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Brazilian Team Wins 2008 World Cosplay Summit (Updated)

Brazilians Jessica Moreira Rocha Campos and Gabriel Niemietz Braz, with costumes from the Burst Angel anime series, were named the winners of the 2008 World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, Japan today. They were picked in the competition over 13 other teams from 12 more countries. (As the host nation, Japan fielded two teams.) China's Zhao Chin and Zhang Li were named the runners-up. One of the two Japanese teams, composed of pseudonymous cosplayers Yui and Mino with costumes from Code Geass, was awarded a special prize from the office products company Brother. Brother is a sponsor of this year's event.

The World Cosplay Summit was launched in 2003, but it was not until two years later that it was first run as a contest. That year, an Italian team won. In 2006, Brazil was the winning country for the first time, while last year's grand prize team represented France.

Video coverage of the contest, including interviews with the individual teams, their performances, and the awards ceremony, is available for viewing on the World Cosplay Summit website.

Update: The World, a radio program from the BBC, PRI, and WGBH, has posted an audio interview with Renee Gloger of the American team. Thanks, Peter Tatara (and Dargonxtc for pointing it out it is audio interview).