In their Sunday best
This article is more than 12 months old
INKED: Team Singapore's Maria Tachi dressed as Calmaramon (far left), a squid-like beast and other characters from the Digimon Frontier anime series. - TNP PHOTOS: GAVIN FOO
HANGING OUT: Many fans showed up at the event in costumes and posed for photos. - TNP PHOTOS: GAVIN FOO
CHAMPIONS: Winners, Team Philippines, in costume as characters from the Tiger & Bunny anime series. - TNP PHOTOS: GAVIN FOO
TO THE NINES: (Above) Team Taiwan portraying the Gold Saints from the Saint Seiya series. - TNP PHOTOS: GAVIN FOO
DIGI-CATION: Local cosplayer Kasumi as Lowemon from Digimon Frontier. - TNP PHOTOS: GAVIN FOO
TO THE NINES: Local cosplayer LilJaguar dressed as Kuroyukihime from the Accel World series. - TNP PHOTOS: GAVIN FOO
Cosplayers from the region dressed to the nines for competition yesterday
Rei Kurohi
When it comes to cosplay, girls usually dress up as the sexy, feminine characters from their favourite Japanese mangas or animes.
But local cosplayer Maria Tachi went against the norm yesterday during the Asia Cosplay Meet.
Taking the stage as Calmaramon, a grotesque squid-like beast, the 28-year-old hammed it up with growls and flailing tentacles, attracting cheers from the crowd.
One audience member even shouted: "I love you, Maria!"
She and her teammates Kasumi and Christy Bell represented Singapore at the cosplay competition held over the weekend, as part of the DBS Marina Regatta.
'BIGGEST IN ASIA'
Billed as "the biggest cosplay competition in Asia", the two-day event at Marina Bay attracted teams from across Asia, including countries such as Thailand and the Philippines.
It also featured Japanese cosplay idol Kaname.
Despite the rain during yesterday's final round, spirits were high as fans in costumes of their own craned their necks to catch the action on stage.
Team Singapore performed a skit as characters from the anime series Digimon Frontier.
Christy started the skit as a young male character who "transforms" into Lowemon before disappearing backstage and returning in a different costume as the fairy-like Kazemon.
The trio, who go by their cosplay monikers, declined to reveal their real names.
They spent about two months designing and crafting their costumes and props, which included an elaborately-sewn body piece and tentacles for Maria's character. They spent about $1,500 for the two-day event.
Maria, who has been cosplaying for 14 years, said her moniker comes from the name of the first character she ever portrayed, Maria Tachibana.
The character is from the Sakura Wars series, which started out as a video game. It is now a media franchise which includes anime and merchandise.
"The hardest part (of preparing for the competition) was actually coordination and time management," Maria said, adding that since she and Christy have full-time jobs, they had only evenings and weekends to work on their costumes.
Despite their best efforts, they failed to clinch the top spot in the competition, which went to Team Philippines.
Portraying characters from the Tiger & Bunny anime series, the team walked away with the top prize of $2,000.
The hardest part (of preparing for the competition) was actually coordination and time management.
- Local cosplayer Maria Tachi, whose team represented Singapore in last weekend's competition
Read articles by Rei Kurohi