AFA 2011

This is gonna be one difficult post to write without a mixture of disappointment and pessimism. This project started off really exciting but as it dragged for over a month after preliminary under a pathetic organization, it got really tiresome. Many said that AFA is the battle of armors to begin with. I ran through the marking scheme on their official site:

25% on costume ACCURACY (not GAR-ness, mind you)

40% on performance (30% entertainment and 10% technical effects, that is your LED, bling bling, flying here and there) 

In character 15%

Workmanship 15% (sendiri mali, commissioned/tailored-made, neatness, durability that sort).

Ref: http://www.animefestival.asia/rcc2011.html

After running through these, I thought it isn't so bad. Surely they didn't mention only armored cosplay can participate and share the chance of winning. So I pick what I do best, cloth based costumes rather than to venture into armored thingy where I'm not experienced enough and risk ridiculing myself on stage with stuffs falling apart and restricted mobility. I picked Ouke no monshou - Isis and Carol. For your information, the chest piece, head gears and accessories are not easy to make. The specific beads (imitating ancient Egypt accessories) were hunt for with wires to bends and fingers cut. It's a form of craft art. What do we get in the end? A majority of critics that says, 'their costume isn't much' and 'why did they chose such costume?' Why can't I? Because you know that only armored costume stand a chance to win?

So I went on, building stage props to bring a bit of Egypt on stage. I said before and I will say it again - every little details and props matters to me in delivering a complete performance. I had enough of people telling me the judges don't see this, they don't care that, they won't check so much et cetera. It's my style, it's the little things which makes a difference...BUT only for people who care. Then we come up with a 2:57 min skit to adhere to their rules and regulations of 3min skit limitations. Ref: http://www.animefestival.asia/rcc2011.html. 

Guess what? Usagi said she hope the skit was longer and guess what? There seems no penalty for longer skit. FML. I asked the organizers before hand if there were penalty referring from last year skits. Guess what? No answer. You know why? Because Msian team has always been taken lightly, they never win anyway, who cares what they do on stage and how long. Who cares what they need since they are going to screw up anyway. 

WE PROVED YOU WRONG. WE WERE DEAD SERIOUS ABOUT THE COMPETITION.   

It was sad, sad that we were treated by trash from the day we were selected all the way till the first day we arrived. Everybody talks to everybody except the Malaysian team. There were no reputable people from our country to fend us in AFA in any way. We were on our own. Our team were lucky to have Sky and Yuan to help out. There were several local friends who constantly giving us moral support and of course, we were lucky to have a friendly friend of AFA to guide us, Michelle. Things were only slightly better after the rehearsal. 

Put all the sad things aside, I was glad to have met several friendly Singaporean cosplayers. If there is one thing that pulled us through the whole difficult weekend, it would be the present of supportive friends both local and Singaporeans. At the same time, I did witness the awesome armor of Thai cosplayers and awesome weapon from Philippines. It was an eye opening event. 

AFA was supposed to be my last major event for cosplay BUT now I'm burning with rage. I will be back, more aggressive and violent than ever (in the positive way =.="). I really hope the public don't take Malaysian cosplayers lightly anymore. Sheesh...totally against my believe for cosplaying what you love and not what people want you to. Argh!

So much positive comments...where went wrong then? Y U NO JUSTIFY *memeface.jpg* Y U NO PUT 50% COSTUME?? THEN I CHOOSE SOMETHING ELSE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MZH79E21W4&feature=share

The video where someone commented that the costume isn't much: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6DdeRefxGg

The video where they don't even bother recording till the end: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy2GJOVmaKY