Pinoy Otaku Festival is a small convention at Robinsons Novaliches. I do mean small, the entire venue is an open space hall at the corner of the mall's latest building. One can fit this space into any Megatrade Hall. Being a con of its size, the entrance fee is cheap but it makes up for it by being three days long. I opted to go on the first day, a Friday, being a day that I don't expect much to happen and mom insisted based on the idea that less people would be at a mall on a Friday compared to Saturday or Sunday.
Whatever, off I go, a bit later than I'd usually go if it were on a bigger place. Somehow the place was still going quiet at noon. Some of the booths contain some interesting stuff: an actual art dealer, complete with sculptures; a couple of motel promoters; the Quezon City climate change commission to note a few. There are still vendors of figures, shirts, artists selling wares and professional cosplayers showing off their wears. Still, there wasn't much going. I did find a streamer, er, friend who had said on stream was going to work there, the second meet after that one free admission Otaku event at Trinoma.
Not wanting to come out of the place empty-handed, I find a couple of the artists taking small portrait commissions. I opted to be a bit frugal and commissioned only one of my characters. I show the reference and because it's my detachable guy I got asked if I'm aware she'll only draw his face. Still, the people were interested enough to ask me more about him, which I did. Well, that's the commission settled, but with nothing else going for me, I started a bit of a walk across two more malls.
You see, after SM Fairview, Robinsons put up its own mall just across the highway. It started out as a supermarket that later had a mall added beside it. Much later Ayala decided to add to the mix with Fairview Terraces. They are placed close enough that you can visit all three of them in one day, if you're willing to walk up and down stairs and cross a road.
With not much to do there as I wait for my family to drop by after a house viewing, I walk to Fairview Terraces. Only planning to check the stores I usually visit for something to buy, I notice an interesting amount of children climbing up and down a series of escalators. I check it and floor by floor upward leads to more people, until I reach the top floor where the cinema and the majority of the people are. A walk into the cinema shows nothing short of chaos. Kids and their parents crowd the place, security try to keep the people from rushing into the theater. Somehow that place has more people in there than the convention I departed. Based on some observations the whole thing was likely a stage event by Commonwealth Elementary School, possibly a school play.
This whole ordeal lead me to rush to National Bookstore to buy me a pen and a notepad, stuff I should always have on my person anyway.
What else is there... there was an interactive dinosaur-themed activity at that mall's event place. One had to buy tickets to get in just like POF, though.
I head then to SM Fairview. Nothing much to say, other than I caught sight of some cosplayers in costume on my way back to the con. There's something funny about casually going to a mall and just seeing these guys in silly garb walk around, now imagine just walking across a footbridge and seeing these guys.
Anyway, I return to the con and claim my commission, nicely waiting on the display rack. Then I wait for my family. There's an interview with a couple of professional cosplayers, though I didn't give much attention, I decided to try to ask when the host opened the front.
Before my question, someone asked how they separate personal life and cosplay life. One answered that she separates the two worlds, the other gal schedules her stuff. Now it's my turn, I ask how much preparation is done per costume. The former says it takes about two weeks to two months, giving leeway for some online orders, as for the latter she puts it at two weeks to a month, as there's also a preference for quality costumes and the competitive nature of cosplay to consider.
I waste my time at the media booth, between the art dealer and the climate change board. I also checked a booth by the Japan Foundation and took some nice leaflets and stickers, hopefully I can get myself to take learning Japanese more seriously with these.
Eventually I meet with my mom and the rest of the family, closing the day with a nice meal and a visit to the hardware store. With a change in financial plans I don't know how often I can go to conventions, but rest assured I'll be ready.
