Good day to all Popular Airsoft readers! I did a short online interview with Ms. Bandit, a well-known Action Air Shooter, Milsimer and a Filipino entrepreneur based in Hong Kong. She is a member of OFAPS (Overseas Filipino Airsoft Practical Shooters) under PHASA (Philippine Airsoft Shooting Association) and the founder of G.I. Janes, an all-girl Filipino team based in Hong Kong.

Optimus Prime recalled meeting her in Hong Kong while she was rummaging for parts and accessories for her airsoft guns in the street market in Sham Shui Po. He was fascinated by her seriousness in doing upgrades for her airsoft guns herself, and it's rare for female airsoft players to do their own upgrades. The next time he found her was she was online with her own Facebook page with a great number of friends from the airsoft community. He asked me if I can interview her so, after some cajoling she finally agreed to have an interview for those who are curious about her:

Krieger: We have been hearing a lot about you. Not to mention, you are one of the few women in the airsoft world. Tell us Ms. Bandit, when did you start playing airsoft?

Bandit: When did I start playing? I joined Unit Black Division (UBD) on May 22nd, 2008 and my first game was on June 9th, 2008 at a game site we called Paradise Island, Saikung, in Hong Kong. Since then, I got hooked and never stopped playing in Macau, Hong Kong and the Philippines. As I recalled, I accidentally saw one the members of UBD in Friendster (Facebook was not available to most internet users at that time yet). He was wearing a BDU on his profile picture. I decided to send him a private message and he replied and gave me the link to UBD's forum. Right there and then... Bandit was born!

Tell us about yourself, I am sure the guys in the airsoft world are eager to know more about you.

About me? (giggles) Well it depends on how you treat me. I like men’s company than women’s... or being with the company of men. I like the man stuff, but it does not mean I am not a girl! Though sometimes even I, I mean I am confused with myself! (Laughs) If I want or like something, I will do whatever it takes just to acquire or get it. I am stubborn. And most of the people who know me say that I am woman trapped in a man’s body.

Could you tell us what is the meaning behind the call sign?

Call sign? Bandit means an outlaw --- I always break the law, I actually break the laws (smiles). Seriously (laughs) I got my call sign from the Suzuki Bandits we owned.

Wow! You ride bikes, too? I mean Suzuki bikes.. Are you into big bikes as well?

I told you I love everything about men... Big bikes, cars, girls (laughs)... I am just kidding! But I really adore sexy girls (laughs again). I love the roar of big bikes’ engines, but I am a reckless driver. I dream to have a Hummer and Ducati! (smiles)

Back to airsoft, ma'am. Do you have a lot of guns? I mean airsoft guns.

Ohh! You mentioned about guns. I love this topic! Well, I do not have lots of airsoft guns now because I am more into real steel. Half of my guns are real. I sold some of them (airsoft guns) and what are left are my prized possessions, my babies. I have a Systema M4 PTW MAX, Magpul M4 Deluxe, G&P Sentry, WA M4 GBB Rifle, Race Guns, 1911, Glock 18c, and TM 4.3 [Hi-Capa]. I upgraded/tweaked them, myself, all of them.

Wow! You have got a lot of prized possessions! Which of them is your favorite when playing in the field?

My Magpul M4 is the best for me. I do not play on regular skirmish games now here since I experienced MILSIM. I enjoy MILSIM rather than CQB or Skirmish. I play [airsoft] IPSC in Hong Kong since there are no MILSIM games here. (pouts)

Whoa! IPSC? How long have you been playing Airsoft IPSC?

I have been playing in the Philippines, since I was there last year and won one of Jordan Gao’s Airsoft IPSC competition. When I came back here (Hong Kong) last August, I join every competition since then. I joined the Macau Open as well and met lots of Chinese Shooters.

Nice… Are they handsome? (whispered “The Chinese shooters you have met”) Just kidding, ma’am! (laughs) I bet you are a very good shooter, ma’am... Who is Bandit outside the airsoft world? What do you do for a living?

Me. Outside the airsoft world? The only thing I know is that my world revolves around airsoft. (giggles). I own an online shop named after my call sign, “Bandit Airsoft”. It is a simple online shop at Facebook where you can order any airsoft, practical shooting or military stuff, replicas or real-deal. It is good to know at the same time that I help our fellow airsofters and collectors on finding the stuff they want from Hong Kong. I also gained knowledge about the parts, accessories, gears etc. I really did not know anything about some airsoft stuff when I was just starting. I also became friends with the shop owners/managers here in Hong Kong, not only that, I also gained a lot of friends from the airsoft world around the globe.

There you have it guys. If you need any airsoft stuff, you can message her or LIKE her Facebook page. I would like to thank Ms. Bandit for the time, Sir Joel Ulep and the members of OFAPS for making this interview possible.