GENERAL COSTUME & COSPLAY CONTEST RULES

• Costumes from both Japanese and western media are allowed. This includes anime, manga, video games, comic books or film adaptations, and etc. Costumes outside these categories require pre-approval.

• Costumes larger than a standard door frame require pre-approval.

• Only one entry allowed per person.

• Participation in the craftsman portion of the competition includes going before judges during a scheduled time slot as well as walking across the stage during the Anime Magic! Cosplay Contest event.

• Participants cannot compete wearing a cosplay they have previously been awarded best in show or first place in any competition at the master level.

• Do not wear or use anything that will damage, destroy, or ruin the costume(s) of other attendants or the hotel space.

• Costumes must be self-contained. No connections to electricity, water, amps, projection, PA’s, etc. will be provided nor available.

• Contestants are encouraged to notify Anime Magic if their costume has restricted movement, vision, or is otherwise bulky so we can best accommodate you.

• Contestants are also encouraged to inform Anime Magic if they themselves have any physical or visual impairments that would require accommodations for walking on stage.

WEAPONS AND EFFECTS POLICY

Those found to be in violation of these rules will be reprimanded.

• Live steel is not allowed. This includes real swords, knives, blades, guns, etc. Prop blades must be fake and dull.

• No real weapons whatsoever, including airsoft guns. Prop weapons must be obviously fake. Prop firearms must have an orange tip with no projectiles loaded. All ranged weapons may not be tightly strung. Ammunition may not be carried onstage.

• Live projectiles are not allowed. Objects may not be thrown into the audience.

• Replicas may not be pointed in the direction of another human being.

• Fire, flames, explosives, flash powder, smoke, lasers, etc. are not allowed. Electronic flashes are only permitted with pre-approval.

• No smoke or vapor of any kind will be allowed.

PERMISSIONS

By entering the Anime Magic! Cosplay Contest, I give permission to Anime Magic! and its designees to photograph and/or video record my costume and performance and to use these photographs and videos as the convention sees fit. I also attest that I am eligible to compete as per the Anime Magic! Cosplay Contest rules and that all information on the entry form is true and correct.

I also hereby acknowledge that I will be asked to sign a copy of this entry form at the Anime Magic! Cosplay Contest check-in at the convention. If I am under the age of 18 years old, I understand that I must have a legal guardian present to sign the paper copy of this form at the convention.

By submitting this waiver, I acknowledge that I have read and understood the rules and guidelines established and posted by Anime Magic!

STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR

• All participants must be registered attendees of Anime Magic!

• All costumes must conform to convention, jurisdiction, and state guidelines for public decency. Shoes are required.

• Profanity and obscene and/or lewd gestures are simply not allowed.

• Costumes and presentation shall not be used as a political, religious, etc. statement.

• Surprises are not allowed. Participants shall not jump off the stage.

• Participants must complete the registration form and sign the waiver to participate.

• Anime Magic! reserves the right to have the final word on all decisions.

SHOWCASE

Our Showcase division is for everyone! This is a fun showcase of everything cosplay. It does not require any pre-judging. Anyone is welcome to participate who would like to simply show off their costume to the crowd. We welcome OCs, closet cosplay, mash-ups, store-bought costumes, and anything else that adheres to the rules. Our Showcase division has some fun prize categories as well!

CRAFTSMANSHIP

Our Craftsmanship division is for crafting cosplayers who would like to compete based on the merit of their craftsmanship and requires pre-judging. Cosplayers in this category must have made at least 70% of their costume and adhere to all Craftsmanship rules.

SHOWCASE RULES

• Must be available during the show

• Store bought costumes, mash-ups, and anything you can dream up is allowed as long as it follows the general rules!

• Original Characters are welcome and encouraged!

CRAFTSMANSHIP RULES

• 70% of the costume must be hand-made or modified to be considered

• Must be available for pre-judging and available during the show

  • NOTE: More details on scheduling and times will be communicated closer to the event date. If you have a cosplay that requires significant “getting ready time” (like hours of body paint), we will work with you to accommodate.

• Must not have won in previous Master Cosplay competitions

• Must provide references for your cosplay build

• Original Characters are not allowed

AWARDS (Craftsmanship only)

• Craftsmanship

  • 1st, 2nd, 3rd Place

• Best Textile

• Best Prop

• Best Special Effects
  
  

  AWARDS - (Showcase & Craftsmanship)

• Best Beach-Themed cosplay (2025’s con theme!)

• Best Stage Presence

• Crowd Favorite

• Most Innovative Physical Build

• Most Innovative Character Build

• President’s Award

Physical rewards to be revealed closer to the date of the event. Rewards typically consist of trophies, sponsor provided merchandise, Anime Magic! perks, etc.

By participating in any cosplay competition at Anime Magic!, you authorize the convention to take your photograph and video. This media may be used for reference by the judges and staff when determining a winner or for promotional/commercial use by the convention.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact Anime Magic! staff.

• This is my first time making a cosplay, and you don’t have a Novice category! What am I supposed to do?

The Craftsmanship Competition experience is open to all regardless of level as long as you abide by the rules! There may not be an award for “Best Novice Crafter”, but you will still get a chance to meet judges, receive a feedback card on your work, and your efforts may be recognized through one of the other award categories!

• Many other cosplay contests have tiers for craftsmanship level. Why don’t you?

Cosplay crafters come from vastly different experience backgrounds. A crafter that has never competed before but has much experience in crafting would logistically have to enter the novice category despite not truly being a novice at their craft. By eliminating tiers and encouraging all crafters to compete together, we hope to foster a community of artisans that lift each other up and encourage one another to try new things! Craftsmanship tiers help manage large scale shows. AM! is still a growing con, and the inclusion of the common 3 tiered categories creates an impact on show execution and timing.

Other cons have tiers to give everyone a space to experience the event; AM! is doing this by:

- Keeping crafting competition open to all skill and experience levels
- Introducing the “Showcase” section of the event that is focused on cosplay community
- Creating craft-specific awards to encourage contestants to try out new skills

• How will judging work in a fair way without subdivisions?

All craftsmanship judges will be capable of giving adequate feedback to participants they will be judging.  Every contestant will receive a feedback card from our judges! We’re asking them to specify things that are enhancing the cosplay, things that are detracting from the cosplay, and a suggestion on what can be done to help improve the cosplay for future competition! All judges will be assessing each cosplay with the same rubric. This ensures that every contestant will have their work reviewed on a level playing field. Judges will also have rubrics pertinent to our craft-specific awards.

• I really wanted a chance to win an award but my crafting skills aren’t so great. Is there an award for me?

Yes, we are so excited about all the awards this year that celebrate the cosplay community! We encourage you to check out the awards section for more information. Besides crafting, you’ll find rewards also based on stage presence, theming, innovation, etc.

• Why is there a non-competitive Showcase category? Why not use that time for other competitive tiers?

Our goal with the AM! Masquerade is to celebrate cosplayers from all backgrounds. The Showcase category is all-inclusive and helpful for participants that are simply looking for stage experience or want to be a part of such a special event without the pressure of competition.

• I want a specific audio track in the background during my stage walk-on. Who do I contact for this?

We will be reaching out to all participants who’ve signed up closer to the show to gather this info.

• What does “OC” mean?

It stands for “Original Character”! This is a character created by a fan rather than an official part of the original anime, manga, or game. OC’s are often made for fan fiction, fan art, roleplays, or just for fun! They can exist in the world of an existing series or be completely unique with their own backstory, personality, and powers. Many fans enjoy making OC’s to explore creative ideas or imagine themselves in their favorite anime universes and we are excited to welcome them in our Cosplay Showcase.

• What is a closet cosplay?

It’s a costume created using everyday clothes and items (from your closet or a thrift store) rather than custom-made outfits or elaborate builds.

• When will pre-judging times be?

TBD. This will be communicated to contestants of the craftsmanship competition closer to the event and pending our judges schedules.

• What is a build book? Is it required?

A build book is a document that showcases the process, materials, and techniques used to create a cosplay, often including reference images, progress photos, and written explanations. Cosplayers entering in craftsmanship may present their build books in various formats such as printed booklets, digital slides, or professionally bound photo books to help tell the story of how their costume came together to the judges. Build books are not required, but they can be a helpful tool during craftsmanship judging.

• What is a walk-on?

A Walk-On is a stage appearance where participants get to showcase their cosplay without performing. It consists of being introduced by our Host while walking on stage, stopping at three marked spots (usually indicated with an X on the ground) to pose, and then walking off. It’s recommended this take between 20-40 seconds total.

• Can my friends and I enter as a group?

Yes! The max group size is 6; Please choose one representative of the group to fill out the submission form. They will become our point of contact to set pre-judging times (if applicable) and organize the group's stage order in the show. If entering in the craftsmanship section, all group members will need to be present for the same pre-judging time slot. Every group member needs to bring their build book to pre-judging. If entering in the craftsmanship section, the group will receive one feedback card from the judges. All group members will share stage time, hitting marks together during the event. In the case that a group cosplay receives an award, it would be shared. It is up to the members of the group to determine how to distribute that reward amongst its members.

• I have some other questions or suggestions on this! How do I get heard?

Please fill out our Feedback Form (link coming soon)

You may contact our Cosplay Contest Coordinators: cosplay@animemagic.org

APPLICATIONS OPEN TO BOTH DIVISIONS — 6/13/25

DEADLINE TO APPLY — 8/17/25

SHOWCASE

• Registrations are first-come, first-serve basis

• Showcase spots are limited to (TBD) participants

CRAFTSMANSHIP

• Only those meeting the craftsmanship criteria will have their application approved

• Acceptances will be sent out TBA

• Pre-Judging time requests will be sent out TBA

• Official Pre-Judging times will be sent out TBA

• If your costume fails to meet the criteria for entering the craftsmanship category, you will be invited to present your costume in the Showcase division