Indian Cosplayers Win at World Cosplay Summit 2026 in Japan

India added another milestone to its growing cosplay economy after Karan Desai and Karan Prakash won the ZIPAIR Next Journey Award at the World Cosplay Summit (WCS) 2026.  The summit took place from July 31 to Aug 2 in Nagoya, Japan, with participants from 41 countries and regions.

The pair represented India as Yoshimitsu and Devil Jin from Bandai Namco’s Tekken franchise. Desai and Prakash’s costumes combined handcrafted armor, fabric work, embroidery, 3D-printed components, and prop-making techniques.

WCS’ ZIPAIR Next Journey Award recognizes contestants whose work demonstrates craftsmanship and the potential for continued growth on the international stage. They earned their place representing India by winning the WCS India qualifier at Kolkata Comic Con in April, edging out other national contenders for the trip to Nagoya.

The win extends India’s decade-long run at WCS. Indian teams have previously won twice in the Best Armour category, though the country has not yet claimed the summit’s top Grand Championship prize. That title went this year to Hong Kong cosplayers Ar Lu and Ronnie Kui for a Monster Hunter-themed performance, marking the territory’s first-ever WCS win.

Karan Desai and Karan Prakash Reflect on India's Cosplay Growth

For Prakash, the  ZIPAIR Next Journey Award capped a long-held ambition to compete on cosplay’s biggest stage. He said representing India alongside creators from around the world pushed him creatively, adding, “WCS has pushed my limits and helped me grow so much as a cosplayer.” 

Desai said the country’s cosplay scene “has grown tremendously because of creators who constantly push boundaries, raise the bar and inspire the next generation.” He further emphasized the role of the country’s cosplay community, adding that it helped to “shape the cosplayer and costume maker” he is today.

Desai and Prakash also highlighted the challenge behind recreating Yoshimitsu’s intricate armor and Devil Jin’s costume. They noted that sourcing materials required traveling across multiple Indian cities before assembling different fabrics and using several fabrication techniques. 

Desai’s Yoshimitsu costume combined foam, fabric, and 3D-printed elements, with the armor, helmet, and sword. Prakash’s Devil Jin costume required more than 15 fabrics, embroidery, and fabrication techniques, including embossing.

India’s latest recognition comes as cosplay continues to gain visibility in the country through anime conventions, gaming events, and creator-driven communities. The country is a part of APAC’s $1.8 billion USD cosplay market, and is rapidly growing out of its niche status.

For Desai and Prakash, the WCS win places them among a small but growing group of Indian creators earning honors on the global stage. Held annually in Nagoya since 2003, the World Cosplay Summit has evolved into a global platform that celebrates Japanese pop culture through costume craftsmanship, stage performances, and cultural exchange. Notably, this year’s edition was also the last to run in August, as organizers plan to shift the event to November from 2027 to avoid Nagoya’s summer heat.