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JUDGING
We’re currently assembling our judging panel. Judges will be announced soon and will include experienced creators and community leaders dedicated to recognizing outstanding cosplay work.
The Judging Process
The Cosplay Awards uses a structured, three-phase process designed to balance community voice with experienced evaluation. The goal is to celebrate creativity while keeping the process fair, transparent, and community-driven.
Community Nominations
Submissions open to allow creators and community members to nominate individuals, groups, or projects across each category. This phase ensures great work is seen and represented.
Community Voting
The public votes on submitted nominees to help narrow each category down to a finalist group, typically around five selections. Community input directly shapes the finalists.
Final Judge Selection
Judges review the community-selected finalists and choose the winner for each category based on defined criteria relevant to that award.
The Role of Judges
TCA Judges are trusted members of the cosplay community selected for their experience, professionalism, and contributions across disciplines such as cosplay, photography, craftsmanship, performance, and community leadership.
*Judges are not eligible for nomination during the awards cycle they serve. This is done to avoid conflicts of interest and protect the integrity of the final selection.
Fairness &
Transparency
Selected TCA Judges do not evaluate categories where they have direct involvement, and the combination of community voting and judge review ensures no single voice controls the outcome.
Interested in Becoming a Judge?
If you’re an experienced member of the cosplay community — whether as a cosplayer, photographer, artist, creator, organizer, or business connected to the space — and are interested in helping shape the future of the Cosplay Awards, we invite you to express interest in serving as a judge for a future awards cycle. Judges are selected based on experience, areas of expertise, balance across categories, and the overall needs of the event. Submitting this form does not guarantee selection, but allows us to better understand those interested in contributing to a fair and thoughtful judging process.
Can judges also be nominees or winners?
Judges are not eligible for nomination or awards during the cycle in which they serve. This helps ensure fairness and avoids conflicts of interest.
How long does a judge serve?
Judges serve for a single awards cycle. Judges may be eligible for nomination in future years once their term has ended.
What criteria do judges use to select winners?
Judges evaluate finalists using defined criteria appropriate to each category, which may include craftsmanship, creativity, execution, impact, and overall quality.
How many judges are there?
The number of judges may vary by year and category to ensure balanced perspectives and fair evaluation.
Who selects the judges?
Judges are selected by the Cosplay Awards team based on experience, areas of expertise, balance across categories, and the overall needs of the event.
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