Teams from 36 countries and regions faced off in central Japan on Saturday, having faithfully recreated the elaborate outfits, colourful hairstyles and all-important attitude of their chosen anime, manga and video game stars
Team Britain's Holly Churchill and Jasmine Churchill take part in a rehearsal before the world cosplay championship 2024 during the World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya on August 3, 2024.
Image: Philip Fong / AFP©
It takes intense dedication, hours of prep and a whole lot of sewing: dressing up as Japanese characters may not be an Olympic sport, but these competitors are at the top of their game.
Teams from 36 countries and regions faced off in central Japan on Saturday, having faithfully recreated the elaborate outfits, colourful hairstyles and all-important attitude of their chosen anime, manga and video game stars.
The championship is part of the World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, a three-day event that draws thousands of fans—many keen to show off their own costumes.
"People really commit to cosplay competitions," said Lettie Shiels from Britain, who won last year's contest with her teammate Claudia Maw.
"We're not just talking about weekends and evenings—I probably averaged about four hours' sleep for a good number of months," she told AFP.