5th of August 2006 [OSU PARADE AND TV AICHI'S LIVE INTERVIEW AT TV PROGRAM]
Like last year, Osu Parade along Osu streets was one of the main events of World Cosplay Summit and one of the most funny moment of the whole weekend!
Before reaching Osu streets I had a meeting with TV-Aichi's staff at their offices: they told me what I was going to do the next day during the final stage of World Cosplay Summit. They asked me and Giorgia to sing "Mazinger Z" opening song. It was chosen because of the presence in jury of his author, the great Go Nagai. The meeting lasted about an hour, and during the long talk I had the chance to see again several people I knew last year: Mari Kato, Atsuko, Mr.Shirakawa, Mr.Kubo and many others. After the meeting we reached for this year cosplayer representatives at Osu Parade. The weather was awfully hot, like last year, and about weather I obviously made the wrong choice. I worn again my most famous costume: Francoise Arnoul from Cyborg 009. Anyway I received so many compliments about my fisical resemblance, the best of that coming directly from Toru Furuya, one of the most talented japanese dubbing actors who was there as main presenter for the WCS show, just like last year.
My Osu Parade this year lasted about half of the whole lenght because an interview for a live show of TVA was scheduled and they were waiting for us in the tv studios. So I had to run away before the parade ended. Arrived at the studios, near Osu district, staff leaded me to a waiting room, till the show was going on air. Right there I had the occasion to know for the first time some cosplayers that was taking part as contenders at WCS, and most of all I met Mauricio and Monica, the brazilian representative (brother and sister), two guys with very amazing costumes and also really kind and funny persons. We talked for a while, get some pictures together and then came my moment: live show was on air, so me and Giorgia went downstairs in the building where TVA studios are located. I had a very little interview as member of the winning team at World Cosplay Summit 2005, while on screen our victory images were transmitted. It's so moving to me watching that images even now that so long time has passed, memories come back to life and the happyness of that moments is still so real. Some questions about what I tought about WCS in general and about how my life has changed during this last year after my victory. I was really nervous, because I was scaried to make some error during the interview that was live and not a tape recorded (even if we made a little rehearsal before of it) but all the staff and also our interpreter Pol made me feel really comfortable that I didn't any mistake! Oh Yeah! Our Interview lasted about 5 minutes because we were introducing the WCS 2006 participants that still had to be interviewed.
After the live show the work was over, it was funny as always but I was really very tired and so I went to the hotel to get some good sleep: the next was being the day of WCS main event, the most electrifying night of WCS!

6th of August 2006 [FINAL STAGE OF WORLD COSPLAY SUMMIT 2006]
Final contest day has come! That year I was way more relaxed than the year before, because I wasn't participating directly to the contest, but I was only going to do an appearance during the show as member of the winning team of the last WCS, so the adrenaline wasn't at extreme levels and before arriving at Oasis 21 (the outdoor auditorium with an amazing "lake in the ceiling" where WCS 06 was going to take place) I allowed myself some minutes of healty relax in a Starbucks, finally tasting a so long coveted Cinnamon Roll, famous for the homonymous Sanrio character!
Arrived at Oasis 21 they gave us a backstage pass and we met the staff that was going to attend the whole event. Mr.Kubo was trying lights and sound on the stage and under his supervision I did rehearsal for the song I was going to sing few hours later, and... ahahah, stage shock, in the rehearsal I forgot the most of the lyrics! ;) Fortunately it was only rehearsal and Alex (the italian interpreter) helped me with some tips to remember the song lyrics, that I unfortunately had to learn in only one night!

From 2 PM to 5 PM I was at NTT DoCoMo stand (the most important japanese mobile phone company) doing promotional photo shooting sessions. In fact, with my great surprise, some days before leaving for Japan, TVA staff told me that I was chosen to be at DoCoMo stand. The scheduled photo sessions were 3: for the first two I worn again Morrigan costume while for the last one I worn the costume I specifically prepared for WCS final show, namely Sailor Moon SuperS! Well yes, after 8 long years from my very first cosplay (that was Sailor Moon SuperS) I decided to remake it again using my improved skills, new techniques and new fabrics the costume that introduced me to the cosplay world! Something like an "anniversary" costume!
The three hours at DoCoMo stand passed really fast, between a meeting and another, some interview for japanese TVs and magazines, chatting with local cosplayers and some fans and it was just time to begin the TV show: the very World Cosplay Summit 2006 was going to start!.

Back to the backstage again, where every team in the contest was already preparing for the show, I had the pleasure to meet some interesting persons, first of all I met Go Nagai!!!!! Last year, during WCS05 I managed to exchange some words with Leiji Matsumoto and this year it was time for Go Nagai, one of the most important and popular author of the whole manga history, being there at WCS as part of the jury! Anyway my japanese isn't very good, I can barely say "doumo arigatou gozaimasu" but he was so kind to let me take some picture with me and we gave our business card each other: so now I can say that I have Go Nagai's real business card and he has Francesca Dani's in his wallet! Ahahah! :-) Then I met several nice cosplayers and Florian, one of my oldest net-friends, manteiner of animexx.com. Talking with Alessandro and Alessia, members of this year italian representative, was already time for WCS to start: lights went down and the audience chants made me understand that Toru Furuya was already on stage to announce the beginning of the event!
The schedule was really strict, every team had almost 3 minutes to complete their performance and the first to go on stage were the italians themselves. Alessandro and Alessia's costumes were really amazing, they were characters from "Project Arms", manga from Ryoji Minagawa & Kyoichi Nanatsuki (they also made Spriggan), two of my favourite authors ever! I was huge fan of Minagawa for a long time rushing to the comic shop to get the last issue of Spriggan and Arms and seeing that our two representative did choose really this one to go to WCS made me really happy!

After the first 5 team's performances the audience was really enjoying and it was my turn! During the intermission, I and Giorgia would have been singing "Mazinger Z" song, tribute for Go Nagai that was sitting at the jury's table. The fist note was playing and we started our performance, that we prepared the night before at the hotel's lobby! Anyway everything has gone for the best and with the help from Alex I didn't forget any words! Ahah! It was a great emotion singing in front of so many people and the satisfaction even greater was when, after the performance, I came backstage again and Go Nagai came to us to shake our hands thanking us and bowing down to us! He was almost affected by hearing someone coming from a so far country to sing "Mazinger Z" during WCS final night! I would have imagined never in my life to be thanked for something by Go Nagai! :-) I was speechless and so excited that I could say only my "doumo arigatou gozaimasu"...! That are satisfactions!!!

The exibitions of the remaining groups were starting and this was the final part of the show. Four remaining groups and then the final verdict. Few minutes later we were back on stage, I and Giorgia was going to give the first award to the winning team, passing them the huge Lufthansa ticket!
We all were really excited and all teams were damn good but only four of them would came back with a reward. Go Nagai and the others in jury came on stage and the show was about to end. So that's the final results as WCS06 jury decided:

- SPECIAL SPONSOR AWARD: GUNDAM (Japan)

- THIRD PLACE: ITALIA ("Project ARMS")
- SECOND PLACE: JAPAN ("ROSE OF VERSAILLES")

- FIRST PLACE - WORLD COSPLAY SUMMIT 2006 GRAND CHAMPION:

BRAZIL!!! ("ANGEL SANCTUARY")

Mauricio and Monica Somenzari, the brazilian brothers gain first place and they are WCS06 undisputed champions with a wonderful performance from Angel Sanctuary! They really deserved it because their work was exceptional, for the tailor side as for the creative one of costume making and same for performance choreography! During their play I was really shocked by their facial expressions that were so well emphasizing their movements as perfect theatre actors! When speaker announced loudly "Brazil!!!" as absolute winner, I ran to Mauricio (nothing against Monica, he only was phisically closer! ;-) eheh!) and we hugged each other, he was crying for joy and it was hard even for me to retain tears: I was really happy for these so kind guys that achieved their dream to participate to WCS and with all that heart and strong emotion and tears they made me live again my magic moment when the year before it was me and my friends to raise the hands to the sky and shout "VITTORIA!".

And so WCS06 was at the end, even this year it was a great adventure again, indescribable emotions, many new friends and amazing memories to bring back home. I will never forget this two amazing summer toghether with TV-Aichi staff and the warm japanese audience of WCS! Thank you for all!

Thanks to:
Mr. Shirakawa, Mari Kato, Mr. Kubo, Paul, the great italian interpreter Alex, Go Nagai for his kindness, DoCoMo' staff and thanks to the whole TV-Aichi and World Cosplay Summit's staff! Thanks for making my dreams really come true again one time.

JAPAN IS COOL!!!

READ THE WORLD COSPLAY SUMMIT 2005 REPORT!