Japan Expo 2003

The 4,5,6 juliet took place Japan Expo 2003 in Paris. Two our reporters went to this fair.
it was really an amazing event, both for stands and for cosplay contest.
In the stands you could find many FF stuff,
in particular of FFX-2 (action figures, posters, keychains, music CD and other gadgets).
Also for other FF there were a lot of items.
In addition to anime related stands,
this Fair also had other stands about japanese culture (ceremony of tea, shiatsu massage, martial arts, ikebana and others).
Part of the fair was also dedicated to videogames (but not FF;__;) expecially Nintendo Game Cube.
Furthermore there were many events like JPop concert, meetings with authors of manga and anime, and various contests. In France people love cosplay very much and asks a lot of photos.

The contest was organized very well;
the cosplay was divided in two sections: individual cosplay (saturday afternoon) and group cosplay (sunday morning).

Our reporters took part to the individual section with the costumes of Fei form Xenogears and Rikku from FFX-2.
We didn't see the group section so we will talk of the individual one.

Before the contest all the participants were invited in a backstage room where they took some photos for french magazines.
Here was explained the order for going on the stage and the general instructions.
One after another cosplayers exibithed on the stage where they could have the support
of a photo projected on the background and a music clip that they sent previously by e-mail.

Menawhile the show was broadcated in many screens along the fair,
so also cosplayers in the backstage and people
that didn't find room in the theather could enjoy it.

The day after in the afternoon there was the award ceremony,
that for technicala problems lasted more that the expected.

Many people weren't satisfacted by some of the jury choiches,
in particular for the few prizes in the individual section,
that were later assigtned on the official site some weeks after the fair was over.

Among the participants there were many final fantasy costumes,
in particular of FFX-2 with a lot of Lenne/Yuna Songstress and
a beautifull Paine in the individual section (that also won the Momo d’Or Filles).

This really was one of the better fairs we ever visited and we recomend it to everybody.

P.S. A special thanks to David and all of the cosplay and fair organization for the good work.

By Hoshi



Some Photos from Japan Expo - Photos by Zel