GM, COT❣️ Yuzunoko here.
Have you checked out the division Grand Prix winners for Cosplayer of the Year 2026 yet?
On October 9, the Grand Prix winners across 9 divisions of the online cosplay contest "Cosplayer of the Year 2026" were announced on the official website. With the Passion division already decided on September 10, the top contenders across all 10 divisions have officially been crowned. On October 31, the awards ceremony and the Grand Prix Final will be held on stage at the Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival.
(The results from judging rounds that kicked off all the way back in August are finally in!)
The Grand Prix Winners for All 10 Divisions Are Here
According to the official website's announcement on October 9, the Grand Prix winners for the 9 divisions are the following 9 creators. Together with hiroshi from the Passion division, that brings the total to 10. Names are listed below without honorifics, matching the official website's styling.
Sweet (Female / Female Cosplay): Remon (tentative)
Bitter (Female / Male Cosplay): Pikuseru
Cherry (Male / Male Cosplay): Nosuke
Shiny (Male / Female Cosplay): Reururu
Passion (Cosplay Photographer / Open to all genders): hiroshi
#Compass: ARI / Kebab Nii-san
All-Genre: Marukichi.
Takumi (Craftsmanship): Niya-nii
U25: Tsunamayo
Streamer: Mocha
Their X accounts are listed on the official website. If you're not sure who someone is by name alone, be sure to check the official website or the official COTY X account.
The division criteria are also detailed in the official regulations. Sweet, Bitter, Cherry, and Shiny are categorised by the entrant's gender and whether they do female or male cosplay. All-Genre is open to anyone regardless of gender or genre, U25 is for participants under 25, and Streamer is for creators active on live-streaming platforms or TikTok.
Takumi (Craftsmanship) is a division showcasing artisan craft through handmade costumes or prop making. At least 50% of the creative work must be made by the entrant themselves. When entering, participants must also include descriptions of the parts they crafted in their post.
The #Compass division is a special category exclusively for cosplaying characters from the mobile game "#Compass: Combat Providence Analysis System."
Only the Passion Division Has a Different Selection Process
Among the 10 divisions, only the Passion division skips the Niconico Live round (the final round). Following the September 10 announcement, hiroshi, who took 1st place in the Claps! round, was directly awarded the division Grand Prix.
The Passion division is dedicated to cosplay photographers rather than cosplayers. Participants enter with cosplay photos or videos they shot themselves. Since the other 9 divisions require entrants to be the subject in the photo or video, Passion is handled differently.
The Grand Prix Is Decided by a 2-Minute Self-PR
Advancing to the Grand Prix Final on October 31 are the 9 division Grand Prix winners, excluding the Passion division.
The final stage judging consists of an individual self-PR presentation of up to 2 minutes per person. The presentation content is entirely open—contestants can speak about their passion for cosplay, show off crafted pieces, or express themselves through action or dance.
There are 5 judges and 2 scoring categories: up to 20 points for visuals and up to 20 points for PR. The visual score rates cosplay quality, while the PR score assesses self-branding ability and future potential. In addition, audience poll results from Niconico Live (a 3-choice poll of Excellent, Good, and Nice, based on the percentage of Excellent votes) will be factored into the scoring.
(Getting your entire soul across in just two minutes sounds pretty wild, though!)
The stage event will be streamed live on Niconico Live for free. Even if you can't make it to the venue in person, you can watch the results unfold in real time.
4 Rounds of Judging from August to October
The 2026 competition was divided into four stages:
- X Judging: August 1 – August 16
- Claps! Judging: August 31 – September 6
- Niconico Live Judging (Final Round): September 25 – October 4
- Awards Ceremony & Grand Prix Final: October 31
X judging served as the preliminary round where contestants posted cosplay photos or videos on X. Entrants who passed moved on to the second round on the Claps! platform. Next was the live-streamed judging round on Niconico Live, which decided the Grand Prix winners for the 9 divisions (excluding Passion).
The contest is organised by the Cosplayer of the Year Executive Committee. Participating committee members include COSPA, Cosplayers Archive, the magazine "COSPLAY MODE", WCS, Hacostadium, and Minerva.
If You Enter Next Year: Age 18+ and No High School Students
If you're thinking about entering in 2027, reviewing the 2026 eligibility conditions in advance will help you get ready.
Entries were open to individuals aged 18 or older as of August 1, 2026. High school students are not eligible to enter. Other requirements include living in Japan, having an active X account, and being able to appear on stage on October 31. Each person may only enter one division, so you will need to choose your category right from the start.
Dates and conditions for 2027 have not been announced yet. Keep an eye out for updates on the official website and the official COTY X account.
About This Article
This article was compiled based on information from the official Cosplayer of the Year 2026 website (Home, News, Regulations, Awards Ceremony & Grand Prix Final). Division names, Grand Prix winners, schedules, judging formats, and eligibility rules were all verified against these official sources.
Please check the official website for exact stage times on October 31 and details regarding the live stream. For the overall schedule and rules of the Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival itself, check out our guide: Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Fes 2026 Runs for 3 Days from Oct 30: Ikehalo Night, Tickets, Parade Applications, and Participation Rules Summary.
Sources: Cosplayer of the Year 2026 Official Website, News "Division Grand Prix Winners Decided!" (October 9, 2026), News "Claps! Round Winners Announced" (September 10, 2026), Official Regulations, Awards Ceremony & Grand Prix Final (Cosplayer of the Year Executive Committee)
See you in the next COT❣️