FRANCE-JAPAN/EXPO Japan fans in eccentric costumes flock to Paris's annual 'Japan Expo'

Record ID: 148577

  • Title: FRANCE-JAPAN/EXPO Japan fans in eccentric costumes flock to Paris's annual 'Japan Expo'
  • Date: 3rd July 2015
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF VISITORS PLAYING VIDEO GAMES ON SONY PS4
  • Embargoed: 18th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3KBARKJHBDWZQW0NA8BWCXEX5
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Fans of Japanese pop culture, music and cosplayers gathered in Paris for the second day of the city's "Japan Expo" on Friday (July 3).
    The costumes are elaborate and the planning that goes into them is serious as one man dressed up as Grell Sutcliff from "Kuroshitsuji" brandishing a pair of scissors explained.
    "I've had my chainsaw taken away because I reaped the wrong soul, this is why I'm in 'scissors mode' for the moment. But I don't expect to do this my whole life, I expect to get my chainsaw back," he said.
    Cosplay is about wearing costumes and accessories representing a specific character often sourced from movies, TV series, books, comic books or games video games.
    French student and cosplayer Chloe Legendre explained that it was all about being seen.
    "Just to be photographed, to see people who do the same things and it is for the pleasure to create our costumes and wear them. We try our hardest to make them from A to Z ourselves, especially the make up," she said.
    The annual convention is also an opportunity for collectors and nostalgics to source specific items such as remastered TV series and movies, as stall holder Gaelle Buchler explained.
    "Here they're fans as you can see. It's a niche market even though there are lots of people, but the passion, what they want, is really beautiful products. Today, on the internet you can find anything, you can download videos on legal platforms, or sometimes illegally, you can have the videos. What they want is the extras, bonuses, booklets with creators showing how they made the series, movies. Fans are looking for quality products," she said.
    The 16th edition of "Japan Expo" is being held just north of Paris in Villepinte.
    In 2014, 240,000 people attended the event and for the first time this year it will run for five days, from July 2 to July 6.
    "Japan Expo" is the largest Japanese popular culture event in the world outside of Japan.
    Now a success, the convention has changed a lot since its first edition in 1999, with 3,200 attendees and major Japanese entertainment companies such as Capcom, Bandai, Sony and Square Enix exhibiting, the cultural meeting is now a major commercial event.
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