The World Cosplay Summit, more commonly referred to as WCS, was launched in 2003 by the events department of Japanese television station TV Aichi to promote an international exchange through the Japanese youth culture of manga, anime, and Japanese video games. The event began in 2004 and has been held annually since, with participants hailing from countries like Japan, the United States, Brazil, France, Italy, and more.
World Cosplay Summit is a week to two week event held every year in Nagoya, Japan. It is a pageant that allows cosplayers from around the world to come together in a true showcase of talent and love for the hobby. Participating cosplayers form a team of two people to represent their country in a mixture of Parades, Interviews, and a final Championship performance. The performance is done in front of a live audience while simultaneously being broadcast on Japanese television via TV Aichi, with additional press coverage all over the world.
To be chosen as a representative each country has a different process, some host a single preliminary while others host qualifying rounds leading up to a final in-country championship to select the representatives. The United States hold several qualifying rounds at many conventions throughout the country before choosing a finalist at one final convention.
Parade[]
The parade takes place in Osu, Nagoya, where the World Cosplay Summit was born. It's a famous shopping district. There are a number of manga, anime, computer and vintage fashion stores conglomerated in one small area. It is indeed the melting pot of Japanese subcultures.
Champions[]
- 2005
Giorgia Vecchini - Francesca Dani - Emilia Fata Livia
- 2006
Maurício Somenzari L Olivas - Mariko (Runner-up) - Cyoko (Runner-up)
- 2007
Damien Ratte - Isabelle Jeudy - Kikiwan (Runner-up) - Naoki Shigure (Runner-up)
- 2008
Jéssica Moreira Rocha Campos - Gabriel Niemietz Braz - Zhao Chin (Runner-up) - Zhang Li (Runner-up)
- 2009
YuRi - RiE - Bereniç Serrano Vidal (Runner-up) - Laura Fernández Ramos (Runner-up)
- 2010
Luca Buzzi - Giancarlo Di Pierro - Gabrielle Christine Valerio (Runner-up) - Gabriel Niemietz Braz (Runner-up) - Orawan Aggavinate (Runner-up) - Patawikorn Uttisen (Runner-up)
- 2011
Maurício Somenzari Leite Olivas - Marika Roncon (Runner-up) - Daniela Maiorana (Runner-up)
- 2012
Yukari Shimotsuki - Kaito - Frank Koh (Runner-up) - Valerie Seng (Runner-up)
- 2013
Andrea Vesnaver - Massimo Barbera - Cassandra May (Runner-up) - Tiffany Tezna (Runner-up)
- 2014
Nek - Nichi - NadiaSK (Runner-up) - MOGU (Runner-up)