Cosplay Battles, Anime Giveaways, and Myrtle cap off Otasuke Cosplay Festival Weekend
By Karen Mae de Vera
It was a Plus Ultra kind of weekend at the Otasuke Cosplay Festival where there is never a dull moment with two stages having something going on simultaneously. The event really promoted the best of what Japanese culture has to offer with a celebration of both traditional (kimonos and martial arts) and the contemporary (idol groups and cosplay). Read on to find out what went down during the last weekend of July.
Kakaiba ang setup ng Otasuke compared to the usual convention floors since it’s located at a cozy mall that is serving Tokyo realness. May mga kainan and artist booths on different floors so you can have fun exploring without feeling bored in one place. Nakakatuwa kasi you can just look down from the upper floors to catch the program kaya mas spaced out ang crowd. Also shown here is the VIP area with its own set of activities.
Kung sanay ka na makipagsapalaran sa convention, then you should know that the struggle is real when it comes to sitting down kaya gulong na lang sa sahig. Kaya sobrang plus points that everywhere you look at Otasuke’s event area, there’s an available chair. (Dito tayo sa sitting pretty aesthetic!)
On the topic of usapang aesthetic, TrueID brought a treasure trove of exclusive anime merchandise for a special My Hero Academia giveaway, which included keyrings, phone cases, and collectible figures.
Maganda rin ang lighting sa booth kaya aside from trying their luck to score some swag, maraming nagpa-picture rin sa booth. May mga familiar faces such as content creators and influencers na bumisita rin just to hang out tulad nina Erica Almonte, Echaaaannnn, Michuudesu, Wanchotaku, Yenniferism, Prof Toff, Eari, and Rappl!
Also spotted were Otasuke’s main hosts Yuki Horikoshi and Israel Buenaobra na ’di nauubusan ng energy throughout the day and kept everyone LOL-ing. You can also catch Yuki’s comedy on The Gagfather and the Gagsters sa TrueID.
At dahil TrueID gives off strong main character energy (bida-bida?! Loljk!), the digital lifestyle platform had a special participation in the program, geeking out about the line-up of legit anime that can be streamed for free. Merong Jujutsu Kaisen, My Stepmom’s Daughter is My Ex, Pokémon, Demon Slayer, and of course, My Hero Academia (Seasons 1-5 plus the OVA are available on the platform). Meron ring live channel (Lit TV), original shows, articles, and a Game Center. Afterwards, may mga pinagpala sa giveaway at maraming dumayo (lakbay ang peg?) sa booth to get their chance at some sweet MHA stuff.
Maraming pakulo on both days kung saan nalibang ang mga attendees sa mga pa-mini games that wouldn’t look out of place at a kiddie party or family reunion (tapos may karaoke pa kaya relatable content kahit na Japanese culture festival). Siyempre, nagpaka extra rin ang mga participants as they embraced the cringe and sang and danced onstage while their respective barkadas were cheering them on and recording for both posterity and potential blackmail.
Next-level ang hiyawan para sa mga singing segments, which included a fierce karaoke competition (featuring classic anime theme songs na lakas maka-throwback) and some amazing idol group mini concerts (featuring Polar and Nekonnect). Pati na rin ang cosplay contest, ’di nagpahuli sa kantahan at biritan. And the crowd went wild as in ’di mo na maririnig ang sarili mo sa sobrang lakas ng fan cheers kaya ma-feel mo talaga ang passion nila for their lodis. May matching sigaw ng lyrics at dancing pa!
Speaking of synchronized fandom dancing, HIBANA shows us how it’s really done with a lit Wotagei routine. ICYDK, this type of dance is performed by Wota or fans of Japanese idol groups and consists of jumping, dancing, and chanting while waving around handheld lights. Sabagay, kung magwawala ka naman talaga habang nanonood ng boyband or girl group concert, eh di todo na dapat ang performance level.
Kung galawang Hokage ang mas trip mo at mahilig ka mag-ninja run, you’ll dig the Naruto dance of the Lolbabes and Lolboys (Lunch Out Loud).
Pero sa mga con-goers na naghahanap ng laban (galit yarn?!), as in an action-packed cosplay display, we’re sure that they got a “kick” (get it?) out of the Karate Philippines National Team’s adrenaline-pumping segment. Junna Tsukii and James Delos Santos suited up as video game characters Ling Xiaoyu and Jin Kazama from Tekken respectively and recreated the King of Iron Fist Tournament on the convention floor. For the win!
And of course, ang pinaka highlight ng Otasuke Cosplay Festival, top-tier talents such as Pomponmy, Hirari, and celebrity cosplayer Myrtle Sarrosa, who flexed the true meaning of #cosplaypremium by their mere presence alone.
Sila rin ang mga judges for the Sexy Cosplay Competition where contestants were girl-bossing it down the runway, feeling their fantasy, and living their best lives.
And after all the festivities, tuloy pa rin ang ligaya sa all-out afterparty with con-goers dressed in casual, traditional, and cosplay ’fits who were tearing up the dance floor. A great way to close the month!
Watch our recap below!
Feeling #FOMO from all the fun? Check out more Otasuke Cosplay Festival pictures, insider convention kwento, and other otaku goodness by downloading the TrueID app, clicking on the Connect button, and joining the My Hero Academia community.