JAPAN: Anime fans from across the world mass in Japan for an international cosplay event as Tokyo throws its support behind the phenomenon born out of Japanese subculture

Women in breastplates, men with swords, and blonde vampires paced the staid halls of Japan's Foreign Ministry recently. They were fans of anime and manga comics gathering for an international Cosplay Summit, part of Tokyo's efforts to raise its world profile and promote a "Cool Japan" as admirers of its pop culture increase rapidly. Foreign Minister Taro Aso himself is such an avid manga fan that he is known to read comics in the back of his official car between appointments. But this year he had to miss the contest, because he was attending a meeting overseas. His place was taken by Vice Foreign Minister Katsuhito Asano, who clumsily imitated classic anime moves when asked to pose and smiled wryly at a crowd of reporters who packed the foreign ministry room. Cosplay, which originated in Japan, is a combination of the words "costume" and "play." In cosplay, people dress mainly as characters from Japanese anime, as well as graphic manga novels and video games. Cosplay fans gather at a growing number of festivals around the world to show off their elaborate costumes, the products of hours of loving work, and enjoy their shared passion. Contests give enthusiasts a chance to act as their characters do, either as soloists or in pairs. This year, some 14 pairs from 12 countries -- ranging from Italy and France to Brazil and Singapore -- survived hard-fought preliminary rounds to win tickets to Japan. The winners at World Cosplay Summit 2007, held on Sunday (August 5) in Nagoya, central Japan, were a duo from France. "We're very happy. Thank you very much," said Isabelle Jeudy, a 20-year-old student, who played a character from Final Fantasy, a popular computer game. Her partner, 22-year-old film school student Damian Ratte, praised their competitors, saying: "Congratulations to every other team." Both winners said they have played cosplay for two years in France and had dreamed of coming to Japan.

ITN Source | August 9, 2007

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