Every year there is seriously an intense amount of sheer talent from the beginners to the masters; if they didn’t specify, it would be next to impossible to tell who belonged to which category as an audience member. This year they did more of a walk on style for time constraints, rather than doing skits or performances. This basically just gave them enough time to go up on stage, pose for the audience, judges and any press in the room for amazing pictures. It wasn’t bad, but as an audience member going to the contests, even as amazing as the cosplays are, the entertainment factor isn’t quite the same. I personally feel like if they were allowed to have the short skits and routines it would be better for a general audience, especially anyone checking it out that’s not part of the cosplay community itself.

However, the showcase was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!! I never envy the judges for the sheer amount of work they have to do, not just to narrow down the categories, but also who wins Best in Show, granting said cosplayer a ticket to the Master of Cosplay main event. Their job is never easy and only seems to get harder over time as everyone hones their skills and learns new ones. I can almost guarentee that if the judges could give everyone a meaningful reward, they would.

As a note I think it would be fun to see a “Most Improved” award for cosplayers that go to many events, like as an add on to a Judges Choice award. Seeing some of the same faces is actually the most interesting part to me, because it shows the dedication they have for their craft, and to see them improve each and every time they step onto that stage is astounding and awe inspiring.