Team Sawit Incredible Win. Breaking Barriers in Cosplay
Team Sawit: When a Tom Yum Restaurant Joke Became Malaysia’s World Stage Dream. How two cosplayers from different worlds united to prove that passion transcends background, age, and doubt
This is Part 1/3 of Team Sawit’s journey. Read to discover how they got here.
Part 1: Their origins and partnership formation (current)
Part 2: The competition day experience
Part 3: The technical and creative process of building everything
There’s a tom yum restaurant in Ipoh called “Restoran Tomyum De Sawit.” It’s the kind of place where friends gather, where laughter spills over plastic tables, where dreams are born between bites of spicy soup. It’s also where Yip Khong Chen (Hino) and Muzzammil Afif (Feef) decided on a team name that would eventually echo across Malaysia’s cosplay scene.
“I shook my head up, saw the name of the restaurant and jokingly said, ‘How about Team Sawit,'” Hino recalls, still amazed that Feef accepted what was meant as a joke. “It was just a joke!”
But Team Sawit would become anything but a joke. On January 12, 2026, these two cosplayers—a Chinese woman who started cosplaying at 16 and a young Malay man who began his journey in 2022—stood on the World Cosplay Summit Malaysia stage as national champions, preparing to carry their country’s dreams to the international stage.
This is their story.
When Fiction Becomes Reality
Every cosplayer remembers their first moment—that precise instant when they understood this strange, beautiful art form was meant for them.
For Hino, it happened at 16 with a cardboard scythe. She’d watched Vampire Knight, fallen in love with Yuki Kuran, and discovered the character’s weapon wasn’t available to buy online. So she made one from cardboard. “That’s the first time I knew cosplay was for me.”
Eleven years would pass before she’d step onto her first cosplay stage. She won first place. “That’s another first time that performing is for me.”
For Feef, the calling came differently. Starting in 2022, he was drawn by “the desire to bring my favourite characters to life, to transform fiction into reality and embody the characters I admire.” Where Hino discovered cosplay through necessity and craft, Feef found it through the pure desire for transformation.
Two different paths. Two different people. One impossible partnership.
The Unlikely Alliance
They met through a mutual friend at an Ipoh event. Feef approached Hino first, seeking advice on armour-making. “I was also a beginner, so I didn’t really give too many useful tips that time,” Hino admits. It wasn’t a promising start.
But months later, Feef approached her again with a proposition: partner with him for a duo competition.
“I was sceptical at first,” Hino confesses. “But his passion and ideas made me think that he is very different from other people. Plus, having a close Malay friend is rare. So, I accept his offer.”
For Feef, the decision was simpler: “Hino is different from everyone else because she possesses exceptional determination for victory and shares the same goal as I do—that is to win.”
They went through multiple solo cosplay competitions, competing against each other. But it didn’t stay that way. Now they are a team instead of rivals.
Hino is candid about their dynamic: “Because I’m much older than Feef, plus I had a younger brother who is the same age as him, I tend to being more considerate and give him more space and freedom to express his opinions.” She’s learned the value of honesty in partnership: “If you don’t like it, speak it out. And tell the reason why you don’t like it… Never backstab your partner, never despise your partner.”
What does each bring to the table? For Hino, it’s Feef’s stage presence: “His ideas on how to pose and make impactful actions on a performance. How to hold a sword properly, how to fight, and how to be more expressive on stage. Plus, he is a good storyteller.”
Feef’s answer is more philosophical, but Hino cuts through with characteristic humour: “Has the same passion as me HAHAHAHA.”
And Feef? He sees her as “like an older sister, always encouraging me and motivating me to keep striving for success.”
The Conversation That Changed Everything
Early 2024. A conversation that would alter their trajectories.
“Since we both decided to do a duo comp, let’s take turns,” Hino proposed. “He loves One Piece, and I love the Naruto series.” They each chose their favourite moments: Feef wanted Ace vs Yamato from One Piece, Hino wanted Konan vs Obito from Naruto Shippuden.
Hino decided to let Feef go first. They began planning Ace vs Yamato for Comic Fiesta 2024. But as they added elements—gimmicks, emotions, layers of storytelling—they realised they had something bigger.
“We think that CF isn’t for us anymore, let’s try World Cosplay Summit.”
No fears. No doubts. Just pure intention. “We just want to do our very best as a team. Win or lose does not really matter. The most important thing is the bond we had, and the skit we performed for the audience liked it.”
This wasn’t arrogance. This was something rarer: two artists who’d found perfect alignment between ambition and authenticity.
The Characters Who Chose Them
Why Ace and Yamato? Beyond loving One Piece, these characters resonated on deeper levels.
“Yamato has a very strong will to free herself from Kaido,” Hino explains. “That kind of inspired me. As to think cosplay is just a hobby and a ‘waste of time’ to most people, I think the opposite. And I want to prove to myself that I can, especially to my mom.”
For Feef, the choice represented “perseverance and resilience. Portraying them challenges us creatively and emotionally, pushing us not to give up, no matter how difficult the process becomes.”
But choosing characters was only the beginning. The real challenge was crafting a narrative that transcended fandom.
Breaking the Formula
Team Sawit studied every cosplay skit they could find. They noticed a pattern: “Almost every skit that we watch is always one person winning and the other person losing.”
They decided to break the mould.
“So, what if neither wins nor loses, instead learn mistakes from each other, and in the end let the audience have a lesson that can be learned from our skit. And not to have an ‘ending’ to finalise our story.”
This wasn’t just clever—it was revolutionary in a scene dominated by combat sequences and clear victors. They understood something fundamental: “Fighting skill isn’t the only way to win nowadays. Emotions, climax, gimmicks, lessons learnt, and artistic elements must be added into the skit.”
They simplified the plot, minimised dialogue, and made it accessible even to people who’d never watched One Piece. The question became: “Will my skit be able to be understood by everyone?”
The Gimmick That Changed Everything
For Hino, the moment she knew they had something special came with one specific element: the splitting dragon head.
“Most people would have just hit it directly, but we used power motor skills to activate this gimmick. And the splitting of the dragon head also meant that Yamato is finally free from Kaido. This is when I thought we might have a chance.”
For Feef, it was “The Kaido dragon and the Luffy Gear 5 pop-up transformation. Those elements truly made us feel proud of what we accomplished as a team.”
These weren’t just cool tricks. They were metaphors made physical, narrative beats translated into mechanical marvels.
Five Months of Creation
From first sketch to final product: five months. Not because the designs were complicated—”the design was not really complicated”—but because simplicity demanded perfection.
“The design was rather ‘simple,’ we need to put more texture and detail.”
The budget? Less than RM500 for both costumes. “For such a simple design already costs half a thousand, I can’t imagine what it would look like if we choose more complex design characters.”
But numbers don’t capture the learning curve. Hino taught herself embroidery software, satin stitch techniques, and how to make surfaces look metal-realistic. She learned weathering techniques and pioneered a crafting PU foam approach for Yamato’s back accessory.
Feef mastered casting a muscle suit using latex and sponge—a first-time technique that came with “some flaws”—and learned LED wiring for props and costumes.
The darkest moment? For Hino, it was the back accessory failing three times. “As this is my first time using this method, we spent quite a lot of money there too, since we failed. And we try to think hard on how to reuse the defective parts.”
For Feef, it was fabric sourcing. “They were limited and difficult to find. Despite this, we did our best to search extensively and adapt until we found materials suitable for the characters.”
The Night That Changed Everything.
Standing backstage at WCS Malaysia, waiting for their turn, they felt “very nervous.” But also? They imagined it as “just another cosplay competition, nothing special XD.”
After months of preparation, all they could think was: “We finally can end and go back to sleep.”
Looking at other teams, they saw incredible work. Team Trifrost’s armour. Team Sesat’s wigs. Team Badut’s massive “closet” that promised “a big surprise.” Everyone was formidable.
Behind the scenes, panic whispered: “What if the motor malfunctions, what if our costumes get stuck. What if our performance video goes wrong? What if our timing in the performance goes wrong?”
Their philosophy? “If it happens, it happens then.”
They reminded themselves they weren’t performing for judges. “We tell ourselves that we are not performing for the judges, but it is for the audience. We want to earn the ‘standing ovation’ from them.”
The Moment
They’re announcing the winners. Hino’s mind is racing.
“I thought they called the wrong name, or I did not listen properly. Honestly, my mind was thinking Pain-san will shout Team Z-Faita, because they really blow my mind away. Their performance was crazy.”
But then: confirmation. Their name. Team Sawit.
“That was the moment I felt relieved. All that sweat and tears were worth it. People who looked down on me, people saying that ‘you’re too old for cosplay’, ‘cosplay is for nerds’, ‘Cosplay is just a waste of time and money’. I finally can shut them up.”
Hino called her sister first—”Because she is the one who supports me and listens to my journey.”
Feef called his mother—”She is the reason my dreams became possible. I would simply say, ‘I love you.'”
For Hino, the reality took “the whole month” to sink in. “Honestly, I had never achieved anything since I was a child from sports, academics, or any competition. Cosplay is the only thing I have achieved.”
The moment she’d freeze forever? “The splitting of the dragon’s head. Because I can feel myself being Yamato, finally freed from Kaido. That moment reflects me being freed by people who look down on me and the negative comments I once received.”
For Feef? “The moment our name was announced as Grand Champion, because it represented the culmination of all our hard work, sacrifices, and belief.”
Carrying Malaysia’s Dreams
Now they carry more than their own ambitions. They carry a nation’s hopes.
“Since we are a duo, the weight that we are not as heavy when we were in solo,” they reason. “We just need to remind ourselves to do our best and to have fun at the same time.”
When asked what Malaysia means to them, Hino’s answer transcends tourism brochures: “Malaysia is unique. We have different cultures, norms and people… And of course, shout out to my Malay friend Feef for being my teammate. Although we are from entirely different backgrounds, our passion and goal are the same.”
She addresses the unspoken question directly: “People might say, ‘A Chinese and a Malay, can they really come out with something?’ Guess what, we did it. And the something is a big one.”
What do they want the world to see about Malaysia? “We want the world to see that Malaysia is a unique and diverse country. Our diversity shapes how we create and gives us a unique voice in the cosplay industry… We may come from a small scene, but we stand confidently and represent our community with heart and integrity.”
They’ll show Malaysian identity not through obvious cultural symbols, but through “our attitude and presentation by being respectful, disciplined, and confident on stage.”
In moments of doubt, they’ll remember: “We are not alone. We will carry the hopes and trust of Malaysia with me… We always imagine what if Team Sawit bring something back, we would be the first to do so. This gives me motivation to keep going.”
The People Behind the Dream
Ask who believed in them first, and Hino’s answer is immediate: “My boyfriend, my partner in crime, my everything. Smith! We are part-time cosplay makers, and he is my backbone. To be honest, without him, I’m not who I am right now.”
Feef credits “My mother, Hino, and Team Sawit—for constantly giving me the encouragement and strength to go further than I ever thought I could.”
No sponsors. No corporate backing. Just four creative minds: Hino, Feef, Smith, and Feef’s mother. “All of us have a unique personal style in the cosplay creative field.”
Wisdom Earned in Fire
For future competitors, their advice is hard-won:
“Being scared is normal, but don’t let it stop you. Dream big, start small, and focus on learning and improving every step of the way.”
The brutal truth nobody talks about? “Having the highest score doesn’t guarantee a win at WCS. Judges look at more than just technical skills or performance… Even a perfect costume or a fight scene doesn’t guarantee a win at WCS. You can have flawless costumes and moves, but without confidence and connection, it might not be enough to win.”
Their one piece of advice: “Everything starts small. Try to practice by entering more small local solo competitions. Do not focus on winning, focus on the quality of your performance. Focus on the audience reaction. Always choose your favourite character so that you put 10 times the effort into making it perfect.”
Beyond technique? “You must need resilience, confidence, and adaptability to succeed in WCS. You must stay focused, push through doubt and mistakes, and perform with heart and passion.”
The Future They’re Building.
Team Sawit Incredible Win. Breaking Barriers in Cosplay
After WCS, win or lose, they know who they’ll become: “We will be more confident and appreciate everything that happened to me… Win or lose, it gives us greater confidence, pride, and a deeper understanding of what it means to represent Malaysia on the world stage.”
Ten years from now, they hope to remember “The journey that Team Sawit creates together. Planning and executing the whole skit, making costumes little by little, the discussions, the joy, the excitement that we create for the audience, and the impact that we create on the cosplay community.”
Their remaining dreams? “Our dreams have been achieved. We have nothing left to regret.”
Cosplay taught them they are “Capable of what we can achieve.”
A Message to the Dreamers
For young Malaysians who feel like they don’t fit in, who worry their passions don’t matter, Team Sawit has this message:
“Your passions matter, even if others don’t understand them. Not fitting in isn’t a weakness, it’s a sign that your path is unique. Keep creating, learning, and believing in yourself, because the effort and heart you put into what you love will take you further than fitting in ever could.”
Are They Ready?
Ask them point-blank if they’re ready for the world stage, and the answer comes without hesitation:
“Yes, we are ready to stand tall for Malaysia, for Team Sawit, and for everyone who believes in us, and to show the world the dedication, creativity, and spirit we bring to the stage.”
Follow Team Sawit’s journey:
Instagram: @hinocos, @feefcoser
TikTok: @hinocos, @feefcoser
Facebook: Hinocos, Feef Coser
This article is dedicated to everyone who’s ever been told their passion is a waste of time, that they’re too old, too different, too much of a dreamer. Team Sawit proves that sometimes, the joke becomes the dream. And sometimes, the dream becomes history.
Salty Katz Sharky
Hi, I’m Salty Katz Sharky—a proud cosplayer and a girl who believes in the magic of having fun. Because at the heart of it all, cosplay is about joy, creativity, and embracing who you are.
Malaysian cosplayer | The World Cosplay Summit Malaysia Official Host 2023-2027 | WCS MY Handler 2025 | La Petite Fox Maid | Ouji/Lolita Fashion
Visit me at https://www.facebook.com/SaltedEggKatz
