The Team Mexico from World Cosplay Summit (WCS) was formed by Ed Lalo Peralta, a dancer and video-game lover, and Luis Sáenz Gamboa, also a dancer and model. Both original from Cancun, in every cosplay they give life to their favorite characters and heroes for a day.
In the WCS 2018 final, they performed a performance based on the video game Street Fighter, representing the characters of Dhalsim and Chun Li. A very good scenography with a lot of action, kicks and blows that made the whole stadium vibrate, consecrating them as well as the winners of the contest.
Here we leave you the interview that they granted to kawaii aichi in the first days of the WCS contest.
□ What’s your cosplayer name?
Banana Ed: My name is Eduardo Peralta and my cosplayer name is Banana Ed.
Banana Luis: My name is Jose Luis Sáenz Gamboa and my cosplayer name is Banana Luis.
□ What’s your team name?
Banana Ed: Our team name is Banana Cospboys
□ ¿How long have you being doing cosplay?
Banana Ed: We haven’t been doing cosplay for very long. More or less one year and a half.
□ How many hours does it take making the costumes?
Banana Ed: For example, the costumes for this contest (WCS 2018) took us a very long time. More or less by March we had won with a project that belongs to a company that could not participate, then we had to change everything. And from there it took us a long time. From which characters to choose to look for materials. And besides we are not from Mexico City, we live in Quintana de Roo, Cancún, and the truth is that it is very difficult to get all kinds of materials and material. We where very limited. Then we had to travel to Mexico City and ask for things from the United States to be able to make everything.
Only on the costumes, without counting the time for scenography, audio, video, etc… it took us around 3 months.
□ And how many hours do you practice for the performances?
Banana Luis: We got up in the morning, had breakfast and went to the gym, which was where we could rehearse the whole choreography in question. Once with the choreography, we could create the music for the effects of blow, to coordinate good everything. Then, we started with the video, which was on par with the music that we were going to do on stage. And we made step-by-step all putting together a story and show it to the public. It’s not just doing cosplay, it’s a lot of work that we do with a lot of love.
□ Do you have any goals for the future as cosplayers?
Banana Luis: Cosplay is not just putting on a costume, it’s like being able to become a superhero, or a prince, or you can become the character that you want, that you like.
□ Who is your favorite cosplayer?
Banana Luis: We have some friends who have also supported us a lot in this project, giving us advice and encouragement and we believe that they have a very good job. As for making props and costumes, I have to say the Twin cosplay, they are Mexican guys too. It is one of the greatest inspirations I have had as a cosplayer.
There are also model cosplayers, who do not do so much performance, such as Leon Chiro, who also had the opportunity to have met him at a convention there in Mexico. The model cosplayers also inspired us a lot because they are always fresh, very cool, fast.
□ How is cosplay in Mexico?
Banana Luis: In Mexico, I think that the cosplay is very, very big, especially the World Cosplay Summit. We have many national competitions, but the most important is the World Cosplay Summit. Several venues of different States are united to make semifinals and take everyone to the grand final, in Mexico City. Where we have more than 20 teams in the same stage to choose a winner. We did not expect to win either, but we are very happy to be here and the truth is that Stage Mexico from the World Cosplay Summit has supported us a lot and we believe it is an incredible event. I hope it continues to be and continue to grow in the country.
Banana Ed: The truth is that there are events that only admit catwalk but there are others that have more and they have performances. For example, for this competition, for each state there where 4 or 5 participants, this means between 20 and 25 participants. Then from all they do a selection of each and then those go to the final in Mexico. Precisely for this competition there where many people who where interested and who dedicated a lot of effort, a lot of time to be there. And the truth is that it does make us very happy that there are so many people who have these common tastes and things they like, because the truth is that it’s incredible how to get there. And more than anything, for example, here that we are living with other countries and that is the truth, it’s incredible to be able to have a broader vision of culture, and also how cosplay is experienced in other countries.
□ From this Cosplay Summit, do you have any favorite country?
Banana Ed: Well, like a while ago I spoke with Will (one of the participants of the Costa Rica team). I had seen pictures of him, not knowing it was him, I said: “Wah! those cosplayers are amazing!! Their armor is so perfect”. And just a while ago, we saw them with their suits, they looked spectacular.
