Cosplay Stars

Cosplay Stars is the official cosplay competition at Toronto Game Expo, celebrating the creativity, craftsmanship, and passion of the cosplay community.

Taking place on Saturday during the event, contestants will showcase costumes they have largely created themselves and present their work on stage after a pre-judging session with our panel of judges. This is an exciting opportunity for both beginner and seasoned cosplay crafters to have their work evaluated by master-level cosplayers.

Participants can pre-register online through the Toronto Game Expo website or sign up in person on Saturday morning at the Cosplay Stars information desk. Each contestant will receive a scheduled time slot for pre-judging, where they will have a three-minute one-on-one session with the judges to discuss and present their craftsmanship.

Competitors may enter one of three skill divisions:

• Novice (Beginner)

• Journeyman (Intermediate)

• Masters

Awards will be presented for:

• Best Novice

• Best Journeyman

• Best Masters

• Best in Show

• Judge’s Choice Award (x3)

Each judge will present a Judge’s Choice Award to recognize standout work that impressed them personally. Whether you specialize in detailed builds, performance, or character accuracy, Cosplay Stars is your chance to share your work and shine in front of fellow fans and creators.

Novice Division

The Novice Division is designed for cosplayers who are new to competing or early in their crafting journey.

This category welcomes participants who have limited competition experience and want to showcase their skills in a supportive environment while gaining valuable feedback from judges.

Journeyman Division

The Journeyman Division is intended for intermediate cosplayers who have developed stronger crafting skills and may have some competition experience.

Participants in this category often take on more complex builds and techniques, demonstrating a growing mastery of cosplay construction and presentation.

Master Division

The Master Division is for highly experienced cosplayers who consistently create advanced, detailed costumes using a wide range of techniques.

Competitors in this category are seasoned builders and performers, presenting intricate craftsmanship and polished stage presence at the highest level of competition.

Cosplay Stars Judges

@cerulea.cosplay

Cerulea has been cosplaying for over 11 years. Early on in her cosplay journey she entered her first cosplay contest, and immediately fell in love with the competitive community. She specializes in armour and props, but has experience in pretty much every technique out there. She loves learning new things and enjoys figuring out ways to incorporate these new techniques into her work. Her competition career has allowed her to compete internationally, with her most notable win being at the Fan Expo Masters of Cosplay: Maple Leaf Qualifier 2024. She competed in the MoC finals at Megacon in 2025, being one of two Canadians to do so. She loves helping out new competitive cosplayers, and hopes she can share her passion with the next generation of artists.

@astrangecrow

Crow is an Ottawa based cosplayer who has been crafting props and costumes for over 10 years. They recently placed second in the WCS Canada preliminaries, and have won a variety of other awards over the years. They work with a wide range of materials, including foams, fabrics, thermoplastics, 3d prints, and leathers. Recently, they have been adding mechanics to props, and making prosthetics. Crow is always excited to meet other cosplayers, and chat about crafting.

@ChunkyChickadee

This old bird has been doing this for too long.... and has no plans of stopping! With a specialty in fabric, traditional techniques, and leather working, she creates bespoke costumes to shimmer and shine. Most recently having won second place with Astrangecrow at the 2026 WCS preliminaries, she has also won runner up at NCC 2025 and WCS2024. Her main focus now is to support and encourage the next generations of cosplayers.