Tonight marks the debut of SyFy’s new reality series Heroes of Cosplay, which follows a group of passionate costume designers around the convention circuit as they bring their favorite characters to life in an effort to establish themselves as prominent members of the cosplaying community. The series goes behind the scenes, giving viewers an inside look at the incredibly time-consuming process of molding, sculpting and embroidering these elaborate outfits, and also allows for a look into the everyday lives of each creator.
Fans of the culture will recognize such notable personalities as Yaya Han, the legendary international superstar that frequently serves as a judge for competitive events, and Holly Conrad, who was featured in Morgan Spurlock’s documentary Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope, but there are several lesser-known competitors who will most likely find themselves being Googled by cosplay enthusiasts after the first episode airs.
While the subject matter is interesting, the first episode feels a bit disjointed, as if the show isn’t quite sure what it wants to be. There seems to be a lot of focus on the stress that comes from trying to create each outfit and the toll it takes on the relationships between the cosplayers and their significant others (or in some cases, between the contestants themselves), which often results in needless drama and may leave viewers disappointed by the lack of time spent on the technical aspects of costume creation.
Fans of SyFy’s Face Off should find themselves intrigued by the craftsmanship and dedication that each cosplayer displays, and the show is certainly unique enough to warrant a second look. Overall, Heroes of Cosplay is an enjoyable endeavor, and sheds a light on aspects of the geek culture that mainstream audiences may not be familiar with.
The Good:
Some interesting personalities. Fabulous costume designs. Nice to see a spotlight on a subset of the geek culture.
The Bad:
Some of the cosplayers come across as unlikable. Too much drama. Not enough focus on the actual construction of the costumes.
The Verdict:
An interesting and enjoyable experiment, but may have trouble appealing to a broad audience thanks to its specialized subject matter.
★★★☆☆