Pokemon Sword & Shield cosplayer becomes Spikemuth’s Gym Leader Marnie

A Pokemon Sword & Shield cosplayer created shockwaves on Instagram after showcasing her epic true-to-life take on Gen 8 rival Marnie.

Pokemon Trainers were whisked away to the Galar region for its eighth generation title Sword & Shield. The Nintendo Switch RPG introduced players to new features such as Dynamaxing and online Raid battles.

Fans can’t seem to get enough of the series’ latest rival, Marnie. A talented cosplayer celebrated the heroine by transforming into the character and bringing her hometown Spikemuth to life.

Game Freak / The Pokemon Company

The new rival introduced in Sword & Shield has been a major hit with Pokemon fans.

Pokemon cosplayer’s real life Marnie

In Gen VIII, players face off against two rivals throughout the story. However, it is Marnie who has stolen the hearts of many fans. The Dark-type Trainer heralds from the small town of Spikemuth and has her own fan club called Team Yell.

Renowned Chinese cosplayer ‘kitaro_cos‘ shared her insanely accurate take on the Sword & Shield heroine on Instagram. The talented artist posed in Marnie’s iconic leather jacket and pink pleated dress, as photographer ‘qt1234321‘ captured her against an epic backdrop of neon lights.

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The stunning picture truly brings the RPG to life as the location they used for the photoshoot could easily be mistaken for one of Spikemuth’s many lit up backstreets. Kitaro perfectly mirrors the Galar rival’s battle stance with a Pokeball in hand.

In another shot posted to social media, Kitaro adorably posed with a detailed Morpeko plush. The dual-type ‘mon never leaves Marnie’s side and switches into an angry version after being hit. The cosplayer’s outfit is bursting with many details from the game, from her black choker to her twin ponytail hair – this is easily one of the best re-creations of the character we have ever seen.

Fans of the Spikemuth rival are in luck as the Dark-type Trainer actually makes another appearance in Sword & Shield’s second DLC, The Crown Tundra. Players can team up with the popular character in the new Galarian Star tournament.

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Despite only releasing a year ago in November 2019, the eighth generation title is already the third highest-selling release in the entire franchise. Proof that Pokemon is as popular as it’s ever been – even decades after its debut in 1996.