In November 2024, Sacred Guardian Singa made history as the first Singaporean superhero ever invited to the Japan Local Hero Festival. Aydeel Djoeharie takes us down memory lane, back to the weekend he represented Sacred Guardian Singa and, more importantly, Singapore at the event. Here is his story, in his own words.

The Scramble Before the Flight

When the invitation came, my heart soared. Then reality set in. The timeline was brutally tight, and suddenly everything became a race against the clock. Flight tickets, booked at the last minute. Accommodation, booked at the last minute. And one by one, it became clear that because of time constraints, nobody else from the team could make it. It would be just me.

Let that sink in for a moment. A once-in-a-lifetime invitation, the first of its kind for any Singaporean hero, and I would be carrying it alone. One person, two luggages, and a Singapore hero folded carefully inside them. No pressure at all.

Two Luggages and a Long Walk

Anyone who has handled a hero suit knows it does not travel light. I still remember stepping out of the train station, gripping those two luggages, and realising the venue was not exactly around the corner. So I walked. And pulled. And walked some more. By the time I arrived, my arms were burning and my shirt was soaked through.

And that was only the beginning. For the rest of the event, every part of Singa’s logistics sat on my shoulders alone. I ran around a lot. And far! But strangely, I would not trade a single aching step. Every one of them was carrying Singapore closer to that stage, and that thought kept my legs moving when they wanted to give up.

From Fan to Participant

Here is the part that still gives me goosebumps. For the longest time, my dream was simply to attend an event like this. To be one face in the crowd, watching Japan’s local heroes do their thing, quietly geeking out from a distance. That alone would have been enough for me.

Instead, we went one up on the dream. We were not visitors at the Japan Local Hero Festival. We were part of it.

That truth kept hitting me in waves throughout the event. I would be adjusting the suit or catching my breath backstage, and it would wash over me all over again. Sacred Guardian Singa was the first Singaporean hero ever invited to this festival, standing in a space that has always belonged to Japan’s regional heroes. This was not just a fun trip. This was Singapore stepping into a global creative ecosystem, and I was watching it happen with my own eyes.

The Warmth of the Japanese Fans

Nothing could have prepared me for the fans. I arrived hoping for polite curiosity. What I received was open-hearted warmth that honestly overwhelmed me. The Japanese fans embraced Singa with a kindness I will never forget, and more than once I found myself standing there, chest tight, just trying to take it all in.

Their passion for tokusatsu is something you have to witness in person to truly understand. It radiates from them. Being surrounded by people who love this craft so deeply, and who welcomed a hero from Singapore like one of their own, filled me with a joy I struggle to put into words.

Watching the Japanese teams up close was a masterclass. I saw how local identity can be poured into hero design, storytelling and performance until it becomes something a community rallies around. Few countries outside Japan have ever pulled this off, and seeing it live deepened my respect for Japan’s decades of hero culture in a way no video ever could.

Singapore, Shoulder to Shoulder

Somewhere in the middle of all that noise and colour, a quiet realisation settled in me. Our creative work, born in little Singapore, was standing shoulder to shoulder with Japan’s. Not as a guest being humoured, but as a fellow hero on the same stage. The pride I felt in that moment was almost physical. Pride in representing Singapore. Pride in being part of our cultural representation on an international stage. Pride in the electric energy of cross-cultural creative exchange crackling through the entire festival.

And I have to say this, because it comes straight from the heart. I am eternally grateful to our professional Japanese suit actor, who genuinely loves being Sacred Guardian Singa. Watching him bring Singa to life in front of the Japanese fans, performing with that much heart for a hero from another country, moved me more than I expected. Some memories fade. That one never will.

What I Brought Home

I came home with two luggages and a head bursting with ideas. Meeting all the Japan hero teams lit a fire in me. I saw what needed doing back home, and I came back brimming with inspiration for future events, suit designs and community projects. Sharing the same space as creators, performers and producers opened doors too, the kind of connections that could grow into future collaborations.

But the thing I treasure most is this. Standing there, I witnessed Singapore’s tokusatsu scene evolve from a local passion project into something internationally recognised. We started this journey as fans with a dream. At that festival, the world looked back at us and saw a hero.

More Than an Event

The Japan Local Hero Festival 2024 was more than an event. It was a milestone for representation, for creativity, and for pride. I flew there alone with two heavy luggages, and I flew home carrying something far heavier and far more precious: proof that Singapore belongs on that stage.

We will definitely be back. And next time, I am bringing the whole crew along for the ride.

This article is written with assistance from Claude.