Welcome Costumers and Spectators Alike!
Strut your stuff and compete with the best of the best of the costumers at Comic Con Honolulu! The Costume Contest will be held in the Main Events Room in Ballroom on the fourth floor of the Hawaii Convention Center at 6pm HST.
Awards
- Best in Showcase – $500 prize + trophy
- Best in Masters (Won any costume contest before) – $200 + trophy
- Best in Novice (Never won in a costume contest) – $175 + trophy
- Judges Choice – $75 + medal
- Best in Youth – $50 + medal
Judging Criteria
The judges will take into account the following categories when judging each contestant’s costume:
- Craftsmanship
- Did you spend hours engraving details into your armor that you can’t see useless you are looking from a 45 degree angle upside down? Did you use every single ounce of material and stab yourself countless times with a sewing needle to create the perfect school girl outfit? Or even brave the searing heat of hot glue to make sure every seam was perfect? This category is to tell us about the blood, sweat, and tears you put into your costume! Bring sample pictures, progress shots, and be prepared to brag! This is where you get to show off!
- Originality/Accuracy
- This is the category to show your creative ideas or pinpoint accuracy! Do you wanna show the judges your zombie Samus cosplay made of soda bottles, pizza boxes and duct tape or maybe your film worthy Darth Vader suit even down to the skin underneath the helmet? This is the category for that! Show off your acute attention to detail and your mad genius cosplay experimenting!
- Presentation
- This is where you get to strut your stuff, get on that stage and show us what your cosplay is made of! This category is to see how much you enthrall the audience. Did you dash on stage as tatsumi, summon Incursio and go to fight the emperor, or appear on stage as kuroko then vanish into thin air as quickly as you appeared? Engage the audience, show off your character and most importantly pose for pictures!
Rules
- To enter the competition, your costume must fall into one of the following categories:
- Majority of your costume was created by you
- Your costume was assembled from at least 3 different sources of pre-made pieces, and you must have created at least one aspect or piece.
- The showcase is limited to the first 60 entrants. We will be taking entry forms at the Ala Wai Terrace (see map below) and entries will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Groups are considered as 1 entrant, and only need to fill out one entry form; there is however, only one prize per category.
- Reference material is REQUIRED. Do not assume the judges are familiar with any particular series or character. Any type of reference media is allowed; as long as it is an image depicting your character, you’re good.
- During the costume presentation, you will have 60 seconds to pose for the cameras. If you exceed your time limit, you’ll be asked to leave the stage.
- All participants under 16 require a parent or guardian at check-in.
- All participants in any group must be in good standing with Comic Con Honolulu.
- Please show up to the Main Events Room 30 minutes prior to the begin of the competition. (Ballroom C; show up at 5:30pm). Failure to show up at this time will result in disqualification
- Live animals, flash power, fireworks, lasers, electrical flashes, smoke machines, and aerosol cans such as paint, hair dye, silly string, and any weapons not cleared by the public safety department are prohibited from use.
- All contestants must be respectful and careful of each other, their costumes, and their props at all times. Willful damage of costumes or props as well as inappropriate manners towards other contestants or staff will result in removal from the event.
- Contestants must adhere to all Comic Con Honolulu rules of conduct. This applies to all costumes as well as on-stage performances. Please remember we are a family friendly convention.
- Contestants are prohibited from jumping or running off stage.
- All performances must be self-contained within the group. No physical interaction with the audience or MC is allowed.
- You may not act in a manner that may cause risk to another person. Violators will have their membership revoked and will be escorted from the premises.
