Table of Contents
Official Masquerade Cosplay Competition Rules
General
Registration
Required Forms
Content Restrictions
Costume Rules
Entry Requirements
Performance/Skit
Display Entry/Walk-on
All Entries
General Safety
Props & Weapons
Stage
Audio, Music, & Video
Performance/Skit
Display Entry/Walk-on
Audio, Music, & Video Submission
Video Specifics
Lighting & Stage Directions
Display/Walk-on
Performances/Skit
Rehearsal
Awards
Best Overall
Performance Category
Craftsmanship Category
Craftsmanship Judging
Class Ranking
Craftsmanship Judging Examples
General Questions
Non-sewn (molded, crafted) Costumes
Sewn Costumes
Make-up and Hair
Shoes and Accessories
Presentation
Judges
Judging Code of Conduct
Disclaimer
Audience Rules
Press Photography
Official Masquerade Cosplay Competition Rules
All contestants must adhere to the rules as detailed below.
General
Participation in the FanimeCon Masquerade is deemed as acceptance of these Official Masquerade Cosplay Competition Rules.
You pledge to put forth your best effort in the Masquerade Cosplay Competition, respect the rules, and uphold the principles of honest competition. You will compete with integrity, respect, and good sportsmanship towards your fellow competitors, Masquerade staff, and FanimeCon attendees.
The Masquerade Department reserves the right to disqualify, at their sole and absolute discretion, any entry that does not adhere to the intent and substance of the Official Masquerade Cosplay Competition Rules. Disqualification may or may not result in removal from the Masquerade Contest.
The Masquerade Department additionally reserves the right to remove a contestant from the Masquerade Contest at any time for any reason.
Disqualified or removed Masquerade participants will not qualify for or receive prize awards.
Violations of the Official Masquerade Cosplay Competition Rules may result in FanimeCon Code of Conduct violations.
In the event of any questions or differences of views regarding compliance with, interpretation of, or application of the Official Masquerade Cosplay Competition Rules, FanimeCon reserves the exclusive right to resolve such questions or differences of views at their sole discretion.
By participating in the Masquerade Contest, the contestants acknowledge that they may have their images or likeness appear in photographs or videos from the Masquerade Contest.
Registration
Online Registration will open for the Masquerade Cosplay Competition on March 1st, 2024 at 12:00 pm (noon) and close on May 17, 2024 at 3:00 pm.
If your entry is approved, you will receive a series of confirmation emails with additional information from the Masquerade Department.
You are required to check in at the Convention Masquerade Desk to receive your official “Backstage Pass” and turn in your music or video file. If you fail to check in by Day 3 (Sunday) at 12:00 pm (noon), you will be dropped from the Masquerade Contest and Cosplay Competition.
If you miss online registration or are on the Waiting List, please check in at the Masquerade Registration Desk on Day 2 (Saturday) at 5:00 pm to see if any spaces have opened up.
Masquerade Check-in at the Convention
Masquerade Office: San Jose Marriott San Carlos Room
Check in at the Masquerade Office to get your official “Backstage Ribbon” and turn in any music or videos that you need to provide. If you fail to check in by Sunday, May 26, at 12:00pm, you will be dropped from the Masquerade.
- Day 1 (Fri) 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm
- Day 2 (Sat) 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
- Day 3 (Sun) 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Required Forms
- You will be required to fill out a 2024 Release and Waiver of Liability.
- If you are under 18, please bring a 2024 Parent or Guardian Consent Release and Waiver of Liability.
Content Restrictions
Entry content and costumes must be suitable for a public audience of a wide variety of ages.
Actions, dress, and/or mannerisms that would not be allowed on a public street or thoroughfare must be avoided.
Profanity is limited to words acceptable on broadcast TV in the United States.
Entries must not contain obscenity, explicit sexual material, nudity, graphic violence, incitement to violence, or commercial solicitation/promotion.
Entries must conform to local law and must not contain content or images that could be considered abusive, inflammatory, denigrating, or disrespectful to any of the Masquerade contestants, Masquerade staff, sponsors, or to any groups, individuals, or institutions.
Violating these rules will disqualify you and possibly result in your being escorted off the stage, removed from the contest, and potentially removed from FanimeCon.
Costume Rules
FanimeCon at its core is an Anime Convention and not a general pop culture convention. In order to have a fair and equitable Masquerade Contest, we have limited the entries to costumes that fall into the broad umbrella category encompassing “Japanese, Chinese, and Korean art, film, games, music, and popular culture,” which includes:
- Films or dramas, such as The Days (Japan), Hidden Love (China), or See You in My 19th Life (Korea)
- Animation, such as Spy x Family (Japan), Shining Star (Korea), or Mo Dao Zu Shi (China)
- Comics, such as One Piece (Japan), Death is the Only Ending for the Villainess (Korea), or Doulou Dalu (China)
- Video games, such as Final Fantasy (Japan), Genshin Impact (China), or Lineage (Korea)
- Music stars, such as BTS (Korea), Band-Maid (Japan), or Bonbon Girl 303 (China)
- Fashion-inspired sources, such as Gothic Lolita or J-Rock
- We also allow crossover games, such as Kingdom Hearts or Elden Ring
- We make narrow exceptions for “inspired by” topics, such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, Twisted Wonderland, Mulan, Big Hero 6, or characters like Dynasty Ahri from League of Legends. We approve exceptions on a case-by-case basis, so please email us at masquerade@fanime.com to ask for special consideration.
The rule of thumb is: if the series and/or character or inspiration falls outside of the above, and you don’t get special consideration approval from the Masquerade Head, it doesn’t qualify.
Entry Requirements
Mandatory Masquerade Call Time
We have a mandatory* Masquerade Call Time of 4:00 pm at the San Jose Civic and all contestants are required to attend in full costume and remain in the theater until showtime.
*The one exception is if you are in the Fashion Show. Fashion Show participants will be able to participate in both activities on Sunday as long as both departments are notified.. Please send an e-mail to masquerade@fanime.com and jfashion@fanime.com.
Performance/Skit
Maximum performance/skit entry time is 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
Display Entry/Walk-on
Maximum display entry (walk-ons) time is 30 seconds (walk on stage, pose, walk off stage). All Display Entries must be judged for Craftsmanship.
All Entries
We will match your Masquerade Registration Badge Name with your FanimeCon Badge Name so we can confirm which FanimeCon attendees are backstage at our events. This is for the safety and security of all participants. However, we will NEVER announce or share Badge Names, and we will only use “Announce As” (nickname, chosen name, stage name, or online name for all references to you at our event.
Each individual is allowed to participate in one (1) entry wearing one (1) costume. Do not sign up as a member of multiple groups.
Please do not enter a costume in the FanimeCon Masquerade Contest that was used in competition in a previous FanimeCon Masquerade Contest (unless it is so heavily modified as to be almost a new costume). We do not mind if you enter a costume which was used to compete at conventions other than FanimeCon.
You are not allowed to change costumes on stage unless you are removing a top costume with velcro or other modifications that allow the top costume to easily be torn away.
Costumes must be self-contained. Connections to electrical sockets will not be available.
Up to 12 contestants are allowed to appear on stage at a time (not including stage ninjas).
No direct interaction with the emcee, judges, or audience members is allowed during your performance or walk-on
General Safety
We have our own stage ninjas who will help contestants; their primary function is to ensure the safe and smooth performance of the show. If you need to use our ninjas as part of your performance to hold props or be part of the act, you are required to inform the Masquerade Director in advance at masquerade@fanime.com. Otherwise, you may bring your own stage ninjas. We highly encourage you to bring your own ninjas in these cases.
Do not wear or use any substances that might ruin the costume of another contestant. If you are wearing body paint or makeup, make sure it will not come off in casual contact with others.
Do not leave anything on the stage that cannot be picked up by the stage ninjas in a few seconds.
Throwing items off the stage or into the audience is prohibited.
No fire, firecrackers, flash powder, high powered lasers, explosives, aerosols, silly string, or open flames of any kind will be allowed.
Electronic flashes will be permitted, provided that you notify the Masquerade Director in advance. This must be announced in your emcee introduction to protect those who might be affected by the flashing lights.
You cannot enter or exit the stage from any area that has not been approved by the Masquerade Director or the backstage director. Jumping off the stage is not permitted.
Props & Weapons
Make sure you read and understand FanimeCon’s Props & Weapons Policy.
Any props must be described in detail on your application form. Please direct any additional questions or comments to masquerade@fanime.com.
Your prop must be easy to assemble and disassemble. You will have only a few hours before the show to have your prop stored behind the stage.
Your prop must be easily movable. You will have 30 seconds (each) to get the props on and off the stage.
Props must be brought to rehearsal and be stored onsite at the San Jose Civic for the competition.
FanimeCon will not be responsible for any damage or loss to a prop brought onsite. If you are concerned about being able to follow these rules, please contact masquerade@fanime.com to make special arrangements.
All cosplay/props must be disassembled and ready for transport directly following the end of the Masquerade.
Your weapon prop must accompany the costume that you are wearing in order to be peace-bonded.
No firearms, airsoft weapons, or realistic replicas of guns. No functional bows and arrows. Any prop gun must look like a prop from 50 feet away. This is for your safety and for the safety of our other attendees.
No live steel. Live steel is defined as swords, knives, or other objects made of metal, which can take an edge. Dull metal weapons are considered live steel, and therefore are not permitted.
No metal or wood bats, metal pipes, or long metal chains. Plastic versions of any of these are fine.
Any item that is designed or manufactured with the intent to cause bodily injury or death; any item that is illegal in the state of California; or any other item that appears dangerous or may pose a risk of harm will not be allowed on the premises. This will be up to the sole discretion of qualified FanimeCon staff.
Operating a prop to shoot an object of any material is not allowed at FanimeCon and will result in your peace-bond being removed.
Stage
FanimeCon 2024’s Masquerade will be held in the San Jose Civic, located at 135 West San Carlos Street, San Jose, California 95113, adjacent to The Tech Interactive. This is a real stage facility with lights and a sound system.
- Light combinations: full color spectrum
- Light Intensities: quarter, half, full, and fade up or down
Link: Technical Specifications of the San Jose Civic
Stage Dimensions: 49’9″ x 30′
Video projectors: two, located 10 feet left and right of the stage.
Light configuration and capabilities will be in the registration forms tech form.
Large prop storage will be at the left and right of the stage during the competition and in the Masquerade Green Room during the convention.
Audio, Music, & Video
Performance/Skit
Audio, music, and video are allowed and your file should be a maximum of 3 minutes long, but will be faded at 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
Display Entry/Walk-on
Only audio or music is allowed and your file should be 90 seconds long or less and will fade at about 30-45 seconds.
Audio, Music, & Video Submission
Your audio, music, or video must be provided in advance via a Google Drive or Dropbox folder. We will request it via email after your entry is accepted, or during in-person check-in at the convention.
There will be a sound technician at Masquerade Registration to assist you. We can accept a USB drive for onsite deliveries.
If you do not provide us with your own audio or video, a theme song from your series/genre will be played.
Audio, music, and video must have all silences, pauses, and fades built into the file you provide for us. We will not pause or fade your file for you unless you are exiting the stage.
Video Specifics
Videos are for Performance/Skit entries only.
The screens in the San Jose Civic are in 16:9 HD format.
Videos will play on a screen above and to the side of the stage.
If you choose to show a video during your skit, it will serve as a replacement for your music or audio track and must include embedded music and/or audio. Your video must play for the entire skit.
Please make the video length the full 2 minutes and 30 seconds, even if you plan to leave the stage earlier than the cutoff for your performance. If you only have a partial video, fade the rest of the video to black or to a logo for the rest of your performance. We will stop the video once your entry exits the stage.
Adding subtitles to your videos is encouraged.
Videos featuring real people are only allowed if they are participating members of your performance or they have signed the Release and Waiver of Liability.
Lighting & Stage Directions
Display/Walk-on
All Display/Walk-on entries have the lights and audio/music on for the entire duration of the skit (no modifications allowed).
Performances/Skit
All performance/skits are initially assigned the following default lighting and stage directions:
- Start dark
- Enter stage
- Music/Video starts and lights fade up once in position
- End on stage
- Music and lights fade at end of performance
- End dark
- Exit stage
We do allow special requests for Performances/Skits when you apply online or at the convention such as special colors, music/video timing, darkness at a specific time in your skit, etc. Please keep it simple. We can’t guarantee special running order requests.
Please note: we do not have a follow spot.
Rehearsal
A rehearsal will be held on Day 3 (Sunday) from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in the San Jose Civic.
There will be sign-up times available on a first come, first served basis for the optional rehearsal.
Each performance will be given up to 5 minutes to speak with the stage manager and rehearse on stage.
This is a courtesy rehearsal to practice entering, lighting, and music/video.
To plan ahead, please check the Stage section for more information.
Awards
There are two categories of awards that are judged separately: Craftsmanship and Performance. You or your group can win awards from both categories, but you must be judged during one of our Craftsmanship judging time slots to be considered for a Craftsmanship award or the Best-in-Show award.
Awards from all categories can be retracted if a competitor is found to have knowingly violated or failed to follow the competition rules, including (but not limited to): neglecting to disclose potential conflicts of interest, making false claims, inappropriate behavior towards fellow contestants or staff, tampering with or damaging equipment and/or facilities, and any action that interferes with the safety of the staff, contestants, and/or audience of the Masquerade.
Best Overall
Best in Show is awarded for the entry with the best Craftsmanship and Performance combined. All members of a potential Best in Show entry must follow the Craftsmanship Award requirements. This is considered the grand prize of the FanimeCon Masquerade Cosplay Competition.
- Best in Show (Cash Prize)
Performance Category
Performance Category Entries are judged solely on your performance; we will not inquire about the origins of your costume and/or props. Individual members of a Performance group (or the entire group) can also optionally be judged for Craftsmanship, but this is not required.
- Best Group, Performance (Cash Prize)
- Best Individual, Performance (Cash Prize)
- Judge’s Award, Performance (x5) (Cash Prize)
- Honorable Mention, Performance (x2)
- Special Recognition
Craftsmanship Category
Craftsmanship Award entries must have crafted their costumes either individually or as a group. Any costumes purchased or rented from an online store, costume shop, designer/seamstress direct, or any other costuming resource are prohibited from entering the Craftsmanship competition. We do allow purchased props, but additional Craftsmanship points will be given for handmade or modified props. Our judges love new cosplayers and welcome those just getting started; they are happy to give you advice and appreciate initiative and ingenuity. Please see the Craftsmanship Judging section later in the Official Masquerade Cosplay Competition Rules for more information on specific Craftsmanship requirements.
- Best Group, Craftsmanship (x3) (Cash Prize)
- Best Individual, Craftsmanship (x3) (Cash Prize)
- Judge’s Award, Craftsmanship (x5) (Cash Prize)
- Special Recognition
Craftsmanship Judging
All Display Entries (Walk-ons) are required to compete for Craftsmanship to be able to participate in the Masquerade.
If you are participating as a Performance/Skit entry, you are welcome to also compete for Craftsmanship but it is not required.
If you would like to win a Craftsmanship Award, you need to be judged prior to the show at your scheduled time block on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Please do not leave your judging until the last minute.
A no-show for Craftsmanship judging for a Display Entry/Walk-on will disqualify you from winning a prize and we may remove your entry from the show.
Select two potential time slots when you register for the Masquerade. Please email masquerade@fanime.com if you need to change your time slot. You will be assigned one of your two choices of judging dates and times based on the number of people applying for a time slot. We will do our best to give you your first choice. You will be notified by email the time and location of your Craftsmanship Judging based on your Masquerade Application.
We have very limited space on Sunday for Craftsmanship judging. We will only place people in the Sunday judging slots who have a legitimate need (full-body makeup, elaborate hairstyle/wig, group members only attending on Sunday, ADA-related, etc.). Please explain why you need a Sunday slot by emailing masquerade@fanime.com. If your request is accepted, you will be assigned to an open block depending on availability. Otherwise, we will default you to your first or second choice on Friday or Saturday.
Craftsmanship Awards can be retracted if a competitor is found to have knowingly violated the competition rules, including (but not limited to): neglecting to disclose potential conflicts of interest, making false claims about craftsmanship, or deliberately not attributing the maker and/or designer.
You can be judged for Craftsmanship as an individual, a group, or both. You can decide up to the last minute, even while being judged.
The Craftsmanship Judges recommend (but do not require) that each Craftsmanship competitor bring the following:
- At least one color picture, preferably two, of each character and costume that the entry represents.
- Craftsmanship documentation diaries or online albums.
Class Ranking
Class Ranking is for Craftsmanship Judging only. Your rank is dependent on a variety of factors, including:
- How many awards have you won and what types of awards?
- What was your background in costuming before beginning convention competitions?
- How many costume contests have you participated in?
- What are the classes of the other members in your group (for group awards)?
Judges may bump a contender to a higher or lower class based on their interview with you. They do not have to inform the cosplayer of this decision, as it will likely be made in conference with the other judges after judging has completed.
The following table is an example of some key factors that judges may consider when deciding your class placement. The judges will look at some or all of these factors when making a determination.
| Novice | Intermediate | Master |
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Other conventions have different rules?
Excluding conventions that are International Costumer Guild (ICG) certified, there are no across-the-board rules which conventions use for their classes or awards. Rules are set at the discretion of FanimeCon, the Masquerade head, and the judges. The information presented here represents general judging guidelines that are used in FanimeCon’s competition.
Craftsmanship Judging Examples
Please note that this is a sample document, and the judging process may not include everything listed below. Judges may decide to add to the following questions and observations.
We will compare your costume to the picture or pictures that you provide for us to judge based on criteria including accuracy, theme, and originality.
General Questions
- Who made this costume?
- Who or what is the character?
- What series is the character from?
- Did you bring reference materials?
- At how many conventions have you worn this costume?
- At how many conventions have you participated in a costume contest?
- How many awards have you won and what types of awards?
- What was your background in costuming before beginning convention competitions?
- How many costume contests have you participated in?
Non-sewn (molded, crafted) Costumes
- How did you come up with the concept?
- What kind of pattern did you use? Did you make it from a model/picture, or did you see another costume like this and based it on that?
- Why did you choose these materials? Were they difficult to find?
- How is the costume put together? 3D printed? Bolted? Glued? Papier-mâché?
- Did you make the props yourself or did you special order them?
- How much help did you get (if any)?
- How long did it take you to make the costume?
- Is the costume well-constructed and safe to wear?
- Do you need to wear special clothing under the costume that can be seen through the joints? Did you make this clothing yourself?
Sewn Costumes
- Did you use commercial patterns, modified patterns, or self-made patterns?
- Did you use a sewing machine? What kind of stitches did you use?
- Any hand-stitching? What kind of hand-sewing was used? (Stitching will be checked for neatness.)
- Are the fabric/material edges finished or have they been left raw and cut? (This shows time and patience, if you make sure of the quality and details.)
- What materials did you use?
- How are all the parts secured (e.g., velcro, safety pins, hot glue, string, snaps, hook & eyes, buttons, or staples)?
Make-up and Hair
- Who did your makeup? Is it stage makeup or special makeup? (We will rate how well your makeup is done.)
- Is that your natural hair? How long did it take you to style it?
- Is that a wig? If so, how long did it take you to style it? Did you customize it yourself or was it made-to-order?
Shoes and Accessories
- Did you purchase, customize, or make your shoes?
- Do your shoes match the costume?
- How did you get your accessories (jewelry, large gem props, etc.)? Did you buy them? Did you make them?
Presentation
The judges will be present at the Masquerade as well as at appointment judging. Judges will note the flow and movement of your design before making a final decision on the award winners.
Judges
Every year we welcome new and veteran judges to apply for the role of Masquerade Judge. We welcome you to apply if you are interested in judging for next year!
We typically have a panel of four judges. Our panel of judges make decisions on awarding prizes and recognition, and they are selected from respected members of the cosplay community. Each judge has their own unique skill set and background, and they work collectively to determine awards under the guidance and final review of FanimeCon and the Masquerade Department.
FanimeCon judges generally have years of relevant experience in one or more of the following disciplines:
- Costume construction and/or design
- Dance, choreography, or performance (concerts, plays, variety shows, etc.)
- One or more of the following: 3D printing, urethane resin, fiberglass, foam-latex appliances, leatherworking, machining, vacuum-forming, and/or related processes
If you are participating in the Craftsmanship portion of the Masquerade, our judges will meet with you at your appointment time and ask questions related to your costume and props. We’ve provided some examples above to help you know what the judges are looking for when they speak with you.
Our judges will also review the performance portion of the Masquerade.
Masquerade Judge Code of Conduct
Judges must attend a 1 hour orientation meeting on Day 1 (Friday) from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm.
Judges must work all assigned hours:
- Friday (Day 1): 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Saturday (Day 2): 10:00 am – 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
- Sunday (Day 3): 10:00 am – 1:00 pm and 4pm – End of the Masquerade
Judges must be fair and impartial, and disclose conflicts of interest to the Masquerade Head and other judges.
Judges can be removed or recused for undisclosed conflicts of interest or any inappropriate appearance of favoritism.
As a result of previous experiences, disqualifications may occur outside of judging. To maintain the privacy of concerned individuals, this information may be limited to Masquerade Staff.
Judges must not publicly discuss (social media, printed publications, etc.) or make statements about any contestants, FanimeCon attendees, Masquerade staff, or about FanimeCon in general prior to the end of the 2024 convention.
Judges agree that there will be no discrimination of any kind based on race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinions, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status such as disability, age, marital and family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, health status, place of residence, or economic and social situation.
Award winners will be voted for in a democratic process by the judges, with support and final approval from the Masquerade Department.
After the Masquerade presentations, the judges will meet for final decisions during a 30 minute judging break before appearing on stage to present the awards for Best in Show, Craftsmanship, and Performance categories. The judges will make a brief statement about each prize winner.
Each judge will receive a badge and a $100 per diem for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Any failure to follow these guidelines will result in a judge losing the per diem and potentially being removed from judging.
Judges will be announced on the FanimeCon Masquerade page with a name or pseudonym, photo, and biography. There will also be a group announcement made on social media. The judges will also be introduced at the Masquerade Contest.
Disclaimer
Why do other conventions have different rules? Excluding conventions that are International Costumer Guild (ICG) certified, there are no across-the-board rules which conventions use for their awards. Rules are set at the discretion of FanimeCon, the Masquerade Head, and the judges. The information presented here represents guidelines that are used in FanimeCon’s competition.
Audience Rules
Photographs and video are allowed as long as it does not interfere with other audience members’ enjoyment of the show. For example, the ushers will warn you if you stand up, hold your camera up high above your head, or if your screen is too bright.
No flash photography. Period. It is not only unpleasant for those around you, but it is also a safety hazard for the performers and cosplayers on stage.
Seats cannot be reserved until everyone in line has taken a seat and you have been told to make yourself comfortable.
Be respectful of the emcee(s). It is one thing to have a little fun when prompted by an emcee, but if you start interrupting and becoming an unwanted part of the show, we will ask you to leave. Multiple warnings will result in you being seated to a different section or asked to leave the hall.
Do not take photos of a cosplayer who is not on the stage without asking express permission and allowing them to pose first.
Do not touch a cosplayer, their costume, or their props without permission.
Sexual or degrading language and behavior will not be tolerated. Any violation of this rule will have you removed from the premises.
Audience members are not allowed backstage, in dressing rooms, in the green room, or in contestant pathways and corridors.
Press Photography
We will offer an official photography section and call time for members of the Press or those who register with the Masquerade or FanimeCon.
Efforts will be made to accommodate photographers, but priority is given to both the comfort of the contestants and the smooth operation of the Masquerade.
You are required to listen to the photography coordinator.
Do not take photos of a cosplayer who is not on the stage without asking express permission and allowing them to pose first.
Do not touch a cosplayer, their costume, or their props without permission.
Sexual or degrading language and behavior will not be tolerated. Any violation of this rule will have you removed from the premises.
Press and photographers are not allowed backstage, in dressing rooms, in the green room, or in contestant pathways and corridors.