The Empire strikes in Resorts World Manila for epic Star Wars Day

As far as fictional universes go, few get more epic than the Star Wars universe. And when it comes to showing their love for the greatest space opera of all time, few can match the enthusiasm and dedication of those who call themselves Star Wars fans.
 
But you don’t have to love George Lucas’ magnum opus to know what the phrase “May the Fourth be with you” refers to. May the 4th is internationally known by fans as Star Wars Day, and in the Philippines, it was celebrated in befitting style at Resorts World Manila.
 
The Empire strikes back!
 
Meeting the Philippine Outpost of the 501st Legion on May 4 was like reliving that childhood experience. Surrounded by Imperial Stormtroopers, clone troopers, and familiar Star Wars faces, it felt more like the belly of an Imperial starship than a dressing room. And when Vader arrived and drew in that most recognizable of respiratory rasps… suffice to say that my mind exploded just as it had on the day I first heard it.
 
The 501st Legion is an international, non-profit organization of over 6,500 Star Wars fans. They attend special events costumed as the series’ bad guys, from the aforementioned Stormtroopers to bounty hunters such as Boba Fett and Greedo.
 
The Philippine Outpost is the local chapter of the 501st. Star Wars Day 2014 was extra special for them for two reasons: one, this year happens to be the tenth anniversary of their founding; and two, Episode VII is looming over the horizon.
 
“In previous years we haven’t really been able to have big events on May the Fourth,” said Regina Layug Rosero of the Philippine Outpost. “But now all Star Wars fans are excited because the new movie will be released in 2015! So fans all over the world want to remind everyone else that Star Wars is so awesome, so this year’s Star Wars Day has events galore.”
 
Not to be outdone by the rest of the world, our local Star Wars Day celebration included a parade of Star Wars characters; photo opportunities with Darth Vader and others; a trivia game that rewarded winning players with Star Wars memorabilia; a toy exhibition; and a costume competition.
 
Big Boys Toy Store was also present to sell various Star Wars merchandise, ranging from bottlecaps and plastic lightsabers to Lego sets and Star Wars Black Series action figures.
 
The Imperial march
 
The parade, which featured more than a dozen costumed individuals, started on the second floor and took the Philippine Outpost through the many hallways of Resorts World Manila. Needless to say, the group wowed visitors with their film-accurate appearance.
 
“It’s not easy to join the 501st,” said Regina. “Your costume has to be high quality and screen accurate… it has to look like what you see in the movie.”
 
Regina talked of suiting up with the 501st, which she joined in 2005 and discovered through her husband. He built his costume himself. Costumes can be bought online, but they have to be customized not only to look perfect, but also to provide a perfect fit for the wearer. Creating or customizing your own costume takes a lot of time, not to mention sheer, hard work.
 
“Obviously not all people who want to dress up as Stormtroopers are the same size,” Regina said. “So whatever costume you get, you still have to shape it, add straps, cut it, or extend it as needed so that it fits you properly. So that when you wear it, the proportions are correct and you still look like what you see in the movie.”
 
“It really depends on the kind of armor you get,” she stated. “Even after you’ve finished customizing the costume, the more you wear it, the more you realize you can further improve the way it’s built or assembled. So it’s really a never-ending process.”
 
The 501st don’t only feature armored characters. Aside from Imperial officers, there are also Sith Lords, who wear cloaks, face paint, and a whole lot of leather.
 
But donning Imperial armor or Boba Fett’s jetpack for the 501st is not entirely the same as putting on Monkey D. Luffy’s straw hat.
 
“Just to make the distinction, we call ourselves ‘costumers’,” said Regina.
 
For one thing, the costumes the 501st construct tend to be for keeps, whereas many cosplayers will wear theirs for only a couple of events, before moving on to fashion the next attire. The 501st’s costumes are also designed to be extremely durable.
 
Where the 501st and cosplayers also differ is the purpose behind their activities. Regina explained how most of the 501st do not join contests—they opt to promote Star Wars and increase awareness about children’s causes or to raise funds for charity.”
 
The Philippine Outpost previously held events to raise funds for the victims of typhoons Ondoy and Yolanda. On May 4, Resorts World donated P40,000 to Tuloy Foundation on behalf of the group.
 
The droid we’re looking for
 
Sure, the bad guys were great, but one surprise star was none other than the most adorable droid this side of the galaxy—R2-D2.
 
This R2-D2 was no mere prop, however; he could move around, turn his “head”, and blink his lights. He could even make authentic R2-D2 beeps and whistles, which were provided by Lucasfilm.
 
“I started working on R2-D2 in 1997 and finished him in about 2002,” said Tiny Panganiban of the R2-D2 Builders Club. Apparently, his R2-D2 started life as some sort of Halloween candy holder. But Tiny later became inspired to turn him into a machine.
 
Tiny maneuvers R2-D2 using a standard airplane remote control. As for the droid’s mechanical and electronic innards, almost everything is custom-made.
 
“Nothing is off-the-shelf except for the motors,” explained Tiny. “You really need to know how to put stuff together, because you really can’t buy this in a kit form.”
 
“He runs on a car battery right now,” she added. “You can use smaller batteries, but for events like this that last the whole day, I’d rather have a longer lasting battery, instead of having to charge it every few hours.”
 
“I kind of built him to stand the abuse of kids,” Tiny explained. “I have kids of my own. I had three kids riding on him one time in a convention.”
 
The little droid proved extremely popular with children and adults alike. As soon as he appeared in the plaza, he was inundated by fans of all ages eager to take a picture with him.
 
Frozen in plastic—not carbonite!—perfection
 
Resort World Manila’s celebration of Star Wars actually began on the first day of May and will continue up to the 15th. During this time, the building’s ground floor will exhibit Star Wars memorabilia.
 
Maxicollector, the official local distributor of Sideshow Collectibles, has an impressive, life-sized statue of the frightening Darth Malgus, originally from the “Star Wars: The Old Republic” video game. Also included in the spotlight are their busts of C-3PO and Jango Fett.
 
Likewise, Japanese figure company, Kotobukiya, is working with their local distributor, Arigatoys Collectibles, to bring their unique Star Wars products to the exhibit. Most notable of these are the ArtFX line, comprised of highly detailed, pre-posed miniatures and the gorgeous “Bishoujo” statues, which paint an anime aesthetic on the ladies of the Star Wars universe.
 
“We have a long history of making Star Wars products,” said Kotobukiya’s International Sales and Marketing Department Manager, Toshihiko Ikeda. “Star Wars is one of our very big licenses, because...Star Wars is very famous all over the world. There are many fans, also in Japan.”
 
Also on display are lightsaber chopsticks and business card holders engraved with iconic Star Wars imagery.
 
“We would like to expand our products into the mass market,” he explained. “Figures and statues are for the high-end and geeks. But chopsticks and other products cater to the gifts and souvenirs market, for the ordinary people. We are expanding for many kinds of people, not only otaku and geeks.”
 
May the Fourth be with you, every day of the year
 
Star Wars remains one of the most recognizable and beloved brands in the world. For Regina, to be part of something that continues to serve as an inspiration to so many people is an honor and a privilege.
 
“Many of us grew up watching and rewatching Star Wars, over and over,” she said. “Every time we see it again, or see a reference to it, it’s like we’re kids again, giddy and excited. Seeing that look of awe in others’ faces, especially children’s faces, makes us proud and happy to suit up.”
 
As for the 501st’s Philippine Outpost, they are also hoping to bolster their ranks.
 
“We hope to recruit more members to the Empire!” said Regina. “The 501st is always looking for grunts. We also want to remind fans that the 37-year-old saga is as fresh and exciting as ever, that there’s something for everyone no matter their age, size, shape or nationality.” — VC, GMA News