Rikon cosplay contest

Who can apply:

• Persons over 14 years old,
• Persons with costumes they made themselves,
• If you are part of a group cosplay, each cosplayer applies separately and is awarded separately - you can only do a joint performance for the Cosplay Show (all members of the group must mention this in the application form),
• Rules that apply only to the Apprentice League: cosplayers with costumes they have already shown at other conventions or events, as well as young cosplayers with costumes made by others or purchased costume components (e.g., a pencil case, purchased merchandise) can apply.

Competition categories:

When registering, competitors can only apply in one of the offered categories:

• Master League (advanced/award-winning)
• Apprentice League (beginners/first-time players)

The Master League is a category for all cosplayers who have gained enough experience over the years to compete at a higher level:

Cosplayers who have won first place or Best in Show at any convention in Croatia or abroad, Cosplayers who have won one or more awards/categories at any convention in Croatia or abroad in consecutive years.

Cosplayers who previously won Best Apprentice at Rikon.

To participate in the Master category competition, we invite Cosplayers to present new costumes.

If you compete with a costume that has already been seen or an award-winning costume, the judging panel reserves the right to award the prize to the contestant with the new costume.

The Apprentice League is a category intended for all young, new or beginner cosplayers whose costumes have not won awards in the past, or who do not feel brave enough for the Master League, and who want to compete, have fun and win prizes.

By competing and winning the Best Apprentice award, cosplayers earn the right to participate in the Master League in subsequent years.

If you are a professional costume designer or cosplayer, have won awards or been hired to make costumes, please do not apply to the Apprentice League. The organizers reserve the right to disqualify.

If you are not sure which category you should apply for, please contact us before filling out the application form.

Application process:

• Applications for the Cosplay competition are required via the application form on the website RikonRijeka.com/cosplay
• If you are applying to the Master League, you must provide information/references on previously won awards.
• The application form must include 1 (one) reference image of the character that will be included in the audience voting application and displayed on stage during the contestant's performance in the Cosplay Fashion Show. The judges will also evaluate based on that photo.
• The application must include 1 (one) musical OR video background for the performance. If only the musical background is submitted, the reference image of the character will be displayed on the stage screen during that time. If a video (with music) is also submitted, that video will be displayed during the performance.
• Performances on stage for each contestant last a maximum of 2 minutes.
• Your music or video files MUST be trimmed and last a maximum of 2 minutes, and be in a standard format (mp3, mp4)!

Judging rules and judging panel:

• The panel consists of 3 people selected by the Rikon organization, the panel must not be biased towards any competitor.
• The panel and organizers reserve the right not to award a prize or prizes without additional explanation.
• To participate in the Master category competition, Cosplayers are invited to present new costumes.
• If you compete with a costume that has already been seen or an already awarded costume, the judging panel reserves the right to award the prize to the competitor with the new costume.

During the Judging and Cosplay Fashion Show, the jury awards points to each contestant, in both categories, for the following costume elements:

• Quality of crafting: quality of making costumes, props, weapons, presence of all relevant details (props, weapons, recognizable costume elements), quality of gluing or joining elements and visibility of cuts, neatness and details of costume color,
• Quality of sewn costume: quality of making sewn costume, cut of costume, neatness of seams,
• Performance: originality and quality of performance, audience reactions, performance composition and stage presence, coordination with music,
• Approach to original theme: fidelity to concept, twist or addition, gender-bender and similar,
• Make-up and hair/wig: styling, quality of shaping, use of special effects, body paint or prosthetics.

General exam:

• This year, we are offering contestants a dress rehearsal time on stage on Saturday from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The dress rehearsal is a time to discuss with the director about coordinating your music/video, resolve any technical difficulties, and test the stage.
• If a contestant does not show up for the dress rehearsal, the organizers do not guarantee 100% success of the performance.
• After the dress rehearsal, you have time to put on your cosplay in the Cosplay locker room and prepare for the Judging in front of the judging panel.

Judging takes place in Backstage on Saturday from 2:00 p.m.

Contestants have a very limited time to show their costume and answer the judges' questions, so we ask everyone to respect the given limitations and be prepared (in costume).

The Cosplay Show on Saturday evening will be announced in detail in the program, and competitors are required to be in the Backstage no later than 15 minutes before the Show.

Master League prizes:

• Best in Show - award for the best cosplay of the convention
• Audience Favorite - audience award, can be the same contestant as Best in Show
• Master Special Mention - award given at the judges' discretion

Apprentice League Awards:

• Best Apprentice - award for the best cosplay of the Apprentice league
• Audience's Favorite - audience award, can be the same contestant
• Apprentice Special Mention - award given at the judges' discretion

We ask all competitors to be present at Rikon during the award ceremony.

The organizers and the panel of judges reserve the right to award multiple prizes, not award a prize in any category without explanation, or award a prize for something other than stated, depending on the circumstances, the quantity and quality of competitors, and the available budget.

The organizers and the panel of judges reserve the right to disqualify competitors in the event of:

• Insufficiently high-quality masks, unfinished masks or other circumstances that insult the efforts of other competitors.
• Abuse of social networks or the audience voting system in a way that directly or indirectly violates the right of all competitors to equal competition conditions.
• Insulting, violating privacy or harassing other competitors, convention visitors or the organizing team, volunteers and the judging panel.
• If competitors are closely related, i.e. in a conflict of interest with persons on the judging panel of the competition.

The organizers and the panel of judges have the right to subsequently withdraw the prize (publicly and by returning the gift package) if it turns out that the contestant violated these conditions, i.e., intentionally violated the values of the competition and the right of all contestants to fair and equal competition.

The contestant with the next highest score from the judging panel wins the prize in that case, if possible.

For any potential questions or concerns, you can contact cosplay@rikonrijeka.com