 At
the hotel we find out with horror that Japanese breakfast
is cold onigiri (rice balls). Like the good Italians
we are we go straight to the conbini (24hour
minimarket) in the hopes of finding something similar
to cake.
Not only will we find some decent brioches but also
the infamous Pocki - small delicious chocolate
covered sticks of many flavors... Mikado evolution.
From this day on they will be a must in our trip.
But combini are full of many delicacies and absurdities
that it's useless to resist... we must take pictures!
(By the way we are surprised to
see widespread distribution of automatic beverage vending
machines; we'll find out the reason very shortly: Japanese
summer is so hot that one risks a heat stroke if one
doesn't restore lost fluids)
Right after lunch we change
clothes in Tv Aichi offices, we arrive in Osu
neighborhood, one of the most important in the city
where the temple of the Goddess Kanon makes
a fine display of itself and where an already-set
up stage awaits us and hundreds of spectators in anxious
waiting, even though the uncertain weather.
For the occasion Francesca and I wear the clothes
of the Pretty Cure duo, a very successful anime
in These Lands, while the two sisters Emilia and Elena
are Umi & Hikaru - fantasy version from
Magic Knight Rayearth.
 The
cosplayers are called one by one on the stage and
introduced with simple questions to which we answer
in English, after which three of them (among which
me) venture on a totally Japanese karaoke on the notes
of as many themes: French Dounia sings Cutey Honey,
Spanish Carla a j-pop piece by Arc en Ciel (Blurry
Eyes) and I the opening of Saint Seiya.
We also meet that which will then be known as "Lupin
Family"; they are representatives of Chubu
area, a very young family where the mother wears sexy
Fujiko's black overalls, the father is a perfect Jigen
and the two kids, overly cuddled by everyone, are
Lupin and Goemon in chibi version... simply adorable!
Singing moment ended, a real parade starts through
Osu neighborhood, with Italy in the lead which opens
a procession of hundreds of cosplayers (besides the
WCS participants the parade was open to all cosplayers)
surrounded by photographers, passerby and curious
onlookers of every age that filled the streets while
the staff defined the spaces to avoid constant filtrations
by the public.
After a full hour of walking, pictures, filming everything
ends in a famous cafe situated on a gigantic anime
shop, a very special cafe because the personnel works
in cosplay! At the entrance we run into a giant Zaku
of Gundam... worn by some crazy of which I still
ignore the identity ^__^.
This is a time of party and complete frenzy, hundreds
and hundreds of cosplayers meet surrounded by photographers
and otaku who go wild when another karaoke
starts, during which as good Italians we drag the
crowd on the notes of Evangelion and other hits like
Mazinger Z and Koutetsu Jeeg (even after the music
ends). You'll smile to know that Francesca and I were
offered as prizes for the bingo: in other words
the winners could take pictures with us on the stage!
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