Otaku2 Interview: Gabriel Niemietz Braz

16.07.2009 by Patrick W. Galbraith

At age 26, Brazilian cosplayer Gabriel Niemietz Braz won the 6th World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya. He was dressed in a 10-foot tall Jango robot suit inspired by "Burst Angel." Some 12,000 people watched the event, including 300 cosplayers who paraded around the city as a preface, and 14 teams from 13 countries participated. Braz, who has been cosplaying for over four years, said it only took him several months and hundreds dollars to craft Jango, but importing the costume to Japan for the competition in Nagoya cost over $1,000. With World Cosplay Summit 2009 is just around the corner, we sat down with Braz and his partner Jessica Moreira Rocha Campos, 21.


PG: What do you do out of costume?
GB: I'm a real estate agent in San Paulo.
JC: I'm a student in San Paulo.

PG: How did you become interested in Japan?
GB: I've always liked Japan for the image of the 15th century, the way things were. Japanese architecture, the gardens, the concept of things. Nowadays what fascinates me more is technology, cosplay, anime and manga.
JC: I've always admired Japanese culture and technology.

PG: What attracts you to Japanese anime, manga and videogames?
GB: Anime and manga stories are well built. The animation, drawing and the way the stories are told are all different from regular comics. They have a beginning, a development and an end. Some last for just an edition while others several chapters, but they always have an ending. Regular comic books or cartoons aren't like that. Characters die and are reborn, they never grow old and continue on being the same for years and years. Games, too. I've always liked them Japanese media because they are intelligently built.
JC: What attracts me most to Japanese anime and manga is that even is they span many volumes the stories have a a beginning, a development and an end. Japanese games and stories are always very creative and dynamic. And they have really good graphics.

PG: How did you become interested in cosplay?
GB: My brother used to go to anime events here in Brazil since 2000, and he always brought pictures for me to see. One day I decided to come to one as well and I ended up enjoying the event and started cosplaying.
JC: It all began when I started coming to famous movies premieres and I saw people impersonating movie characters. I thought it was a very different respect and affection demonstrated for the characters. I liked it and started researching more about it. Then I found out it was called cosplay. After that I started doing cosplaying from videogames

PG: How many years have you been doing cosplay? What is the appeal?
GB: I've been cosplaying for five years. I've acted in theatres for around 10 years, and also went to a Cinema College. Cosplaying gives me an opportunity to mix everything up. Stage clothing, acting and music. It's possible to bring your creativity up quite a bit.
JC: I've been cosplaying for two years. The biggest appeal, for me, is to have fun with the chosen character, impersonate and act the way he or she does and to make friends. After all the effort spent on building the costume and bringing the character to life there is a great feelling of enjoyment, principally for a well done job. And being "under the skin" of your favorite character is one of the biggest rewards.

PG: What is your impression of cosplay in Japan?
GB: In Japan, cosplay is given more credit. There, people respect art. Almost everyone knows what cosplay is. There are specialized shops and also support from different corporations. Cosplaying in Japan is much easier than here [in Brazil].
JC: In Japan, cosplay is widely known. The word is already on the dictionary!! Cosplay is very famous and many people admire it.

PG: Is cosplay different in Brazil? How so?
GB: The quality of the clothes are really alike, like the care for details and finishing touches. The difference is how cosplay is treated, here and in Japan, how it is known by the public and the media, like I said before.
JC: Here in Brazil that kind of knowledge and admiration is still, in a certain way, seen as child's play and it's not very well known. Some people have a very negative view, because they think it's a total waste of time. However, the word "cosplay" is being spread around and people are starting to notice it's not actually what they've thought it was, and they are starting to change their minds about it.

PG: What inspired you to come to the World Cosplay Summit?
GB: The fondness for cosplaying, excitement of competition and the chance to know Japan.
JC: In my case, the unique opportunity to be able to know Japan. As for the Brazilian preliminary, the opportunity for integration and cultural exchange is a wonderful way of making new friends. Friendship that does not know borders. In WCS Japan, more than coming to the country I dreamed about knowing that all we've always seen about Japan on TV, movies and books is for real! Even more than that, being in a place with other people from 13 different countries and having the opportunity to learn a little of their culture, traditions and customes was really a once in a lifetime chance that only a championship like that is able to give. How many championships around the world can gather so many people with so many cultural differences!!

PG: After winning twice, Brazil is coming to be recognized for its cosplay. What do you see as the future of cosplay in your country and in the world?
GB: I think Brazil is a very competivive country. We always want to compete. We never go to a competition just to take it easy. Now, after winning twice, Brazil won't be just another country in the WCS, but one of the favorites. Lots of people will be looking at us, and I think that little by little people here in Brazil will also look at the people who have made this kind of art grow. Manga are sold like books, anime is shown not only on cable TV but on open broadcast as well. Even cosplay has already been shown on most channels. I think that in a few years, everyone will know what cosplay is, even if they've never gone to an anime event or cosplayed.
JC: In a near future cosplay will be like soccer. We'll be recognized as a "craque" [someone who is superior or has ability] and we'll always give our best like we've already done before. But as more knowledge about anime, manga and cosplay is needed, it will take a few years for most Brazilian people to understand what cosplay. Then we'll have a wonderful cosplay level in every corner of the country and the world of cosplay will admire our talent!

PG: What does cosplay mean to you?
GB: It's a new form of art, a hobby, something I enjoy doing. It's a small form of self expression, something to show my talent. It was also through cosplay I met my friends. I can be anything else in the near future, but I'll never stop cosplaying totally. Not even in 40 years.
JC: For me it's a very affectionate way of demonstrating the great respect and admiration you have for a certain character. It's also a way of showing how creative you can be by improvising, creating and making your own clothes and accessories.