Cosplay

• Sign up online for the contest of your choice.
• Wait for a confirmation email to confirm we got your submission.
• Congratulations, you are now signed up for and competing in the contest of your choice and you will receive more information as the time comes closer to the convention through email.
• Start working on your reference photos or build book.

Friday

• After getting your convention badge, check in at the Cosplay Headquarters.
• You do not need to be in cosplay to check-in.
• Check-in takes 5-8 minutes.
• This is the ideal time to ask last minute questions and for any information you may need from the cosplay staff.
• You will be informed of your prejudging block at check-in.
• You will be given a badge ribbon, please hang this on your badge during check in.

Saturday
^Prejudging

• Prejudging applies to anyone competing in Main Stage Craftsmanship.
• Prejudging times are allotted during check-in and by craftsmanship level.
• Prejudging will be held in cosplay headquarters.
• Please show up no later than 10 minutes before the start of your block.
• You will need to be in full cosplay for prejudging, if you do not have it on OR with you, it will not be judged.
• If you are in a group, you will all need to present at the time of judging.
• From there you will be given a predetermined amount of time to talk about your cosplay and how it was made.
  • Beginner: 3 minutes
  • Intermediate: 4 minutes
  • Master: 5 minutes
• If you have 3 or more people in your group an additional minute will be added per person during check-in up to 2 minutes maximum.
• When you’re done with prejudging you are dismissed until the start of green room.

• Do not be late to Green Room. If you are more than 10 minutes late you forfeit your spot in the contest.
• You will be preassigned a table with your entry number.
• Your seating area will have a den parent that can help you with anything that you may need.
• If at any time during green room, you need to leave for the bathroom, or any other reason please tell your den parent and show your participant ribbon to the staff member working the door duty.
• You can move around in the Green Room freely, but you will be expected to be ready to go on stage when your group is called.
• Please bring a personal bottle with you, we will try and have water, but it may be limited due to venue constraints.
• Please don’t forget to eat beforehand though and stay hydrated throughout.
• Before the contest you will be taken table by table to see the stage, and get your photo taken.
• You will be taken table by table to the stage as everyone gets a chance to walk on stage.
• You will have 30 seconds on stage for your walk on.
• Once off stage you will be able to return back to the green room. We encourage you to stay for the rest of the show to support your fellow competitors.
• There will be at least 1 hour between the end of the performance and awards, there may be additional time, but the time for awards will be announced. The green room will be open and secured during this time for you to leave things in and relax.
• 30 minutes prior to the start of awards, the green room will be open to friends and family of competitors, or attendees who wish to see the awards. We will reserve existing seating for contestants, but you are welcome to sit wherever you choose to.
• Once the awards start if you hear your name come on up to receive your award and shake hands with the judges.

• You must wear shoes onstage. Shoes do include clear flip flops, and adhesive shoes.
• All costumes must adhere to convention rules and local laws.
• No tolerance of violence, racism, or bigotry or shaming of any kind.
• No live steel/or real weapons will be permitted in the cosplay contest.
• You must have made or modified 70% of your cosplay or more to compete in craftsmanship judging.
• If you are entering in a costume you have previously entered the Anime Nebraskon Cosplay Contest in you must have modified it an additional 30% since last entry.
• Cosplays that have won major awards at other competitions of similar or larger size cannot enter at the Anime Nebraskon Cosplay Contest. Major awards include overall first or second place, or category first or second place.
• If you sign up for Hall cosplay, you can not sign up for Main stage cosplay with the same cosplay.
  • You may sign up for Mainstage and Hall if they are different cosplays.
• You must check-in during the check-in times in the Cosplay Headquarters during the convention or you forfeit your spot in the contest for any category, and you forfeit your entry for the next year’s cosplay contest.
• If you are more than 10 minutes late to Green Room on Saturday of the convention you will forfeit your spot in the contest, and you forfeit your entry for the next year’s cosplay contest.
• If you are unable to attend the contest for any reason after entering and need to withdraw, you must email or inform the cosplay department before the contest on Saturday or you will be unable to compete for 1 year. Exceptions will be made based on extenuating circumstances (i.e. a medical emergency).
• If you have a handler you must tell us at time of check-in, we do this for seating arrangements. One handler is allowed for every two people, and are specific to the role of assisting the cosplayer with garment requirements, props, and mobility concerns only.
• Groups cannot exceed 6 people.
• Prizes must be split between your group.
• If you have a specific lighting request that must be included in your submission or at check-in.
• Current Anime Nebraskon Staff cannot enter in the cosplay contest.
• No live microphones will be given to contestants for any reason. Additionally a contestant may not provide their own live microphone or noise emitting devices.
• No devices that emit flame or smoke will be permitted.

• Skits must be 4 minutes or less.
• All audio must be pre-recorded.
  • A microphone will not be provided.
• All audio must be turned in during check in on Friday of the convention.
• In addition to skit audio you must include a full breakdown of timing and lighting queues at time of check-in.
• Please edit all cosplay audio tracks with the appropriate waiting cues, inserting enough blank time at the beginning of the track to give you and your group time to approach the stage.
• All audio must be on a flash drive in the format of MP3. Flash drives will be returned during Cosplay Feedback on Sunday.
• No vulgar language is allowed. Think PG-13.
• All audio must be original audio, or copyright free under creative commons.
• Skits are limited to 7 entries on a first come first serve basis.
• There is a required skit rehearsal on Saturday morning after orientation so cosplay staff can check the timing of audio.

• 50 Main Stage Craftsmanship entries, 10 Main Stage Walk-On Only entries, 7 Skits, 20 Hall entries.
• Contest registration is first come first serve only. We limit entries, and reserve some for day-of registration, these will also be first come first serve.
• If you do not check-in, you do not compete. No exceptions.
• If you need to withdraw for ANY reason, please email the cosplay department so we can remove your entry.
• First time competitors at Anime Nebraskon have a required orientation on Saturday morning, those who have competed before are strongly encouraged, but not required. This orientation will go over key elements of the contest, introduce the judges, let them say what they’re looking for, and allow a brief Q&A on the contest only.
• Awards will be announced in the green room after deliberations are finished no sooner than 1 hour after the main stage contest and performance is finished. Contestants will be notified a minimum of 30 minutes before the awards to the nearest quarter hour. So for example if deliberations finish at 8:20 a notification will be sent that awards will start at 9:00.
• If you are not present for awards, winners will be announced online, and you may pick up your prize on Sunday at the feedback panel or at con-ops. Prizes will not be mailed.
• Reference pictures are required for all categories, printed on paper for judges to keep. Build books are REQUIRED for Masters entries, and STRONGLY ENCOURAGED for all other entries.
• If you are competing in Hall cosplay but not Main Stage, make sure to stop by the Main Stage event for the award announcements at the end. We announce Hall winners before we give out Main stage awards. So you will have a chance to come on stage and shake hands with the judges.
  • Awards will be announced online as well as in the green room.
  • Please bring your ID to pick up your prize.
  • Prizes will not be mailed.
  • Failure to pick up your prize will result in loss of prize.
• If you have any questions or need special arrangements, please email the cosplay leadership at: cosplay@animenebraskon.com

First, these are suggestions. Your category is 100% up to you, but you cannot be bumped down. You can be bumped up by our cosplay staff or judges.

• Beginner: May have competed before a few times or may have never competed at all at a similar sized or larger convention. Have not won any major awards at a similar sized or larger convention.
• Intermediate: Has competed more than a couple times or has won 2-4 major awards at a similar sized or larger convention, or has had multiple years of cosplay crafting experience.
• Advanced: Has competed in multiple contests and has won 5 and up major awards, or may craft professionally, or over a decade of experience in crafting.

Exception: If a Best in Show or Best of Beginner-Advanced award was won at any convention you should bump up to the next category.

(Ex: Cosplayer A competed in and won Best Beginner last year, Cosplayer A would be bumped up to Intermediate this year.)