2025 Policies and Guidelines

Masquerade applications will be opened May 4th at 10:00 am CST 

 

 

 

 

 

MASQUERADE (COSPLAY/COSTUME CONTEST) POLICIES:

Please remember to treat Kitsune Kon Staff, Kitsune Kon Guest Judges, other attendees, and fellow Cosplayers with kindness and respect; disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated and may result in being barred from future Kitsune Kon events.

GENERAL CONTEST RULES:

**These rules are in addition to the Kitsune Kon Cosplay and Prop Policy at https://kitsunekon.com/programmingguide/.

• All participants must have a current Kitsune Kon badge.

• Costumes, Music, and Skits must adhere to a G or PG rating.  They should be suitable for a general audience, free from excessive violence, explicit language, or mature themes.  Keep it family friendly!

• Contestants must wear attire that provides proper coverage.  Implement precautions (body tape, skin colored undergarments, etc) to prevent accidental exposure throughout the competition.  Dance Belts are highly recommended for spandex suits.  Pasties may be worn provided they are firmly affixed and must not detach during the competition.  

• Contestants that enter as a group cannot also enter as an individual.

• Contestants may not enter with multiple costumes.

• A contestant is allowed to submit a costume and have someone else wear it during the competition; however, the creator of the costume MUST be present for both judging and the stage presentation/awards.

• All participants will be required to appear on stage.

• No profanity, political, controversial, or religious statements allowed on stage (including messages on signs or clothes).  Additional information can be found on Kitsune Kon’s Cosplay and Prop Policy at https://kitsunekon.com/programmingguide/.

• No special effects such as projectiles, confetti, glitter, water, flash pots, fireworks, explosive devices, smoke, vaping, fog machines, lasers, or similar effects are allowed.

• Do NOT jump off the stage or enter into the audience. Only enter and exit through the approved stage entrances.

• You MAY surprise the audience but DO NOT surprise the staff; it will be considered an automatic disqualification.

• Violators of these rules will be disqualified.

• By registering for the Cosplay contest, all participants agree to allow Kitsune Kon to use their images for promotional purposes, both photographs and video.

• Cosplay/Costumes must adhere to the convention’s safety policies and adhere to all federal, state, and local laws. 

MUSIC

You can use copyright music for your performances as long as it adheres to our event guidelines and is suitable for our audience (rated PG or less). Please be aware that certain video platforms might mute copyright content, so choose wisely. Here are some essential points to keep in mind: Make sure your audio track starts playing from the exact point you want it to begin. We will not be able to edit any music or audio tracks at the convention. At this time, we can only accept music/audio files in the MP3 format. You can either email the MP3 file to Cosplay@KitsuneKon.com, include your stage name, or bring the MP3 file on a USB stick to Check-in. Craftsmanship stage appearances should ideally be kept to 30 seconds but can last up to a maximum of 1 minute. Please note that no additional points will be awarded for these stage appearances. Skits should be kept to around 3 minutes long, but don’t worry if it goes a little over. Get ready to rock the stage with your favorite tunes! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Cosplay@KitsuneKon.com.

CRAFTSMANSHIP 

Craftsmanship entries must be at least 60% handmade by the entrant(s).

If you got help with your costume, make sure that the assistance you received is less than 40%.  Remember to let the judges know how much help you had when you present your costume.

No Sandbagging!  Sandbagging occurs when a participant enters a cosplay costume into a contest that has previously won at another event without significant modifications, upgrades, alterations, or rebuilds. It also happens when a contestant tries to be dishonest about their previous wins to enter a lower category, aiming to increase their chances of winning.  Anyone found sandbagging or being dishonest about past achievements will be disqualified and barred from future Kitsune Kon masquerade events indefinitely.

The Cosplay Staff and guest judges reserve the right to assign you to a different division than the one you initially entered, if they deem it necessary. If you are unsure about which level you should enter, feel free to reach out to us for clarification.

Color references are required.  Printed pictures or pictures on your phone are great.  Figurines, plushies, wall scrolls, and other physical material may be used but it is your responsibility to keep them safe. Kitsune Kon staff are not responsible for any lost or stolen items.

Groups in the Craftsmanship category can have up to 4 members but everyone must compete at the highest level of skill among them.  For instance, if one member is at the Masters level, then everyone in the group must also compete at the Masters level.

Craftsmanship stage appearance is limited to a maximum of 1 minute (no additional judging points awarded for stage performance).

Purchased, commissioned, or less than 60% handmade cosplays may enter as an exhibition walk-on or with a skit.

Craftsmanship Divisions for Individuals and Groups:

Chibi – Age 12 or younger.  The Chibi category can provide young participants with a fun and engaging opportunity to showcase their love for cosplay and creativity in a safe and supportive environment.  Parents or guardians must provide consent for their child to participate in the contest.  Please keep costumes age appropriate.

Novice – New to craftsmanship! No more than one (1) Major award or two (2) Minor awards. (i.e. Honorable Mentions, Judges Awards, etc.) previously won.

Journeyman – Those with a little more experience under their cosplay and craftsmanship belt. No more than two (2) Major awards or three (3) Minor awards previously won, or if you have comparable crafting experience.

Masters – Excellence in the cosplay arts or a veteran of sewing/crafting.  Won three (3) or more major awards or if you have comparable crafting experience.

EXHIBITION (Also known as “Walk-On”)

Don’t want to go through the judging process and just want to show off your cosplay instead?  Want to hear all those cheers as you cross the stage? Exhibition is your option! This is great for those who have purchased or commissioned cosplays but still want to appear on stage. Slots will be limited for this and require masquerade pre-registration.

Exhibition stage appearance is limited to a maximum of 1 minute.

Purchased, commissioned, or less than 60% handmade cosplays may only enter as an exhibition walk-on or with a skit.

SKITS

Skits can be entered in two ways. The first way is to enter as an exhibition skit and compete only for a skit award.  The second way is to also enter the craftsmanship judging and be eligible for both craftsmanship awards and skit awards.

Mics will NOT be available. All skits must be pre-recorded and either emailed ahead of time to the cosplay department (preferred), or brought to Check-in.

Skits will be reviewed for content appropriateness before and at tech rehearsal. 

Skits will have a total length of 3 minutes. This length will include your set-up and tear-down time.  

Skits are limited to 8 people, which includes any stage ninjas and/or handlers.

Skits are allowed to delight the audience with surprises, but it is crucial not to catch the staff off guard. Any unexpected surprises will result in automatic disqualification. 

Copyright music may be used for skits as long as it’s follows the guidelines for our event and appropriate for our general audience. Please keep in mind that some video platforms may mute copyright content so keep this in mind during your selection.

AWARDS

Remember, while we celebrate everyone’s creativity and effort, not every participant can win. Let’s cheer on the winners and honor their accomplishments!

• Best in Show

• Skit – 1st Place, Runner-up

• Chibi 

• Novice – 1st place, Runner-up

• Journeyman – 1st Place, Runner-up

• Master – 1st Place, Runner-up

• Best Prop – This award will be given to the prop considered to have exceptional difficulty and creative implementation.

• Judge’s Choice Awards – Awards at the judge’s discretion in any level category! These awards could be something that really impressed an individual judge.

• Rising Star – A new Cosplayer who shows great potential but may not have access to quality materials.

• Other Awards – At discretion, we love giving awards!

The hours for Check-in, Judging, and Tech Rehearsal will be announced soon. 

If you have ANY questions regarding the Masquerade or the Cosplay Department, please send them to Cosplay@KitsuneKon.com.

We are excited to see the results of all your hard work!