Cosplay Contest

Metrotham Con Cosplay Contest registration will be available on-site on Friday and Saturday or Pre-Register using the following form. Please visit our registration table for more details.

Cosplay Contest will have over $2,000 in cash and prizes.

Youth:

1st 

2nd

Craftsmanship:

Master (Best in Show)

Runner-Up

Greenhorn

Judges Choice  x3

Cosplay Runway Contest:

1st 

2nd  

Vendor Contest:

Free table for Episode V

Metrotham Cosplay Contest Rules and Guidelines

• Must have a current Metrotham con badge in order to participate.
• Contestants must participate in Pre-judging. No exceptions. 
• All costumes and props (Props must be peace-tied) must follow venue and Metrotham con rules.
• Any props that go on stage must be brought to prejudging.  
• Flash bombs and explosives are prohibited. Failure to follow this rule will result in disqualification, banned from future Metrotham con cosplay contests and the participant will be escorted out of the convention. 
• Projectiles are prohibited unless there has been prior approval by Judges and Cosplay Coordinator. 
• All contestants in the craftsmanship contest must be at least 13 years of age. 
• There are three categories in the craftsmanship contest that cosplayers will be placed by discretion of judges. Greenhorn, Journeymen, and Master. 
  • Greenhorn: New to cosplay craftsmanship and cosplay contests alike. 50% of the cosplay must have been made by the contestant. 
  • Journeymen: Neither a beginner nor a master. At least 70% of the cosplay will have been constructed by the cosplayer themselves. 
  • Master: For this category one must be experienced. 70% or more of the cosplay is made by the cosplayer and made very well.

Please note, it is up to the judges to decide where participants are placed. They will look at the overall cosplay and craftsmanship and ask questions to determine your placement. They may want to get a close look at the cosplay. If you do not want your cosplay touched, please let the cosplay coordinator know prior to prejudging.  

• If caught purposefully misleading the judges on your skill level or how you made the cosplay, you will be disqualified and banned from future Metrotham con cosplay contests. 
• Please bring photo references and/or anything to show your progress with your cosplay. Having these references can mean the difference in a tie break. 
• Contestants that are 12 years of age may participate in the youth cosplay contest that is held Sunday.
• If you wish to participate in a contest that is not craftsmanship, A hall contest will be held Friday. There will be no prejudging. 
• Costumes are based on craftsmanship, functionality, accuracy, creativity, construction, Use of Materials, and presentation.
  • Craftsmanship: How well was it made. How are the seams? How is the fabric and quality?
  • Functionality: Can the participant move and sit? Is it durable or easy to damage? 
  • Accuracy: Is it accurate to the character the participant is trying to portray? If you are using a source, please bring source material such as photos of your character. This goes for fan art variations as well. 
  • Creativity: If the participant is choosing to cosplay an original character (gender swapped, fan art, mash up, etc.) the creativity of the original character will be judged. 
  • Use of Materials: Whether made by the participant or bought in some fashion, the use of the materials will be looked at. Use of the fabric, accessories and props. 
  • Constructions: The participant will be asked how they constructed the cosplay. Whether it was entirely made by the participant or store bought.
  • Presentation: This is not judged at prejudging. This is judged as the participant is presenting themselves on the stage. 
• The Cosplay contest is PG-13. Unmentionables must be covered. “No costume is no costume”. 
• Live animals are not prohibited on stage unless it is a service animal required by the participant. 
• Contest may be assisted by a handler if need be. 
• No electrical power connections will be provided. Contestant’s costume must be self-contained. 
• Symbols and/or use of language representative of hate groups is not prohibited. 
• No political, profane, religious or any other disruptive statements on stage. 
• Contestants must be present during the cosplay contest in order to be eligible for winning. 
• Each contestant is only allowed to appear on stage once. Participants may not be in a group and join solo. Participants can not join twice in two different cosplays. 
• If you want to surprise the audience, speak with the judges about the surprise first. If you want to surprise the judges, speak with the Cosplay Coordinator first. Failure to do so will cause the participant to be disqualified. 
• Contestants are discouraged from performing acrobatics for safety reasons. 
• Cosplay Coordinator and Con chair maintain the right to dismiss and disqualify participants for any reason not expressed on this list. 

GOOD LUCK TO ALL CONTESTANTS!
JUDGES CHOICES ARE FINAL. PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF THEIR DECISIONS!