Here is a look into our Anime Banzai 2023 Cosplay Contest Judges!
Jez Roth
Cirque du Soleil. Celebrities. One Piece. EDC. Red Carpets.
Jez has won Best in Show 16 times with tailored costumes and heavily choreographed skits. He shares unique events that educate and involve the community (such as Lip Sync For Your Cosplay and PROJECT: Cosplay!) and has restructured and organized cosplay events for conventions in his goal of making the competition scene more streamlined.
He’s also the founder of the very first School of Cosplay, @cosplayvegas. Jez believes that the world of costuming is an endlessly fascinating pursuit—from armor to gowns, giant puppetry to monsters.
This is the TL;DR version. Jez is kind, capable, talented, and experienced. And he’s always still willing to learn and add to his arsenal of qualifications. Most of which I was unable to add to this post.
Merkurrie
Merkurrie is an award-winning, mostly self-taught cosplayer who got her start in the early aughts. With no signs of stopping you’ll normally find her roaming convention halls or tearing up the Masquerade stage (Or these days cheering her lungs out).
She’s originally from the East Coast, now living on the West Coast with occasional visits to the vast middle of the states. Merkurrie is always excited to see or be in cosplay and is thrilled to meet you!
Maria of Oz Costumes
Maria of Oz Costumes carries a Masters in Costume Design & Technology from California State University Long Beach. She has been sewing professionally in the theater industry since 2019.
With 15 years of cosplaying under her belt, she has won multiple Best In Show and Master Division awards throughout the Southwest, including Best in Show at Anime Banzai 2021.
Maria’s core belief about cosplay is that everyone has the capability to learn and grow and that all skill levels should be celebrated. But most importantly, cosplay is for fun! Currently, she lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and many pets.
Thank you again to our Anime Banzai 2023 Cosplay Contest Judges! We look forward to seeing you!
See more guests coming to Anime Banzai 2023.