A Hex-citing Halloween in Hong Kong!
HOPING FOR A HALLOWEEN TREAT: Cosplay contestants keeping their fingers crossed and hope to win a trip to Hong Kong —Pic: Shahir Omar
PLAYING dress up can be really fun. When you put on a costume, somehow you stop being yourself, drop all your inhibitions and take on all the personalities of the alter ego.
As demonstrated every Halloween, you’re free to behave as weirdly as you want, and bask in the attention you attract.
Doing this, of course, is more enjoyable among friends, or within a community of people who share the same passion as you. That is why cosplay – short for costume play – is such a growing trend, even in Malaysia.
And now, there’s even more reason for cosplayers to cheer! Dressing up like your favourite character is definitely more pleasurable when there’s a reward up for grabs!
A regional cosplay competition has been set up by Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and Animax to treat Asia’s youth and young adults to the buzz and the festivities of the Halloween funfest in Hong Kong!
The only bad news is that the cosplay contest photo submission has ended.
There were more than 200 submissions received, including entries from fellow Malaysians. To win, the cosplayers need the help of the Animax viewers to cast their votes from now until Oct 6. Their impressive photos can be viewed and voted upon at www.animaxtv.com.
Winning will not be easy for these cosplayers. Entries with the most votes will need to also receive a nod from a judging panel formed by HKTB and Animax to win.
Judges will be looking out for accuracy and authenticity of the contestants’ cosplay appearances based on the original characters, as well as the creativity and originality of the contestants’ reasons for wanting to visit Hong Kong. Only three top voted entries will win the competition.
And guess what, currently, among the most viewed is Malaysian Yuki Chow, who dressed as her favourite anime – Mio Akiyama from K-On.
Dressed in a schoolgirl uniform and armed with a guitar, Chow is ready to rock on the competition.
"I want to go to Hong Kong because I want to visit the event there. And I wish to meet Alodia and Danny Choo in person. Most of all, I want to know more about the differences of the anime culture between my country and Hong Kong," said Chow on her entry.
Other beauties placing their hope to win are friends, Cheryl and Jacqueline.
"I am cosplaying as Litchi Fay Ling, a beautiful doctor of Orient Town and once-scientist from the game BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger. Litchi’s weapon of choice is a staff that she can mentally control even from a distance," said the wide-eyed Cheryl of her sexy and powerful character.
Of her reason for entering the competition, Cheryl said, "It would be a memorable experience for me as glittering Hong Kong is a wonderful place with never ending discovery. I will also get the chance to meet and hang out with the gorgeous Ani-Mate Alodia and blogger extraordinaire Danny Choo himself!"
The cute Jacqueline, who has been cosplaying for more than seven years, is also dressed as one of the characters from the game BlazBlue:Calamity Trigger.
"My character is named Rachel Alucard. She is a mysterious and powerful vampire who is currently the head of the Alucard vampire family. Alucard has servants to do most of the fighting for her: Nago her black, transmogrifying cat and Gii, her stout red bat, although he is always mistaken as a flying pig due to his chubbiness," said the 23-year-old.
Her entry said, "I want to go to Hong Kong because I would love to experience the country’s Halloween season and of course meet face to face with Danny, Alodia and people of different cultures who share the same passion – cosplay."
Cheryl in her sexy Litchi Faye Ling costume
So if you think these three beauties have the chance to win the trip, then head to the website and vote for them now!
"We have been impressed by the high standards of the contest submissions and it will not be easy to select the winners," said Gregory Ho, vice president and general manager, Animax Asia.
"Malaysian contestants are definitely giving their best along with the cosplayers from the rest of Asia in a passion they share across borders.
"With the prize of a Halloween experience in Hong Kong, cosplayers will have the opportunity to go beyond borders to make new friends, as well as see and enjoy Hong Kong from their own unique perspective of the city."
"Halloween in Hong Kong is one great party to have fun. It is a treat to work with Animax Asia to reach out and engage the youth and young adults.
"We are heartened by the good response from the cosplayers’ participation in the regional contest," said David Leung, regional director-South and Southeast Asia, Hong Kong Tourism Board.
If you’ve missed the competition but would still like to win the trip, then fret not and create a blogpost! The regional blogging contest is still ongoing till Oct 6. The top three bloggers of this contest will get an all-expense-paid trip to Hong Kong to join the Halloween fun.
Bloggers simply have to write about HKTB-Animax Hong Kong Halloween Treats’ cosplay contest and share how Hong Kong is the dream destination for cosplayers during the Halloween season. Participants are required to email the URLs of their blog entries with their name and contact numbers to
contest@animax-asia.com before 6pm on Oct 7 for a chance to win.
Winners of both cosplay and blogging contest will be flown away for a spook-tacular time at Hong Kong’s best-loved attractions such as Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong Disneyland, Madame Tussauds and Ocean Park Hong Kong, among others, dressed in their Halloween finery.
They will also be offered Halloween-themed food and drink at bars and restaurants around town, and an invite to the exclusive HKTB-Animax Halloween party on Oct 23 to meet star blogger Danny Choo in person together with celebrity cosplayer and Animax Ani-mate Alodia.
For more information on the contest and Hong Kong Halloween Treats, log on to www.animaxtv.com and http://www/discoverhongkong.com/festivehk2010 respectively.
Tags: Cosplayers
