AnchorCon Cosplay Contest Rules
AnchorCon’s Cosplay Contest takes place over both days!
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Saturday is the Craftsmanship competition open to participants ages 13 and up. Sunday is Kids’
Day open to participants ages 12 and under.
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Saturday
There is no online pre-registration for the Craftsmanship Contest. Sign-ups are done at-show
from 10:00 am - 12:00 noon at the Cosplay Judges’ booth. Each contestant will have 5 minutes
to be judged. Decisions of the judges for each award are final.
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Pre-judging will take place at 11:00am to 12:00 noon at the Main Stage. This contest is open to
anyone age 13+ who has crafted their costume. Entrants must compete solo, group entries are
not allowed in the craftsmanship contest.
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We are happy to judge costumes from all genres; anime, manga, comic, television/movie, etc.
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We will be judging your costume on workmanship and presentability. Staying in character is not
necessary. Master and Novice Builder participants must bring progress pictures and reference
materials with them to pre-judging. You may show them on your phone, tablet, or bring
print-outs.
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3D printed items are allowed, however, special consideration is given to participants who have
completely 3D modeled their own pieces and included this process in their progress pictures. As
well as overall finish on the prints.
Commissioned costumes may be entered solely if the creator is present and entering with said
cosplayer as their model.
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Costumes that have been entered in other craftsmanship contests may NOT be entered into
AnchorCon’s contest unless significant changes have been made to the costume.
If there are questions regarding placement, you may speak with the judges after the contest.
Divisions:
Novice:
Contestants who have won fewer than three (3) major awards* in a craftsmanship costume
competition at any convention. Entrants must have made 50% of their costume on their own to
be considered for an award in this division.
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Master:
Any contestant who has won at least three (3) major awards* as a Novice in a craftsmanship
costume competition at any convention. Entrants must have made 80% of their costume on their
own to be considered for an award in this division.
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Walk-on/Fashion Show:
Any contestant interested in showing off their costume, handmade, purchased, thrifted,
commissioned, or otherwise is encouraged to participate in the Walk-on/Fashion Show! The
prize for this category is awarded to the best presentation on stage. Pairs and groups are
allowed to enter under this category, please check the coordinating box on the signup sheet.
Entrants in this division may show off their costume even if they are not interested in competing
for the prize. Please check the appropriate box indicating your choice on the signup sheet. If a
group or pair is selected as the winners for this division, they will receive the one prize
designated for the division.
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Sunday
Kids: The kids’ cosplay contest is Sunday only and is restricted to children ages 12 and under.
Children age 13 as of the day of AC cannot compete in the kids’ category. There are no Master,
Novice, or Judge’s Choice categories in the Kid’s contest (Sunday).
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* A major award starts with “Best” and includes awards such as “Best in Class”, “Best
Craftsmanship”, etc., and was given out by an entire panel of judges. Honorable mentions do
count as major awards. Judge’s awards do not count as major prizes.
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Judges reserve the right to move a contestant to an appropriate level as necessary.
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Awards
Awards will be presented following the Walk-Ons/ Fashion Show in the following categories:
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Master Builder:
1st prize - $500 cash, custom trophy, and Clayton Island Boat Tour pass
2nd prize - $200 cash and Clayton Island Boat Tour pass
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Novice:
1st prize - $300 cash, custom trophy, and Clayton Island Boat Tour pass
2nd prize - $100 cash and Clayton Island Boat Tour pass
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Walk On/Fashion-Show:
1st prize - Custom Trophy and Clayton Island Boat Tour pass
2nd prize - Clayton Island Boat Tour pass
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Judges Choice:
Custom Trophy and Clayton Island Boat Tour pass
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Kids:
1st prize - Custom Trophy, 2 Clayton Island Boat Tour passes and 2 admission passes to Boldt
Castle
2nd prize - 2 admission passes to Boldt Castle
3rd prize - 2 admission passes to Boldt Castle
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—------------------ ALL DECISIONS ARE FINAL —---------------------
All contestants must be ticket-holding attendees of AnchorCon.
Groups and pairs are NOT ALLOWED to compete in the Master and Novice categories.
Groups and pairs are welcome to compete in the Walk On/ Fashion Show.
Any participant in ANY of Saturday’s contests (Master, Novice, Walk-on/Fashion Show) must be
age 13+ by Anchor Con. Exceptions will be made for families cosplaying together and being
judged as a group.
Sunday is Kids’ Day where the contest is open to our youngest guests. Kids must be aged
newborn to 12 years old to compete. Age 13 as of the day of AC cannot compete in kids'
category.
There are no Master, Novice or Judge's Choice categories in the Kids contest.
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Participants are ONLY eligible to win 1 award e.g. if competing as a Novice or Master builder,
you would not be eligible to win for your division AND the Judges’ Choice or Walk-On/Fashion
Show award.
No live animals may be used on stage unless it is a service animal. The contest organizers must
be notified beforehand during pre-registration if this is the case.
No power will be provided (power sockets, extension cords, batteries, etc.– no external power
sources will be provided to contestants)
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All contestants must be able to move onto and across the stage on their own in the cosplays,
and operate them independently. No handlers are allowed on stage to help operate a cosplay.
Accommodations will be made for any person with a disability who requires the use of
wheelchairs, crutches or other supports, or an aide.
Cosplays must be worn for the duration of the cosplay contest.
For the safety of all contest participants and AnchorCon attendees, cosplays and props MAY
NOT contain active projectiles such as pop guns, air guns, fireworks, projectiles of glitter,
confetti, water, flash paper, actual fire, bubbles, ribbons or smoke (real or artificial).
Laser pointer sights on prop weapons are not permitted and must be turned off. Strobe lights
are not permitted. Vapor emissions may be allowed if they are contained within the cosplay and
not projected onto others. LED lights are allowed.
No acrobatics, sexually suggestive dances or gestures, aggressively violent choreography or martial arts routines will be allowed.
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No flash photography will be allowed during the contest, both in the audience and backstage.
Please take all pictures either before, or after the contest. An on stage photo op time will be
made available for the contest winners and participants AFTER the cosplay contest.
Special Guests and Cosplay Guests are ineligible to compete in the Cosplay Contest.
If you win a major award (i.e Master Craftsmanship 1st place), you cannot also win another
major award (i.e Judges Choice) in the same contest.
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Only registered contest participants are allowed backstage during the Novice Builder, Master
Builder and Walk-on competition. ONE parent/guardian will be allowed backstage per registered
child in the Kids’ category competition.
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No food or drink will be allowed backstage.
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Winners must be present at the awards presentation in order to receive any prizes won.
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AnchorCon reserves the right to remove contestants from the Cosplay Contest if necessary.
Removal can occur under the following circumstances:
Unsportsmanlike/inappropriate conduct/behavior of the contestant is witnessed (i.e. bullying,
sexual harassment, intimidation, etc.)
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Finally, HAVE FUN and follow “Wheaton’s Law.”