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Main Stage Cosplay Contest

The Main Stage Cosplay Contest provides an opportunity for participants to showcase various elements of cosplay on the main stage! This contest includes the Craftsmanship Contest, Runway Contest, the Skit Contest and the Naka-Kon X Holiday Matsuri WCC Delegate Contest. Please read below for more details about the types of events available.

Exciting News for the Main Stage Cosplay Contest for 2024!

Main Stage Cosplay Contest hopefuls should still read all information below thoroughly for more detailed information, however here is a highlight of the main new items for Naka-Kon 2024!

  • Naka-Kon x Holiday Matsuri Winter Cosplay Championship (“WCC”) Delegate Contest - We’re excited to announce our partnership with Holiday Matsuri to provide Naka-Kon Main Stage Cosplay Contest participants with a new contest and prizing opportunity alongside our regularly scheduled contest.
  • Juried selection process - We’ve eliminated the stress of the first-come, first-serve selection process of the Main stage Cosplay Contest to give contestants much more time to submit their application materials. More information will be required at application, however we’re excited to give cosplayers more time to curate their entries.

Main Stage Cosplay Contest Rules

  • All contestants must adhere to all applicable General Cosplay Contest Rules.
  • This is a Japanese culture convention, so cosplays should be based on licensed anime, manga, J-rock/J-pop, Japanese video games, etc. Characters/inspiration not rooted in Japanese origin (e.g., The Avengers or Disney characters as you might find in Kingdom Hearts) do not meet this requirement. Fanart (original renderings of existing licensed characters) is fine, however, no original characters will be allowed.
  • No more than five entries are open for licensed non-Japanese characters. An example of this is Batman or Disney princesses. Licensed, non-Japanese entries may enter any of the categories, but are not eligible for the Best in Show award or the Naka-Kon X Holiday Matsuri WCC Delegate Award.
  • Cosplays based on unlicensed characters and original characters may not enter the Main Stage Contest or Skit contest.
  • Surprise the audience, not the staff! Please speak to the Cosplay Directors if you have any unconventional plans outside of walking on and off the stage.
  • Contestants are only allowed one entry. A contestant may not enter the Main stage Cosplay Contest with more than one costume, or be part of more than one group.
  • Stage time is limited to one minute per entry, unless you are entering a skit. Skits are allotted 3 minutes maximum. Please be conscientious of your time!
  • There will be a mandatory meeting for all entrants in the Main Stage Cosplay Contest and Skit Contest at 3:00 p.m. in Ballroom C on Saturday. This is the Main Stage Cosplay Contest Green Room. All members of your entry must be present to participate in the contest. Those who are not present or have not cleared their tardiness with the Cosplay Directors in advance will be disqualified. Please notify the Cosplay Directors immediately if you need to withdraw your entry. 
  • Runway music will be provided by Naka-Kon A/V staff for all Main Stage Contest entries unless the contestant has otherwise provided approved audio before the deadline.
  • If you wish to use your own audio:
    • Audio must adhere to a PG rating.
    • Audio must be in MP3 format.
    • Audio must be submitted at the time of online registration via the link provided in the application form. Please label your music by the name you wish to be announced on stage, e.g.: “Tomo-chan Cosplay.”
    • We will not accept audio on-site.
  • Contestants may not bring anyone other than assigned handlers or guardians to the Green Room. Unauthorized individuals in the Green Room will be asked to leave.

Class

All contestants will self-sort into class level. This ensures that each participant is judged fairly among those in their same skill level.

  • Beginner: Any contestant who has never won an award in any costume/cosplay contest, or has won 2 or fewer minor cosplay awards (e.g., a Judge’s Choice award, or Best Beginner Runner Up) should enter this category. At least 50% of your costume must be made by the contestant.
  • Intermediate: Any contestant who has won two or fewer major awards in any costume/cosplay contest, or convention cosplay contest (e.g. Best Beginner, or Best Beginner craftsmanship) should enter this category. At least 65% of your costume must be made by the contestant.
  • Master: Any contestant who has won 3 or more major awards in any costume/cosplay contest, or convention cosplay contest, or someone who has income exceeding $10,000 per year from costuming, cosplay, stage performance, sewing, prop construction, wig construction/styling, or any other costume/cosplay-related field should enter this category. At least 75% of your costume must be made by the contestant.

If you are entering the contest with other people, then your class will be determined by the highest class achieved by members of your entry (e.g. if you are a Beginner and your partner is a Master, you must enter the Master category.). If you are not sure what class you are in, please contact the Main Stage Cosplay Directors and we would be happy to help you determine your class.

Please note the Cosplay Contest team reserves the right to move you to an appropriate class at any time without prior warning in the interest of the integrity of the contest.

Craftsmanship Contest Requirements

Craftsmanship judging will occur ahead of the Main Stage Cosplay Contest through prejudging on Saturday of the convention. Prejudging time is determined by your cosplay class via block scheduling. You will receive information about your judging time with your confirmation email, which should come to you no later than ten days before the show. While cosplay contests do eat up quite a bit of your Saturday schedule, block scheduling allows contestants to enjoy the convention outside of their judging, as well as take time to eat, hydrate, and rest before the Main Stage Contest. It also allows for some flexibility in case there are forces of nature that prevent you from being ready at an exact judging time–we understand life happens. As much as we’d love to keep you to ourselves, we want you to spread your wings and enjoy the convention as much as possible! The time issued in your block may not be the exact time you will be judged. Please plan for at least 20 minutes of that timeframe before you will actually be called into judging.

Please show up to your designated time block prepared to explain how you made your costume.

Contestants may model their work on another person, however the award will be given to the creator of the costume, and we’ll leave it to you to divide up any awards you receive. Both the creator and the model must be registered attendees of Naka-Kon.

Note: Naka-Kon will only issue one award package to each entry. Additional awards will not be issued to accommodate individual members of a group.

  • Craftsmanship Contest entrants are assigned a time slot based on their class. All craftsmanship judging will take place on Saturday before the stage presentation.
  • Judging will take place at the craftsmanship judging table in Ballroom C. You will be called up to meet with the judges. 
  • Each entrant will have five minutes with the judges to discuss how the costume was made and answer any questions the judges may have. Be prepared for judges to look closely at your work such as seams, paint job, wig styling and detailing.
  • NOTE: Judging is minimally invasive, however we know some contestants may feel uncomfortable with the judges touching them/their costume. Please let the Cosplay Directors know if this is the case so we can make accommodations. A trusted handler may attend your judging to flip seams, or additional reference pictures may need to be added to the progress book so the judges can see the interior parts of the costume. 
  • Be sure to tell the judges about things you’d like to highlight on your costume. Likewise, please tell the judges about any elements on your costume you did not make. 
  • All members of your entry must be present for the full length of the judging session.
  • Entrants who are not present at their judging time slot may be disqualified from the Main Stage Contest. Entrants are encouraged to show up for judging 5 minutes before their scheduled time.
  • You must bring printed character reference photos for judging as well as at least 5 progress photos. Front and back reference photos are highly encouraged! Your progress books will be returned to you after the contest in Ballroom A, so to make this process easier, please label your books.
  • Reference photos must be printed and bound in some way (binder clips, staples, glue, safety pins…) No photos from your phone/tablet/computer will be accepted. This is because the internet is not consistent and the judges may want to look at your progress books after your judging time slot. We do not want to hold on to your devices.

Runway Contest Requirements

For the Runway element of the Main Stage Cosplay Contest, contestants will be able to walk the runway and pose at several points on the stage. Feel free to make your stage presentation/entrance creative so long as it fits in with all cosplay and Naka-Kon rules/guidelines. This is an opportunity to show off your ability to pose as your character would, and enchant the audience with your walk on the stage. Keep in mind that this is a judged portion of the Main Stage Cosplay Contest, so you will have up to one minute to hit the audience and judges with the ol’ razzle dazzle!

  • Audio must be submitted at the time of online registration through a link in the registration form. Please do not email your audio. 
  • Runway time is limited to one minute. If you need more time than that, you must enter as a skit. Please see the skit rules for more information.
  • Runway tech rehearsal is between 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. CT on Saturday of the convention. Attendance is mandatory if you have provided your own audio. If your tech rehearsal coincides with your judging time, do not worry, we will accommodate this.

Skit Contest Requirements

Do you need more time than a minute to showcase your talent on the stage? Look no further than the Skit Contest! Skits usually contain some element of pre-recorded dialogue and/or music, where individuals act out a particular scene on stage. This is also the category for you if you have more than two members in your entry. Should you choose to enter the Craftsmanship Contest as well with your skit, you will be judged based on the member of your skit group with the highest class (e.g., if your skit group is made up of three Beginners and a Master, your craftsmanship judging will be judged at Master level). If you do not enter in the craftsmanship category, you will not be eligible for Best in Show.

  • All skits must adhere to the General Contest Rules and applicable Main Stage Contest rules listed above.
  • Skits are limited to six people.
  • Skits are limited to three minutes in length. All content/dialogue must adhere to a PG rating.
  • No karaoke or dance-only performances. You are welcome to perform karaoke during the Karaoke Contest. See the schedule for details.
  • If you wish to be judged on craftsmanship for your skit, you are also subject to craftsmanship requirements listed above.
  • This is a Japanese culture convention, so cosplays should be based on licensed anime, manga, J-rock/J-pop, Japanese video games, etc. Licensed characters/inspiration not rooted in Japanese origin (e.g., The Avengers or Disney characters as you might find in Kingdom Hearts) do not meet this requirement. Fanart of licensed characters in Japanese media is fine, however, no original characters will be allowed.
  • No more than five entries are open for licensed non-Japanese characters. Licensed non-Japanese entries may enter any of the categories, but are not eligible for the Best in Show award or the Naka-Kon X WCC Delegate award.
  •  Cosplays based on unlicensed or original characters may not enter the Main Stage Contest or Skit contest.
  • There will be a mandatory meeting for all entrants in the Main Stage Cosplay Contest, and Skit Contest at 3:00 p.m. in Ballroom C on Saturday. This is the Main Stage Cosplay Contest Green Room. All members of your entry must be present to participate in the contest. Those who are not present or have not cleared their tardiness with the Cosplay Directors in advance will be disqualified. Please notify the Cosplay Directors immediately if you need to withdraw your entry.
  • All audio needs to be pre-recorded. There will be no live microphones available, and the audience will not be able to hear your unamplified voice. Scripts and audio  must be submitted along with your pre-registration application. Audio must be submitted at the time of online registration via the link provided in the application. Remember, do not surprise the cosplay staff, only the audience. We promise we won’t spoil your skit. We just need to know what is happening so we can plan accordingly!
  • Skit scripts do not need to be in any particular format, however we will need documentation of all stage cues and dialogue performed.

Naka-Kon x Holiday Matsuri WCC Delegate Contest

Naka-Kon is thrilled to announce our partnership with Holiday Matsuri to provide Naka-Kon Main Stage Cosplay Contest participants with an exciting competition opportunity!

Holiday Matsuri hosts the WCC, a series of qualifier cosplay competitions to various national and  international contests. Naka-Kon will be awarding one entry of this year’s Main Stage Cosplay Contest with a trip to Holiday Matsuri 2024 to compete in the WCC!

Winners will receive: 

  • Credentials to attend Holiday Matsuri 2024
  • A guaranteed slot in the Winter Cosplay Championship for the preliminary contest of their choice
  • Round trip tickets to Holiday Matsuri for up to 2 individuals
  • Lodging and airport pick up accommodations for arrival at Holiday Matsuri 2024

WCC Events

CosFest Singapore: A craftsmanship only competition with prizes for both solo and pair entries. Competitors will be judged on their craftsmanship and have the option to perform or showcase their costume in a walk across the WCC stage. Winners of this contest will travel to Singapore to participate as a featured guest in one of Singapore Cosplay Club’s many events.

The Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival (GICOF): A Craftsmanship and performance competition for pairs of cosplayers. The winning team will become the  GICOF Team USA and travel to South Korea to represent the United States at the Annual Gyeonggi International Cosplay Festival.

The Nordic Cosplay Championship (NCC): A contest for solo competitors with a breakdown of 50% craftsmanship and 50% performance. This event is held at NärCon Sommar in Linköping, Sweden. The NCC is a unique contest which has been held annually since 2012.

The Extreme Cosplay Gathering (ECG): The European Cosplay Gathering has now become the Extreme Cosplay Gathering! The ECG is a contest for soloists, duos, and trios (with the option of a stage ninja) or a team of four (with no stage ninja). The winners will travel to Japan Expo in Paris, France to take the stage with cosplayers from around the world in a contest unlike any other!

The Holiday Matsuri Cultural Exchange Cosplay Program: Winners of this contest will receive a trip to attend a cosplay event in a country outside the United States including flights, badges, and hotel stay to experience cosplay outside the United States and meet other cosplayers from around the world.

Find out more information about the various cosplay contests offered through the WCC 2023. When information for 2024 is available, we will update this link.

Please note: Contestants interested in competing for the Naka-Kon x WCC Delegate Award must be age 18 or older by December 20, 2024. There may be other requirements for the WCC that may be more or less restrictive than what is required at Naka-Kon, however all entries who are interested in trying for the Naka-Kon x Holiday Matsuri WCC Delegate award must adhere to the Naka-Kon Main Stage Cosplay Contest and/or Skit Contest rules, plus the 18 year or older age requirement. A performance or entry may be modified after reception of the award to compete at WCC if the change is approved by both the Naka-Kon Cosplay Directors and the Director of Cosplay and Main Events at Holiday Matsuri. Read below for details.

Registration for the Main Stage Cosplay Contest

Online Registration

Online Registration will be open Tuesday April 2, at 6:00 p.m. CT until Tuesday, April 30 at 6:00 p.m. CT.

No entries will be accepted before this time!

In order to make the application period easier on contestants, the Naka-Kon Main Stage Cosplay Contest will be moving to a juried format rather than a first-come-first serve basis. This will eliminate the difficulty of making sure you are in front of the screen at just the right time to apply for the Main Stage Cosplay Contest.

In a juried format, all applications received before the deadline will be reviewed by an impartial team and assessed on the following criteria:

  • Adherence to the General and Main Stage Cosplay Contest Rules and requirements
  • Competitiveness against the other entries submitted
  • Closeness toward completion of the costume
    • There will be slight preference for entrants who can provide evidence that their costumes are 50% or more complete. This particular metric tends to reduce the number of last minute drops from the Main Stage Cosplay Contest.

All applications will be reviewed by the Cosplay Directors as well as other experienced and impartial reviewers to ensure that the application review is fair and complete. This reviewing team is separate from the judges who will be judging your costumes at-Kon.

As part of your application, you will need to provide the following:

  • Contestant information
  • Character/Fandom information
  • Information about how much of your costume you made and how much was purchased
  • A folder that contains the following:
    • At least one reference photo
    • At least five work in progress photos
    • Please make sure that the folder has permissions for cosplay@naka-kon.com to view the files! If we cannot view your files, we cannot review your entry.
  • Whether or not you wish to be considered for the Naka-Kon X WCC Delegate award
    • If you wish to be considered for the award, you must also be prepared to confirm the following:
      • Eligibility to legally travel nationally and internationally
      • Availability to attend and compete at Holiday Matsuri 2024 in Orlando, Florida
      • Which WCC contest you would like to participate in
      • Willingness to deliver on contractual obligations such as media and promotional events at Holiday Matsuri 2024

The more details you provide in your application, the easier it will be for the jury to determine the eligibility of your costume. We recommend being as detailed as possible when answering the questions about the components you have made or purchased. Saying “I made all of it” is not as helpful in determining your eligibility as it would be to explain what specific elements you have crafted from raw materials, or explain what elements you have altered.

DO NOT submit more than one application. Contestants submitting more than one application may have both entries disqualified. If you would like to change your entry, please email the Cosplay Directors at cosplay@naka-kon.com.

If the form indicates that your response was accepted after you hit submit, that is your confirmation that your application was received. There will not be a separate email sent that confirms your application was received. Contestants will be alerted of their acceptance no later than ten days before the show.

There will be no on-site registration for the main stage contest!

Check In

  • Check-in for the Main Stage Cosplay Contests on Friday at-Kon from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. CT in Ballroom C. This is where you will confirm your participation in the Main Stage Contest. If you cannot make it at this time, please let the directors know.
  • You do not need to be in costume for check-in. Come in, check in, then be on your way to enjoy the convention!

Main Stage Cosplay Contest Craftsmanship judging times: You will be assigned a judging time block no later than ten days before the convention via email, within the larger block of time designated for your class level. Please show up to your judging time at least five minutes early!

Tech rehearsal: If you provided your own music or want to practice your stage walk ahead of time, please show up to tech rehearsal which will be noted in your acceptance email. This will be in Ballroom C. You don’t need to be in costume, but you may want to bring anything bulky/tricky so you can adjust your presentation if needed. Tech rehearsal is required for anyone who provides their own audio. Please note that rehearsal may run concurrent with your judging time block--this is okay! The Cosplay Directors will ensure that there is time for both. We may run your audio before or after your judging time.

As always, please email if you have any questions! We are excited to see what you bring to the Cosplay Contest this year!