Filipino Cosplaying Reflection 2014

It’s been a while since I went to a cosplay event. I think it’s been six years as an actual goer and three or four years as someone “just dropping by”. And today I just happened to stumble upon one.

I only knew about the cosplay event at SM Megamall earlier this morning as I was browsing Facebook. It was actually from a rant at how there were too many people with too little space to go around (and Megamall is as spacious as it could get when it comes to events) and there was this picture that was like a photograph of a dystopian future wherein overpopulation has become the world’s greatest enemy.

I didn’t go there on purpose; mother had a few thousand pesos worth of SM gift-checks and we had to use them before the expiration date. The event used, I think, all three of the trade halls with one mainly for the cosplayer’s only lounge (i.e. a big empty room). The three trade halls were pretty big (but not as big as SMX’s) but they still seemed unable to contain the whole event as usual. They, the cosplayers, even moved to towards the skating rink and for good reason too. The area is less dense, cooler, and has fresher air than anywhere within 10 meters of the trade halls.

It wasn’t until I was wondering around ’til I saw the reason for the whole density of the attendees: The event was OzineFest, considered one of the major cosplay events in the country, rivaled only by ToyCon in sheer number of both participants and audience.

Needless to say, I was there to just take a look at what happened after our generation left the cosplay scene. As I wrote about it in my notrious cosplay-related blog, I practically all but lost hope for Filipino cosplaying. After witnessing today’s events, which I’m sure wasn’t as worse as it was yesterday (because cosplay-people, whether fan or cosplayer, usually go to these events on Saturdays), I still stand by what I wrote.

This may be Alodia’s ugliest photo yet. There is such a thing as too much Photoshop.

Seriously. Her eyes are too freaking big. Her nose is too small. The proportion of her face to body ratio just seems too wrong.

Just read my caption LOL

On Filipino cosplaying and how ugly it is now

I miss the days when knowledge of cosplay or cosplay events in the country was limited to a select few. Yeah, I’m feeling a bit selfish but only because having it appear mainstream has so far, in my opinion, degraded cosplaying as a hobby and promoted it as a stepping stone to media popularity. Not to mention the fact that it somehow promotes the rampant perversion of the hobby. I also disapprove the fact that women (minor or adult) readily pose provocatively just so a pervert with a DSLR (who thinks he’s a photographer) can do “opportunistic” shots of that certain scantily clad female cosplayer. And the worst part of it all is that the “victim” doesn’t mind it at all; as if completely unaware.

Congratulations to Hana Kirstie San Miguel Abello for bagging the top 8 spot in the July 2010 Nursing Board Exam

SOURCE

8. HANA KIRSTIE SAN MIGUEL ABELLO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES-MANILA 85.00

I am so happy for her. I mean, I think our old school (HS) will also be very proud of her since that school barely has any topnotcher that make it in the nursing board exams. This makes me even more proud to be her friend. Despite everything that’s been going around the country, good news will eventually happen.

And did I mention that she cosplays? Yes! Cosplay! She was able to balance both her studies and her favorite hobby. Amazing, ne? She’ll be a good example for the cosplay community here in the Philippines; having very good academic results and at the same time never losing her passion for cosplaying.

Now I’m praying she’ll get a job that she likes. I mean, I know a lot of nurses who either are jobless or end up being abused by hospitals, forcing them to do “voluntary service”.  I’m sure she’ll be fine. I mean, I’ve known her for a long time and she always goes by the right road in life.

Again, my deepest and warmest congratulations, omedetou gozaimasu, to Hana!

Go Kaisho “No Kaisho” Definitely Dead, Merges with “Other Event”

If you have no clue about the drama that went on with this event, read this first (Warning: May seriously annoy you)

Okay so I was browsing the Go Kaisho’s website (Which got hacked, obviously. Check the banner below.) to see if there were any updates and, unsurprisingly, there wasn’t any nor was there an indication that any of the organizers are still using the said website. What is my premise to conclude this? Well the number of bashful spam and comments are too much that it may have been out of neglect and probably shame that the organizers just chose to let the haters and supporters create their own word war.

Well anyway, I found this which simply tells us that the official Go Kaisho event is dead and will be merged with other events. The person who owns the comment stated the following:

THE ORDER OF THE COSPLAYNATI – A Declaration of War

SOURCE

Well here’s a funny blog. With the hype of cosplay going on around the Philippines, cosplay groups can’t help but try and best each other in the field. There have been a few outstanding groups, some less popular ones and many more defunct. This “NEW GROUP” finally came out of the shadows declaring war on every cosplay group in the country and it’s funny that way. Preview when you click more.

Re: Official Statement from GoKaisho “NoKaisho” organizer Jomar Gutierrez Custodio

Source of statement (He apparently removed the original blog. Perhaps out of the number of hate comments.)***

Previous statement with regards to the cancellation.

I only have a few words to say before my opinion regarding the apology and explanation given by the organizer.

1. I wasn’t planning on going to GoKaisho. Treat the following comment as nothing but a piece of my mind.

2. I am not a cosplayer.

3. I am not a rich guy but I’m planning on becoming one.

4. I do not know anyone from GoKaisho.

5. I’m just a blogger looking for a few clicks.

===================================