Cosplay has transformed from being just a hobby into popular culture around the world, with thousands of people coming together to parade their character costumes.
Arisa Chow, dressed in her Kimono tantalized the crowd with her exuberant personality.
Keeping this trend in mind, INTI International College Subang recently played host to some of the biggest names in the world of animation and cosplay during a Sharing Session, to celebrate INTI’s latest collaboration with Animax Asia and INSPIDEA, two of the leading organizations in animation in Asia.
“INTI believes in encouraging innovative ways of storytelling among students, and cosplaying and animation are certainly among some of the ways to do so. They allow students to express themselves creatively, which is a fantastic way to develop and explore their individuality,” said Anis Laila Yap, Dean of INTI Centre of Art and Design (ICAD).
Also present at the sharing session were Lawrence Ng, Director of Ad Sales, Animax Asia; Andrew Ooi, Managing Director, INSPIDEA Sdn. Bhd., and Arisa Chow, a local cosplay artist popular among the youth.
Chow, who came dressed in her favorite kimono costume, gave some advice to encourage potential cosplayers among the students, “When I started exploring my interest in cosplay, there were very few avenues that I could look into. But I persevered because I believe that if you are passionate in something, you should never give up,” she said.
During the session, INTI announced three exciting competitions for students as part of the collaboration, with great prizes including trips to Japan to attend JUMP!, a world-renowned annual anime convention.
The event ended with a customary group photo with the guests and the students.
Details of the three competitions:
Storyboard competition – secondary school students are to create their own storyboard based on theme ‘Create a companion for OO-Kun’, a trademark Animax character. The top 10 finalists will receive an exclusive invitation to an animation workshop conducted by INTI, and in addition to that the top three winners will also win a Wacom drawing tablet each.
Fashion design competition – INTI students are to design their own costume, and top 10 finalists will showcase their designs during the Animax Carnival, a signature annual Animax event. The best costume designer will win a trip to Japan to attend JUMP!
Animation competition – INTI students are to create a full-fledged animation, following the theme ‘Create a companion for OO-Kun’. The student with the best animation wins a trip to Japan to attend JUMP!
“We are opening up doors for students to showcase their talents, in a fun and engaging way. This is in line with our belief that learning does not only have to be in the classroom – it is a fun and creative process that can happen anywhere” Anis explained.
The collaboration with Animax Asia and INSPIDEA is in line with INTI’s aspiration to develop students’ soft skills, such as creativity, by giving them the opportunity to highlight this skill in a platform that is fun and relevant to today’s youth, which is animation and cosplay. This will give them an extra edge over their peers when they enter the global workforce in the future.?
Guided by a dedicated team of highly qualified and experienced fashion instructors, INTI’s ICAD graduates are part of a new generation of trendsetters and designers in the fashion industry through their participation in many competitions, industry projects, international study trips and practical training with established local and foreign labels.