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Live Events

Youmacon 2019 Live Events Information

Contents (Click to Jump to Section):
Cosplay World Masters – General Information
Cosplay World Masters – Costumes & Performance
Cosplay World Masters – Jury Evaluation
ICL – Solo Rules
ICL – Solo Jury
ICL – Solo Costumes
ICL – Duo Rules
ICL – Duo Jury
ICL – Duo Grading – Craftsmanship
ICL – Duo Grading – Performance & Acting
Clara Cow’s Cosplay Cup – Rules
Clara Cow’s Cosplay Cup – Judging
Youmacon Cosplay & Masquerade – Rules
Unofficial Cosplay Gatherings
Youmacon Cosplay Competitions

Cosplay World Masters – General Rules

GENERAL INFORMATION

  • The Grand Finale of CWM 2020 is a Cosplay competition in which the performance on stage is considered, the confection of the costume and the similarity to the original (similarity between the costume made and reference image).
  • All participants must be at least 16 years old. Participants who are up to 18 years old must submit a statement of authorization signed by their participation guardians.
  • The skit should have a maximum duration of 2 minutes per participant.
  • Finalist must submit all the elements that accompany the skit until April 1st, sending an email to cwm@cosplayworldmaster.com with all the elements of your skit (video/audio, reference image, requirement for lighting use, etc). This information must be compressed and sent by only one email.
  • All characters represented by contestants must come from existing characters in Anime, Manga, Video Games, Animation Movies or similar others. Fan Arts are not allowed.
  • The participants of this Grand Finale and 1 helper, will have free entrance to IA!LX2020
  • It is expressly forbidden to use any firearms or other, except for replicas.
  • Any kind of attitude and comments of racist or offensive nature are expressly prohibited.
  • All participants must cooperate with the organization in a positive way by following their directions, ensuring the success of the CWM Grand Finale. Any incorrect conduct, involving delays, inappropriate language, conflicts between participants, among others, may be considered in the jury evaluation and may even lead to dismissal of the competition.
  • It is not allowed to enter or leave the stage without using the proper access.
  • With participation in CWM 2020 Eliminatory, all participants hand over, free of charge, the exposure, reproduction or disclosure of their work / portrait and / or recorded image

COSTUMES & PERFORMANCE

  • A minimum of 70% of the costumes and accessories to be used in this contest must be made by the competitors. If accessories worn have been purchased, they must be customized by the Cosplayer.
  • If you want to mingle in the event before the Grand CWM Finale you can only do it with your normal clothes or with another cosplay than is not the Cosplay that you will wear on stage. Important! It Isn´t allowed to show your cosplay before the competition! If you don´t bring any alternative Cosplay, you must wait your turn to compete in a dressing room. After the competition you can already circulate normally at the event. This measure is due to the surprise factor that we want to create, at the CWM and with your cosplay.
  • Participants may use 30 seconds to prepare the stage before the performance. After finishing the performance participants have 30 seconds to leave the stage (removing all accessories that were placed before the performance).
  • The delay in performance as well as the delay in the preparation / storage of accessories on stage will be discounted on the final score in the proportion of 0.5 points for every 30 seconds of delay.
  • The time of preparation, performance and storage accessories will be timed by the organization.
  • The performance begins at start up of background music or when the signal is made to the stage manager.
  • The performance is considered completed with the thanking to the public.
  • For the Grand Finale of the CWM only audio in English will be allowed.
  • It is not allowed to use liquid or viscous materials, as well as accessories or objects that could endanger the physical safety of the contestants, the audience, judges or others, such as fireworks, firearms, fire extinguishers, sharp tools, abrasive, corrosive solvents and other toxic or harmful substances. Failure to follow these safety rules (before, during or after your presentation) will lead to the loss of points or even disqualification from the contest.
  • The organization will provide two people to assist the placement of props on stage. After this placement only cosplayers can handle them on stage.
  • If participants choose to take the help of two members of staff in the placement of their accessories on stage, the participants will also be responsible for all risks and potential accidents. The time available for assembly will always be 30 seconds; the sets are prepared by cosplayer or support staff.
  • It will not be possible to use scenarios that need to be affixed to any type of pre-existing structure (nailed, glued, hanging, etc. on the wall structure or other stage). All scenery and props must be portable and easy to transport / handle, allowing for easy operation.
  • The maximum size allowed for the scenario used must be 2m wide x 2,5m high x 2m depth (input format and output stage) and can be divided into a maximum of three parts.
  • Scenario means whatever is on stage before the presentation. As accessories comprise up the different objects that are used and transported by cosplayers during his performance.
  • The organization is not responsible for any accidents that take place during the performances of the participants.
  • The organization may examine and inspect, at any time, the presentation of each participant in order to verify compliance with the rules of the contest. If there is failure, the cosplayer may be disqualified.

 

JURY EVALUATION

  • Finalists must submit all the elements that accompany the skit until April, 1st, sending email to cwm@cosplayworldmaster.com. This information must be compressed and sent by only one email.
    1. Photo of cosplay (Reference image);
    2. Profile photo, without cosplay;
    3. Short Bio, to be promoted on social media.
    4. The requirements for use of lights, smoke or other purposes should be addressed to the organization when registering for analysis because not all requests can be met. Before the contest there will be a dress rehearsal where the performance takes place.
    5. Image, Video or Music to be played on the screen / sound during the act on stage.
    6. Initial video (no longer than 10 seconds) without Cosplay, where you can introduce yourself and it would be nice to have something that represents your country in the video.
    7. Small description of yourself, so we can get to know you a little better (For example: Do you have hobbies? What is your sign? What anime do you prefer? What’s your dream trip? etc);
    8. Phone number;
    9. Emergency contact person and phone number
  • Each cosplayer should bring two copies (USB) of audio and video files necessary to their presentation.
  • During the prejudging, before the performance, the jury will evaluate and score the cosplay (costume). Not only the quality and the complexity of the construction of the costume will be considered but also, its level of detail.
  • During the presentation the jury will evaluate and score two aspects of Cosplay, assigning scores to performance apparel and confection resemblance to the original (similarity between the costume and made reference image).
  • The overall assessment of each participant in the contest will be made taking into account apparel (30%), the performance (40%), and similarity to the original (30%).
  1. In evaluating the costume, the following aspects are taken into account: confection / finishing, level of detail, accessories and applications used.
  2. As performance, it´s understood the interpretation of the characters (considering also fidelity to the original character) creativity and the quality of presentation.
  3. The similarity to the original assesses the similarity between the costume made and the reference image
  • The Jury may request a re-presentation of Cosplayers on stage in case of doubt or tie.
  • The evaluation of the participants will be made of 1 to 10 in each of the items to consider.
  • Based on the overall evaluation the winners of the Grand Final CWM will be determined.
  • The clearance will be done considering the sum of the ratings assigned.
    1. In case of a tie, the winner will be considered the cosplayer who has the highest rating in performance.
    2. If a tie still exists, should be considered the highest score with regard to the costume confection.
    3. If the tie still remains, the organizing committee of the event decides what counted. The same goes for the other places that are in a situation of stalemate.

For any clarification, please email:  cwm@cosplayworldmasters.com

International Cosplay League 2019

There are 2 competitions to the ICL (Solo’s and Duo’s)
You can only compete for one category.

Solo Category Rules

  1. All the contestants must be over 18 years old by the 19th of September of 2019 and must have the selected country nationality or permanent residence.
  2. All the contestants must be ready for the costumes’ pre-judging on Saturday. The order of pre-judging will be chosen before the convention and a list will be given to the contestants. The contestant must be ready 45 minutes before their turn. The participants must respect the order and will not be evaluated before their turn or after. 
  3. Cosplays must proceed from an official commercial source and must have an official reference picture with a full design (Comic, Manga, Books, Cartoons, Anime, Movies, TV-movies, Musicals, Videogames), meaning that the design cannot be based on a fan art. Flesh and bone characters will be allowed if they are from official works of fiction. The only non-official designs allowed are the Sakizô and Hanna Alexander illustrations. No genderbend or gijinka will be allowed from any source unless the design is official.
  4. Costumes that have previously won international qualifying rounds or awards in international competitions such as ECG, WCS, YCC, EC, CWM, CCCC, MICM, PGEC, GICOF or CCSS/CICAF can’t enter the competition.
  5. It is allowed to use the same costume in the finals than in the preliminary round if the costume fits the rules but in case of a tie the jury will value the creation of a new costume for the competition in a more positive way. 
  6. Cosplayers will walk down the catwalk alone, without any help, it is an individual contest. During the catwalk the cosplayers must pose in different ways showcasing the costume.
  7. The contestants will have a maximum of 50 seconds on the catwalk, and the music will be chosen by the organization. Contestants cannot bring their own music, nor can they speak or sing during the catwalk. No microphones will be provided.
  8. It is absolutely forbidden to finish the costumes during the activities in Spain or during the convention, if any staff member notices this rule being broken it will be communicated and 50% of the points will be removed. It is allowed to fix any broken part, but the costume must be finished.
  9. Effects of fire, sparks and smoke are forbidden, as well as crackers with gunpowder and laser lights. Objects cannot be thrown on the stage, it is forbidden to dirty, mark or damage the stage. It is also forbidden to bring any liquid, animals or glass in the stage.
  10. It is absolutely PROHIBITED to use real weapons. Imitations of firearms SHOULD contain the special “red cap”.
  11. It is forbidden to wear offensive make-up or costumes, remember this is an international cosplay competition with different cultures taking part. 
  12. During the catwalk it is forbidden to jump off the stage closer to the public and/or the jury; violating cosplayers will be disqualified.
  13. An interview to the contestant will be made while the duo prepares the stage props. 
  14. It is forbidden to bring animals on stage.
  15. Costume change during the catwalk is not allowed, one costume per contestant. 
  16. Catwalk is to take place on stage: if the costume is not suitable size and/or is unable to go on stage, you can’t do the catwalk and take part in the competition.
  17. The cosplayer must follow the indications given by the organization, any misconduct before or after the competition may cause the disqualification of the contestant and the prohibition of entering ICL again.
  18. Japan Weekend will be allowed to make free use of the photographs and videos taken during the contest without any economical compensation for the participants or photographers. These pictures will be given to third parts to make promotion of the competition.
  19. The rules can go through any type of modifications until the day of the contest according to the needs of the organization. The participation in the contest implies the recognition of these rules.
  20. The contestant isn’t allowed to enter International Cosplay League 2020 in the country of origin in the same category. If the contestant wins two years in any category the contestant won’t be allowed to enter the competition in two years from the last winning. As an example, if the last win is 2019, the contestant won’t be allowed to enter 2020 or 2021. 

Official Criteria of International Cosplay League

Jury

  1. The jury is not allowed to follow the process of the creation of costumes in social media. In case it happens, the jury will not be allowed to take this information into account when judging, only what’s presented by the contestant in the pre-judging or in the dossier.
  2. All the participants will be evaluated before the contest. During the pre-judging a dossier of 4-8 pages in total showing the process of the work must be handed in. It is allowed to use both sides of the page making that from 8 to 16 usable sheets. The dossier shall have English translation for any writing. The cover page will contain the reference picture of the character, name and country of the contestant and will not be included into the 4-8 pages allowed. Without the work in progress dossier, the participant will be disqualified. It has to be printed in color and stapled.
  3. The jury will not debate on the contest or on the participants before or after the contest. In case a participant approaches a member of the jury, the organization will be informed and will take necessary measures. If a participant needs advice on the future contest, it will be given without considering the current one: the judges can’t talk about the deliberation with the cosplayer, but they can give advice for future competitions.
  4. The decision of the jury will be irrevocable.

Costumes

Cosplays will only be judged for their craftsmanship quality and the resemblance to the reference image. Acting will not be considered, but it is recommended to act to achieve better footage.

  1. The quality of the costume will be evaluated in general, that is, some parts cannot be of higher quality that others – this will lower the final grade. Parts will not be judged separately.
  2. The diversity of methods and materials will be valued, as long as they provide a better result. The jury will not take into account personal experiences or how big of a challenge it was for the participant, the result is more important.
  3. Advanced tailoring techniques are allowed. Manual sewing or embroidery will not be valued positively if the result is worse than what it could be with a machine. If the part of the costume created with advanced techniques and the manual ones have the same quality, the one which took the most effort will be valued.
  4. Using an embroidery machine is allowed only if the embroidery is designed by the contestant. It has to be proven in the dossier. If it isn’t designed by the contestant, the rule number 7 of Craftsmanship will be applied.
  5. Using a 3D printer is allowed only if the 3D model is designed by the contestant. It has to be proven in the dossier. If the model isn’t designed by the contestant, the rule number 7 of Craftsmanship will be applied.
  6. The choice of materials accurate for the characters’ time period will be valued positively. For example, if the cosplay is from the Middle ages, an accurate choice of fabric will give you more points. If you choose a fabric which is very different esthetically, you will lose points.
  7. Costumes must be handmade in 90-100% by the participant. The 10% left can only be used for a piece, bought and modified by the participant. If any help with any part of the costume has been provided, it has to be said for it to be ranked correspondently. In case it’s hidden and later revealed, the contestants will be immediately disqualified, and this offence will be considered for the future contests.
  8. The cosplay will be compared to the reference picture, but the jury will not take into consideration the physical appearance of the participant. 
  9. Make-up and wig styling will be taken into consideration and have to be done by the contestant.
  10. To avoid future surprises, have in mind that a simple cosplay with a neat craftsmanship will have a higher grade than a massive costume with bad craftsmanship.

Duo’s Category Rules

  1. All the contestants must be over 18 years old by the 19th of September of 2019 and must have the selected country nationality or permanent residence.
  2. Each spot must be occupied by 2 cosplayers wearing costumes from the same source, as an example if the couple is cosplaying the movie saga HTTYD it’s not allowed to cosplay from HTTYD 1 and HTTYD 2, the costumes must be from the same movie. The same rule is applied for costume changing during the performance.
  3. Cosplayers will walk down the stage alone, without any help during the performance. 
  4. All the contestants must be ready for the costumes’ pre-judging on Saturday. The order of pre-judging will be chosen before the convention and a list will be given to the contestants. The contestant must be ready 45 minutes before their turn. The participants must respect the order and will not be evaluated before their turn or after. 
  5. Cosplays must proceed from an official commercial source and must have an official reference picture with a full design (Comic, Manga, Books, Cartoons, Anime, Movies, TV-movies, Musicals, Videogames), meaning that the design cannot be based on a fan art. Flesh and bone characters will be allowed if they are from official works of fiction. The only non-official designs allowed are the Sakizô and Hanna Alexander illustrations. No genderbend or gijinka will be allowed from any source unless the design is official.
  6. Costumes that have previously won international qualifying rounds or awards in international competitions such as ECG, WCS, YCC, EC, CWM, CCCC, MICM, PGEC, GICOF or CCSS/CICAF can’t enter the competition.
  7. It is allowed to use the same costume in the finals than in the preliminary round if the costume fits the rules but in case of a tie the jury will value the creation of a new costume for the competition in a more positive way. The performance has to be changed at least in a 20%.
  8. It is absolutely forbidden to finish the costumes or stage props during the activities in Spain or during the convention, if any staff member notices this rule being broken it will be communicated and 50% of the craftsmanship points will be removed. It is allowed to fix any broken part, but the costume must be finished.
  9. Effects of fire, sparks and smoke are forbidden, as well as crackers with gunpowder and laser lights. Objects cannot be thrown on the stage, it is forbidden to dirty, mark or damage the stage. It is also forbidden to bring any liquid, animals or glass in the stage.
  10. It is absolutely PROHIBITED to use real weapons. Imitations of firearms SHOULD contain the special “red cap”.
  11. It is forbidden to wear offensive make-up or costumes, remember this is an international cosplay competition with different cultures taking part. 
  12. During the performance it is forbidden to jump off the stage closer to the public and/or the jury; violating cosplayers will be disqualified.
  13. Performance is to take place on stage: if the costume is not suitable size and/or is unable to go on stage, you can’t do the performance and take part in the competition.
  14. The cosplayers must follow the indications given by the organization, any misconduct before or after the competition may cause the disqualification of the contestant and the prohibition of entering ICL again.
  15. Japan Weekend will be allowed to make free use of the photographs and videos taken during the contest without any economical compensation for the participants or photographers. These pictures will be given to third parts to make promotion of the competition.
  16. The rules can go through any type of modifications until the day of the contest according to the needs of the organization. The participation in the contest implies the recognition of these rules.
  17. The contestant isn’t allowed to enter International Cosplay League 2020 in the country of origin in the same category. If the contestant wins two years in any category the contestant won’t be allowed to enter the competition in two years from the last winning. As an example, if the last win is 2019, the contestant won’t be allowed to enter 2020 or 2021. 

Official Criteria of International Cosplay League

Jury

  1. The jury is not allowed to follow the process of the creation of costumes in social media. In case it happens, the jury will not be allowed to take this information into account when judging, only what’s presented by the contestant in the pre-judging or in the dossier.
  2. All the participants will be evaluated before the contest. During the pre-judging a dossier of 4-8 pages in total (for duo, not per person) showing the process of the work must be handed in. It is allowed to use both sides of the page making that from 8 to 16 usable sheets. The dossier shall have English translation for any writing. The cover page will contain the reference picture of the character, name and country of the contestant and will not be included into the 4-8 pages allowed. Without the work in progress dossier, the participant will be disqualified. It has to be printed in color and stapled.
  3. The jury will not debate on the contest or on the participants before or after the contest. In case a participant approaches a member of the jury, the organization will be informed and will take necessary measures. If a participant needs advice on the future contest, it will be given without considering the current one: the judges can’t talk about the deliberation with the cosplayer, but they can give advice for future competitions.
  4. The decision of the jury will be irrevocable.

GRADING CRITERIA

40% of the grading will be given for the cosplayers’ costumes and resemblance with the source, and 60% for the performance, acting and staging.

Craftsmanship

  1. The quality of the costume will be evaluated in general, that is, some parts cannot be of higher quality that others – this will lower the final grade. Parts will not be judged separately.
  2. The diversity of methods and materials will be valued, as long as they provide a better result. The jury will not take into account personal experiences or how big of a challenge it was for the participant, the result is more important.
  3. Advanced tailoring techniques are allowed. Manual sewing or embroidery will not be valued positively if the result is worse than what it could be with a machine. If the part of the costume created with advanced techniques and the manual ones have the same quality, the one which took the most effort will be valued.
  4. Using an embroidery machine is allowed only if the embroidery is designed by the contestant. It has to be proven in the dossier. If it isn’t designed by the contestant, the rule number 7 of Craftsmanship will be applied.
  5. Using a 3D printer is allowed only if the 3D model is designed by the contestant. It has to be proven in the dossier. If the model isn’t designed by the contestant, the rule number 7 of Craftsmanship will be applied.
  6. The choice of materials accurate for the characters’ time period will be valued positively. For example, if the cosplay is from the Middle ages, an accurate choice of fabric will give you more points. If you choose a fabric which is very different esthetically, you will lose points.
  7. Costumes have to be handmade in 80% by the members of the team, and the other 20% can be prefabricated, but modified. Stage props, in case there are any, have to be made by the contestants in 70%. If any help with any part of the costume has been provided, it has to be said for it to be ranked correspondently. In case it’s hidden and later revealed, the contestants will be immediately disqualified, and this offence will be considered for the future contests.
  8. The cosplay will be compared to the reference picture, but the jury will not take into consideration the physical appearance of the participant. 
  9. Make-up and wig styling will be taken into consideration and have to be done by the contestant.
  10. To avoid future surprises, have in mind that a simple cosplay with a neat craftsmanship will have a higher grade than a massive costume with bad craftsmanship.

Performance and acting

  1. The performance cannot last less than 1 (one) and half minutes or more than 3 (three) minutes without any exception. 
  2. The originality of the show and acting will be highly rated, as well as the body expression.
  3. The participant must set up the performance on their own and without any creative help.
  4. No microphone will be provided; the performance has to be prepared beforehand.
  5. When it comes to cosplays of idols or of similar thematic (Love Live, Vocaloid, AKB0048…), the performance must contain something apart from dancing choreography or singing. If it occurs, dancing or lip-syncing cannot last for more than 30 seconds. Playbacks of general songs are allowed. (Example: a group of Love Live cannot dance and lip-sync during all the performance, but a cosplayer of Ursula from Little Mermaid can perform her song while she is acting).
  6. Erotic or pornographic scenes are forbidden, as well as any immoral acts unnatural for the character which could disrupt the order of the contest or disturb the audience.
  7. If there are dialogues in the performance, contestants must provide a clean recording without noise, as the quality of such can deduct points for the performance. It is allowed to use music or dialogues from the original source. 
  8. Costume change is allowed: it must be from the same source, but the character can be different.
  9. Only the pair of competitors can participate in the performance. Any helper must leave the stage before the start of the performance.
  10. The preparation of the stage props can’t last more than 40 seconds, the stage props can’t be taller than 2 (two) meters and longer than 4 (four) meters in total. If different stage props are used the width can’t be bigger than half of the stage (not counting the catwalk). Stage props can’t be placed in the stairs but can be placed in the catwalk. 
  11. A video will be mandatory, the video could be an image or a well-produced video but the cosplayers must show something in the screen to make the performance more visible. We don’t recommend using white images the most part of the time since backlighting will occur and your performance won’t be visible from the streaming.
  12. It is mandatory to place Spanish subtitles in the top of the screen, so the public understands the performance. If required, a translation will be provided by the organization of International Cosplay League. Subtitles won’t be required for well-known songs unless it’s important for the understanding of the performance. If the audio has not the typical English pronunciation, we recommend also adding English subtitles so the jury understands the performance without any problem. 
  13. Cosplayers can’t leave the stage alone more than 15 (fifteen) seconds. The video will be complementary but won’t be a primary interaction for the performance. If an introduction has to be made with the video without any cosplayer in the stage, it can’t last more than 15 (fifteen) seconds as stated before.
  14. Stage props can’t block the jury’s vision of the performance. 

Clara Cow’s Cosplay Cup – 2020 Preliminary

Youmacon is over the moon in excitement to be playing host to the Clara Cow’s Cosplay Cup!

For further information, check them out!
https://www.animecon.nl/program/events/cccc
https://www.facebook.com/ClaraCowsCosplayCup/

General rules:

For cosplay weapons guidelines read Youmacon FAQ Guidelines and General Cosplay Rules.
– USA weapons law will always apply!
– The teams will always consist of two cosplayers.
– The team must be in costumes from the same series/manga/game/property.
– The team must wear self-made costumes.
– The team may use small props that were store bought.
– The team must perform an act on stage that may not exceed 150 seconds or 2:30.
– Set-up time for props will be 30 seconds MAX.
– Maximum number of stage props will be 4.
– Set up will be by our team and they are NOT allowed to run on stage.
– Teams may not use: Any items that can spill on the stage, like bubbles, glitter, confetti etc.
– Teams may not use: Live fire, dry ice, live steel weapons or other things that could be a danger to yourself or others
– Pre-recorded audio needs to be handed in no later than Saturday 20th of October, 2018.
– You will have to provide both Work in Progress and reference pictures on Saturday at your judging.
– You must attend Youmacon on Friday and Saturday.
– You must be 18 years or older on 15 June 2019.
– Your Cosplay may not be a fictional character you or your friends created, but can be from any official (East or West) animation, comic and game.
– Fan art cosplay is not allowed!
– Cosplayers may only participate in one country’s preliminary for CCCC per competition season.
– Costumes that have been worn for other international finals, or costumes that have already won awards are not allowed in the Youmacon preliminaries.
– Stage ninja’s are NOT allowed, our staff can hand you a prop or item from backstage or press a button for you. Interaction with the cosplayers on stage is NOT allowed.

CCCC Judging:

– Adjudication will be administered by at least three judges.
– Craftsmanship is 40%
– Performance is 60%
– Bought costumes will be scored 0 for quality and will be disqualified.

Youmacon Cosplay and Masquerade Rules

GENERAL COSPLAY RULES

  • No metal weapons, real firearms, or props loaded with high velocity projectiles are allowed. Realistic weapon props may be peace bonded at the discretion of security or Masquerade staff.
  • Props should be carried and posed with in a way that does not inconvenience or risk injury to other attendees.
  • Costumes must be tasteful and cover appropriate areas of the body. Shoes must be worn in public areas of the convention for your own safety.
  • What is illegal outside the convention is still illegal inside the convention.

GENERAL MASQUERADE RULES

  • All the general cosplay rules above apply.
  • Costumes from both Japanese and western media are welcome in the competitions. This includes anime, games, comic books, manga or other media such as Korean media, sentai, music, J-rock, etc
  • Original designs based on established media, such as Pokemon gijinka-type designs or  fanart alternative designs are permitted in competition, but specific reference images must be provided. Original characters regardless of media are not permitted. 
  • Entrants must be registered attendees of Youmacon and present a badge.
  • Participants must fill out a cosplay registration form with legitimate information for award purposes.
  • Participants’ costumes and props must be able to traverse the 6’ wide backstage hallway.
  • Skits must be “PG-13”
  • Groups may not exceed 8 people.
  • No jumping onto or off of the stage or acrobatics.
  • No throwing items off of the stage.
  • Clean up after yourself. Do not leave anything behind on the stage.
  • Stage combat will be allowed only if approved by the judges after a demonstration during skit approval.
  • No special effects. Electronic flashes are permitted only if okayed by Masquerade staff. An announcement will be made to attendees at the start of your skit.
  • Karaoke is not a skit. Please save it for the karaoke.
  • No surprises.
  • Costumes or skits that have won a major award at other events are ineligible to win another award at the same rank.
  • Entrants may enter both the International and Youmacon Masquerade provided the following are met. One must go through both sets of judging and must enter different costumes/skits in either competition. 
  • The International contests masquerade will run in the same timeframe as the Youmacon Masquerade. We will have the skit competitions for both of them separated by the walk-on portion of the show to allow people to do both provided they want to and can change in the short time allotted.

Unofficial Cosplay Gatherings

Youmacon features Unofficial scheduled gatherings for cosplayers from the same series to meet up and get photos. These gatherings will take place in the Winter Garden, located in the RenCen, the River Walk at RenCen, TCF Center South Atrium at level 100 and level 200, and the Gardner Wall (located near the escalator to the People Mover on the 300 level). Further details can be found in the mobile app when available.

You can also schedule a gathering by using the Youmacon 2019 Unofficial Cosplay Gathering Form

Cosplay Competitions

MASQUERADE

The Masquerade is a Saturday evening Main Event comprised of skit performances and craftsmanship presentation. This is a seperate contest from the International cosplay contests. Skits can enter for performance, craftsmanship, or both, but only those entering both categories are eligible to win Best in Show. You can also model your costume in front of an audience by entering as a walk-on for craftsmanship judging. 

 

  • The Best in Show winners (those who excel in BOTH craftsmanship AND presentation) will win $500(for the group), FREE ADMISSION to Youmacon 2020 plus a fabulous trophy. Those winning in Best craftsmanship and Best presentation will also win $250(for the entry group not per person) as well as a fabulous trophy. Those who win the best in their respective categories will also receive a fabulous trophy.
  • Masquerade participants should be at the Green Room (Mackinac Ballroom) at 6PM with their badges for check-in. 
  • While waiting for the Masquerade to start, drinks and snacks will be provided. Once the Masquerade begins, participants will be guided to the stage for their walk-on or performance. Once they are finished on stage, they will return to the Green Room to await awards.
  • Awards for both Hall Cosplay and the Masquerade will be given out at the end of the Masquerade.

HALL COSPLAY CONTEST

The Hall Cosplay contest gives cosplayers a chance to get their craftsmanship judged without the pressures of an audience. This is also a chance to get additional costumes judged. Hall cosplay is craftsmanship only, and competitors DO NOT appear on stage during the Masquerade. You may enter separate costumes in the Youmacon Masquerade or the International Costume Contests as well.

  • Registration form(s) for Hall cosplay must be submitted in order to obtain a judging time slot. Please see the Craftsmanship rules below; the same apply to the Hall competition.
  • Costumes in the Hall Cosplay contest must be able to traverse the Youmacon hallways.
  • Hall Cosplay awards will be announced at the end of the Masquerade.
  • Hall Cosplay participants may watch the Masquerade from the Green Room (Mackinac Ballroom) if they wish. Those who do not wish to watch the Masquerade may check in with us in the Green Room periodically to find out when awards will be announced. You may also watch the Masquerade from the audience.

SIGNING UP

All attendees who wish to enter their costume in a contest require a judging appointment. Entrants will submit a form for a craftsmanship judging time, a skit approval time, or both. You may enter either or both Friday and Saturday Hall Cosplay contests, and/or the Masquerade, provided that you have a different costume for each. Again, ONLY Masquerade entrants will appear on stage during the Masquerade.

You can sign up either at con or in advance. To allow for the maximum number of entrants, we will only be accepting Pre-Reg signups for HALF of the available spots. Online signups will close at midnight the Sunday prior to the convention, or when we reach that number. An announcement will be made if we close online signups early due to capacity.

If you choose to sign up in advance, please follow the links below to the forms for the Craftsmanship, Performance and Hall competitions. By signing up in advance, this means you will not have to sign up for a slot at con.

We will use these forms to assign judging times. A confirmation email will be sent out to each entrant with their assigned time slot. IF YOU SUBMIT AN ONLINE REGISTRATION, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO CHECK-IN WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT THE CONVENTION. Please report to the Cosplay Registration booth on Level 4 on Friday night during the hours listed below. Failure to check in will result in your spot being forfeit and made available for at-con signups.

Any remaining spots will be available at the convention.

There will be a sign-up table in the Cosplay Registration booth on Level 4. There you can find the required forms, as well as the list of available appointment times.

COMPETITION HOURS

Both signups and check-in begin Friday afternoon. Registration will not be available on Thursday evening. In order to streamline the online process in its first year, we WILL NOT be allowing pre-reg check in on Thursday or Saturday. If this poses an issue, please contact the staff prior to the convention (youmaconcosplayreg@gmail.com) 


PREREG CHECK-IN

Friday 6PM—9PM

 

AT-CON SIGNUP

(For both HALL and MASQUERADE)

Friday 3PM—9PM

Saturday 9AM—2PM

 

CRAFTSMANSHIP JUDGING

Friday 7PM—11PM

Saturday 10AM—3PM

 

SKIT APPROVAL

Friday 7PM—11PM 

Saturday 11AM—3PM

 

HALL JUDGING

Friday 7PM—11PM

Saturday 10AM—3PM

 

The Masquerade is held at 7PM on Saturday in the Main Events Hall. Competitors are required to report at 6PM to the Mackinac Ballroom on Level 5 for staging and prep. No spectators are allowed in Mackinac during setup.

CRAFTSMANSHIP JUDGING

During craftsmanship judging, our judges will evaluate the quality and accuracy of the costume(s).

  • Costumes CANNOT be judged for craftsmanship if they were primarily store-bought or commissioned. Children 12 and under are exempt from this rule. If modeling someone else’s work, the person who constructed the costume MUST be present.
  • You must provide a reference for your costume. A picture, a figure, whatever. (We prefer paper references that we can keep.) While smartphones and tablets are great, please do NOT rely on these as your primary sources for reference photos. The judges are not familiar with every series or video game. References are needed to check accuracy. Lack of a reference will hurt your chances at winning higher awards. 
  • The judges WILL inspect your costume up close. Be prepared to have your costume touched and be asked to show specific details.
  • Entrants will only have 5 minutes per judging session (up to 10 minutes for larger groups). So, if you have something special that you wish to highlight to the judges, make sure to point it out whether they ask you about it or not.
  • The judges will ask you questions about your costume. Be prepared to answer truthfully and accurately. 
  • You DO NOT have to be in character while being judged. That wastes time and is unnecessary. Save it for the stage.
  • BE CONFIDENT. Please don’t tell the judges what you did wrong. They want to know all the wonderful things you did right. Remember, don’t be shy! They want to hear about all your hard work!
  • Be sure to show up to judging a few minutes early in your costume. If you miss your appointment, you may be rescheduled, time permitting, no guarantees.
  • Remember to try your best, be courteous, and have fun! 

Everyone will also enter in one of these skill level categories:

  • Novice: Cosplayers with no prior awards
  • Journeyman: Cosplayers with 1-5 awards
  • Master: Cosplayers with 6 or more awards
  • Youth: Cosplayers age 12 and under
  • Staff: Youmacon staff members

Categories are based on any type of previous major award, craftsmanship or presentation. Division qualifications are subject to change to ensure even award distribution. Honorable Mention awards do not count toward your skill level category.

SKIT APPROVAL

  • During skit approval, our staff will evaluate skits for time and content. MP3s and CDs with dialogue and/or music to use during the Masquerade will also be used and collected at this point.
  • You will need to perform your skit in front of our approvers. They are not judges, they are simply checking for time and content. So, if your performance is not perfect, don’t worry about it. Our approvers can also give you advice to improve your skit.
  • It is okay if one of the people in your skit group can’t make it to approval. We will use our imagination.
  • You DO NOT have to be in costume for skit approval.
  • If you also want to get judged for craftsmanship, we can do one longer appointment —subject to availability— instead of two separate appointments. These will be assigned on a first come, first served basis.
  • If your skit is NOT approved, we WILL give you time to correct it. We love skits, and we want to give everyone a chance to participate.
  • Please make note of any cues or stage directions when submitting your skit approval form. There may not be time prior to the show to determine these cues

TIME ALLOTMENTS FOR PRESENTATION (SKITS)

1 to 2 people = 2:30 minutes

3 to 4 people = 3:15 minutes

5 to 8 people = 4 minutes

Please note that these are guidelines and there is room for reasonable accommodation. If you have a question about your skit length please contact youmaconcosplayreg@gmail.com 

PRE-RECORDED AUDIO & MUSIC

Groups with three or more participants are highly recommended to pre-record audio to ensure being heard by the audience and judges. Handheld microphone availability is not guaranteed.

  • We accept submissions on CD or MP3.
  • You must bring your audio file to your skit approval
  • If you are using an MP3 file, you need to bring your submission on a flash drive or CD. We will extract the file and return your device to you immediately.
  • All of your audio must be fully edited and prepared before being submitted to us. We CANNOT edit audio in any way and what you give us is what we play. 
  • We cannot “just play a youtube video”. Don’t ask us. 
  • Please label the file CLEARLY with your skit title, group name, and series.