Before WCS 2006 I had provided a number of links to short videos about the event that run on TV year round. (I was calling them tidbits, remember?) These short videos continue and I will give the links and a little intro to the videos from August.

To view the video clips, click on the links provided below and scroll down the page looking for the symbol that looks like this:

Make sure to scroll to near the bottom of each page and click on the above symbol which you will find on the left. 

The videos have been numbered from the beginning and I will start listing those numbers here as well for clarity.

#18) The first video aired on August 3rd and is an overview of the representatives from Brazil, Singapore, Thailand, Italy, Spain, China and Tokyo (Japan A). You can access the video by clicking here!
Scroll to near the bottom of the page and click on the above symbol which you will find on the left.

#19)  This video aired on August 10th and is basically a super short version of the championship itself. It starts with a great view from the crowds and then cuts to the different groups preparing before getting up on stage. It then moves on to the performances of Italy, Singapore, Germany, China and Brazil respectively. It shows a little of backstage afterwards too. You can see Maurcio is looking very emotional and teary eyed while his younger sister is beaming from behind him. That moment was so short but really very special... Click here to watch the video!

#20)  The third video in August aired on the 17th and was an in depth look at the Japan B team, the web representatives; "Barbara".  Their preliminary entry video can still be seen here (click on the play button to see the video) and in it they indicate that their performance will be focused on the "Quick change" or the skill of changing costumes and roles quickly on stage. The web representatives did exactly what they said they were going to do and did it with flare.  There is a shot of them receiving the Second Place award and afterwards you can't hear what they are saying when back stage but their message was a good one. Cosplay is an art that originated in Japan and they wanted to demonstrate an important skill or "waza" in the art. Watch the video here!

# 21)  The next video was run on August 24th and is of the Italian team who came in third place. The clip starts in Rome and shows Alessandro and Alexia beginning to piece together Alessandro's costume of "Night" from the manga "Arms".  You can see a detailed model and after the flying Lufthansa airplane you can see the final product on the WCS stage. Very impressive. There is a shot of their performance and then you can see them receive their third place award. Finally there is a backstage interview with the pair and you can see Alessandro's costume peeling from the prespiration. I will never forget when I was crouching off stage watching the award ceremonies, Alessandro was standing in a massive puddle of his own sweat. I am amazed he didn't pass out from dehydration! You can see the video clip here!

Here is a shot that I took at that moment with my cell phone. The puddle did not come out very well but believe me, it was massive!

#22) The final video clip for August was aired on the 31st. This one is of the Japan A team, the representative team from Tokyo. The video starts out by showing only a couple of the Gandam Mobile Suits that were in attendance, there were a total of 8. According to Goldie who was in the Japan A team Gandam Suit, there is a builders club in Japan and there are 20 active suits throughout the country. The video goes on to show their performance as the Suit lumbers on stage, poses and Aoi Sakuya runs off stage for a quick change. Their performance finished with an impressive burst of steam from the suit itself. Watch the video here!

Next week I will have more video clips for you, stay tuned!

Ed

There are a number of web sites now where you can host your own videos and quite a few have been made by fans or participants of the World Cosplay Summit or the preliminary events. Go to your favorite site and search for "WCS" or "World Cosplay Summit" and a number of them should come up. I will introduce a few of them that I found here in this blog entry. If anyone has any additional information about these videos, comments or has a video that they would like to present you can do by adding a comment to this blog entry!

1) This is a gem of a find here of the very first World Cosplay Summit 2003 posted by the Italian representative that year: Sonia. Things have changed a lot since then when there were only 5 representatives from 3 countries besides Japan. The video starts out with the cosplayers strolling through the (relatively empty) traditional Osu shopping district observing and taking part in a number of events. (In 2006 police were needed at the head of the parade and along the route to create a path through the crowd) 2003 was the only year where there was a Summit style question and discussion session that came before a photo session with fans of cosplay was held. After that are shots of the representatives in Kyoto riding rickshaws and classic footage of another event that happened only in 2003, everyone getting dressed up in truly traditional Japanese cosplay: Geisha. The video ends with an interview with Sonia including a cute out take. The video is over 10 minutes but it gives you a good look at the beginnings of the event. Thanks Sonia! Check the video out here!

2) This video is actually a super cool photo album with great background music put together by one of the Brazillian representatives MahPsylocke. It documents the arrival of the brother sister duo and starts with shots of Narita, a sumo wrestler, Tokyo and Akihabara. The photos continue to the bullet train ride to Nagoya, the Cosplay Parade and then the Cosplay Championship. There are some great shots of the floating lake which was ABOVE the stage for the event and then the pictures turn to video of the representatives super relaxed backstage chanting "bisnaga, bisnaga". (A common term used by the cosplayers this year, its meaning is a mystery to all including myself. If someone could enlighten us, I for one would sleep easier ;)  lol) The video footage continues with preformances of the teams and the brazillian win. It ends off with an awesome thank you to all of the fellow contestants and some others as well. Big Smile!
This one if for the bisnagas, great skill in putting that together Mauricio! Watch the photo album/video here!

3) Here is a video clip posted by mikinomi from a popular morning news show "Asa-zuba!" It starts with the press conference held in Akihabara with interviews from the teams from France and China. It goes on to show some of the preliminary rounds in from various countries and then the Championship itself. The news broadcast ends off with an interview with one of the heads from the "Cultural Exchange Department" at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He talks a little about the significance of cosplay and the event. Only in Japan would you find a government official seriously talking about cosplay on one of the countries top news shows! Watch the video here!

Again if anyone wants to add a link to another video or has any info about the videos, please do leave a comment!

Ed

A little over a month has passed since the final championship for WCS 2006 and already the preliminary competitions for 2007 have begun. Connichi was held in Kassel, Germany this year from September 15th - 17th.
In fact the representatives have already been determined, congratulations to Katrina Overender and Anna Degenhart!

Next up is Romics on the 5th to 8th of October in Rome, Italy.  Both Romics and Connichi have been supporting the WCS event since its inception and the preliminary event at Rome last year was quite a spectacle, being held in a large auditorium. Looking forward to seeing how things turn out this year, good luck everyone!

At the end of October a third preliminary round will be held in Barcalona, Spain with the support of Ficomic. The "XII Salon del Manga" will take place between the 27th and 29th of October and spirited performances can be expected from the cosplayers again this year.

You will see full reports on each event on the new WCS 2007 home page in the coming months.  In the meantime, I will try to provide you with information when it becomes available through the blog too!

Ed

An important member of the WCS event has "graduated",  moving on to the next phase in her life. Mika Nakayama announcer has been the face for most formal events for the World Cosplay Summit from the beginning in 2003. She joined TV Aichi 4 and half years ago and has always been involved in the presentation and operation of the event. The first picture here is of her speaking on stage during WCS 2005 at the Expo Dome.

The fact is that the time in the sun for an TV announcer in Japan is a short and brilliant one. Often they are expected to move on through marriage or a job change and make room for the younger generation of announcers. I have heard that this sad moving on is similar to the brief beauty of the cherry blossom season which is so popular in Japan. Or perhaps the short sweetness of life itself...

Here is a picture of her waving in front with everyone else during the live TV show that was aired this year during WCS 2006.

Perhaps I am getting a little too sentimental about it all but I am saddened in losing a member of the team who has such skill and experience behind her. To hear her speak with her profound selection of expressions was magical. She possesing an unfalteringly strong stage presence and was the backbone behind the often excited stage-frightened and/or nervous performers and presenters who were on stage with her.(This includes myself) 

Here is a picture of her accepting gifts at the staff Goodbye Party for her.

Her skill and composure will continue to grace a stage in her future without a doubt. All the best in the future and your presence will be missed...

Thank you Mika!