For your safety and enjoyment of the convention, and for providing the same for others in attendance, please adhere to the following rules in order to ensure Anime Austin is a fun and friendly place for everyone:

1. This is a family-friendly convention, please try to keep it as PG-13 as possible.
2. Make sure your costume does not contour to private body parts. If it does, please wear extra undergarments as necessary.
3. Please make sure if you wear a skirt, you are covered underneath.
4. Men must also wear proper undergarments (this includes dance belts where applicable).
5. If your costume requires a lot of exposed skin, consider wearing a nude bodysuit.
6. Ice Skates (with or without the guards) are not allowed as either shoes OR props.
7. No regular skates or rollerblades allowed inside the event space.
8. Shoes may be removed for photo shoots only and must be worn at all other times. Socks do not count as shoes. A sturdy covering on the bottom of your foot is a must.
9. Costumes that can be confused with local, state, or federal law enforcement of any kind are not allowed.
10. Any symbol that can be characterized as a hate symbol should not be worn. This includes the swastika, “SS” thunderbolts, the noose, “HFFH” symbols, and any other symbol that is widely accepted as a symbol of oppression, hatred or violence towards a specific group of people. You will be asked ONCE to remove the offending symbol, and then removed from the con floor if not found compliant.
11. No accessories that you could use to attach yourself, even temporarily, to another person is allowed. This includes, but is not limited to: handcuffs, leashes, ropes, etc.
12. There is no profanity allowed on costumes or clothing during the convention.
13. If a complaint is received about your costume or outfit the matter will be investigated and you may be asked to change.
14. Make sure all pointy objects have been dulled so as not to cause harm to others.
15. If wearing a large costume with wings or other large pieces that extend beyond your reach, are difficult to retract, or impair your vision then make sure you have a handler or two to assist you and/or be more aware of your surroundings.
16. Make sure you get cool air or ventilation while cosplaying.
17. Stay well hydrated by drinking water or Gatorade, not soda and Ramune!
18. Don’t forget to eat a proper meal!
19. If you are asked for a photo, please make sure to move out of the flow of traffic. Blocking hallways/walkways is a violation of the fire safety regulations and you will be asked to move.
20. All cosplayers are expected to conform to conventional standards of personal hygiene. If you or the items you wear emit an odor that offensive to other cosplayers and guests, you may be asked to leave. Axe Body Spray does not count as a shower.
21. Leave the judging to the judges.
22. Remember we are here to have a good time and be respectful.
23. Because cosplay can sometimes be a gray area in accommodating the rules, if you are concerned about if your costume meets the convention regulations, please email [email protected]
24. The cosplay director/cosplay staff and safety department have the final say on the discretion of what an acceptable costume is, without exception.

The “Up and Coming” program is designed for local cosplayers. We believe every cosplayer deserves the attention of their community. This is for cosplayers who have never held the status of "guest" at an event before in hopes to get their names out there.* If you are just starting out on your cosplay journey and are looking to get a taste of taking your cosplay journey to the next level, please fill out this short questionnaire for a chance to be featured on our website for a year, get free pass(es) to our event, and some guest status** ! Let us be your support.

Applications are due by ____________.

Some short rules:

1. You must be 18 or older.
2. You must live in the state of Texas.
3. You must not have been a guest at another convention before.
4. You must fabricate at least 50% of your cosplay.
5. You must be willing to host panels and judge the cosplay competition.

Regulations, Rules and Guidelines

• Registration forms are available on the Anime Austin website and during the convention on Friday and Saturday at the Cosplay Sign-up booth. Sign up early, spaces are limited. Early Entry can be guaranteed by filling out an entry form from October 1, 2022 until October 22, 2022.
• Once you complete the online entry form, you will receive a confirmation email within 72 hours including your prejudging time. Once your entry is confirmed, you must check in at the Cosplay Sign-up booth at your scheduled prejudging time, or you will be dropped from the contest.
• By entering this contest you agree to read and abide by all rules as posted and that failure to do so will result in your disqualification from the contest and/or removal from the event.
• Each entrant is allowed to have their own personal music. All audio must be turned into staff during online sign-up. Only MP3 files will be accepted and MUST be e-mailed by October 22, 2022. No music will be accepted on site. If you do not know how to trim your own music or look up instructions on how to do so, do not submit custom music. Cosplay staff will not be available to assist with editing.
• There will be no skit entries for 2022.
• Group entries are allowed with a maximum limit of 8 entrants. Competing in multiple groups is NOT allowed. Additionally, entrants and group entries are allowed up to 2 handlers during prejudging and during the contest to assist with mobility and props.
• Cosplays that have won awards at conventions of a smaller size (calculated by attendance) are allowed. Any entrant found to be entering a cosplay which has previously taken a major award at a larger convention (without at least 60% of the cosplay being altered or remade) will be immediately disqualified and risk being banned from future Tetra Event competitions. Current attendance as of 2019: Approx. 1500
• We want to keep the competition fun and fair, so anyone found competing outside of their level will be moved or, depending on the circumstances, disqualified. Additionally, no sandbagging of costumes is allowed. In order to prevent sandbagging, entrants wishing to compete with costumes that have previously won a costume competition must declare this upon registration.
• A cosplay that has already won a major award may be entered under ONE of the following conditions:
  • At the discretion of the directors.
  • The cosplay is entered as an exhibition piece.
  • The cosplay is entered into a more experienced skill division.
Failure to inform the judges and staff of previous awards will result in being banned from future contests.
• 60% of the cosplay must be constructed or altered by the entrant. If you are modeling a cosplay that someone else made, to be eligible for an award the constructor MUST be present at pre-judging.
• Purchased or commissioned cosplays are NOT eligible for any awards and cannot be entered into the contest.
• Professional cosplayers are NOT allowed to enter. A professional cosplayer is anyone who makes a significant portion of their income from costume design, construction or sales.
• Skill division is strictly enforced. If an entrant is found to have entered a division below their skill level, they will be immediately moved to a higher skill division. If an entrant is found to have intentionally entered a class below their skill level, that entrant risks immediate disqualification.
• All props must be approved by weapons check. Cosplays with parts that extend beyond arm’s length (e.g. wings), cause trouble walking up and down stairs, or vision impairment: be sure to bring a handler(s) or address your concerns with cosplay staff.
• Cosplays must maintain a PG-13 rating. No excessive violence, sexual content, exposed bodies, etc. Please wear coverings under skirts or consider wearing nude body suits. Complaints will be handled at the discretion of the convention staff/security.
• Bring at least one color reference image of your cosplay for pre-judging (on paper, phone, tablet, etc). If entering with an original character cosplay, bringing a drawing is acceptable. Progress portfolios are HIGHLY encouraged, they include photo documentation of your work from start to finish. Email [email protected] for examples. If you wish for your progress portfolio to be returned to you after the contest, you must notify the cosplay staff upon check-in.
• Pre-judging is NOT open to the public. Only participants, handlers, and parents/guardians of those in the youth category are allowed. Each entrant will have five minutes with the judges.
• A Cosplay Contest Pre-meeting will take place immediately before the Cosplay Contest starts. All entrants must attend the Cosplay Contest Pre-meeting. Arriving after the pre-meeting will result in being removed from the contest. The Cosplay Contest Pre-meeting time and location will be communicated with entrants upon check-in.
• Do NOT leave debris or other items on the stage. Do NOT throw anything into the audience or at the judges. Examples include: props, glitter, confetti, petals, water, etc.
• For safety concerns, any battle or fight scenes must be done at ¾ speed and one leg must remain on stage at all times.
• Be respectful to other cosplay entrants and the judges. Unruly or disruptive behavior during pre-judging, backstage, or during the contest is not permitted and entrants associated with this behavior will be disqualified. Entrants will not be notified if they have been disqualified, and judges are not permitted to discuss the judging process or the results. This is to protect entrants, judges and staff as well as to maintain the professionalism of the contest.

Note: The cosplay directors reserve the right to refuse or revoke entry to any entrant for any reason.

Entry Types:

Walk-ons: Contestants walk onto the stage and do several different poses for at least 30 seconds to show off their costume.
 

Skill Levels:

These are guidelines to help you figure out where you should be placed. If you have questions, feel free to ask a judge or staff member to assist you. Judges and Staff reserve the right to move your placement.

Junior/Youth:

• Contestants 13 years and younger are eligible to enter this category.
• A child wearing a costume designed and built entirely by an adult should be entered in either the appropriate skill division for the adult or as an exhibition piece.

Novice:  

• The Novice division exists to encourage people who are new to costuming and masquerades to compete.
• DO NOT enter the Novice division if:
  • You are a professional costumer.
  • You have competed or won an award in Journeyman/Masters/Advanced at Anime Austin or any other convention.
  • You have won Best in Show at any convention; or Best Novice more than three times.
• DO enter the Novice division if:
  • If you are above 13.
  • You are new to costuming, have never competed before, or are not a professional costumer.
  • You have won a major award in the Novice division less than three times.

Journeyman:  

• The Journeyman division is an interim division for costumers who have consistently won awards in the Novice division, but who feel they are not yet ready to compete in the Master division.
• DO NOT enter the Journeyman division if:
  • You are a professional costumer.
  • You have competed or won in the Master divisions.
  • You have won Best in Show, Best Youth, or Best Journeyman.
  • You have won more than THREE major awards in the Journeyman division.
    • Minor awards may be counted at the discretion of the costumer.
• DO enter Journeyman if:
  • You are above 13.
  • You have been cosplaying for a number of years but do not yet feel like a master of your craft or are not a professional costumer.
  • You have won more than three major awards in the Novice division or less than two in the Journeyman division.

Master:

• The Master division is open to any competitor who wishes to enter.
• DO enter Master if:
  • You are no longer a Youth, Novice, or Journeyman. Anyone may enter this category.
  • You are not a professional cosplayer.
     

Exhibition:

• The Exhibition division is for costumes that do not meet the craftsmanship requirements listed above. This may include found object/closet cosplays or cosplays made by others. Exhibition entries are not eligible for craftsmanship or major awards. Registration for the Exhibition division will only be available on-site and is dependent on available contest space.

If you have questions or are not sure what category you qualify for, cosplay staff would be happy to help you figure it out. If you are entering as a group you must enter under the highest placing member.