Next we spoke with Akira Shibata, the Japan organizer of the World Cosplay Summit, about the aim and outline of the World Cosplay Summit and the Kyushu Qualifying Round for selecting Japan’s national representatives.

Q: Can you tell us about “World Cosplay Summit 2016”?

Akira Shibata (hereafter referred to as Shibata): World Cosplay Summit is a global event whereby members from 26 countries and regions (as of 2015) converge on Nagoya once each year to connect with each other through cosplay. The championship and the Osu Parade held on the final two days are the events most often reported in the media, but Japan lovers representing their respective countries from all around the world come to strengthen their connections with each other through cosplay and that’s the true essence of the Cosplay Summit. The event in 2016 will be held from July 30th – August 7th.

Q: What will be the highlights of “World Cosplay Summit 2016”?

Shibata: The highlights for general spectators would be the championship, the Nishiki Street Red Carpet Parade and the Osu Parade lead by the tournament champions and national representatives. The two-and-a-half-minute pair performances to decide the championship are a definite must-see, though.

Q: Why did you decide to hold the Kyushu Qualifying Round for the “World Cosplay Summit 2016” national selection for first time at “Kitakyushu Pop Culture Festival 2015”?

Shibata: Kyushu had no track record with any Cosplay Summit-related undertakings up until this point, so we were quite passionate about bringing a qualifying round to the region. Holding the event in Fukuoka, the area with the most enthusiastic attitudes, in both the private and public sectors, towards pop culture was also a must. It just so happened that this time around the timing seemed right for Kitakyushu and they approached us with a lot of enthusiasm and that’s how we came to work together. The eagerness of the person in charge of the MICE promotion division was also a big driving force in its actualization.

Q: Looking back, what are your thoughts on the Kyushu Qualifying Round now that it’s over?

Shibata: It was a great qualifier. There was a really strong sense of unity from the four groups that passed the written application and performed on stage, from all the spectators, guests and judges, and from the staff. They were also just really entertaining acts. To all the other groups that didn’t pass the written application, I hope they’re undeterred and their passion continues on for years to come.

Q: How do you feel about Kitakyushu and Fukuoka Prefecture itself?

Shibata: Much like how I felt at the qualifier: Kokura in Kitakyushu, where the Kitakyushu Pop Culture Festival was held, has a lot of diversity and variation. I’m not just talking about the cosplayers; there’s variation in the city itself. It’s an exciting city. I also go to Tenjin and Hakata on official and private visits, and I find these places to be quite fresh as well. Its role as a hub connecting Japan with greater Asia, a feeling of distance unlike other cities in Japan, the people that live and work there – everything about Fukuoka prefecture is exciting. All of the other guests, participants and affiliated parties who were invited to this event all felt the same. I hope to work with Fukuoka prefecture on various other projects from here on, too.