Cited by Japan Times
Lausanne, Swizerland
AFP-JIJI


Colleages at the factory where Michel Parchet works may not imagine him as a ninja. But on Saturday, the 27-year-old put on a yellow spiky wig and an orange tunic, turning himself into the "manga" character Naruto.
Parchet was among hundreds of others who were "cosplaying" - dressed up in costumes and role-playing - at Polymanga, western Switzerland's "anime," manga and video game festival.
"It's really just for fun," said Parchet, who turned up with 24-year-old Denis Fontannaz, also dressed up as a character in the same manga series that features the young ninja Naruto.
The two apparlently looked their part, as they were repeatedly asked to be photographed by others attending the three-day festival, now in its sixth year, which celebrates Japanese comtemporary culture.
While it started with just 6,000 enthusiasts, organizers are expecting this year to pull in 16,000 people, ranging from children to adults in their 30's.
But beyond the vendors peddling the latest manga, screenings of animated fare and interviews with guests, including the creator of popular manga "Kenichi," Syun Matuena, what is perhaps the highlight of the event is the cosplay competition.
Saturday's competition was jam-packed with visitors, many of whom stood along the aisles for more than two hours, to see participants bring to life their favorite manga, anime and video game characters.


Additional Information by FuangPing
You should also see the home page of Polymaga in English
http://www.polymanga.com/index.php/en.html