All set for Hero Face Off ultimate battle

MANILA, Philippines - Hero TV celebrates Pinoy creativity through the  cosplay (short for costume play) battle in Hero Face Off on Sept. 21 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Arena.

Hero TV animé jock and cosplayer Myrtle Sarrosa is one of the judges. Myrtle, whose favorite animé is Kos-Mos, had donned over a hundred animé characters.

The 19-year-old PBB alumna, whose interest in cosplay began when she was 14, said, “For first-time participants, you should really have the confidence to show yourself to a lot of people that you’re different. It really takes confidence kasi at first mahihiya ka talaga kasi cosplaying is something different, it’s something new.”

The competition is divided into three categories: The Kids Squad (12 years old and below), League of Heroes and Face Off (both are open to ages 13 to 40). This year, Hero Face Off will be open to the participating entries in Filipino (e.g., Darna, Juan dela Cruz or Dyesebel) and Western characters like the Marvel’s Avengers.

Hero TV channel head Jojo Estacio said, “We decided to do that to broaden the base for those who want to join this competition. For all you know, they will start, for example, with Darna or Dyesebel, and then later on they will progress to something else. The main goal here is to awaken interest, especially in the kids’ category. Parents may be able to encourage their kids because it is more reachable and easier for them to prepare for the costumes.”

Judging wise, Myrtle said, “I pay more attention to the performance. Because it takes more time and effort to make a skit so you really have to study the character. Anyone can wear a costume but not everyone can execute it. There’s a difference between cosplaying and just wearing a costume, and it is knowing your character by heart — how your character behaves and reacts on certain things and how you carry it onstage.”

As for costumes, participants are required to make them by hand. “So bawal ‘yung ordered costumes. Recently, costumes can already be ordered online like you can get it from factories in China and the US but if you want to join this competition, you have to make it by hand,” Myrtle noted.

The criteria for judging are performance (40 percent), accuracy of the costume and similarity to the character (40 percent) and fidelity to the original (20 percent).

The other judges for the Hero Face Off 2014 are Hero TV channel head Estacio, Primetrade Asia president Irene Lloren and Hero Face Off 2013 winner Erica Garbin. My Hero Nation’s Kakki Teodoro and Mikoy Morales will host the event. Also performances from Luiu Aquino, Onnies, Kaika, Starmarie, Heidi and Joe Inoue are in store for everyone.

(For details, check out Hero Face Off 2014 on www.facebook.com/myheronation.)