Chizu Con Cosplay Contest Rules

All entrants must be registered attendees of Chizu Con.

Judging Hours: 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the NGL Community Room

In-Person Craftsmanship Registration Hours: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., or until all appointment times filled.

Mandatory Contest Orientation: 4:15 p.m. in the NGL Community Room

Contest Start Time: 5 p.m. in Main Events

Chizu Con is excited to include a performance category in 2026! Find the rules for this category here.

Craftsmanship Contest Levels: 

• Beginner (0-1 major craftsmanship awards): If you have never competed before or have only competed a few times, this is the category for you.

• Advanced (2 or more major craftsmanship awards or gains income through crafting via paid profession or commissions): Advanced competitors have experience in competition and have recorded a few wins. Currently at Chizu Con, Journeyman/Intermediate and Masters competitors both fall into the Advanced category.

• Runway Only: Chizu’s competitive opportunity for costumes that do not reach the 60% made threshold. Runway category contestants will be judged on their in-character stage presence and audience response. This category is a great option for cosplayers who want to compete but aren't in a position to craft an entire costume or choreograph a skit. Costumes that are 60% handmade or more are not eligible for a runway presentation award. Entrants in the performance contest are also not eligible for a runway presentation award.

When determining entry level, Chizu Con defines a major award as First In Category (i.e. 1st Place Beginner) or Best In Show.

Note: Chizu Con’s judges may move a contestant up a level if they feel a contestant’s work is better suited to a higher category.

Group Entries: Groups of up to three members are permitted.

Awards: 

• Chizu’s Choice - Chizu’s special recognition award presented by our contest coordinator

• Best Runway Presentation

• Best Performance

• 1st and 2nd Place Beginner

• 1st and 2nd Place Advanced

Craftsmanship Rules: 

• In order to be eligible for a craftsmanship award, Chizu Con requires a minimum 60% of a cosplay be made or modified by the contestant. Modification of an item is defined as significant transformative reworking, i.e. dyeing, painting, removing sleeves, or reshaping a neckline. Lengthening or shortening a hem is not considered significant enough work to qualify as transformative modification. 

  • If a contestant is modeling a costume made by another crafter, the maker must be present during judging in order to be eligible for an award.

  • Only one costume may be entered per person.

• Contestants are strongly encouraged to bring a picture of their character for the judges to reference. Printed references are preferred, but may also be presented on a tablet or phone screen.

• Contestants are also strongly encouraged to bring progress photos of their crafting process, both as proof of work and to show off fabrication methods or details that can’t easily be seen.

• Costumes designed or patterned using generative AI are not permitted.

Entrants under the age of 18 must have a guardian sign off on their participation in the cosplay contest. Entrants 12 and under must have a guardian present during judging, orientation, and the contest.

Contestants may bring one handler/support person into judging with them.

Contestants who require accommodations for disability/mobility concerns are encouraged to reach out to Chizu Con staff at chizuconcosplay@gmail.com prior to the event so that staff may make plans to ensure accessibility for all contestants. At this time, Chizu Con's contest takes place on a level floor that does not require contestants to use stairs or ramps.

Custom Audio: 

Due to staffing limitations, Chizu Con is unable to accept custom walk on audio at this time.

Performance Contest Rules:

• Performance contest entry is by pre-registration only.

• Maximum entry length: 3 minutes

• Due to space limitations, performances are limited to three people.

• Skits that require audio must submit MP3 audio prior to con date. The last day to submit audio is two weeks before con date (September 5th, 2026). Entrants who require audio but do not submit it by the deadline will be disqualified.

• Contestants also participating in the Idol Fest may not enter the same performance in both the Idol Fest and the performance contest in the same year.

Contestants may enter in both the Craftsmanship and Performance contests. Entries in both contest tracks must adhere to the rules of each track. Contestants entered in both Craftsmanship and Performance are eligible to win awards in both contest tracks and may place in both.

Performance entries are not eligible for the Runway award and may not enter in that category.

Performances must be PG-13 rated. No nudity, no curses more severe than "damn", no realistic violence, etc.

Performance entries are expected to follow all the same rules of conduct as craftsmanship and runway entries. 

No cheerleading or gymnastics style lifts, flips, throws, etc. Our floor is made of concrete and you are made of meat.

Audio created using generative AI is not permitted.

Live singing is permitted, provided the performer's audio fits a PG-13 rating.

Live music performance is permitted. Those with instruments which require electrical connections should be prepared to bring their own cords and adapters. Reach out to Chizu Con Cosplay to discuss what is available in house and what you will need to bring with you.

Flow arts props (poi, fans, flags, etc.) are permitted, but overhead tosses are not. The Goodman Center’s ceiling is approximately 12 feet high and has exposed beams and light fixtures, please plan accordingly and reach out to chizuconcosplay@gmail.com with questions.

Setup and Tear Down: Chizu Con has limited contest staff, therefore performances that require stage setup (backdrops, tables, a large number of cardboard cutouts, etc.) should be self-contained and able to be moved on/off stage by performers themselves. Chizu staff are happy to help if they are available, but performers should be prepared to get on and off stage by themselves.

Sign Ups and Check In: 

Chizu Con is offering both online and in person registration in 2026. All contestants must check in at the cosplay contest desk prior to pre-judging to confirm their entry information. Craftsmanship contestants will be prompted to choose a time slot in which to be judged. Contestants should arrive at the judging room a few minutes before their time begins. Craftsmanship contestants who do not attend their pre-judging time will be disqualified. Runway only and non-craftsmanship performance entrants will not need to attend pre-judging.

Orientation:

Orientation is mandatory for all contestants. At orientation contestants will be given instructions for crossing the stage, lined up in their walking order, and their names and introductory script will be confirmed. Contestants who do not attend orientation will be disqualified.

Time for performance entries to do sound checks and tech rehearsal will be provided, specific details regarding this time are still under review and will be available prior to con date.

Code of Conduct: 

• Entries may not contain offensive religious, political, or social content, including but not limited to: racism (including ‘racefacing’, i.e. blackface), homophobia, transphobia, ableism, fatphobia, ageism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, sexual or domestic violence, or joking references to historical tragedies. Use your common sense, if you think it might be offensive, it probably is.

• Weapon props must be peace marked and not pointed directly at the audience.

• No throwing things into the audience or across the stage. If it walked in with you, it must walk out with you.

• No nudity, entries must provide at least “bikini coverage”, regardless of gender.

• All stage presentations must be family friendly and not exceed a PG-13 rating.

• No loose glitter.

• Contestants wishing to wear specialized footwear, i.e. stilts or pointe shoes, as part of their presentation must provide evidence of training in the wearing of said footwear.

• For the safety of contestants, the audience, and the venue, no pyrotechnics, smoke bombs, flashbangs, or similar special effects permitted.

• No live animals are allowed as costume props. Service animals are welcome.

• Real food may not be used as either a prop or costume element.

Costume Reuse/Sandbagging Rules:

•  Costumes that have won a major craftsmanship award (i.e., 1st place in category) at an event the same size or smaller than Chizu Con may be entered in a higher category if significant alterations (defined as at least 25% of elements changed or updated) have been made. If no higher category is appropriate for the costume (i.e., won Best Journeyman and no specified Masters category is available at Chizu Con), costume will be considered ineligible for entry at Chizu Con until such time as an appropriate category is added. 

  • At this time, this means costumes that have previously won Best Beginner awards at smaller or equal sized conventions may be re-entered in the Advanced category provided an acceptable level of alteration has been done. To help ensure fair sportsmanship, documentation of the previous award, the name of the event at which it was received, and documentation of alterations (completed or planned) is required at time of registration in order to be eligible for an award at Chizu Con. Contestants found to be in willful violation of this rule will be disqualified and barred from entering future Chizu Con cosplay contests.

    • If alterations have not been completed at time of pre-registration, documentation of finished alterations will be requested at time of check in. If alterations have not been completed by the date of the contest, entry will not be eligible for an award.

• Performances that have won a major award (Best Performance, 1st Place Performance, Best in Show) may not be entered.

Sportsmanship: 

• Contestants found to be behaving in an unsportsmanlike fashion towards other contestants, venue staff, convention staff, or judges during or after the contest will be disqualified and barred from entering Chizu Con’s cosplay contest in the future. Unsportsmanlike behavior includes but is not limited to: Bullying, harassment, intentionally damaging property, badmouthing or insulting fellow competitors or judges, disrespectful language, and violent or threatening behavior.

Cheating: 

• Cheating in order to win a costume contest is an extremely silly life choice worthy of derision. If concrete and verifiable evidence of cheating (i.e., screenshots of social media posts, video) is presented to Chizu Con staff and cheating accusations are determined after investigation to be accurate, the culprit(s) will be banned from competing at all future Chizu Con contests.

Violation of contest rules may result in disqualification and in severe cases may result in a contestant being barred from future Chizu Con cosplay contests.

Contestants should note that by entering Chizu Con’s contest they are agreeing to allow Chizu Con to use photos or video of them for promotional purposes.

Judges at Chizu Con’s cosplay contest are selected based on their experience, crafting and interpersonal skills, and professionalism. If concerns arise regarding the actions, decisions, or qualifications of Chizu Con judges, competitors are expected to approach Chizu Con staff at chizuconcosplay@gmail.com  for investigation and resolution of issues.

Exceptions to these rules can be made at the discretion of cosplay contest staff.

WAIT!
Did you read the rules above before applying?