xPandorae

Before I start, OMGG I got featured in the Cos-Cross-Play icon! x3 x3

Thank you sooo much <3333

And then, the big World Cosplay Summit story.
I guess my story starts after Animecon, when the reality of being chosen as Team Netherlands 2012 started to sink in. Preparations, more preparations, sewing sewing sewing because oh my it needed to get done and - yeah. So much stress. It was busy but.. worth it xD We knew what we were working for, so motivatioooonnn goooooooo~!
Next to that, the performance. We wanted to keep the performance we did at Animecon, but felt like it lacked something, an ending, something that showed that we were brave enough to make a decision about these characters, and dared to take risks. We had a lot of alternatives actually, but we went back to the original cutscenes of the Kid Icarus game and came across something Medusa said.
'I'll strip you of your wings and sever you from the heavens forever!"

It was actually my favourite quote of her xD And so.. it started out as a joke, but.. it somehow became the true ending to the performance :3

So then we had a performance and costumes en we had just JUST made everything in time so we went PACKED AND FLEW AND OMG WE WERE THERE Japan is so gorgeous, we spent the first day traveling from Osaka to Nagoya, so we got to see some of the environment already.
The schedule was not as packed as previous years, but still, there was so much to do! The night we arrived at our hotel we just wanted to sleep, long travel was long, but we happened to run into team Japan and team Spain, so they were the first ones we met
Our very first activity was right the next day, cosplay at Centrair, the Nagoya Airport. We took our costumes in a suitcase, and went to the airport by bus. These bus trips were always nice because there was room to chat and get to know each other. Then we changed into costumes, and went up for our very first stage event. These stage events were used to advertise for the World Cosplay Summit, and to introduce the teams to the audience. Usually, it was not more than being called on stage, posing for the camera's (and there were a LOT of camera's. Every time. Holy smokes.) and then sometimes they would aks you a few questions about your costume, or what you thought about the WCS so far. They were really fun little things, especially because the audience was really enjoying it as well. Cosplay is still considered kinda weird here in the Netherlands, but there.. it's something else entirely. People treat you like celebrity, it's pretty awesome. xD After that we had a photoshoot outside, it was soooo warm, but still, so awesome to do!


The days after were filled with parades, official visits to various places, free days to look around and have fun, fix our costumes and practice the performance for the millionth time, and too much things to tell in detail here. I'll just show you some pictures. :3

The stage event of the first parade. Here we're already leaving, but during the event it was totally PACKED with people!

Official visit to Mie Prefecture with team Denmark You can see Liza in the corner as Dietrich. We also got a tour through the ninja village in Mie, because apparently that is where the Ninja was born! We got a show and everything, it was cool xD

Us, the lovely team France, .....and Benjamin, the French organizer xD

Official stage event for the lottery, which would then decide the order of appearance in the performance show. I loved these little signs with the names of our countries!

We got 8! Right in the middle, we were quite pleased.

The group being briefed. We often had pauses for resting and drinking some water, and while we did we'd often get info about what we would do next. Yes, they do keep you busy!

Red Carpet parade! This was right before the performances.. here we're still all happy, but after this we had three hours to change into our main costumes for the big show. *__* Istilldon'tknowhowwemanaged.jpeg
And then.. the performances. It was hot, chaotic, people were frantic because in the Japanese climate, tape and glue are rendered useless. So while everyone was busy fixing either themselves, their costumes or their props, the organizers forgot to tell us the show had already started. We only found out when we saw team Finland's skit on the screen backstage.. which meant they were already performing. *__* Shooocckkkk. Luckily, we were ready to go, so we downed some water and made sure we stood stand-by.
The schedule of WCS is super tight, they have a short intro video, and then the pre-recorded intro of the performers out of costume. After that, the new act has to start. That means the staff has around 30-40 seconds of cleaning out and building the new stage for each act. Luckily, this all went very smoothly, and it was quite impressive to see how this was organized.

Monologuing to a huge Japanese audience was the scariest thing I have ever done... but it was such a kick!

"What the f*** Medusa?!"

CRAZY FACES! I HAVE SO MANY CRAZY FACES! xD

This is my favourite picture of the performance. I mean.. look at Liza's face! So... satisfying >3

Ending ceremony~

I think I'll leave it at this for now, there's still so much I left out and so many things we did and that I want to tell, but I'm afraid this journal will get too long. All in all it was an unforgettable experience, and we are so SO thankful that we got to do this. Yes, you have to work so hard for it, but in the end, for me, it was worth it. I had the time of my life and met amazing people, of whom I hope dearly that we can meet again Saying goodbye to the WCS was so very difficult. Just realizing that we may never be together like that again... it makes me so sad. >:
But I know we will meet again, some way.

to everyone who still has doubts,  apply for the damn preliminaries IT IS SO WORTH IT!

Pan, over and out. *dead from typing*

OH MY GOD WORLD COSPLAY SUMMIT

TODAY WE'RE GOING TO MY PARENTS

TOMORROW WE FLY




AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH X3


SEE YOU LATER PEOPLE <3