusiast of retro video games and loves Dungeons & Dragons, urban fantasy, tabletop games, VR technology, and historical archery. She has set National Records through USA Archery’s Traditional Division for Asiatic Bows and earned 4th Place in the World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan in 2018 for Women’s Korean Archery. Jennifer is currently studying for her Masters's Degree in Organizational Leadership.