Cosplay Contest Details

We are so excited to invite you to Genesis X3's cosplay contest!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email cosplay@genesis.gg

Cosplays accepted:

Since we are thrilled to see your creativity, entries may be sourced from any popular media relevant to fighting games, their related skins and/or DLC, any games that have tournaments at Genesis, trading card games (TCGs), and the fighting game community (FGC). Here are examples of cosplays that would be accepted, among many many others:

The main characters Phoenix Wright (playable character) and Maya Fey (support) from Ace Attorney, count because both show up in Marvel vs Capcom.
Yor from the show Spy x Family counts, as her outfit is for a custom character in in Street Fighter 6; thus she would be accepted.
Uma Musume cosplays, since they have a tournament in Genesis
League of Legends cosplays, since 2xk0 is a fighting game based in the League of Legends Universe
Dark Magician Girl from Yu-Gi-Oh!, since Yu-Gi-Oh! Is a TCG
memes, puns, characters, and references that the FGC would love. Wow us, make the audience laugh, smile, cry, and feel free to do what resonates with the FGC.

Original and fanart designs are permitted. Entries sourced from adult-oriented media (R, M, etc.) are permitted but must conform to the Genesis Dress Code and the PG-13 nature of the convention.

Cosplays and props must adhere to the Genesis Dress Code.

Additionally, a Genesis badge is required to participate; your badge must cover at least Saturday. If you win as one of the top 8 and have a Saturday-only pass, we are happy to extend that pass, to a 2-day pass to you as well!

Contestants may not alter their skin tone with makeup, paint, etc. to another human skin tone. We will address this on a case-by-case basis, and it may ultimately result in immediate expulsion from the Cosplay Contest.

Please contact cosplay@genesis.gg if you have any questions about accomodations.

We have two categories, or ways you can participate in the contest:

Walk-On
Craftsmanship, which includes a walk-on stage

Walk-On

The walk-on is a series of 2-4 poses, done throughout the stage, for no more than a minute per contestant. It is your chance to be in character and show off your lovely cosplay!

Microphones will not be provided unless discussed. If you need a microphone or any special equipment, please contact the contest director at cosplay@genesis.gg. Special equipment will be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Genesis will not be supplying assistants or ‘stage ninjas’ at this time.

We want the stage to be pristine for all of our contestants to shine, so the stage must be left the way you found it. Do not throw anything on the stage (glitter, flower petals, confetti, etc.).

If you'd like to do flips or acrobatics, please consult with the cosplay department head before the event at cosplay@genesis.gg, and we'll do our best to accommodate. Flips and other acrobatics will not be permitted without prior approval from the cosplay department head.

Craftsmanship

Craftsmanship entries must be at least 20% made, thrifted, upcycled, altered, or tailored by the entrant. Some bought items (such as shoes & undergarments) are acceptable, but a plus if you made those yourself.
In the case of groups, 20% of the cosplays must be made by group member/s. This is a flexible rule, so any of the following is fair:

A group of 4 and only 1 entirely made their costume (100% made). The cosplayer who made their costume fully, would be eligible for craftsmanship.
A group of 4 but parts, or at least 20%, of everyone's costume were made/tailored. Examples include a group armor cosplay, where everyone made their own helmets, weapons, and shields.

If your costume does not meet the requirement, you would still be eligible for awards under the walk-on category Those in the craftsmanship category are the only ones eligible for Best Craftsmanship & Best in Show.

Similarly, costumes that have won awards at other cosplay contests/masquerades elsewhere should be submitted in the walk-on category and not in craftsmanship. Please contact cosplay@genesis.gg if you have any questions.

The following is helpful, but not required for pre-judging or awards:

A printed reference photo (3 copies please!) of your design from the original media source
progress photos, printed, 3 copies
a portfolio of no more than 5 pages

Entries will be judged on cleanliness of execution and variety, quality, and difficulty of skills demonstrated.

How to sign up:

There are no pre-signups for the cosplay contest. All sign-ups are on-site, starting Friday morning of Genesis. We will fill out our slots on a first-come, first-served basis.

We will schedule signups on Saturday if there are spots left. If we run out of spots on Friday, we will have limited waitlists available. Please let the Genesis leadership know that you'd love for us to have a bigger contest next year!

The contest is on Saturday, February 14th, at 5pm.

If you signed up for craftsmanship:

You will pick a timeslot on Friday or Saturday afternoon to do prejudging, in full cosplay.

These timelots are also first-come, first serve, and we'll do our best to accommodate your schedule.

We will also provide a waitlist if we have a last-minute cancellation.

Pre-judging is required; if you signed up for the contest under craftsmanship, but were unable to go to your scheduled prejudging session, your category will change to walk-on.

All contestants must attend the pre-show meeting, held on contest day, TBD location & time. Failure to attend the pre-show meeting will disqualify you from the Cosplay Contest.

Awards

The judges will award Best Craftsmanship, Best Skit, and Best in Show, among others!

Best Craftsmanship: 1 GX4 Pass, plus an exclusive GX3 medal!
- 1 GX4 Pass, plus an exclusive GX3 medal!
- Demonstrates the highest quality & mastery in craftsmanship. This includes significant mastery of skill/s.
Best Walk-On:
- 1 Genesis X4 Pass, plus an exclusive GX3 medal!**
- This is equivalent to best performance.
Best in Show:*
- 1 Genesis X4 Pass, plus an exclusive GX3 medal!
- This special award represents the best of our community, what resonates with the FGC. This is left broadly; we want to include cosplays that exemplify the spirit of the show itself, as shown in the Genesis Attendee Agreement. This can include any of the below:
  - An amazing walk-on from a Dance Dance Revolution cosplayer that boosted audience morale
  - An Uma Musume cosplay that the audience really connected with, A cosplayer that demonstrates above and beyond goodwill & camaraderie to others, such as supporting a fellow cosplayer in a time of need, generosity, etc.
- 4 surprise awards, each with an exclusive GX3 medal! These awards can range from judges award, best (beginner, intermediate, masters), group vs individual, etc.
- These awards are ways for us to celebrate specific cosplays that are not in the above awards and deserve special recognition. So, bring your best on stage!

Schedule

Here’s the core info:

Cosplay Contest Sign-ups: first come, first serve:
- Friday: 10am to 6pm
- Saturday: 10am until 3pm
Pre-Judging: If you signed up for craftsmanship, you’ll also pick a pre-judging timeslot of 10 minutes. Slots are by appointment, first-come, first-served. first-come, first-served.
Cosplay Contest Green Room Meeting: Required for all contestants, 4pm, on Saturday Feb 14
Contest: Saturday, February 14th, 5pm

FAQ:

How come there are no skits?

We LOVE skits, but have concluded that we do not have enough time nor resources to support it at this time. Please, please demand it in all feedback forms, because we can't do it if ya'll don't ask for it!

How come there are no pre-sign-ups?

We wanted to provide this, but due to the scope of this contest, we had to cut it to provide an excellent experience for you. Please add in the feedback to include it, so we can include it for next year!

Gosh, I'm so excited to start on my first cosplay! Do you have resources and tips?

Of course! Here are some general tips:

I’d love to get a picture of a cosplayer, but I’m shy! How do I ask??

We got you! Here are some more guidelines on etiquette, by Pennydox!

What are some tips for doing an amazing walk-on?

Here are some of our favorite resources to make your cosplay shine on stage!

Look at the walk animation or walk cycle of your character. How do they enter a room? How do they hold themselves/their props?
Plan for 2 - 4 poses on stage, and be sure that you have covered all parts of your awesome cosplay, whether it’s extra props, that amazing armor, etc. The limit is 1 minute, and it’ll go by rather quickly!
Be in character! By Kamui Cosplay

HALP I’m a cosplayer at the con &:

my wig/makeup is messed up/something on my costume,
My prop/cosplay broke, or
I need to sit down and take a break!

Where can I go?

Because we all have had the above happen to us, we invited the Cosplay Cleric to help support your cosplays when you need it the most!

Also, our judges are experienced in fixing and supporting! Come find your cosplay department head and I’m happy to help!

Do I get rewarded/punished if I wear contact lenses that match the cosplay I’m doing? Or, if I wear glasses but the character I cosplay does not?

For various reasons, eyewear is not considered in judging, so you will not be punished or rewarded. We support you in all wonderful glasses-wearing variants of your cosplay! Also, to be informative, there are safety concerns with using colored contact lenses; check out Cosplay Cleric’s video (who has expertise in opticianry!) about the whole topic.

The sign-up form says something about rank or division; what does that mean?

We ask this to accommodate the needs of our contestants, both in terms of programming and support.

Because we love how other conventions do things, this is what Fanime's division description is like, from here:

Novice

You have just started competing in costume contests
You do not have a background in costumingYou are still learning sewing/crafting skills
You have won no awards or no major awards

Intermediate

You demonstrate sewing/crafting skills above the novice level but not at the master level
You have won minor craftsmanship awards

Master

You have advanced training in sewing/crafting/fashion
You have won major craftsmanship awards at an Intermediate or Master Level (Best in Show, 1st Place, Best Master, etc.)

As always, please feel free to ask us when signing up, and we’re happy to help!