Armin Arlert Costume Analysis

By Skywing Knights // July 20, 2023

“Willpower alone isn’t enough in battle.” – Armin Arlert

I’m back again with another cosplay construction analysis! And yes, we’re sticking with “Attack on Titan.” 😉 I’ve been told though that I pull off blonde characters well, so, perhaps since this little cinna-muffin is a blonde, you’ll forgive me, haha. That’s right, we’re talking about Armin Arlert today, ladies and gents! 😀

This wasn’t my first cosplay from “Attack on Titan” (That was actually Eren, lol), nor was it one that I expected to do, nor be able to do well. Armin actually grew on me as a character over time. I loved how in the midst of chaos, he always somehow remained insightful. Isayama would often use him as a gateway to draw in the audience and to point out the sheer horror of why something was as scary as it was. And it wasn’t necessarily just the titans – and I loved the perceptiveness that he brought to the table through Armin.

Still, this did leave me in a pickle. I’ve never really attempted ‘cute’ characters so much, unless they were girls (note, I don’t include ikeman in that ‘cute’ definition though, haha), since I’ve never felt I’ve had the face for it. And Armin is primarily… cute in appearance (aside when he goes a little psycho…). So that left me with a conundrum of how to do Armin justice. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that I wanted my version of Armin to retain the awkwardness, but embrace the look of a teenager who has been put in the middle of a war. And… to my surprise, I ended up really liking this result!

So, let’s talk about Armin, shall we?

 

Character Summary:

The third of the Shiganshina Trio, what Armin lacks in strength, he makes up for with his mind. Astoundingly brilliant, Armin has been a key player in calculating plans for Eren, Levi, and the rest of the Survey Corps in order to defeat the Titans. Though as a result, what Armin fears most is becoming a burden. What he doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for him, humanity might not even still be standing.

And frankly, I couldn’t agree more, which is why I just had to cosplay as him.

 

Costume Specs:

Character: Armin Arlert

Series: “Attack on Titan” / 進撃の巨人 (Shingeki no Kyojin)

Creator: Hajime Isayama

Version: Anime Survey Corps Uniform

Difficulty Level: 25%

Cosplayer: SkywingKnights

Photographer: Tsukasa325

Completed: 2015

Debut Date: September 27th, 2015

 

“It’s easy to make a decision if you already know what the outcome will be.”

 

Construction on Armin Arlert

Armin Arlert’s outfit was a modification of Erwin Smith‘s, with the primary change being in his make up and wig. His hair was thankfully, pretty basic – a basic bowl cut. Because of that, I essentially had a very easy wig to work on. (As I was so done after Sebastian’s wig, I was happy to have something easy to work on at the time.)

In contrast to Erwin, I went for a more ‘shota’ or youngish boy look I suppose. Ultimately, the whole process was fun and much easier Erwin that’s for sure, haha.

 

View my Armin Arlert Cosplay

in my Cosplay Gallery:

 

“People who have the ability to change this world all, without exception, have the guts to abandon what is precious to them.”

 

Personal Thoughts:

For so many reasons, I really adore Armin. As a result, he’s one of my favorites from the series. Moreover, I admire his determination to do the harder things in life, even if he may not always be physically well suited for the part. (Which honestly though, even if he’s just average for a Survey Corps member, that’s still plenty strong “IRL” right?

That is to say, this kid is literally comparing himself to the likes of those such as Mikasa, so not fair…). Above all, I think Armin has a good heart. As can be seen through out the show, he wants to be there for his friends and is willing to sacrifice his own safety for their’s. In short, that’s a rare quality to have and a special one to possess, making Armin Arlert a stand-out character from the series.

Till next time,

~Skywing