Cosplay Variety Show

Calling all cosplayers!

Miryokucon celebrates cosplay of all kinds, and the Saturday evening Cosplay Variety Show is your chance to show your stuff. Whether you made or purchased your costume, come and show us what you have, and you might go home with a prize! We have two divisions of competition: Cosplay Performance and Cosplay Craftsmanship.

Online sign ups have closed, but we still have limited at-con slots available. Please visit Cosplay HQ for more information.

Cosplay Performance

You know your character inside and out and you’re convinced you look and act just like them. The Cosplay Performance contest is your chance to show off your costume and posing skills on stage! Tell a story with your character(s) with a skit, or show off your dance moves. Sign up for this event if the “play” part of cosplay speaks to you.

Here are the divisions you may enter. If you have any questions about which division you belong in, please reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Youth: This level is for you if you are 18 years old or younger.
Novice: This level is for you if you’ve never entered or won a performance award at any other pop-culture, comic or anime convention. If you previously won an award as a Journeyman or higher, you will not be eligible for the Novice category.

Examples of major awards include “Best in Show,” “Best Novice” and “Runner Up Saturday.” Judges’ awards and awards like “Director’s Pick” or “Best Prop” are considered minor awards.

Journeyman: This level is for you if you’ve won at least 2 major performance awards as a Novice at any other competition. If you previously won any award as a Master or higher, or if you are a professional cosplayer, you will not be eligible for the Journeyman category.
Master: This level is for anyone to enter regardless of whether you have won awards.

Any costume, whether store-bought, commissioned or crafted, is eligible to enter. Cosplays may be from any kind of pop media, and original characters are welcome.
Anyone may enter and is eligible to win awards regardless of age, differing abilities, ethnicity or gender identity.
You will be judged on your stage presence. There is no craftsmanship judging for this competition, so if you want your seams to be flipped instead, try the Cosplay Craftsmanship contest.
You and everyone in your group must attend the dress rehearsal, which will take place at an appointed time. Failure to show up to dress rehearsal will result in disqualification.
You may enter both the Cosplay Performance contest and the Cosplay Craftsmanship contest with the same entry. If you participate in both contests, you will be judged according to two sets of criteria.
You will be limited to 5 minutes max on stage. Any longer, and you may be disqualified.
You must be registered for Miryokucon and will be required to display your badge before going backstage.
Audio must be pre-recorded as you will not have access to a live mic. Audio files (MP3) may be uploaded to our server beforehand, or you can bring your file via flash drive, CD or phone as long as you have a USB cord for it. Streamed music or music that may only be accessed with an internet connection will not be allowed.
Idol performances (Love Live, Vocaloid, Idolmaster, etc.) will be limited to the first 5 entries on a first come, first served basis.
No electrical outlet will be provided. If your performance/costume requires power, you must have a battery or self-powering system.
If it comes on stage with you, it also must leave with you. Things that will leave a mess such as loose glitter, feathers, rose petals and confetti are not allowed for your performance.
Costumes must adhere to the overall convention rules. Costumes depicting offensive language and/or imagery and showing off more than what would be acceptable at a public pool are not allowed. Offensive conduct and language that would be unacceptable past a PG-13 rating will be disqualified.
Groups are welcome to enter! Your division is based on the highest-ranking member of your group. For example, if your group consists of a Journeyman and 2 Novices, your division would be at the Journeyman level. Groups are limited to 10 people on stage at a time.
Sandbagging is not allowed. A performance that won a major award at another competition and was not significantly changed (with proof) will be disqualified.
The Cosplay Director’s word is law. Competitors attempting to subvert or otherwise discredit a judge’s or director’s ruling will be disqualified from Miryokucon’s current year’s competition and banned from participating in the next year’s competition.
Please note that awards are given at the Cosplay Director’s discretion, based on the number of total entrants.

Cosplay Craftsmanship

If you spent untold hours patterning, sewing, gluing, 3D printing, crafting and embellishing your cosplay, and you want to show off your hard work (but maybe not your hot glue burns!) the Craftsmanship competition is for you! Sign up ahead of time to present your costume in front of a panel of judges who will flip your seams, check your EVA foam armor build, ask questions about how you made your cosplay and give you a chance to explain what cool techniques you used.

Here are the divisions you may enter. If you have any questions about which division you belong in, please reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
- Youth: This level is for you if you are 18 years old or younger. It’s OK if an adult helped with your cosplay, but you are expected to have done most of the construction yourself.
- Novice: This level is for you if you’ve never entered or won a craftsmanship award at any other pop-culture, comic or anime convention. If you previously won an award as a Journeyman or higher, or if you are a professional cosplayer, you will not be eligible for the Novice category.
  - Examples of major awards include “Best in Show,” “Best Novice” and “Runner Up Saturday.” Judges’ awards and awards like “Director’s Pick” or “Best Prop” are considered minor awards.
  - A “professional cosplayer” is someone who makes more than 50% of their income with commissions.
- Journeyman: This level is for you if you’ve won at least 2 major craftsmanship awards as a Novice at any other craftsmanship competition. If you previously won any award as a Master or higher, or if you are a professional cosplayer, you will not be eligible for the Journeyman category.
- Master: This level is for anyone to enter, including professional cosplayers.
To participate in the Craftsmanship contest, you must have created at least 75% of your costume yourself. Heavily-altered pieces are acceptable (for example, you took a pair of pants, altered them to your size and added embellishments). The more you create yourself, the higher score you can earn! If you have a store-bought or commissioned costume, consider the Cosplay Performance contest instead.
Cosplays may be from any kind of pop media, and original characters are welcome.
If you have a model who will be wearing the costume you created, that’s OK! Both the fully-dressed model and the crafter must be present before the judging panel.
The prejudging time is 12-3 p.m. on Saturday, held in the Cosplay HQ room. Time with the judges is first come, first served, with priority going to competitors who signed up beforehand. Time slots are 5 minutes each.
A process book with pictures of your construction is required if you want to win an award, especially if you are entering an original character. Showing photos on your phone/tablet is allowed but you will have an advantage if you are able to leave a process book with the judges. Books will be available to retrieve after the variety show.
You must be registered for Miryokucon and will be required to display your badge before your judging time.
You may enter both the Cosplay Craftsmanship contest and the Cosplay Performance contest with the same entry. If you participate in both contests, you will be judged according to two sets of criteria.
A costume you have previously won a major award(s) for, also known as sandbagging, is not permitted to enter. You may only enter your costume if you have concrete proof it was heavily altered after the award was won.
Groups are welcome to participate! At least one member of your group should have made your costumes and you will be judged according to the highest level award the crafter(s) has earned. For example, if your group consists of a Journeyman and two Masters, the group will be placed in and judged according to the Master level.
You may show off your costume in Saturday evening’s Cosplay Variety Show, but this is optional and will not affect scoring.
The Cosplay Director’s word is law. Entrants attempting to subvert or otherwise discredit a judge’s or director’s ruling will be disqualified from Miryokucon’s current year’s competition and banned from participating in the next year’s competition.
Please note that awards are given at the Cosplay Director’s discretion, based on the number of total entrants.

Cosplay Hall Award

You’re wandering the hotel in your cool new cosplay, and a staff member approaches you with a ribbon. Congratulations, you’ve won a Miryokucon Cosplay Hall Award! This award is given to a select few cosplayers of Miryokucon who we think are extra awesome and deserving of special recognition. Whether bought or handmade, you might just catch our eye!

There is no prior or at-con sign up to win this award. You just be your sweet self, and a staff member may approach you with a special ribbon.
Costumes may be hand-made or purchased. It’s all about how awesome you look!
If you’ve been selected, you have the option to walk on stage in our Cosplay Variety Show and show off your shiny ribbon and amazing costume.
Participants in the Craftsmanship and/or Performance divisions are not eligible to win this award.