WCS2012 Regulations
February 17, 2012 
WCS
World Cosplay Summit refers to Cosplay Parade, Cosplay Championship and other promotional activities.
A. Points to be aware of for participation in Cosplay Summit
[1]
Representation for each country is limited to one team of two people.
[2]
The costumes are limited to original Japanese-produced manga, anime, games and special effects.
*Coterie works, anthology works, and live-action movies based on manga, anime and games are not allowed.
*When portraying game characters the characters should have originated in Japan.
(For example, portraying Disney or Star Wars characters is not allowed even if they are taken from Japanese-made anime.)
*Coterie works, anthology works, and live-action movies based on manga, anime and games are not allowed.
*When portraying game characters the characters should have originated in Japan.
(For example, portraying Disney or Star Wars characters is not allowed even if they are taken from Japanese-made anime.)
[3]
Cosplay costumes should be handmade. Ready-made costumes are not allowed.
*Costumes should be handmade by the participants, their family or friends as much as much as possible. Reworking ready-made parts into a costume is acceptable.
*Costumes should be handmade by the participants, their family or friends as much as much as possible. Reworking ready-made parts into a costume is acceptable.
[4]
To participate in the Cosplay Summit a weeklong trip to Japan from the end of July to the beginning of August is required.
[5]
Participants must be 18 years of age or older at the time of the visit to Japan.
*Participants under the age of 18 must have their guardian’s permission.
Participation is possible with the guardian’s permission and it is possible for you to travel to Japan alone.
*Participants under the age of 18 must have their guardian’s permission.
Participation is possible with the guardian’s permission and it is possible for you to travel to Japan alone.
[6]
World Cosplay Summit success relies on the positive and active cooperation of all participants.
[7]
Promptly prepare and submit all documentation pertaining to the World Cosplay Summit when required by the sponsor (TV Aichi).
[8]
To promote the World Cosplay Summit images and photographs from the representative rounds may be used in TV programs, homepage, newspapers, magazines, etc. There is no remuneration for such use in this case.
[9]
All images connected with the promotion of, or relevant to, the World Cosplay Summit, regardless of form or origin, belong to, and will be regulated by, TV Aichi. This includes image rights from all assorted media exposure such as TV programs, promotional activities in the print media as well as events and performances, announcements of the Cosplay Summit both prior to the Summit and during your stay in Japan.
[10]
After the World Cosplay Summit, TV Aichi retains the right to use representative cosplayer images and photographs in TV programs, homepages, DVDs etc. without remuneration. (Your signature is required on the attached acceptance form for regarding this matter.)
B. Points to be aware of concerning preparation
[1]
Three costumes are required in Japan: one for the parade, one for the Cosplay Championship and one for interviews.
[2]
Your Cosplay Championship costumes should be of characters that originated from the same Japanese manga, anime, game or special effects.
It is not necessary to coordinate the cosplay parade costume and the costume for interviews.
It is not necessary to coordinate the cosplay parade costume and the costume for interviews.
[3]
The gross weight of the costumes and, both large and small, stage properties for the two people shall not exceed 40kg. Please report the weight of each stage property along with the other material in B-[9].
[4]
Fixed stage properties should be less than 2100mm in height, 2100mm in length, 900mm in depth and 10kg in weight.
[5]
Fixed stage properties are limited to three. Moreover, applications for permission to use large handheld stage properties must be sent to the secretariat one month in advance of the Championship date. Applications must be in writing stating size and accompanied by a photograph.
[6]
Using official trademarked illustrations or logos on free-standing screens or in gadgetry is forbidden.
[7]
Overweight shipping charges for costumes or properties are the responsibility of each representative. Sending the items in advance to Japan by airmail or sea mail is not possible.
[8]
Preparing the music for the performance beforehand is the responsibility of each representative. Please submit the performance sheet explaining the intended nature of your performance in advance. Using the original voice-actor’s voice as a sound source (music) is not allowed. Sound sources (music) are to be submitted on CD.
[9]
Documents, CD for Championship are to be sent to the secretariat one month in advance.
Material for submission
･Performance sheet
･A picture of the original character in the same costume as the one you will be wearing for the performance.
･Costume construction report (PDF, printed copy of PDF data. A format that allows the cosplayer to confidently give a five-minute presentation is ok.)
･Large property information (size, placement location, weight of large properties)
･Sound source (music) CD
*Additionally, please promptly submit any other documents that the secretariat has asked for.
(If it is impossible to send these documents on the day of the preliminary round, please submit these as soon as possible afterward.)
Material for submission
･Performance sheet
･A picture of the original character in the same costume as the one you will be wearing for the performance.
･Costume construction report (PDF, printed copy of PDF data. A format that allows the cosplayer to confidently give a five-minute presentation is ok.)
･Large property information (size, placement location, weight of large properties)
･Sound source (music) CD
*Additionally, please promptly submit any other documents that the secretariat has asked for.
(If it is impossible to send these documents on the day of the preliminary round, please submit these as soon as possible afterward.)
C. Points to be aware of concerning the championship
[1]
The performance at the Championship can be the same as the performance given in the preliminary round, but if it is the same, your performance should be augmented to a level appropriate for the Championship.
[2]
Championship performance time is limited to two minutes and thirty seconds. (Please be aware that this has changed from 2010.) Stage staff will set a maximum of three large stage properties s before your performance and remove them afterward. There will be forty seconds to make the necessary changes between group performances. Large set stage properties are limited to three.
[3]
Large set stage props and background images are not subject to evaluation by the judges.
[4]
During the Championship only the two representative cosplayers, one organizer, and an interpreter will be allowed backstage.
*Related press, family and friends will be asked to use the seats reserved in the audience. Moreover, only one person, either the organizer or translator, plus a representative cosplayer can be backstage to help with preparation.
*Related press, family and friends will be asked to use the seats reserved in the audience. Moreover, only one person, either the organizer or translator, plus a representative cosplayer can be backstage to help with preparation.
[5]
Neither organizers nor TV Aichi staff members are allowed to help a cosplayer during their performance on stage.
[6]
It is possible to scatter things onstage during your performance, but staining, marking or damaging the stage in any way is not allowed. Anything that takes time to clean up on stage is also prohibited.
[7]
Leaving the stage to perform in the audience is not allowed.
[8]
Using fire or water on stage is prohibited.
[9]
The order of performances is decided by drawing lots after your arrival in Japan. Countries may be divided into separate pools to ensure an even spread of nations or prevent groupings of similar performances.
[10]
Smoke related special effects are not allowed.
D. Championship judging criteria
Each judge in the Cosplay Championship can award 10 points for costume, 10 points for performance, 5 points for faithfulness to the original work, and 5 points for this year’s theme, for a maximum total of 30 points.
[1]
Performance (10 points): interpretation; inventiveness; entertainment value; level of performance.
[2]
Costume (10 points): production execution, how faithful it is to the original character’s or how embellished it is with ideas.
*Before the Championship a preliminary inspection with each country’s organizers will be performed. This examination only includes the costumes, handheld props. (Fixed stage props are exempt.) The time allotted is ten minutes. A five-minute presentation and question period follow. The language used during the inspection can be either Japanese or English. The costume is not worn in this examination as only the manufacturing technology and skill of the costume’s design and handheld props are looked at. This report is submitted to a guest judge on the day as a reference mark of the costume’s score.
*Before the Championship a preliminary inspection with each country’s organizers will be performed. This examination only includes the costumes, handheld props. (Fixed stage props are exempt.) The time allotted is ten minutes. A five-minute presentation and question period follow. The language used during the inspection can be either Japanese or English. The costume is not worn in this examination as only the manufacturing technology and skill of the costume’s design and handheld props are looked at. This report is submitted to a guest judge on the day as a reference mark of the costume’s score.
[3]
Fidelity to the original work (5 points): how close is the performance content to the original story and characters; how much respect is shown to the original work.
[4]
This year’s theme (5 points): How close does the stage performance reflect on this year’s theme.
Works prohibited from participation
- Game software that either the Ethics Organization of Computer Software or the Contents Soft Association has banned for sale to people under the age of 18.
- Visual software that either the Nihon Ethics of Video Association or the Visual Software Contents Industry Cooperative has banned to sell to people under the age of 18.
- Works that either the Shuppan Rinri Kyogikai or publisher has zoned as being unfit for sale to people under the age of 18.
- Titles judged to be unsuitable by other World Cosplay Summit Executive Committees. (The criteria for judgment within the work is defined as adult in nature and expression.)
Works non-prohibited from participation
- Game software that the nonprofit organization, Computer Entertainment Rating Organization, defines as unfit for sale to those under the age of 18.