First of all, a shout out to those diehard cosplayers who suited up again less than a week after Comic Con Africa 2019 for this year’s rAge Expo. Although cosplay at rAge has definitely taken a hit in participation numbers over the past few years, that didn’t mean this year’s contest was short on talent. In fact, the GES-organised event is shaping up as an excellent proving ground for aspirant competitive cosplayers who are otherwise intimidated by sharing the stage with the country’s grand masters and other veterans, who compete in the likes of Comic Con’s Championships of Cosplay and ICON’s World Cosplay Summit Regionals.

This year’s Vodacom-sponsored cosplay contest at rAge also had some sweet incentives for entrants. In addition to packed goodie bags for many of the categories, the winners of the Needlework, Armour and Masters Divisions each won R5,000. Meanwhile, Best in Show walked away with a cheque for R15,000.

Decisions were clearly never easy for this year’s judges FredWolf, Maramosa (last year’s Best in Show) and Giulietta Mazza. Ultimately, the following deserving cosplayers topped at the 2019 rAge Cosplay Competition.

Best in Show: Maoukami Cosplay as Katsuki Bakugou from My Hero Academia

Masters: Justine Edwards as Scorpion from Mortal Kombat 11 (Entered in the Intermediate category; judges bumped her to Masters level)

Armour: 1st – Toonibug as Hawkgirl from DC Comics, 2nd – NyuSenpai as Mikasa Ackerman from Attack on Titan, 3rd – Koko as Young Genji from Overwatch

Needlework: 1st – Kimiko as Super Sailor Moon from Sailor Moon, 2nd – Kaii_Cosplay as Kanan Mastsuura from Love Live! Sunshine!!, 3rd – ExeCutie as Ciri from The Witcher 3

Construction: Zireael Cosplay as Shadow Evelynn from League of Legends

Representation: Julian Jay as Deadpool from Marvel Comics

Youth (Under 16s): 1st – Janoir as Shotaro Fuwa from Skipi Beat!, 2nd – Cloe as Crystal Maiden from DOTA 2

Skit: Kimiko as Super Sailor Moon from Sailor Moon

Best Wig: Kimiko as Super Sailor Moon from Sailor Moon

Judges’ Favourite: Clarice as 2B from Nier: Automata

Green Leaf Award (reusing materials): Gemma Fletcher as OC Star Wars Character

Best Prop: Nicholas Roberto Lucio Neto as Soldier 79 from Overwatch (mask)

Best Novice: Kaii_Cosplay as Kanan Mastsuura from Love Live! Sunshine!!

Well done to everyone who placed, everyone who had the courage to enter and every cosplayer who mustered the energy to dress up on such a parched, blustery Joburg weekend. Check out our gallery below for some of the cosplay action at rAge 2019.