What is Cosplay?
Cosplay, short for "costume play," is a performance art in which participants, known as cosplayers, wear costumes and accessories to represent a specific character from a work of fiction. These characters can come from a variety of sources, including movies, television series, comic books, video games, and anime. Cosplay is often featured at fan conventions, where enthusiasts gather to display their costumes, participate in contests, and interact with other fans.
Cosplay Contest: Information & Rules
Anyone of any age or gender can cosplay.
The main thing is the desire;
It doesn't matter if you are a beginner cosplayer or not, our community is eagerly waiting to meet you!
We will help you and provide information on where to buy/make costumes, obtain the necessary materials, etc.
If you want to make friends with other cosplayers, be sure to register in our Facebook group:
2. The participant must send the music track they wish to perform on stage with. The audio should not exceed 45 seconds for solo cosplayers and 2 minutes for group cosplay. The file must be a high-quality MP3. If a low-quality audio file is received, the registration will be automatically canceled. The song lyrics must not contain +18 themes.
3. The minimum number of participants in a group cosplay is 2, and the maximum is 4.
4. The contestant/representative agrees that photos/videos taken at the festival may be used on television, the internet, and in magazines/newspapers.
5. The cosplay costume must not contain +18 elements.
1. The contestant agrees and is ready to perform on stage.
2. Cosplay of self-created characters is not allowed. The cosplay character must be from an existing movie, anime, manga, game, comic, or any other existing character. Non-Japanese origin characters are also welcome in the cosplay competition!
3. The participant acknowledges that they will not have the opportunity to rehearse during the competition.
4. The contestant must be able to perform on stage without the assistance of another person (only individuals with disabilities are allowed to use this right).
5. During the performance, you are not allowed to use a microphone or any additional decorations on stage.
6. The stage must not be littered during the performance.
1. If the cosplay does not meet the competition criteria or the participant is presented in a completely different character's costume during the competition, the participant will be automatically disqualified.
2. If you use items during the performance that leave a mark (glitter paper, fog, water) and change the initial state of the stage, you will be automatically disqualified from the competition.
3. Maintain politeness and censorship; any insult towards each other or the jury will result in permanent disqualification from the festival.
4. The contestant must arrive on time for the cosplay competition. Latecomers will be automatically disqualified.
5. Registration deadlines for the competition are final; the festival will not accept late entries.
6. It is prohibited to participate in the competition with a cosplay costume that has been used in a previous "Matsuri" festival.
Nominations and Evaluation Criteria
- Best Craftsmanship
- Best Female Character
- Best Male Character
- Best Creative Cosplay
- Best “Last Minute” Cosplay
- Best Team Cosplay
- Best Performance
- Jury’s Favorite
- Best Uncomfortable Cosplay – If you have a cosplay that is very impressive but extremely uncomfortable, this nomination is for you!
- Best “Last Minute” Cosplay – This is a completely unserious category that requires quite serious imaginative skills.
The cosplay competition is judged by a team of professionals assembled by the festival organizers. These professionals have extensive experience in costume creation, crafting, makeup, and wig transformation art.
Participants are evaluated individually on the following criteria: craftsmanship, performance, makeup / wig styling and character portrayal.
2024 Registration Deadline
The “Matsuri” festival will be held on July 20, 2024. Those who wish to participate in the cosplay registration must send their application and necessary files by July 15. Please note that late applications will not be considered. You will receive confirmation of your registration 2-3 days after sending the application.
Yes, there will be changing rooms at the festival where you can put on your cosplay costume. However, these rooms are only available for cosplay competition participants.
A cosplay competition participant needs to purchase a festival ticket. However, upon arrival, you will also receive a special pass that allows you to use an air-conditioned room.
The winners in the nominations will be awarded cash prizes and will receive a commemorative trophy.
There will definitely be photographers and videographers at the festival. You can approach them and get captured on camera if you wish. The festival’s video and photo files will be uploaded to the archive section of the festival’s website.
For additional questions, please contact us via email at: info@japan.ge
Please note that it takes an average of 1-7 business days to receive a response.
Yes, you are allowed to attend our festival in cosplay outfit! Although, please be aware that, If you haven’t registered for the competition in advance, you won’t be able to participate, but you’ll still have a great time and make many new friends!
Only cosplay contest participants are allowed to place their items in special bags and leave them in the changing room. Please do not leave valuable items or your phone. Festival Organizers don’t take any responsibilities on lost items!