In response to climate change, the World Cosplay Summit in Japan will no longer take place in the summer.

In Nagoya, the 24th World Cosplay Summit, which concluded under a blazing sun, marked the event’s last summer date. From 2027 onward, the convention will be held in November.

Dressed as characters from the manga Demon Slayer, Shawn and his sister Whitney had only two words to describe the last summer edition of the World Cosplay Summit in Japan: “super hot.”

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“I’ve already drunk five (bottles of water). I’m wearing long sleeves, shoes, and wow! When we first went outside, we were drenched in sweat,” Shawn, who came from Texas for this annual gathering of anime, manga, and video game fans held from July 31 to August 2 in Nagoya, told AFP.

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Founded in Nagoya in 2003, the World Cosplay Summit (WCS) established itself in 2004 with its first parade open to cosplayers from around the world. Organized by TV Aichi, the event attracts a large audience every year, and France has participated continuously since its inception, all united by the same motto: to make cosplay a vehicle for cultural and social exchange. Starting in 2027, the convention will take place in the pleasant temperatures of the Japanese autumn, in November. But before that, the 250,000 attendees had to endure 40°C (104°F) for the closing ceremony on Sunday. “The heat can really endanger people’s lives, so above all, we ask everyone to take all possible precautions, making sure they are in good physical condition, get enough sleep, and stay hydrated,” says Tokumaru Oguri, the WCS executive director.

A Global Phenomenon

Originating in the science fiction fan community in the United States, cosplay exploded in Japan before becoming a global phenomenon in the 1990s and 2000s. More than just dressing up, cosplay demands total immersion in the world of the character being portrayed: design, sewing, makeup, and performance skills combine to recreate, as faithfully as possible, both the appearance and the spirit of the chosen hero.

Whether human or fictional characters from TV series, films, comics, games, brands, memes, pop culture references, the internet, or new concepts, each cosplay becomes a way to express creativity and passion, even if the costumes can sometimes become a real physical challenge, becoming increasingly heavy in the ever-rising heat.

In recent weeks, many regions of Japan have experienced “cruel hot days,” or “kokushobi,” a new classification highlighting the climate danger in a country that recorded its hottest summer on record in 2025. According to scientists, human activity is making heat waves more frequent and extreme, both in Japan and elsewhere.

At the World Costume Society (WCS), many festival-goers adapted their attire accordingly. “Orena,” a 40-year-old French woman, explained that she made her costume of Haku, a character from Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning film Spirited Away, out of linen and cotton to combat the heat. She was part of the French team on Sunday in the WCS’s grand competition, which saw 41 countries compete based on various criteria, from costume quality and actor performance to faithfulness to the original characters.

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“At big competitions, like the World Cosplay Summit, we’re tempted to wear costumes that require a certain amount of technique and often involve several layers of clothing,” explains the electrician. “Very high temperatures pose a huge problem for us. It’s not just about staying comfortable, but even with makeup and wearing wigs, we sweat and it quickly becomes very difficult.”

Organizing the convention in November will allow visitors to give their best, adds Krizel Guiral, who portrays “Kurama,” another demon from Yoshihiro Togashi’s cult classic, Hunter x Hunter. As temperatures rise, the challenge for cosplayers is no longer just to bring their favorite characters to life, but also to successfully embody them without the harsh weather overshadowing the fiction.