#Pinoy Otaku Festival 2019: Asobu

[twatkcox]

[The Keihancarl Diaries: May 4-5, 2024]

Hi everyone, Keihancarl here. This is the fifth Pinoy Otaku Festival event that I attended, with the first one back in May 2017 (Danketsu), and the third POF event held at Robinson's Novaliches Trade Hall after Asobu (2019) and Shizen (2023).

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This year’s POF theme is Yume (which means dream in Japanese), and the focus of this event is mental health awareness. There are panel discussions about cosplay (as per the schedule), and one of them focuses on its benefits (along with anime and fanfiction) to one’s well-being.

Unlike the previous POF events, I somehow skipped the first day of the three-day event as that falls on a weekday (which is, obviously, Friday) and there won’t be that much crowd there. As usual, the Otaku Choice Awards is held on the first day of the event.

May 4th

And that was the beginning of the amazingly awesome weekend.

I decided to go mostly black on this one, featuring the khaki Naruto shirt from Uniqlo. As I didn’t want to stand out like in the previous POF events I attended, I chose to wear something less fancy, with some of my favorite accessories. Of course, my black fingerless gloves will always be part of my outfit, no matter how special the day is.

I really wanted to go there as early as possible so I did just that. I immediately head to the venue instead of taking a long walk from the adjacent malls first. Reaching the venue, I immediately bought a ticket and headed inside.

The Cosplay Idol Finals were ongoing as soon as I made it inside the venue. I began checking some stalls offering various merchandise, including anime shirts, action figures, collectible cards, stickers, anime and cosplayer prints, and accessories. There's also a booth selling English-language manga and a few other books. I get to see a demonstration of 3D printing at one of the booths, and a retro gaming booth where you can try playing some of the old video games (there's also a Tetris competition). The event’s advocacy partner Angat Buhay had a booth inside as well. And of course, a Godzilla display (like in the previous POF events).

I passed by an interesting stall (40 People In The World) selling cold brew coffee, but the computer keyboard-style packaging intrigued me. I tried a sample of one of their coffee blends. I bought a three-piece box. Kind of pricey, but I think it’s reasonable.

I get to witness some performances (including some of the idol performers for the Aidoru Hour), plus the karaoke battle where one of the contestants perform a Miki Matsubara song (Stay With Me), a Lolita fashion show (plus a discussion), and a SmackDown show (kind of a scripted wrestling type kind of show).

I decided to step out of the event area to have a chicken, Cajun fries, and mashed potato meal at Popeyes (SM Fairview). The mashed potato is finally back on the menu, or I just didn’t notice it earlier.

Going back to the event, I have a few selfie pics with some of the cosplayers. I stayed there for a few more hours until the awarding ceremony. An anime rave party followed soon afterward. I decided to upload the first batch of photos from the second day of the event before moving back to SM Fairview and checking some of the shops there.

Before heading home, I decided to have a cup of caramel ice blend coffee (no whipped cream, unfortunately) at the Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf and work on this TKD post. I stayed there for about 30 minutes.

May 5th

I was really determined to go back for the third and final day of the event. I decided on a wine-red stand-up collar shirt and a black Evangelion shirt.

I arrived around the same time as yesterday and bought a few more items, including pins, stickers, and a small anime figure of Kei Tsukishima (Haikyuu), plus a couple of manga books.

There was a karaoke competition (AniOke Idol), a series of performances by different idol groups and singers (Aidoru Hour Extravaganza), and a cosplay competition (Cosplay Competition League). I also managed to take more selfies with some of the cosplayers. I had an opportunity to take a selfie with AllYellow Joshua, who is one of the event's hosts (the pic is on the last part of the post). And I decided to have my photo taken at the photo booth.

Around 4:30 PM, I decided to leave the venue for a while and had some katsudon and brown sugar milk tea at Tamoya Udon (still in SM Fairview). I previously had an udon dish there two weeks after my birthday.

Heading back, the venue becomes a concert hall with performances by idol groups and singers. One of the special guests Misuru (all the way from Japan) also graced the stage during the Aidoru Hour Extravaganza as well, and she was also at the anime rave party last night.

The Cosplay Championship League (the finals, I think) began around 7:15 PM. Meanwhile, I decided to head to the restroom outside the event and did a little grocery shopping along the way. I headed back to the venue 30 minutes later and stayed until the end of the event. The Lolita Fashion Competition later commenced around past 8:00. The awarding ceremony for both competitions followed after that.

POF 2024: Yume concluded right after the closing message and that ends yet another awesome weekend. The question remains whether the next POF event will be held at the same venue.

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Despite missing the first day of the event and all of the panel discussions, I really enjoyed much of this year's POF event, especially the stage performances. I ended up spending a lot of money on some of the merch, including the manga books. It sure was an awesome weekend.

All right, I'm definitely looking forward to the next POF event next year. But of course, there's also a possibility of attending another otaku event this year. For now, it's back to normal for yours truly, Keihancarl. The upcoming mall-hopping trip will have to wait, though, as Mother's Day is coming up and I really planned on spending it with my mom (I never get to celebrate her birthday, which is a few days prior).

And that's all for the second week of the #TheFourWeekendPlan. Until next time!

P.S.: Choji TV did a Ninong Ry cosplay, too bad I never get to take a selfie pic with him.

All pics are from my Instagram account, @kcox_105.

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Pinoy Otaku Festival (POF) 2019: Asobu will take place at the Trade Hall of Robinsons Novaliches in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines on May 17-19, 2019. The event will feature special guests from both Japan and the Philippines.

Among the guests are Yohgen, Gekitora, Hiro Saeki, Kazuki, Gloco Gaming and Yu-En Cosplay. The event will also feature Filipino bands which are also into both Philippine and Japanese pop cultures namely FREETIX, Kanjiru, Neko Hunter Band and Kulaspiro.

Ariel Villasanta will grace Pinoy Otaku Festival (POF) 2019: Asobu, as well. He is the other half of the comedy duo Ariel and Maverick with Maverick Relova.

The duo that pioneered the comedy reality-show in Philippine TV has an upcoming movie titled “The Untold Story of the Kings of Reality Shows.” Villasanta  stars in “Totoo TV,” “Mommy Elvie’s Problematic Show” and “Pinoy Meets World.”

Moreover, Pinoy Otaku Festival (POF) 2019: Asobu will highlight the world of idols as it rises in the Philippines with Aidoru Sozai, AOS49, CH4U, IVY! Musume, JAPHDOLLS PH, Pepper Keibu, Poly V, Sophia the Artist, Tanchikon and Ureshii-san Tomodachi. The event hosts include Kiel from Choji PH, Tessa Carbonell, Justin Villaseran, Geneva Cabading and Fatima Jongco.

Event Tickets and Charity

Ticket price is set at 100 pesos per day.  If you will be attending for 3 days, then get the 3-DAY PASS at 300 pesos (3 Days access to the convention and includes participation in the raffles).

For those who want to have more perks at the event, you can avail the 3-DAY VIP ACCESS for Php 500 (3 days access to the convention only, participation in Animazing Race, Premium Raffles, and many more).

You can get tickets online via Ticket2Me.

Pinoy Otaku Festival is partnering with House of Light and Hands of God Charity Works, by giving part of the proceeds (ticket sales) to help support them in their various activities.  House of Light is a support group and help them create more awareness regarding HIV/AIDS, and Hands of God Charity Works provides care for less privileged children.

About Pinoy Otaku Festival

The annual event of Naruto Cosplayers PH (NCPH) which promotes cosplay, anime, pop culture, and more. Held annually every May. Celebrate Japanese Culture and how Pinoys enrich it. Experience our own culture as well through the latest popular culture as we combine cosplay, music and the Filipino’s heart of gold for helping people.

About Naruto Cosplayers PH

Naruto Cosplayers PH (NCPH) is one of the largest cosplay and Japanese culture based organization in the Philippines with a background in events organizing and cosplay for a cause/charity works. The organization was featured several times in mainstream media and new media for its various activities. The organization is founded on October 10, 2010 which is the birthday of the anime character Uzumaki Naruto.

About Red Cloud Interactive

Red Cloud Interactive Marketing Service (or Red Cloud Interactive) began as an informal freelance team in 2010 brought about by the need to organize events usually related to cosplay and music. In 2018, the value of the portfolio accumulated by the group leader to its formalization as a business managed by a group of friends.

Pinoy Otaku Festival 2019: Asobu to feature Ariel Villasanta, Yohgen, Gekitora, Hiro Saeki, Kazuki, Gloco Gaming, Yu-En Cosplay Pinoy Otaku Festival (POF) 2019: Asobu will take place at the Trade Hall of Robinsons Novaliches in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines on May 17-19, 2019.

[twatkcox]

[The Keihancarl Diaries: May 19-21, 2023]

After four years (and for the first time since the pandemic), the Pinoy Otaku Festival is making a comeback, still at the same venue as the previous one. Hi everyone, Keihancarl here and this weekend looks kind of promising... with a hint of uncertainty (on my part).

Pinoy Otaku Festival 2023: Shizen (An Overview)

It was back during the end of POF 2019: Asobu when the next POF event (initially called Tanoshii Matsuri) was announced. And then the pandemic struck, resulting in the event being postponed. Later on, it was announced as POF 2021: Godai (the logo still showed the year 2020), and the event’s theme is about the five Japanese elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void. It was eventually changed to POF 2023: Shizen sometime last year, with the event still held at the Trade Hall of Robinsons Novaliches.

The event’s theme is all about the environment, with the goal of raising awareness and funds for the Bayanihan Para Sa Kalikasan, Inc. There’s also a discussion about Trash To Cashback and other environmental programs by the Quezon City Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department. ADA Straws Philippines, the manufacturer of biodegradable rice straws, was also present at the event as one of the exhibitors.

May 19

And yes, I was actually hoping to visit the first day of the event. The thing is, I’m gonna have a hard time going out and spending the entire weekend outdoors, unlike the pre-pandemic days. What more if I want to go out on a weekday?

I managed to do just that, only that I also have an errand to do that early afternoon. Is it a miracle, or is it just luck? Well, it didn’t took me long enough to finish the job, but of course I can always sneak my way into the event, even if it’s for an hour or two. After all, I can’t really stick around for long since I’m expected to prepare dinner at home.

Anyway, I did get inside the venue (it’s 150 pesos for a one day pass, though there’s also a VIP pass and a 3-day pass, both of which are exclusively available for purchase online) and check out some of the booths. I was looking forward to seeing Pixel Hero’s booth, only that they’re not on the list of exhibitors.

Checking the schedule for the first day, there’s the ConGoer Competition, Your Cosplay Sounds Familiar, and The Otaku Singing Bee. I’m not sure if they followed the schedule, I think there might be some slight changes and some had to be rescheduled to the next day. I wasn’t able to catch any of them since I came later than expected, around 4:00 in the afternoon (I had another errand to run before that). Also, the Otaku Choice Awards was held that evening, and I didn’t catch that as well, since I had to leave the venue early. But I did get to watch some performances during my two hour stay.

I receive some brochures and pamphlets at The Japan Foundation booth. The nice lady complimented my pins, the ones I bought from Pixel Hero during the last POF event. Also, I did get to have selfies with some of the cosplayers.

I check some of the booths for some interesting merch, and I wasn’t able to buy anything. A handful of booths weren’t open yet, maybe they’ll be present during the weekend.

I left the venue early as I need to shop for some groceries for dinner, not to mention that it was still a weekday. I uploaded the pics on my Instagram account at home.

May 20

It’s the second day of POF 2023: Shizen, and I’m raring to go there as early as possible. Well, I still ended up arriving later than expected, as I have to drop by Mr. DIY (Fairview Terraces) to buy a new watch, since my old one’s battery died on me last night. I decided to go all-black, but I didn’t feel like wearing my black fleece coat and my black zipper tie like I did during the previous POF events.

I managed to catch the Chibi Cosplay and Lolita And J-Fashion Competition, as well as HIBANA Wotagei’s performance. And of course, Anime Feud (with Choji as host).

I bought a couple of pins (AXGG) and a small Snorlax plushie (POP!ah Ching’s Collectibles). I was thinking of buying a Hunghang Flashback (Volume 2) book at their booth, but I sort of hold back for now. I’ll try to buy one on the final day of the event, if there are some copies left.

Outside the event, I had a meal at Paotsin, then I immediately head to the supermarket and bought a bottle of Pocari Sweat and a mini Toblerone bar (I consume them on the bench area nearby). I also managed to check some of the shops in the three Fairview malls later that evening, right after leaving the venue once Anime Feud ends.

There’s one more day left, but I’m starting to feel anxious as I actually need to visit someone tomorrow. I’ll figure this one out. What’s more important is that I didn’t want to miss the final part of the event.

May 21

Third day, and I get to go out for the third time in a row. Come to think of it, I haven’t really done this in such a long time. I go for the black baseball shirt and olive yellow shirt combo.

I was really determined to leave home early since I wanted to visit mom and my little sister. It’s been more than three weeks since the last visit, and I never get to celebrate Mother’s Day with her. I left home at around 1:00 PM, reached mom’s house at around 2:15 PM (traffic from SM Fairview to Barangay Mulawin, SJDM is a lot faster than it is going back), and managed to get to the venue just before 6:00 PM. On the way back, I was surprised to find a 100 yen coin inside my purse. I decided to keep the coin as my lucky charm, since everything proceeded as planned in the past couple of days.

By the time I arrived at Robinson’s Novaliches Trade Hall, the Cosplay Championship League had already started. I didn’t waste any more time and buy a few more items: a pin and two stickers from Hunghang Flashbacks booth (I never did buy the book, unfortunately), the Giyu Tomioka plushie from Kaiju Geijitsu, a couple of anime pins from Qaphsiel and TriplexLor, and a set of 2 Pocky wholesome (choco almond and blueberry yogurt) and 2 Pejoy Belgian chocolate pretzels from the Enav Marketing Services Inc./Glico PH booth with amazing freebies (for additional 50 pesos, you get a Pocky mug). I then strike a pose inside the photo booth and got my photos afterward. I also did manage to have a selfie with John Wick, along with some of the cosplayers as well.

The event ends with the announcement of winners for the competitions that were held that day, as well as a message from David D’Angelo. I decided to stick around for a bit as most of the event staff and event organizers are taking photos on the stage and some of the exhibitors are packing up their stuff.

After leaving the venue, I decided to have a milk tea drink at Black Scoop Cafe (Fairview Terraces). I then uploaded some of the photos I took that afternoon on my Instagram account, and it took longer than expected for the photos to be uploaded due to the incredibly slow mobile internet connection inside the cafe. After that, I took a leisurely stroll inside the mall before heading home.

Postscript

This year’s POF event is a great improvement compared to the previous one. They finally decided to install actual booths inside the venue, and access to the Trade Hall entrance from the hallway is blocked by the dressing room and meet and greet areas, with the restrooms in the area generally reserved for event participants and cosplayers (as a changing area), therefore discouraging bystanders and passersby from staying in the hallway.

Despite not being able to witness some of the scheduled games, competitions, panel discussions and concerts, I still managed to enjoy the event just like the previous POF events. I had the feeling that they will hold the next POF event on the same venue, but nothing is set in stone yet. Hopefully, I’ll get to attend next year.

With this year’s POF event held on the same weekend as MINI Ozine Fest (SMX Convention Center Manila) and FanFes (Ayala Malls Circuit Makati), the organizers thought that there’ll be a significant decline on the congoers (they’re expecting about 500 walk-in participants, based on their Facebook post), not to mention that Pixel Hero (where I bought my favorite pins from the previous POF event) was present on both aforementioned events. The event turned out to be successful, based on the amount of tickets sold (including the Three Day Pass and the VIP tickets).

And with that, I must say that I hope next year’s POF event will be as successful as the previous ones. I’m looking forward to it!

It sure was a fun event, despite missing out on some of the happenings due to the fact that I always arrived later than expected. That’s okay, since I bought some awesome souvenirs, which are mostly anime pins and a couple of plushies.

I’m not sure if I’ll immediately follow it up with a mall-hopping trip the following week. The typhoon might postpone my plans, as was the case five years ago, but hopefully this will proceed. Anyway, I finally feel motivated once again, and I’m back to writing a bunch of posts, including this one.

[UPDATE] Looks like Ozine Fest will have a two day Halloween special at nearby Fairview Terraces this October. If I manage to go out on both days, this will be my best post-birthday celebration ever. I might even reschedule the planned mall-hopping trip to November, if my plans for that weekend will proceed as planned. (05/29/2023)

Well then, time to wrap this up. Until next time!

The first and third day pics (including the one on the overview) were uploaded to my public Instagram account @kcox_105, while the second day pics and the selfie pic (postscript) were uploaded to my private Instagram account @kcox105.

[twatkcox]

[The Keihancarl Diaries: May 17-19, 2019]

It’s me, Keihancarl. And here comes another awesome weekend, the Pinoy Otaku Festival 2019: Asobu at Robinsons Novaliches Trade Hall.

May 17

It sure feels weird going out on a weekday, but I did it anyway. After all, I really can't afford to miss the first day of the event.

I decided on a pastel yellow polo shirt and a black knitted vest, as well as my black fingerless gloves. I was initially thinking of wearing my black fleece coat (again), but I’ll just reserve it for the weekend.

I left home right after lunch, but I didn’t head straight to the event just yet. I checked a few shops in Fairview Terraces and SM Fairview, mostly bookshops, before heading to the venue.

I then bought a ticket (a one-day pass) at the entrance. Alternatively, you can purchase a three-day pass or a VIP pass online, but they won’t be available onsite on the day of the event.

Anyway, I got inside the venue and checked some of the stalls. At Japan All-Stars stall, I bought a red anime T-shirt featuring Izaya Orihara of Durarara!!, the one I’ve been eyeing since last year’s POF event, as well as a couple of awesome pins. I initially wanted to buy an anime T-shirt featuring White Blood Cell of Cells At Work, but they don’t have large sized ones. And I did take selfies with some of the cosplayers.

There weren’t a lot of congoers on the first day of the event, The venue is expected to be jampacked on the second and third day (18th and 19th, respectively), as some of the biggest competitions (Battle Of The Bands, Fantasm Inter-School, Cosplay Championship League, and a few others) are held on these dates.

There were a couple of panel discussions: The Status Of E-sports In The Philippines and Sexual Harassment In Cosplay. There’s also a short video feature on the Japanese-Filipino anime, Barangay 143.

On the Otaku Singing Bee, the contestants must rearrange the words that appear on the screen, that is actually part of the lyrics that will follow soon afterward, as well as guessing the missing part of the song’s lyrics. The game features theme songs from Maid Sama!, The Prince Of Tennis, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and a few others.

From time to time, auctions of various anime merch were held, ranging from posters, stuffed plushies, even soundtrack CDs. There are people playing board games on the Game Detective booth. And there’s the display of Godzilla figures, too.

I had an early dinner at Jollibee, which is not far from the venue. I immediately head back to the event after that.

And then there’s the Otaku Choice Award, where they award a nominee from each different categories. In addition, there’s also the general awards for non-Filipino and non-local things, such as anime shows, movie/adaptations, Japanese bands, console and online games, and seiyuus (Japanese voice actors). There were performances in between.

I decided to go home midway through the end of the awarding ceremony, even though I really wanted to stick around and catch the rest of it. And that’s how my first day at the event went.

May 18

It sure was a sunny day, perfect for a nice tall cup of cappuccino frappe. However, I decided to skip going to the café for now and head straight to the venue instead. I arrived at exactly 2:00 in the afternoon.

I decided on an all-black outfit consisting of my black fleece coat and my black Tokyo Ghoul shirt. I only decided to wear my black fingerless gloves later that afternoon.

There were more cosplayers at the venue compared to the first day of the event. There's also a slight increase in congoers as well. The event area will probably be filled later during the Battle Of The Bands segment, but for now, it is kind of spacious in here.

I didn’t catch Your Cosplay Sounds Familiar (I think it already ended by the time I arrived), but I did catch Fantasm Interschool Cosplay, where contestants from three schools perform a scene from anime series or movies.

There were performances by Hiro and Kazuki and aidoru (idol) group CH4U, as well as Gekitora and Yohgen. There's also a panel talk on piracy and anime fandom, as well as a guest appearance by Xavier Ray of January 24 Productions.

At around 5:30 PM, the Battle Of The Bands commenced. Around that time, I decided to have an early dinner of beef misono bowl (with a pair of chopsticks) at Yoshinoya SM Fairview. Back at Robinsons Novaliches, I bought a drink from OTeaHamaru (a cup of jasmine tea with rock salt and cheese) before heading back inside the venue.

I finished the drink inside while checking some of the stalls and watching some of the performances by competing bands. The winners of earlier competitions were later announced as well.

I bought four pins from Pixel Hero and took additional selfie pics with some of the cosplayers. I uploaded some of the pics to my Instagram account.

Last night, I left the venue early since someone's expecting me at home. This time, however, I decided to stay until the second day of the event ends. There's one more day left before POF Asobu wraps up.

May 19

And welcome to the final day of POF Asobu. I decided to wear the same outfit, but featuring my striped brown and white polo shirt instead.

I left home at exactly 1:00 PM and went straight to the venue without checking any of the shops. There were a lot of congoers at the event, as well as the cosplayers. Of course, I took selfies with some of them.

By the time I got there, Karaoke Battle Royale is still ongoing. There were also performances by Sofia The Artist, Aidoru Sozai, Pepper Keibu, Ivy! Musume, and a few others. There's a panel talk about how to become a successful game streamer.

Around 4:30 PM, there was a special guest appearance by Ariel Villasanta of the comedic duo Maverick and Ariel, promoting the upcoming first reality movie “Kings Of Reality Shows”. He also served as one of the judges of the Cosplay Championship League, which commenced right after showing a teaser of the said reality movie.

I decided to leave the venue in the meantime and crossed the footbridge to SM Fairview to check a few shops and had an early dinner at Tokyo Tokyo (which is now located at Annex 3, a.k.a. The Parkway). I had a donburi bowl, a pork katsudon, which is really good.

Heading back to the event, the cosplay competition is still ongoing. I get to see some awesome performances by some of the contestants. Later on, there’s another panel talk on what it takes to be an idol.

There’s actually a meet-and-greet event behind the stage, but I think it’s exclusively for VIP ticket holders. For a while, I stick around to watch the panel discussion until I saw Ariel heading out of the venue. I quickly head out of the venue and managed to catch up just to take a selfie with him. He was really nice. I immediately upload the pic to my Instagram account and head back inside the venue, in time for Poly-V’s performance.

I also posted some of the pictures to my Instagram account and had a few more selfies with the cosplayers. There were a few more performances (including Ivy! Musume) before the announcement of winners and the closing ceremony. They also teased next year’s POF event.

And yes, I bought just one more souvenir, a cute green dinosaur as my bag’s charm. A perfect match for the awesome pins I’ve bought from Pixel Hero during the first and second day of the event.

By the time the event finished, it started raining outside. I had to wait for the rain to gradually weaken before heading to Fairview Terraces to check a couple of shops, and then head home. And that’s how my awesome weekend went.

Postscript

Compared to the previous POF events, this one is satisfactory in terms of the number of congoers and time management, among others. The lighting is okay, but the event’s (rented) sound system isn’t at par with the ones at Fairview Terraces. The air conditioning at the event area is okay, though at times it does get a little stuffy, especially on the third day of the event. Also, there are some bystanders watching the event for free by the elevated hallway, blocking access to the restaurants and restrooms. This prompted the event organizer to tell the congregating non-paying bystanders to leave the area and even asked the guards for help in keeping the elevated access free from obstructing crowds.

Despite the problems, the entire event went pretty well and they somehow managed to stick to the intended schedule. The event area is incredibly spacious, and the crowd is somewhat controlled compared to the previous POF events. It actually feels more secure and comfortable in there. I also loved the booths and the choice of merchandises available. There’s also a dedicated area for meet-and-greet events at the back of the stage.

I really get to enjoy the event, and I bought some nice souvenirs too. I had fun taking selfies with some of the awesome cosplayers as well. I hope they’ll consider Robinsons Novaliches as the venue for the next POF event since this is very convenient for those coming from Northern Metro Manila and Bulacan areas.

It sure was a pretty exhausting weekend, but I actually had a great time there. Right now, I’m considering attending a similar event later this year, most probably Cosplay Mania 2019 at the SMX Convention Center. I’ll probably need to save up if I really want to go there.

All right, it’s time to wrap this up. Until next time!

All pics are from my private Instagram account, @kcox105.

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Red Cloud Interactive, Naruto Cosplayers PH and Robinsons Novaliches will bring Pinoy Otaku Festival (POF) 2019: Asobu on May 17-19, 2019 at the Trade Hall of Robinsons Novaliches in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The title theme of the event “ASOBU,” which means “Let’s Play,” will focus on interactive experience for all attendee and include the traditional cosplay competition, karaoke and Battle of the Bands.

Pinoy Otaku Festival has been known for its event which focuses on the true Pinoy Otaku identity and Filipino’s dedication as manifested by the current trend in popular culture.   It is a celebration of Japanese pop culture and how Filipinos enrich it, by experience our own culture as well through the latest popular culture as the event combine cosplay, music and the Filipino’s heart of gold for helping people.

The focus of Pinoy Otaku Festival (POF) 2019: Asobu is on giving highlights on the much-awaited on-stage games and the much-awaited Otaku Choice Awards to be held on May 17, 2019 with Tom’s Workstation by Tomas Jefferson Hernandez as the official trophy provider. Nominees will gather and will be given awards for their dedication from the different categories as voted by people thru the online nomination and voting.

Other event highlights are POF 2019: Art Attack, Karaoke Battle Royale, Fantasm: Inter-school, POF 2019: Battle of the Bands, Your Cosplay Sounds Familiar, Cosplay Championship League, Otaku Bazaar and booths and panel discussions. For those who are into interactive games, there can win cash and freebies in activities like Otaku Deal or No Deal, Anime Quiz, Otaku Singtunado, Otaku Singing Bee and Name That Tune.

Across the three-day event, Pinoy Otaku Festival (POF) 2019: Asobu is bringing more interactive panel discussions.  Selected by the community from a voting process, the topics include sexual harassment in cosplay, status of esports in the Philippines, piracy and anime fandom, how to win competitions, how to become a successful game streamer and what it takes to be an idol.

Pinoy Otaku Festival (POF) 2019: Asobu is being made possible in cooperation with CIIT College of Arts and Technology, MC Hotel Fairview, and Hotel Fox with the help of VR Café and Jerry’s Life Size Statues and Collectibles. The event also partnered with various Otaku organizations including Team Oke Gakuen, El Chorizo Cosplay Group, The Otaku Philippines, Z Warriors, Toushin – Ateneo, UP AME, PNU NAMI, JDoramaEiga PH and FurryPinas PH while media partners include Astig.ph, TechKuya, Wazzup Pilipinas, Keepsakes., The Cosplay and Anime Café, OtakuPlay PH, Game Seer, Reverie Wonderland, Ayaldev, Setsu Ani, Sutil Si Isco, Zing – Edge Manila, Mauvish Crimson, AniRadio PH,PopLife TV and Jherzoned.

You can buy tickets online thru the event’s ticket partner, Ticket2Me. Visit https://www.ticket2me.net/e/1607 to purchase your tickets.

For more information visit Pinoy Otaku Festival 2019: Asobu official website at http://pof.narutocosplayers.com/. Use the official hashtag #POF2019 and #POFAsobu and check the event’s official social media channels for more updates.

Pinoy Otaku Festival (POF) 2019: Asobu to feature Otaku Choice Awards; Partners include CIIT College of Arts and Technology, MC Hotel Fairview, Hotel Fox Red Cloud Interactive, Naruto Cosplayers PH and Robinsons Novaliches will bring Pinoy Otaku Festival (POF) 2019: Asobu…

[twatkcox]

[#2020]

All right, so another year has passed. Despite the anticipation of the (supposedly) good things to happen, most of them are satisfactory. This year is nothing short of expectation versus reality.

All right, so I’m here to round up the things that happened in 2019. This can be a pretty lengthy read.

I’ve published a total of 36 posts on TWATKcox-WP this year, down from 58 last year.

Celebrating TWATKcox-WP’s sixth year in the cyberspace, a special post about me and my interests was written, revised, and published by none other than your host, Keihancarl. Despite feeling sick and lethargic at the time, I managed to finish this one as I’m already way behind my schedule and may soon become overdue if I didn’t work on it as fast as I could.

I bought a lot of books this year, which consist primarily of second-hand and discounted manga books. I also bought all three books in The Doppel Ganger Chronicles series by G.P. Taylor, as well as Adeline Yen Mah’s Falling Leaves, a more complete version of her autobiography and a compelling read as well.

Switching to fiber optic internet back in February, I managed to do a lot of downloads at a much faster speed. I began discovering some awesome anime series like Amagi Brilliant Park, Orange, and Tsurune, among others. Of course, I can finally enjoy music streaming via Spotify without having to deal with slow and/or intermittent internet connection most of the time.

I went on a lengthy hiatus from publishing new posts twice: a planned six-week break from February to March and an unplanned break from July to December. These lengthy breaks are necessary since I really need to focus on finishing the seven stories for a literary special, which is originally due for publishing last May but ultimately moved to either April or May next year. As for the unplanned break, I was completely pissed off at the dummy Gravatar accounts (PLR and cryptocurrency accounts) liking my posts, hence the need to move away from WordPress for a while.

Aside from my favorite cafes near my high school, I also found a perfect writing spot at the Fairview Terraces rooftop garden where I can write (on my smartphone) comfortably under a clear, moonlit night. I just happened to visit a couple of rooftop parks at Circuit Makati and Glorietta malls, complete with fake grass and some nice shade that the tall buildings can offer. Unfortunately, Fairview Terraces doesn’t have fake grass on its rooftop garden or some tall buildings to provide shade, but at least I’ve found a relaxing place to write.

I’ve found my very own cross stitch masterpiece from eighteen years ago. This small piece I created back when I was in fourth-grade (which is not a school project) is currently displayed in my room.

In late March, some reddish-orange ants have invaded my books on the shelves, forcing me to take an entire afternoon just to clean the shelves, rearrange the books, and get rid of these pests. Aside from that, I noticed that most of the books in my collection are showing brown spots, possibly due to exposure to light and dust. Among those affected are my treasured books Battle Royale (Koushun Takami) and Sadako And The Thousand Cranes (Eleanor Coerr). I was initially planning to divest two-thirds of the books in my collection (most of them unread), but I decided to hold off for now.

In April. a strong earthquake hits Central Luzon and is felt in nearby areas, including Metro Manila. Both my brother and I felt the intensity of the earthquake at work and at home, respectively. More earthquakes occurred in various areas in the country, mostly in Mindanao.

A series of concept posts, All In The Books series, was published on TWATKcox-WP from April to May, along with a throwback post about my reading habits. The aforementioned series is all about books, being a bibliophile, and being a bookworm. It also includes some informative stuff about book hunting, e-books and audiobooks, and the things that can ruin your precious book collection. Of course, I’ve also listed down some of my favorite books as well.

I get to see MNL48 at a mall tour in Starmall San Jose Del Monte back in March, and I get to have a selfie with Ariel Villasanta of Maverick and Ariel at Pinoy Otaku Festival: Asobu 2019 in May.

Of course, I get to enjoy the three-day Pinoy Otaku Festival: Asobu 2019 which is held at Robinsons Novaliches. I did save up a lot just for this. I bought some awesome pins from Pixel Hero (especially the otaku pin), a red anime shirt featuring Izaya Orihara of Durarara!! (a.k.a. the red “People Are My Play Things” shirt), and a small dinosaur plushie. I actually get to dine in at Yoshinoya SM Fairview one last time before it closed down. And I get to enjoy my salty cream jasmine tea from OTeaHamaru while watching the bands compete in the Battle of the Bands segment.

#TheFourWeekendPlan, which includes the POF: Asobu 2019 and the Quezon City-Manila mall-hopping trip, went well, despite some disappointments and inconveniences.

I bought another shirt (the gray I Am Not A Latte shirt) and a Rockman mug during the final week of #TFWP, which serves as an addition to the merch bought at the otaku event.

TWATKcox-WP and its Tumblr blogs had a makeover. The main blog initially chose the Lodestar theme, which is actually a good-looking theme, but the missing categories on every blog post become one of my biggest headaches. I eventually switched to the Twenty Seventeen theme, though I’m not completely satisfied with it no matter how much I customize it. That should do for now. TWATKcox-Tumblr uses the Black Rabbit theme (its preview shows Ayato Kirishima of Tokyo Ghoul), and The Quirk Concept (QuirkCon) uses the Astralis theme (some of the latter theme’s fonts didn’t look good when viewed on Firefox). Both my Tumblr blogs’ themes are from Glenthemes.

I created my public Instagram account, @kcox_105, where I post some of my awesome, non-selfie pics. The pictures featured on The Keihancarl Diaries posts are still sourced from my private Instagram account, though, as not all of the pics uploaded there are worthy of being called awesome.

June 2019: My tenth year on Facebook... like I really care about it, anyway.

In July, I’m starting to get fed up with all the spam likes from dummy Gravatar accounts which are associated with WordPress-hosted PLR (Private Label Rights) sites, so I’m considering moving out of WordPress. I was thinking of hosting my blog to Weebly (as TWATKcox-Main), but the process of transferring every blog post manually is stressing me out so I gave up. I set my WordPress blog to private in the meantime, but I eventually reopened it and resumed posting new content there in December. From September to November, there were no blog posts on either my WordPress or Weebly sites.

I was thinking of creating spin-off blogs, all within the Weebly site. These are The Otaku Diaries (focusing on anime, manga, the otaku culture, and everything Japanese), The Literary Corner (focusing on my own literary works, including my upcoming literary special), and The New Quirk Concept (focusing mostly on edited cellphone and smartphone pics, as well as some of my notable selfies). None of these materialized as of this writing, however.

I created a new set of post banners for both the WordPress, Tumblr, and Weebly sites. I already updated all of TWATKcox-WP’s post banners, but I haven’t updated the ones on its Tumblr counterpart yet.

I attended the 40th Manila International Book Fair 2019 last September. While I never bought anything there, I did saw a lot of interesting books (original Japanese manga, vintage Filipiniana books, and Wattpad novels), check out Pop X Hub and The Bazket, and saw Pol Medina Jr. in person (I didn’t get to have a selfie with him, unfortunately). There are a lot of people inside the venue, but it didn’t take me long to get in.

I celebrated my 29th birthday (XXIX In MMXIX) with a Red Ribbon Black Forest cake, which isn’t really that good, with an extreme amount of sweetness and all that. I had a mall-hopping trip a few days later as well, but it didn’t go smoothly as planned.

In October LRT Line 2 temporarily suspends operations from Cubao/Anonas to Santolan stations due to a rectifier fire in Katipunan Station. I decided not to push through with the intended mall-hopping trip in UP-Marikina-Masinag areas for November and opted for Eastwood-East Ortigas instead. Right now, only the Cubao-Recto portion of the line is operational, with the affected portion of the line to be operational again by July.

A surprisingly feel-good announcement: Automattic acquired Tumblr from Verizon Media. Sorry porn trolls, but they’ll maintain the lewdness ban in hurr.

The follow up to The Noir Project is still in the works, with the first set of pics expected to be published on QuirkCon by January 2020. It is originally slated for November this year, supposedly the debut post for the scrapped The New Quirk Concept on TWATKcox-Main, but I had to postpone it due to an extreme case of procrastination and lethargy due to stress.

For the first time in three years, I decided on a graham cake as the official dessert for the Christmas and New Year’s Eve feasts, which is topped with sliced peach halves. To be honest, I kinda missed making a cheesecake, which is actually more of an ice cream cake since it only sets when frozen or chilled.

All right, so a lot of interesting things happened this year. So what should I look forward to next year?

Chinese New Year (January 2020)

TWATKcox’s 7th year (January 2020)

The Noir Project II (January or February 2020)*

The Otaku Diaries on TWATKcox-WP (February 2020)*

TWATKcox’s 300th Post (February or March 2020)*

TWATKcox’s Special Literary Post (May 2020)*

Pinoy Otaku Festival: Godai (originally Tanoshii Matsuri) (May 2020)

#TheFourWeekendPlanY2 (May to June 2020)

41st Manila International Book Fair (September 2020)

My Autobiography In 5000+ Words (TWATKcox’s 350th Post) (October 2020)*

My 30th birthday celebration in all-black (October 2020)

Project:Upgrade (2020)*

My first novel (2020/2021)*

(* Tentative, subject to change without prior notice)

And what are my plans for 2020?

I’m spending too much money on second-hand manga books, so I’ll probably have to restrict myself to just buying one or two books a month. Of course, I need to save up for the upcoming otaku event (POF: Godai 2020) and the MIBF 2019. And hopefully, a third one.

I’m planning to update the post banners in Tumblr posts.

I’m also planning to edit some of the earlier blog posts, the ones published between 2013 to 2015. It’ll be an exhausting and extensive editing job so I’ll only do this in phases.

A new header for my blog, plus some customizations in my Tumblr blogs.

I need to finish writing the seven stories for a special literary post, to be published (tentatively) in May. And then I’ll treat myself to a bowl of ramen after that, probably within #TheFourWeekendPlanY2.

I’m planning to write a novel, I’ll probably just start from scratch. I’m aiming to finish it by the end of 2020 or by mid-2021.

I need to read more books especially manga and graphic novels. I’ve bought and collected about 20 books this year, but I only read a handful of them.

I’m planning to organize everything inside my room, as well as the files on my PC. I hope I can persuade my brother to buy a new hard drive to replace the failing one, which is already long overdue.

I’ll probably start eating something healthy, but I can’t just ditch meat (especially pork and chicken) just yet since I’m pretty much obsessed with consuming a lot of protein. Oh well...

An artistic concept + handmade posters. I’ll get these done within the year.

I’ll probably invest in some black clothing, from shirts (plain or graphic tees) to pants (preferably slacks). I’ve already owned some black jackets, cardigans, and coats, but I’ll probably need more. And I’ve got to have a pair of black sneakers as an alternative to my dark olive green Converse.

I might need a new pair of eyeglasses since I’m having a hard time seeing everything clearly with my current pair as of the moment. I’m already thinking of switching back to wire-framed glasses, preferably round ones. I had a feeling I’ll look good on it.

More importantly, I should brace myself for a hectic life ahead. Of course, I’m not willing to give up my coffee frappe and mall-hopping weekend, which is becoming a ritual for my loner self.

As with 2018, the year 2019 isn’t really the best year for me. I somehow managed to get through this crazy, chaotic year, but at least I enjoy every bit of it. All right, now time to move on to a brighter new year ahead and make it awesome!

From Keihancarl in Manila, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

[twatkcox]

[The Keihancarl Diaries: May 25, 2019]

Keihancarl here. Until now, I still have a hangover from the otaku event last week, which is the Pinoy Otaku Festival 2019: Asobu. And with that, I feel like going out on a mall-hopping trip again.

Checking the weather forecast, there's a possibility of a thunderstorm on the day of my mall-hopping trip. But I’m really hoping that it wouldn't rain, as I’m really looking forward to it and I don’t want it to get rescheduled due to bad weather. Anyway, a cloudy sky with little sunshine should be enough to assure me that there'll be little to no chance of rain for the entire trip.

I decided on my favorite black fleece coat, black fingerless gloves, and the red anime shirt that I bought last week, the one featuring Izaya Orihara of Durarara!!, with Mikado Ryuugamine and Anri Sonohara as puppet dolls. In other words, my outfit consists primarily of red and black clothing.

I was hoping to leave the house by 9:00 AM, considering the traffic situation in Novaliches area during weekend mornings. Sure enough, traffic is heavy in Deparo/San Agustin area (the maroon line), based on the screenshot of Google Maps on my smartphone. I’m really disappointed that I have to waste about more than 30 minutes getting stuck in traffic just because of the repair works on the water pipeline.

I actually left home at exactly 9:30 AM and reached Novaliches more than an hour later. I spent another hour riding the UV Express to LRT Balintawak, plus a few more minutes to reach my first stop, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf. I got there before noon.

Looks like the planned expansion is near LRT Balintawak station, too bad I didn't take a picture of the area.

Reaching the mall, I only checked a couple of shops.

I couldn't check Biblio at the moment as the door is closed, though the sign by the door says otherwise. Maybe the storekeeper is out.

I decided to skip SM City Valenzuela (formerly SM Center Valenzuela) for now due to time constraints. I head back to the LRT Balintawak Station and board the train to LRT Tayuman Station.

I did get to see SM City Grand Central up close, from inside the train. It will take a while for it to be completed. Aside from that, I also did get to see the posts for the Skyway Stage 3 going to North Luzon Expressway.

As I thought, there's the possibility of rainfall, just like the weather forecast says. Approaching LRT Blumentritt Station, it started raining outside. Getting off LRT Tayuman Station, however, it becomes a light rainfall.

Reaching my next stop, SM City San Lazaro, I only checked Booksale and bought a small cup of fruit tea from a stall (Bittersweet).

The drink, winter frost, is really good, but it’s a little too sweet and a little too cold that my throat actually suffered right after drinking it. Regardless, I enjoyed it.

It was raining a little when I got outside the mall, but the sun was shining brightly at the same time. Anyway, I decided to ride the jeep to Recto, which is a pretty stupid move (for me) since the traffic situation past Bambang is incredibly heavy. I should’ve ridden the LRT to Doroteo Jose instead.

Reaching Recto, I was surprised to see fewer vehicles on the right lane and no jeep or e-trike passing by (the other lane is full of vehicles and traffic is really heavy on that side), so I'm forced to walk all the way to 999 Mall, much to my dismay. Had the LRT-2 had been extended to the Port Area, this wouldn't have happened.

But what really irks me the most is the slight flooding on the side of the road. The drainage canals are completely clogged, no thanks to the lack of discipline of some people. Also, the stalls right outside 999 Mall and Tutuban Center really need to go, as it is supposed to be a road for vehicles, not an extension of a tiangge (bazaar). There’s a planned elevated market that could probably accommodate the stalls, but it might take a while for that area to experience relief, particularly among motorists and pedestrians.

I managed to reach 999 Mall, but I'm completely tired and pissed off from the extreme traffic situation in Rizal Avenue (Bambang to Recto area) and the inconvenience of getting a ride from there. My hunger also contributed to this extreme case of crankiness. Luckily, the shrimp chorizo fried rice from Habeat totally saved me from this chaos.

I did check a couple of shops: one that sells anime shirts (I couldn't check inside, unfortunately) and another at its neighbor 168 Mall that sells various anime and K-pop merch. Right now, I'm not in the mood for shopping as I’m on a limited budget, but who knows?

Next stop, Lucky Chinatown Mall. I really need to recharge for a while so I immediately head to the cinema level (5th floor) and sat on one of the sofas. I decided to upload the photos to my Instagram account before proceeding to check some of the shops, as well as taking some (obligatory) selfies.

There were a few Chinese-themed murals inside the mall, with the hashtag #GetAnArchitect, perhaps in an effort to promote the architecture profession to the general public.

On my way to SM City Manila, I passed by a second-hand bookshop at the underpass (near Manila City Hall) and checked some of the manga books. I was too shy to ask the shopkeeper yet so maybe I'll try next time.

Next stop, SM City Manila. I only checked a couple of shops there, both of them are book shops.

I then rode the LRT from Central Station to UN Avenue Station. I'm still amazed about the themed station, but I kind of noticed that the red floors are starting to fade on the tile edges.

Getting off the station, I checked Booksale's branch at Times Square, but it's closed at the moment. I immediately head to Rizal Park and I noticed that there were puddles in some patches of grass.

There were also some areas that are completely devoid of grass, but people actually wouldn’t mind about it for as long as they can find a perfect place to set up a plastic mat, sit down, and enjoy the view of the dancing fountains.

There was a procession for Flores De Mayo, which is annually held on this month. I walked on until I reached Quirino Grandstand and then head straight towards the Baywalk (on the left).

Reaching Baywalk, I noticed that there's a desilting operation at the edge of Manila Bay, so it is closed for the time being. I then decided to have a glimpse of the Manila Bay from the nearby overpass.

It will probably take a while before I get to set foot in Baywalk again, probably by October.

And on to my final stop, Robinsons Place Manila. I only checked a few shops and had an early dinner at Karate Kid, a casual Japanese fast food. I had pork teriyaki and red iced tea, which I consumed immediately. I did check a bookshop not far from where I had my early dinner and saw a few manga books placed among the children’s books (a couple of them are yaoi titles), but they’re a little expensive.

I then uploaded more photos to my Instagram account, including selfies. After that, I decided to head home after a frustratingly exhausting day. I'm expecting a light to moderate traffic this time, and sure enough, it is light to moderate, except in the Commonwealth-Manggahan area.

Traffic, inconveniences, rainfall. These are the things that ruined my otherwise fun trip, and I’m obviously not happy about it. Regardless, I somehow managed to find a way to make things fun, but it would be nice if it doesn't involve the three things that can really disrupt my mood throughout the entire trip.

I certainly need compensation for this. How about a trip down south? Same outfit, less inconvenience... but more fun.

All pics are from my private Instagram account, @kcox105. The screenshot of Google Maps featuring Deparo and San Agustin areas (North Caloocan and Quezon City, respectively) is provided by yours truly, Keihancarl.