Thank you for your interest in the Cosplay Contest for Tsukino-Con 2026. Please read the following rules prior to completing the Online Submission Form.

If you have any questions related to the Cosplay Contest, please do not hesitate to contact the Cosplay Contest Director (Maryjane).

Please note that there will be NO EXCEPTIONS to the rules below, so PLEASE READ THEM CAREFULLY.

The contents of this page are subject to change without notice. Please check back periodically in order to ensure that you receive the most up-to-date information.

KEY POINTS FOR THE COSPLAY CONTEST

The Tsukino-Con 2026 Cosplay Contest will occur on Saturday, February 21st in BWC B150 at UVic.

All contestants MUST be present and checked in by 10:30AM on Saturday, February 21st in BWC B150. Any contestants who are not present and checked in by this time will have their entries forfeited and will not be permitted to perform in the Contest.

Contest submissions will only be accepted via the Online Submission Form prior to the submission deadline. Any entries submitted after the deadline, including in-person submissions, WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Sign-Up

• All submissions for the Cosplay Contest must be submitted via this Online Submission Form.
• Only one submission is required per entry, regardless of whether you are submitting as an individual, or on behalf of a group.
• Entries must be submitted by Saturday, February 14th at 11:59PM PST. LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Submission Cap, Running Order, and Wait-List

• The event runtime will be capped at 90 minutes.
• There will NOT be a wait-list for this year’s event. An announcement will be made and the Online Submission Form will be closed if the runtime cap is reached.
• Running order is not based on submission order. Running order is determined by the event organizers. The running order will be provided to contestants when they check in for Orientation.
• Performances/skits may not exceed 5 minutes in length and walk-ons may not exceed 1 minute in length.

Modification of Online Submissions

• To modify your entry after it has been submitted, you must use the “Edit Response” link provided in your Confirmation Email. Please do not submit a new entry. We will NOT accept requests for manual modification of submissions via email.
• If a member of a group withdraws from the Cosplay Contest or is absent at the time of the event, the remaining group members’ entry will not be effected.
• Entrants suspected of parking may have their initial entries voided without notice at the discretion of the event organizers. “Parking” is when an individual or group knowingly submits an incorrect or incomplete submission for the sole purpose of reserving their position in the Submission Queue.
• It is the entrant’s responsibility to ensure that all information provided on the Online Submission Form is correct and complete prior to the Submission deadline.
• Entrants may withdraw their entries at any time, including after the submission deadline has passed.
• ALL MODIFICATIONS TO ENTRIES MUST BE COMPLETED BY SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH AT 11:59PM PST.

Saturday Orientation and Open Stage and Live Event

• We strongly encourage contestants to make use of the Open Stage time available after the Orientation. The point of this Open Stage time is for contestants to familiarize themselves with the venue, ensure that the sound technicians have received their audio, and practice their performances prior to the Live Event.
• Contestants are expected to be in attendance for the Orientation and Live Event on Saturday, February 21st from 10:30AM to 3:00PM with the exception of, e.g., washroom breaks. Washrooms are located around the right-hand corner down the hall across from the Lobby entrance to B150 in the Bob Wright Centre. Once contestants who have opted for pre-judging have been pre-judged, they are free to leave and must return by no later than 12:30PM. Contestants who have not opted for prejudging are free to leave after pre-judging begins and must return by no later than 12:30PM.
• Contestants who are not present during attendance at the beginning of the Orientation will be disqualified without notice.

Coat-Check Fee Waiving and Storage of Personal Belongings

• Due to space restrictions, we will not be able to facilitate storage of personal belongings within the Main Stage venue. Exceptions will be made for essential medical items and water bottles.
• Cosplay Contest contestants will have the Coat Check fee waived for any items deposited at coat-check between 9:30AM and 3:30PM on Saturday, February 21st.
• Please provide Coat Check with the name/cosplay name/group name that you entered in your Online Submission Form to be eligible to have the Coat Check fee waived.

Categories and Awards

Awards will be announced at the Live Event after the running order has completed, following a brief period of deliberation by the judges. Contestants who win awards will be asked to remain on-stage after being called up to receive their awards until after the event has formally concluded.

Awards will be printed off after the Live Event and will be available for pickup at the Registration Desk from 8:00PM onwards. Any awards not picked up by 4:00PM on Sunday, February 22th will be given to Lost and Found. We will not be able to mail out awards.

Depending on how many entries we receive, there will be between six and ten awards available for contestants to win:

• Novice (3 awards)
  • Best Costume
  • Best Performance
  • Best in Show
• Advanced (3 awards)
  • Best Costume
  • Best Performance
  • Best in Show
• Judges Choice (0-4 awards)

Descriptions of the “Performance” and “Costume” categories are bellow. Note that the “Best In Show” awards will be given to an individual or group who demonstrates excellence in both categories.

Craftsmanship

In order to be eligible for a Craftsmanship award (Best Costume or Best in Show), contestants must have made at least 50% of their costume themselves. For group entrants, this ‘50% criterion’ will be satisfied if any of the following are true:

• One or more members of the group made at least 50% of each costume themselves
• One or more members of the group made almost 100% of at least half of the members’ costumes themselves

Entrants interested in competing for a Craftsmanship award will be required to attend pre-judging following the Orientation.

Performance/Skit

Performances are a fun way of presenting your character in greater depth and with more creative freedom than a walk-on would allow. Performances include (but are not limited to) musical acts, comedy sketches, dance numbers, scene re-enactments, etc. The best performances provide entrants with an opportunity to demonstrate their dedication to their character beyond what can be presented through costume alone.

During performance judging, judges will be observing the contestants’ ability to portray their character, as well as their ability to captivate and entertain the audience.
Contestants should take into consideration their microphone skills, stage presence, effective use of the stage, and how well their actions communicate to the audience what their character is all about.

Novice/Advanced

Contestants will be divided into two categories: Novice and Advanced. The following criteria are recommendations for what would qualify an individual or group for either the Novice or Advanced categories:

• Novice
  • This is your first time entering a Cosplay/Costume Contest.
  • You have not received an award previously at a Cosplay/Costume Contest.
  • Most of the members of your group satisfy the above criteria.
• Advanced
  • You have received at least one award from a previous Cosplay/Costume Contest.
  • You self-identify as a professional costume fabricator or performer.
  • Most of the members of your group satisfy the above criteria.

The above criteria are recommendations only. Contestants may enter in the category of their choosing but may be reclassified between categories at the discretion of the judges. If you have any concerns regarding which category to enter in, please contact the Cosplay Contest Director.

Audio Files

• All entries requiring audio files for their stage acts must upload their audio files using the Online Submission Form.
• Only MP3-format audio files will be accepted. Links to YouTube/Streaming sites will not be accepted.
• In-person audio submissions will not be accepted.
• Only the in-house audio equipment may be used for playback of audio files and may only be operated by the convention’s designated A/V Attendants. This does not include audio-based stage props (e.g. a boombox or electronic instrument used as part of a stage act). Connecting any other devices to the in-house audio equipment (i.e. cellphones, iPods, etc.) is not permitted.
• Any modification or editing of audio files is the sole responsibility of the entrant and must be completed prior to submission. We will not edit or rip an audio file for you.
• A “Cue Notes” field will be provided in the Online Submission Form below should you require the audio to begin during a specific time or point in your performance, and/or a specific time marker within the file itself. (E.g. “Start the track when I clap my hands.”)

Props

• All props used or displayed during the Cosplay Contest must comply with Tsukino-Con’s Weapons & Props Policy.
• Contestants are responsible for providing all necessary props for their performances.
• Live flames/liquids/glitter/substances/aerosols that may cause harm to people and/or equipment in the venue, or trigger an evacuation of the building, will not be permitted.
• No props/objects/food/etc. may be thrown or projected into the audience at any point.
• Pets and other animals are not permitted except for animals permitted by law to be at UVic, such as Guide Dogs and Service Dogs as defined in the Guide Dog and Service Dog Act.

Language and Content

• All costumes worn during the Cosplay Contest must comply with Section 7 of Tsukino-Con’s General Attendance Rules
• No foul, offensive, abusive, or discriminatory language. We want this event to be fun and enjoyable for ALL attendees!
• No language or content that may cause your performance or walk-on to exceed a PG-13 rating.

If you are unsure whether something that you are planning to incorporate into your act is permissible, please contact the Cosplay Contest Director.

 

Failure to comply with any of the above rules may lead to immediate termination of your performance or walk-on, disqualification from the Cosplay Contest, and potentially being stripped of your badge and banned from convention grounds, depending on the severity of the infraction.

 

Occasionally Asked Questions:

Q: Can I enter the Tsukino-Con 2026 Cosplay Contest more than once?
A: No.

 

Q: What is a “walk-on”?
A: When a contestant walks onto the stage, poses one or more times, then leaves the stage, the contestant has performed a walk-on.

 

Q: I’m not interested in applying for a Craftsmanship award or a Performance award, but I want to show off my cosplay to the audience. Can I do a walk-on?
A: No.

 

Q: Can I choose my placement in the running order? I’d like to go [first/last/after so-and-so/etc.]
A: Requests for specific running order placements will be rejected except under extraordinary circumstances and never after the Online Submission Form is closed.

 

Q: I submitted an entry but it turns out that I won’t be able to compete in the Cosplay Contest anymore. How do I withdraw from the Contest?
A: Please contact the Cosplay Contest Director.

 

Q: If I enter the Cosplay Contest, will I be able to watch the other Contest entrants before/after I go on stage?
A: Due to the high expected audience turnout for the Cosplay Contest, contestant seating will not be available during the Live Event.

 

Q: I want to enter the Cosplay Contest but I’m overwhelmed by all of the dates and times that you just mentioned! May I please have a timeline of the times and dates that I need to keep track of?
A: Complete the online Submission Form by Saturday, February 14th at 11:59PM. Attend the Orientation on Saturday, February 21st at 10:30AM in BWC B150. Stick around for Pre-Judging and/or Open Stage afterwards. The Cosplay Contest will run in BWC B150 from 1:00PM until 3:00PM. If you win an award, please pick up your certificate from Registration between 8:00PM on Saturday, February 21st and 4:00PM on Sunday, February 22nd.

 

Click Here to access the Cosplay Contest Submission Form for Tsukino-Con 2026.