Contests

The contest organizers reserve the right in their own discretion to determine whether the contest participants or their costumes comply with the rules stated herein.

1. OneAnime is a family-friendly convention. Performances must maintain a PG rating and cannot contain nudity, cursing, or sexually explicit situations. Costumes must abide by OneAnime's coverage rules. (Body paint is not a substitute for clothing.)
2. No costumes that are found to be racist (that includes blackface/changing your skin to be that of another real world human race) or derogatory or otherwise promote hate will be allowed. The contest organizers have the final say on the eligibility of all costumes and reserve the right to disqualify and eject competitors found to be in violation of this rule.
3. No political or real world religious statements on costumes, props, or signs are to be printed, spoken or yelled from the stage.
4. Weapons and props must adhere to OneAnime's security rules regarding peace bonding and visibility.
5. Prop weapons may not be brandished at the audience, judges or the emcee. Prop weapons must also be peace bonded.
6. No drunkenness or use of controlled substances will be allowed as determined by the security staff.
7. No running on stage, skating, or using props that cannot be easily removed (e.g., confetti, glitter, liquids, pyrotechnics). The unauthorized use of those types of props will result in disqualification.
8. A contestant may not leave the stage at any point during the skit, either to the sides of the stage or off the front, including stage diving, crowd surfing or trust falling. (Of course, there will be exceptions for emergencies.)
9. Competitors should practice good sportsmanship. Sabotage, bullying and/or trash talking will not be tolerated. Competitors will be removed for improper behavior from competition and possibly from the convention.
10. Cosplayers who are personally affiliated with the judges are not permitted to compete alongside judges or cosplayers acting as a judge's handler at the event.
11. Contestants must be registered for OneAnime to enter the contest. Late on-site entries may be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Audio for on-site entries must be on a flash drive in MP3 format.
12. Costumes, set, and prop size must not exceed 7.5' high x 6' wide x 3' deep (except for collapsible items). Contestants should contact the Cosplay Director if there are questions.
13. Contestants may not enter a costume that has not been altered which has won a previous award. The cosplay/costume must be modified at least 50% from the condition it was in when the award was won.
14. Contestants who are walk-ons have 45 seconds for their presentations; skits have up to 3 minutes (with 1 minute allowed for set-up/take-down of props). There are no exceptions.
15. Audio must be provided as an MP3 file attached to the Tech Needs form. Links (YouTube, Dropbox, etc.) are not acceptable. These must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm on October 14, 2025 to [email protected].
16. Maximum group entry size is 8 people.
17. Requests for additional assistance (e.g., getting on/off stage, microphone use, stage ninjas and ADA requirements) must be submitted in advance.
18. All costumes must provide visual reference of their characters. This includes original designs.
19. All contestants must provide proof of construction either at the time of sign up or by providing a Google doc of progress. Documentation is highly encouraged for judging and will be returned at the feedback panel at the end of the event. All entrants must submit progress photos as "proof of life" by 11:59 pm on October 14, 2025, to [email protected]. Failure to do so will result in a forfeiture of a contestant's spot.
20. Entrants must check in at the Cosplay Desk during the designated hours or risk forfeiture of their entry. A mandatory check-in meeting will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2025 at 5:00 pm.
21. Optional rehearsal is available on Friday, October 31, 2025 during the Second Hand Sale (10:00 am – 12:30 pm). Contestants should enter through the Events Greenroom only.
22. For safety, contestants should arrive at the judging location at least 5 minutes before their scheduled time. Participants 17 or younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. There will be a separate cosplay competition for children 12 and under.
23. Staff or volunteers entering as "Craftsmanship Only" must schedule their judging on Friday, October 31, 2025 (unless there is a conflict and an alternative date has been arranged prior to October 4, 2025).
24. Costumes must be presented by their makers or their makers must be present if a contestant is a model.
25. A cosplayer may only be part of a single entry. A contestant cannot enter as both a solo and a group member, or attempt to enter in multiple categories.
26. When in doubt, a cosplayer should consult the Contest Coordinator at [email protected].