15 Jun – Avid cosplayer Allen Yap proudly took home a 32" LCD TV after winning the Cosplay Competition which ran during the busy World Cup weekend at the inaugural 10-day MovieBlockbusta! in Queensbay Mall, Penang. Dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow and staying true to his character, the 33-year-old joked, "I hope security won't arrest me when I leave this mall with a brand new 32" TV dressed like a pirate... without a receipt!"
Tan Ming Hui, who was clad as Cedric Diggory of the "Harry Potter" series, scored himself a Bluray DVD Player in second place and Ping Khoo who played Nana of a Japanese shojo manga series won a DVD Player in third. Grand prize winner Yap ruled the competition out of 12 other cosplayers who were dressed as Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Hellboy, Jedi, Jin Kazama and Ninja among others. Each contestant had to undergo a treasure hunt, movie quiz and deliver a short performance on stage.
Yap said: "When my name was announced, I felt joy, happiness and redemption. To describe it, it's a feeling of doing your best at something you enjoy the most, while having fun with good friends and then getting honoured with the top prize. Jack is a very unique, recognised and beloved character to many people including myself. He's my favourite character to cosplay because he can be many things – quirky, comical, clumsy, elegant, courageous, but NOT evil. The first time I ever cosplayed was at the very first and inaugural Movie Carnival 2006, where I made my first appearance as a Jedi Knight."
More photos of Movie BlockBusta! are available HERE.