Otaku Expo 2016 (day 2)
Well, it's now 2016. And here is the first anime convention for this year. Otaku Expo 2016 was held last Jan 23-24 at Sm Megamall megatrade hall. Have a few complaints about this convention, particularly the large ticket price increase and the "free" meet and greet that is not actually free. But still a decent enough convention, since I had a good time with friends there.
Without any further delay, here are the pics.
Arrived at SM megamall in the afternoon.
First cosplayer that I met is Keizee cosplaying as Nyaruko from Haiyore! Nyaruko-san. Seeing the crawling chaos is a great way to start the day. ^^
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Time: approximately 2:30 pm
Location: 5th floor, just outside the megatrade hall
Well, I saw Keizee inside the hall.. and
unlike the report I made last year. This time there is no ticket to show. They just stamp your arm and that's it (will elaborate on this later). For now let's walk around outside. :3
First pic outside the megatrade hall is Feliz, cosplaying as .. hmm.. sorry, can't understand what she wrote in my notebook. Anyone know this character? Will edit this part later once I talk to her.
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Next is a Nico Yazawa cosplay by Patpat. With her is her friend Heartly, cosplaying as Rikka.
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And walking just a little, I see Yume, also cosplaying as Rikka. Chuunibyou is still very much alive in the cosplay community. Saw a lot of them this convention.
Stocking Anarchy cosplay by Miyuki Mami
Time: approximately 3 pm
Location: inside the megatrade hall
Back inside again. Just passing time inside. :3
Angelica cosplaying as Nao Tomori from Charlotte
Shana-chan cosplaying as school girl version of Miku.
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Saw Nyaruko-chan (Keizee) again.
Let's take a look around at some of the things for sale at the convention area.
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Saw Kate near one of the booths. Told me that it's her first time to cosplay. Well, she did a nice start in my opinion.
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Ok, that's enough time inside for now. Explore again outside.
Time: approximately 4 pm
Location: hallway of 5th floor
Saw a friend. Rijin cosplaying as Nyaruko-chan. Hmm, she's not yet wearing the wiggu. Will meet her again later this day. She did a kawaii Chitoge cosplay at
Christmas Toyfair. :3
Next, I encountered another friend. Ichi Goku cosplaying as Rin Hoshizora (awakened cheongsam version) from Love Live.
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And walking a little bit more.. I see Alyza in a maid costume. Asked her if it's Nico from Love Live, but she said it's just a maid costrip. Still cute though.
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Well, just keep walking at the hallway. I meet Rijin again - she now has the Nyaruko wig on. Can't resist smile a little while we were shooting the pics, because the anime of Nyaruko-chan is really funny.
Anyway, Rijin-chan plans to costume a Love Live character next (Kotori or Nico). Hmm, LL is still very popular over here.
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Now waling back to the megatrade hall. I meet two more Love Live cosplayers. These two costumes are the same character and look similar, but they are different version.
Maki Nishikino (Idolized Ninja version) cosplay by Bea, and Mina cosplaying as Maki Nishikino (awakened cheongsam version).
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Time: approximately 4:30 pm
Location: inside the megatrade hall
Meet and greet + entrance fee price increase: back inside the megatrade hall again. Hmm, I've now heard about the "free" meet and greet. However, I think this meet and greet is not really free because it's one of the causes in increasing the entrance fee. Even those who are not interested in the meet and greet are forced to shoulder paying the larger entrance fee cost ( I'm fairly sure that not everyone who went inside lined up like crazy to meet the foreign guests Luffy and Tsubasa). And one more thing, the organizers... did not even print tickets this time, last year they have tickets. Maybe the organizers have watched Spice and Wolf, because they're getting better at cutting down on costs and earning a bigger profit. xD
Well. let's now again take a look at some of the booths inside.
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Maid cosplay by Tiffany. It's kawaii. :3
Patricia cosplaying as Bishamon from Noragami. I wonder if she practiced the poses before going to the convention, because they are done well imo.
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Regine cosplaying as Azuki Azusa from HenNeko. First time to see someone cosplay a character from this anime.
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Hmm, have heard that there's another megatrade hall (freedeom hall) being opened for those who paid ticket. Let's go there for awhile. ^^
Time: approximately 5 pm
Location: inside the freedom hall
Hmm, there's no stalls here. This hall is specifically opened for cosplayers to have photoshoots, and get a little rest for those who are tired.
Taiga cosplay by Robin
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Went out again.
Location: hallway of 5th floor
Saw a cosplay that I did not expect to see. Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka? cosplayers. Shino Kim as Chino and Erie as Cocoa. Oh, and they told me that grandpa bunny became small because he is on a diet.
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Yuki Nagato cosplay by Lurie-chan
Well, let's walk a bit more.
Next, I see another friend. Blessie cosplaying as Miyo from K-On.
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Ibuki from Danganronpa 2. Cosplay by Mai Robles.
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Elaine cosplaying as Honoka from Love Live (unawakened cheongsam version).
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Anj cosplaying as Umi from Love Live (unawakened cheongsam version).
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And just walking a bit more. I see Shing as Nico Yazawa and Hirata Satsuki - well, you already know, both from Love Live. Plenty of nice LL cosplays in this convention. :3
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Lee Anne Mae as Mirai from Kyoukai no Kanata, and her friend Crishane as Izuna from No Game No Life.
Sorry for the slight blur on their kawaii pose on the second pic, my hands are already a bit tired.
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Krystien as Taiga Aisaka from Toradora. She seems angry at something... just kidding. xD
Entered freedom hall once again.
Time: almost 6:30 pm
Location: inside the freedom hall
Met my friend Jin Desalisa (Himeko from Sket Dance and also there is her friend Scarlet (Kurumi Tokisaki from Date A Live)
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John Lester as Yato from Noragami. Just have to take a shot of this.
Patricia (Bishamon cosplayer I met earlier) is also at freedom hall. Asked her if it's ok to take a shot with Yato-san. Well, Bisha is no longer angry at Yato in the anime.
Oh, and met another friend. It's Grace - well, she's just doing a costrip today. But there's a costume that she's making and we would probably see it at the next convention that I meet her. :3
Went outside the freedom hall.
Location: hallway of 5th floor
Unexpectedly met another friend outside. Camille cosplaying as Zatana from DC. Haven't seen her for more than two years. Glad to know that she's still active at conventions.
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Let's take one last look inside the megatrade hall.
Time: almost 7 pm
Location: inside the megatrade hall
Booths are still open.
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Isabelle Seno as Kotori Minami from Love Live (schoolgirl version)
Alpaca stuff toys
I almost bought this Maki Nishikino towel. Was able to control myself at the last moment. Bought some much cheaper posters instead. XD
Pauleen cosplaying as Doma Umaru from Himouto Umaru-chan. She looks so happy with the game.
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Well, and that's it for the megatrade hall. Time to make a last walk outside.
Location: hallway of 5th floor
Cyndy cosplaying as Shino Hiiragi from Owari no Seraph
Rinko Yamato from Ore Monogatari. Cosplay by Shieshie
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Still plenty of cosplayers even at this time. Let's explore a bit more before going home.
Bea as Rize Kamishiro Tricia as Touka Kirishima. Both characters are from Tokyo Ghoul.
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Went back inside the freedom hall. The reason I'm moving around a lot is because there are still some friends that I haven't located. Trying to find them.
Location: freedom hall
An Caymie cosplaying as Mirai Kuriyama. Another cute Mirai cosplay. ^^
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Not here... let's go outside again. xD
Location: hallway of 5th floor
Charise Doblada cosplaying as Nozomi from Love Live (candy version)
Saw some Kill la Kill cosplayers just outside the megatrade. Tabitha as Ryuko (in Junketsu uniform) and Ariz as Satsuki Kiryuin.
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Take a look inside the megatrade.
Location: megatrade hall
Hmm, souvenir shirts and cat wallet. But the people that I'm looking for are not here..
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And out again.
Location: freedom hall
Found one of the persons I'm looking for. Donna-chan cosplaying as Nakiri Alice from... _____ oh my, so tired that I forgot to ask her what anime is this. This part will be edited later. Other cosplayers in the group are.. Yukihira Soma = Kenneth, Estalane Nakiri Erina = Abegail Layosa, Tadokoro Megumi = Clarence Decena Aldini Takumi = Ivan Salvador, Kurokiba Ryo = Marvin Tayong Nakiri.
And woah! Another person that I'm looking for is there. Jochelle cosplaying as Taiga. Well, her Taiga doesn't look angry.
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Well, now said goodbye to my friends. It's really time to go home now.
Time: almost 7:30 pm
Location: hallway of 5th floor
Some last shots while walking to the escalator.
Lolita cosplay by Lanilyn Ishihara. This is the first time I've seen her in person. But her name is familiar to me, because I often see her at Cosplay Market's page.
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And the last pic for this convention is a Shimakaze cosplay by Aire Xie.
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Goodbye Otaku Expo 2016. Thanks, and I hope the ticket price doesn't increase too much on the next year. ",)
Pics from friend:
These pics are from my friend Krisha. Note, these pics were not shot by me. Credits goes ot her photographer. We were not meet at the convention, so she just gave me these.
Shibuya Rin from IdolM@aster Next Generation. Cosplay by Krisha Montano
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Pics taken at home:
No ticket as souvenir. The only things that I got from the convention are these Love Live posters. Well, they're cute and some of the pics used are pics that I haven't seen yet. The fold in the middle have been fixed by placing them under as heavy book. :3
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And here's some extra stuffs. xD
Cosplay Encore 2016
- I did not record this video, sharing it with permission from the owners -
Since I did not have any video from Otaku Expo 2016... I would just want to share this performance by Ivy Musume at Cosplay Encore 2016. This anime convention happened last Feb 13 at Stardome. The video would also be uploaded later at their youtube channel. :3
https://www.facebook.com/ivymusume/v...message_bubble
Their youtube and FB page:
https://www.youtube.com/user/ivymusume
https://www.facebook.com/ivymusume/videos?fref=photo
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Well, that's all. Thank you for reading. A song valentines gift from a friend living far away helped me to finish this. Thank you tomodachi. ",)
Still not decided on what convention to attend next, but I might Cosplay Carnival 2016 on Feb 21.