The Rules of the Game: Inside Australia's Cosplay Convention Scene

Cosplay conventions in several Australian cities, including Melbourne and the Gold Coast, have established common rules for competitions and community conduct. The events, where participants dress as characters from anime, manga, comics, film, video games, and tabletop games, feature guidelines on costume creation, representation, and attendee safety.

Competition Structure and Judging Criteria

A standard rule for high-level competitions at these conventions is that participants must have handmade 70% to 80% of their costume. The remaining 20% to 30% may include purchased items, such as accessories or 3D-printed components.

Judging is primarily based on two factors:

• Accuracy to the Character: How closely the costume resembles the source character.
• Craftsmanship: The quality of construction, which can encompass sewing, embroidery, beadwork, foamwork, wig-making, and the integration of electronics.

There is no rule regarding budget, with reported costume costs ranging from $50 to thousands of dollars.

A brief performance element is also often judged to assess how well a cosplayer embodies their character's persona.

Guidelines on Representation and Modification

Convention guidelines address several aspects of character portrayal:

• Gender: Cosplayers may dress as a character of any gender. Sources indicate that historical guidelines from the early 2000s, which sometimes restricted masculine-presenting individuals from dressing as female characters, are no longer in effect.
• Race and Ethnicity: Altering one's appearance to mimic racial characteristics through methods such as blackface or "yellowface" is not considered acceptable. However, changing skin color to depict a fictional, non-human fantasy race (e.g., dark elves) is generally viewed as permissible.
• Costume Modifications: Cosplayers may modify a character's typically revealing costume for personal comfort or modesty without penalty in competitions. Conversely, choosing a more revealing or "sexier" interpretation of a character is also considered acceptable.

Community Conduct and Safety

The phrase "cosplay is not consent" is commonly used at these conventions to address issues of unwanted photography, physical contact, and attention.

Sources report that conventions have policies to address misconduct, with consequences ranging from warnings to expulsion from the event.

Some cosplayers, including Shadinski_Cosplay (Shaydon), have observed a shift in social attitudes over the past decade, with "much less tolerance for problematic behaviours" at events. Separately, concerns have been raised by participants, including academic Emerald King, about the potential misuse of cosplayers' images online through technologies like AI and deepfakes.

Background and Participant Perspectives

Multiple sources describe cosplay in Australia as having grown from a niche subculture into a mainstream activity over the past decade. Participants cite various motivations for their involvement, including enjoyment, celebrating media they love, and community.

Statements from participants include:

"It all comes down to having fun — making or wearing these costumes to celebrate the things that we love."
— Miss Twisted (Charlotte), a professional cosplayer and judge

• Shadinski_Cosplay (Shaydon): Identified "accuracy to the character and craftsmanship" as the two biggest factors in costume creation.
• Jo Black (Red Scarf): "Sexy cosplay does not make you any less of a cosplayer."
• Emerald King, an academic and cosplayer: Defined cosplay as "the act of dressing up as a character from anime, manga, comic books, film and, increasingly, tabletop games."