World Cosplay Summit celebrates 20th anniversary this summer in Nagoya
The World Cosplay Summit executive committee has announced a milestone in the form of one of the world’s largest cosplay events. “World’s Cosplay Summit 2022-20th Anniversary (WCS2022)” will be held on August 5th, 6th and 7th, 2022. Following last year’s event, it will be a joint event with the“Aichi Pop Culture Festival” as well. This event will be the first time in three years in three years the global cosplay community can once again gather in Nagoya.
An official trailer shows what was in store at the big event:
The WCS started in 2003, and by 2019 it became a worldwide event with over 300,000 participants from 40 different countries. In 2020, the event went online due to Covid-19 pandemic, however, resumed its in-person attendance partially in 2021.
This year, chosen cosplayers from the World Cosplay Championship in many different countries and regions will gather in Japan, another special event feature of the WCS.
Although it is still a challenge to have all the participants from overseas gather for the event due to travel restrictions being in place, this online-offline hybrid event will give all the cosplayers the opportunity to reunite again.
There will be two different divisions in the championship this year; an in-person “Stage Division” and online pre-recorded video entry “Video Division”. The Stage division will be held at Aichi Prefectural Art Theater.
Tickets for the event will go on sale on June 4th. For more information and to follow updates, make sure to check in at the official website.
The winners of the WCS 2022 Stage Division are:
1. Place France
2. Place Australia
3. Place Thailand
France won the stage division at the 20th World Cosplay Summit 2022 held in Nagoya, Japan.
The French cosplay team of Beryl and Hazariel, who cosplayed characters from Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, won the Stage Division held on Saturday at the Aichi Arts Center.
Second place was Team Australia, Taigakunn and Natalie, who cosplayed as Zelda and Ganondorf from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Team Thailand, consisting of Jasper Z and Thames Malerose, placed third for their Elden Ring cosplay.
France also received the WCS Alumni Award, while Australia won Best Stage Direction and Thailand won Best Costume.
The winners of the WCS 2022 Video Division are:
1. Place Sweden
2. Place Mexico
3. Place Thailand
In the video division, Team Sweden. consisting of Yumidun and Birthbysleep who cosplayed as Noctis and Prompto from Final Fantasy XV, won the grand prize.
They also received the award for best video direction and the award for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Second place went to Team Mexico of Rizel and Sorato, who cosplayed as InuYasha and Sesshoumarou from the anime InuYasha.
Team Thailand, which also submitted a video entry, won third place and the award for best comedy.
Award winners included Team France for the Brother Best Costume Award, Team India for the Propmaking Award and China for the WCS Alumni Award.
Team Philippines, consisting of husband and wife Jan Mark and Maria Paula Talavera or Jin and Aria, competed in both the stage and video competition but failed to win any award.
Last year’s Best Costume award winners, Jin Joson and Amado Carl Hernandez, joined WCS in Nagoya as part of the WCS Alumni, including Jennifer Ong, SJ de Ocampo and Angeleah Mejo.
Red Carpet
Stage Division
