The World Cosplay Summit (WCS) is an annual cosplay competition and cultural exchange held in Nagoya, Japan. Launched in 2003 by Japanese television station TV Aichi, it’s main focus is to promote the international exchange of Japanese culture, manga and anime. The championship debuted in 2005 and has been held annually since, with participants hailing from 40+ countries and across 6 continents.

The World Cosplay Summit USA Finals (WCS USA) take place directly following the Anime Expo Masquerade, running as a separate competition in accordance with WCS rules and regulations.

The winner of the WCS USA Finals at Anime Expo will then travel to Nagoya as representatives of the USA in the Cosplay Championship at World Cosplay Summit.

FAQs

For Competitors

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How do I compete?

To compete in the World Cosplay Summit for the USA you must either apply at a Preliminary round with one of our Preliminary host conventions and win your way to the Finals or you may apply directly to the WCS USA Finals at Anime Expo.

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How is my performance judged?

The best way to understand our judging criteria is to read and review the Judging section of the WCS USA website .

For Potential Hosts

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How do I host a World Cosplay Summit USA preliminary?

If you are a convention and are interested in hosting a WCS USA Preliminary please email us directly at wcsusa@anime-expo.org to begin a conversation. We are always interested in growing our cosplay community!

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How does WCS USA select a convention to host a preliminary?

While many factors go into the selection of a Preliminary host, the largest factor is giving opportunities to showcase the best of cosplay talent around the country who may not have previously had an opportunity to compete directly at the WCS USA Finals at Anime Expo. For conventions wishing to start a dialogue about hosting a Preliminary, please reach out via email at wcsusa@anime-expo.org .

For Volunteers

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How can I get involved?

There are many ways to get involved in the World Cosplay Summit USA! You can volunteer at Anime Expo or at Preliminary host conventions, apply to become WCS Team USA, watch the Preliminaries, the USA Finals, the Championship in Japan, and connect with us on social media to show your support to our WCS USA Competitors, Finalists and, of course, WCS Team USA!

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What qualifications do I need to volunteer at the WCS USA Finals?

You must be at least 18 years old and apply as a volunteer at Anime Expo through our volunteer application and request to join the WCS USA department. We work directly in support of the event at Anime Expo and are partnered with the AX Masquerade as we share the event space. You can apply to become a volunteer here.