Quality cosplay takes a lot of time and effort.
But even if you haven't been working on your Pikachu costume since last year's Comic Con, that doesn't mean you can't throw together a great costume based on your favorite Pokémon.
See also: 10 Questions With the Director of 'Pokémon X and Y'
Just remember, perfecting your Poké-call is the crucial difference between passing as Charmander and a very orange lizard.
Throw on a green backpack and make sure a few power cords are dangling out.
Use red contacts if you have them lying around, or just think really hard about seeing the blood of your enemies and see what happens.
An orange onesie would be ideal, but an orange hoodie tucked into orange sweatpants can work as well.
Most importantly, hold a lighter just below your mouth at all times.
A round trashcan duct-taped to a backpack can easily become a shell. Bonus points if you wear it with a mint green turtleneck.
Then, you just need a pair of shades to really complete the look.
Take a basic black cat headband, and wrap yellow electrical tape halfway around each ear.
Then, place red circle labels (or lipstick) on each cheek. Draw a lightning bolt in the center of each circle.
Jigglypuff is all about the layers. After you've made yourself as puffy as possible, throw on an ankle-length pink tee. Use mascara and brightening eye shadow to make your eyes big as possible.
Wear nothing special but a name tag reading Ditto. If anyone questions it, you know they're not a real Pokemon fan.
Paint the lenses of sunglasses red, then pair with Dollar Store fairy wings. Voila.
Pop in a pair of plastic vampire teeth for snake fangs. Then, all you need is a friend to bind your arms to your body and your legs together with purple duct tape.
Take a red solo cup, a cut elastic band, and some imagination, and you have a beak.
To create the wings, pin a brown feather boa to the arms of a tan hoodie.
Pair fairy wings with a blue ski mask pulled over your eyes, but leave your mouth uncovered.
The most difficult part of this costume is finding someone who is willing to lead you around all day.
Break out the cat headband, draw whiskers on your face with eye liner. Then, duct tape a Pringle to the center of your forehead.
Image: Flickr, Viernest