2023 ToshoCON Cosplay Contest Rules and FAQs

The following rules apply to all contestants. All rules must be read and adhered to in order to participate in the Cosplay Contest. The Cosplay Contest organizers have the final say in all aspects of the contest.

1. Contestants must be between 12–19 years of age
2. The contest is rated PG (see costume guidelines, below, for more information), and contest organizers have the final say as to the appropriateness of any costume, skit, etc
3. Costume source material must be official and provably cosplay
4. To be judged for accuracy, a visual reference, in the form of a color photo, should be submitted with the online application
5. Costume source material does not have to be from an Anime/Manga, though it is suggested as ToshoCON is an anime convention (no original characters or fan art source material will be allowed)
6. This is a cosplay contest first and foremost
7. Contestants can choose to participate in a costume only (walk-on) category or with a skit
8. The judges and organizers of the contest have the right to move contestants into a different category based on the cosplay presented
9. All contestants and entrants must be respectful of all cosplay contest organizers, library staff, and fellow cosplayers
10. Inappropriate behavior will NOT be tolerated

1. Online registration closes at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, August 27
2. Please provide a valid email address to receive confirmation of your registration status
3. Registration is first come, first served
4. Once the contest is full, any remaining entrants will be waitlisted
5. Entrants who are waitlisted will be updated via email if or when a spot becomes available
6. There will be no on-site contest registration at the convention
7. MANDATORY Pre-Judging will be held on Friday and Saturday, September 9th and 10th from 2–6 pm
   • You must attend the pre-judging during the time you will be assigned in order to be eligible to win a prize in the contest
   • Contestants will be notified of their location and time of pre-judging one week before ToshoCON
8. MANDATORY Pre-Contest Check-in will be held immediately before your scheduled timeslot for Pre-judging. This is where you will receive your assigned number button, as well as any other important information
9. The contest will take place at 7 pm on Saturday, September 10
10. Entry slots are non-transferable

• This category is open to those who have never won a cosplay or costume award previously
• Contestants may wear street clothes or store-bought costumes for this category
• Store-bought costumes must be altered or added to by 10%

• Contestants may enter this category even if they have not won any awards previously
• Contestants in this category must alter any street clothes by 50% or more
• Unmodified street clothes must consist of less than 10% of the costume

• Skits will be judged on the combination of overall creativity in costuming and performance
• Awards will be given to the group

1. Naked is not a costume; any illusion to nudity is strictly prohibited
2. All contestants must have at least 60% of both sides of their upper body covered
3. Dramatically plunging necklines, ‘underboob’, ‘sideboob’, and bare chests are NOT allowed
4. All contestants must wear, at minimum, shorts or a skirt that completely covers the behind (no cheeks hanging out)
5. With regards to see-through clothing, contestants must still wear the minimum requirement of coverage underneath—If we can see through your clothes to your body parts, you will be disqualified
6. Gender bending/crossplay is allowed, however, open chest binding is not permissible

1. Shoes, boots, or slippers are required (socks are not considered foot covering)
2. If your character does not wear shoes, then the lack of accuracy will be forgiven

1. All contestants must be able to move their costume on their own
2. Accessories and/or large costume components are acceptable if you can move them without assistance

1. eBay or store-bought costumes are allowed, but you must register as a Beginner—these costumes must be altered or added to by 10%
2. With regards to street clothes, any item purchased off the rack must be altered in respect to the category entered
3. The cosplay contest organizers must be notified of any modeled costume entries at the time of registration
4. The costume creator must give consent for their costume to be modeled
5. A costume not made by the contestant (includes commissioned items) will be treated as a modeled costume, and any prizes won will go to the creator of the costume, not the model
6. If the contestant fails to give proper credit, then they will be disqualified

1. All weapons must be approved by ToshoCON organizers through the official peace-bonding process
2. No real guns, not even those that are no longer functioning—Realistic-looking toy or model guns will be allowed only as long as they are clearly marked with orange on the barrel (pick up at entrance to the convention)
3. Sharp-edged weapons are strictly prohibited
4. Metal bats, pipes, large wrenches and/or shovels are NOT allowed—If it’s metal, longer than 12 inches, and/or you could seriously hurt someone by swinging it, it is NOT allowed
5. Large foam props are allowed (swords, hammers, etc.) as long as they are not being used inappropriately
6. For safety reasons, the following are NOT allowed:
   • Live animals
   • Substances which might damage or soil the facilities>
   • Aerosol sprays
   • Projectiles of any kind
   • Pyrotechnics/explosives of any kind

1. Final check-in
   • Final check-in is mandatory and will take place at 6:40 pm on Saturday, September 10, at ToshoCON
   • Contestants must arrive at the holding area no later than 20 minutes before the contest starts or their spot will be forfeited
   • The holding area is located in the hallway of the Viridian Event Center by the restrooms
   • Contestants should look for a staff member who will be holding a sign with their category listed
   • Contestants will line up in numerical order next to that staff member
2. If a contestant has not attended pre-judging, the contestant will not be allowed on stage—No exceptions
3. If a contestant’s costume or behavior is deemed to be inappropriate, the contestant will be asked to leave and their spot will be forfeited
4. ToshoCON does not supply costume materials of any kind, so please come prepared with anything you may need to assemble or repair your costume
5. A cosplay first aid kit will be available with simple repair supplies at ToshoCON
6. No construction work is allowed in the greenroom (sewing, spray painting, welding, etc.), but final assembly of large pieces or unexpected repairs will be allowed
7. Nothing can be left in the holding area because there will be no one to watch your things and there is no guarantee they will still be there after the contest—Please be mindful.

1. The Cosplay Contest will begin promptly at 7 pm, and all contestants must be in line ten minutes before the contest or forfeit their place in the contest (Check the posted schedule at ToshoCON for exact times)
2. Walk-on contestants and pairs will have 45 seconds to complete a catwalk presentation, which is enough time to walk to the end of the catwalk, strike a pose, and walk back
   • Make the most of your time and don’t just walk, present!
   • Runway-style music will be played to provide atmosphere and maintain an upbeat tempo
3. Skit pairs or groups will have up to 6 minutes in total to walk onto the stage, perform your skit on the floor, and exit via the catwalk
   • There will be NO microphones available, but contestants may provide an audio recording to be played during the skit, so plan accordingly
   • Any audio recording files must be received by August 27th (instructions will be provided by email after registering for the contest)
   • Skits should consist mainly of pantomime and movement; any dialogue will need to be projected loudly to be heard in the auditorium
   • We recommend all dialogue be pre-recorded and submitted via email as an audio recording file
4. If getting on and off the stage may prove a challenge, let the cosplay contest organizers know so reasonable accommodations can be arranged
5. Swearing, sexual humor, flashing, political or religious statement, or any other inappropriate behavior will NOT be tolerated and contestants will be immediately removed and disqualified
6. Everything brought onto the stage must leave with the contestant—No confetti or glitter will be allowed to be thrown, scattered, etc., while walking or have done by others off-stage
7. Contestants are to enter and exit the stage where they are shown—No running, jumping on/off the stage, or acrobatics (Let’s keep this safe and fun!)
8. We recommend fight sequences be acted at 3/4 speed.
9. Contestants may NOT throw or whip props around; may NOT take or use any sort of spray paint, silly string, fireworks, water or any other items on stage that could mar the stage or leave a mess; and contestants may NOT use signs in the Cosplay Contest
10. Contestants may NOT have open flames on-stage or anywhere in the Cosplay Contest or the convention
11. Contestants will be held responsible for any and all damages and/or medical bills that may occur as a result of not obeying the rules

1. The following awards will be given:
   • First and Second Place in each category
   • Overall Best of Show
   • Best Craftsmanship
   • People’s Choice
   • Judge’s Choice
2. Award categories are subject to change based on amount of entries and at the judges’ discretion
3. Awards will be presented shortly after the end of the Contest
4. Prizes must be claimed on-site—No prizes will be mailed to any winners
5. Participants must live in Utah
6. Any unclaimed prizes at the end of ToshoCON must be picked up in person from a Salt Lake County Library branch by October 16, when they become the property of the County Library

ToshoCON Art Contest Rules

1. Entries must be related to anime, manga, Japanese culture, or video games
2. One entry per contestant, per category
3. Multiple entries by same contestant (using different aliases or email addresses) in a single category will be disqualified
4. Winners will be selected from three categories:
   • Black and White scanned image or photo of hand-drawn art in black and white or grayscale (may not use any digital components like touching up or outlining using software, apps, digital tools, or mixed media digital platforms)
   • Color scanned image or photo of hand-drawn art in color (may not use any digital components like touching up or outlining using software, apps, digital tools, or mixed media digital platforms)
   • Mixed Media scanned image of mixed media (includes all electronic images, a scan or a photo, cosplay costumes, digital art, hand-drawn art incorporating digital components, using digital tools, apps, or platforms, 3D art, sculpture, etc.)
5. Images must be uploaded in .jpg format cannot exceed 10 MB
6. Entries must be wholly owned by entrant, and art must be the original work of the contestant, whether creating a well-known character or an original character in the anime style
7. All entries must be submitted electronically via scan/email
8. Submission Deadline: Contest opens at 12:01 am on Friday, July 1, 2022, and entries are due by 11:59 pm on Saturday, August 27, 2022
9. Online voting for Best Teen Choice award will begins in August
10. The use of voting bots associated with an art entry will lead to disqualification
11. First, second, and third place awards for each categories will be determined by independent judges
12. All prize winners will be announced at ToshoCON
    • Awards will be presented shortly after the end of the Contest
    • Prizes must be claimed on-site—No prizes will be mailed to any winners
    • Participants must live in Utah
    • Any unclaimed prizes at the end of ToshoCON must be picked up in person from a Salt Lake County Library branch by October 16, when they become the property of the County Library

ToshoCON Anime Music Video (AMV) Contest Rules

1. Age Requirement The editors must be between the ages of 12 and 19, with only limited help from persons above that age
2. Entries Up to three entries per editor
   • Group submissions are allowed, but submit it only once and the limit of three per editor still applies
3. Finish Date Entries must have been finished no earlier than July 1, 2022.
4. Length Entries must be at least 30 seconds long and no longer than 5 minutes—Three minutes is the recommended maximum length
5. Content Entries must be at least 70% from anime, and must have music for at least 70% of the total runtime
   • Excessive violence, nudity, and sexual content are not allowed
   • This includes the music choices as well—avoid profanity and suggestive lyrics, and/or use the song's radio edit, if it has one
   • The entry must adhere to a PG-13/TV-14 standard, with the committee having the final say as to the eligibility of the entry
6. Plagiarism Entries must be the creation of the editor(s) submitting it
7. Watermarks Watermarks on any of the clips are strongly discouraged, though some leeway may be extended for program marks, such as the “www.fraps.com” mark appearing on clips created using the free version of the software
8. Subtitles Subtitles are strongly discouraged and may be grounds for disqualification, unless they are added by the editor to add to the AMV
9. Submission Deadline Files must be submitted to the committee no later than 11:59 pm on August 27, 2022
10. Technical Requirements
    • We will try to be flexible with the editors about file extensions and codecs of the video/audio, though if we cannot get the video to work with our systems, the entry will have to be disqualified
    • Video resolutions must be at least 640x480
    • Be especially careful of where you source your clips: Fan-subs/dubs that have already been compressed/edited will result in poor quality AMV’s—Footage sourced directly from DVDs of the anime are suggested
    • As video files tend to be large, please include a backup link to the video on a service such as Dropbox or another file sharing cloud service—YouTube links are permissible if no other option is available, but they are not preferred
    • Contestants are encouraged to Contact Us before the deadline to ensure their videos have been received and are compatible with County Library technical requirements
11. Award Presentation
    • Awards will be presented shortly after the end of the Contest
    • Prizes must be claimed on-site—No prizes will be mailed to any winners
    • Participants must live in Utah
    • Any unclaimed prizes at the end of ToshoCON must be picked up in person from a Salt Lake County Library branch by October 16, when they become the property of the County Library

ToshoCON Comic Contest Rules

1. Comics must be a minimum of 1 page and maximum of 12 pages
   • 1 page = 1 side of paper
   • Minimum paper size = 5” x 7.5”
   • Maximum paper size = 11” x 17”
   • Two of the first three pages must have at least 2 cells (if submitting less than three pages, at least the first page must have at least 2 cells)
   • Color or black & white artwork is allowed
   • Entries can be hand-drawn, computer-generated or a mix of both
2. Contestants can work individually or in teams of up to four creators (this will be considered a single entry and team members will split the prize, if awarded)
3. One entry per contestant or group
4. Multiple entries by same contestant (using different aliases or email addresses) will be disqualified
5. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges for first place, second place and third place.
6. Entries must be wholly owned by entrant(s)—All artwork, dialogues and plot must be original, unpublished content
   • Computer generated images are allowed, as long as it is your own work
   • No clipart or copyrighted images may be used
   • Fan-art or fan-fiction is not allowed—All characters and settings need to be your own original creations
7. All entries must be submitted electronically via scan/email by 11:59 pm on August 27, 2022
8. Images must be uploaded .jpg or .pdf format and cannot exceed 10 MB
9. If you need access to a scanner to digitize your comic, visit any County Library branch for free scan-to-email services
10. If your file size is larger than 10 MB, please Contact Us before the deadline to make other arrangements
11. All prize winners will be announced at ToshoCON
    • Awards will be presented shortly after the end of the Contest
    • Prizes must be claimed on-site—No prizes will be mailed to any winners
    • Participants must live in Utah
    • Any unclaimed prizes at the end of ToshoCON must be picked up in person from a Salt Lake County Library branch by October 16, when they become the property of the County Library

ToshoCON Vendor Rules

ToshoCON vendor applications will be open July 1–30, 2022. All applicants will be notified by email of the committee’s decision.

A “Vendor 101” class will be held at the Library's Viridian Event Center prior to ToshoCON. Additional information will be sent out closer to the event.

To ensure that both teens and vendors have the best experience possible, vendors interested in participating must meet our seller criteria, which includes offering high quality merchandise popular with the anime community and ensuring adequate inventory supply. All vendors must be approved by the ToshoCON committee.

Everyone wishing to be a vendor at ToshoCON must fill out an application.

• Teen—19 years of age and younger
• Adult—20 years of age and older

• One 3’ x 6’ table (covered in black cloth)
• 2–3 chairs
• Power for one single plug upon request
• Free WiFi

• This is a free event—there are no fees associated with being a vendor

Each vendor is responsible for paying taxes on merchandise sold. A Temporary Tax License and schedules will be provided for you on the day of the event.

Once accepted as a vendor for this event and prior to selling you will be required to provide one of the following:

• Your Sales Tax Number
• Your Utah Driver License (or state ID) and Date of Birth
• Your Social Security Number

Sexually explicit content and non-packaged, perishable food items are not allowed. Any play weapon merchandise such as knives, swords, katanas, etc., must be left at the vendor’s booth until the buyer is ready to leave the event or the buyer must store them in a locked vehicle after the purchase is made.

ToshoCON Teen Panel Rules

1. The Panel Leader must be a reliable contact—Please make sure contact info is correct
2. Please plan approximately 50 minutes of content, or less if you would like to do Q&A at the end (this will allow time to change over between panels)
3. Applications must be completed and submitted between July 1 and August 27, 2022
4. Applications will be screened and selected by the ToshoCON librarians; accepted panels will be notified of inclusion by email
5. Panelists agree to abide by ToshoCON Cosplay Rules, including:
   • Contestants must be between 12–19 years of age
   • The contest is rated PG (see costume guidelines, below, for more information), and contest organizers have the final say as to the appropriateness of any costume, skit, etc.
   • All contestants and entrants must be respectful of all cosplay contest organizers, library staff, and fellow cosplayers
   • Inappropriate behavior will NOT be tolerated
6. Panelists will be sent information about panel training, and may be required to attend a practice session prior to ToshoCON
7. On the day of the panel, panel members must be present and ready to run their panel when scheduled
8. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the panel process, please Contact Us