Tag: Idols

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Anime Idol Convention 2024: Fans Reunited

It’s been four years since the last Anime Idol Convention was held, and this year’s comeback spelled the return of the presence of anime idol fans to the stage.

Several factors came into play for the positive return of AICon this year:

  • First, the cloudy weather matched with the cold temperatures we are facing at the moment (I am grateful it did not rain at all).

  • Second, the new venue at Elements at Eton Centris, which a short distance away from the Quezon Avenue MRT Station.

  • Third, is the overall reception of fans and performers alike, understanding that all of them have been waiting for this moment to come once again.

I have been waiting for the return of AICon too – last time (2020), I had to substitute someone to produce a video feature for the said event. Now that I’m back on solo flight, I am more than happy to be present there.

I landed at the venue at exactly 4pm, two hours before the event closes. Just outside the venue, I see fans adorned in the costumes of their favorite anime idols. Some have already catched up to the current LoveLive! meta like the ones dressed as the characters from Hasunosora.

I only have three things in mind beside my participation as media for AICon 2024:

  1. Meet the organizers at Pygmalia who continues to reach out to keepsakes. to cover this event despite my deeper inclination to VTubers (they are the same minds behind the ONLive Convention which also received positive reception as one of the rare VTuber-focused events worldwide next to Thailand’s V-FESTA and the pioneering OffKai Expo).

  2. Make sure to capture photos of a COMPLETE ChamJam (OshiBudo) cosplay group because I do not want to miss this RARE opportunity of seeing a complete cosgroup from one of my Winter 2020 sleeper hit favorites.

  3. Support NIKO LAB, who I treat as a successor to numerous anime idol cover groups such as Aquarius and the Alliance of Limitless Idols Connecting Everyone, aka AliPro (or as I call it, Alyansa).

I did mention earlier that I came in late, but I was just in time to complete this checklist. I have several short videos in mind, which I plan to release soon.

Moving back, I met once again the people I know from the anime idol fandom, such as this rice knight whom I will hide under the name Robin Emblem. He looked like the same rice knight I knew from years ago.

I also went ahead and met the titas of Seishun Kakumei who always looked like the titas I knew from way back then.

I made sure that I get to capture cosplay photos of anime idols as much as possible, including what was left of the A-RISE group (LoveLive!) and THE iDOLM@STER SIDE M delegation.

Despite such nostalgia, other matters were also present at AICon 2024, such as the presence of Yume Shou dressed as characters from fan-favorite idol drama anime Oshi no Ko, as well as the impending closure of the LoveLive! School idol festival game with a three-month send-off for the global audience.

With all the factors mentioned, I made my AICon 2024 experience a memorable keepsake which i will carry in speech and prose. Thank you everyone for making another milestone in local fan history.

More photos from AICon 2024 on Facebook, check the album and see if I got you captured.

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Graduating from MNL48

I left this piece as a draft for so long as I try to compose myself. Now, dear reader, be ready.

December 22, 2019: While I was enjoying my stay at the 2nd OtaCute Cosplay Festival in Manila earlier, I saw Tanchikon at one corner.

Well, I did follow a part of Tanchikon’s journey in becoming the magical detective idol that she is nowadays. I’m still keeping in touch with her during events as she gets back to Seishun Kakumei’s fold.

She then told me that MNL48 Faith has decided to graduate from the group. Just this afternoon, Faith has announced this during the MNL48 Christmas Mini Concert at Movie Stars Cafe in Quezon City, shares Kioku.48.

At first, I was not surprised, given the journey of an idol especially in the 48G system starts with auditions and ends in graduations.

It took me a while to sink that in. Wait a moment, just wait a bloody moment.

I got introduced to Faith as she is the daughter of Engineer James Santiago, who was then at that time helping the Department of Information and Communications Technology for the agency’s Digital TV Summit where I also assisted in two functions (long story).

There are no words to express how supportive her father is. So supportive.

The time of Bottom 7 proved critical to me. I had an inch of an idea that the Bottom 7 with Faith, Jan and Kay and Thea included was just done to raise our eyebrows.

That in mind, I decided to take it upon my hands to rally for my oshi, as described in my post in August 2018:

https://www.facebook.com/keepsakesbyjay/posts/780340735509408

Bottom 7 succeeds despite the adversity, finally, I was able to shake hands with Faith. She never forgets her fans.

Come to think of it, I have not been able to pull myself off to other MNL48 events aside from the handshakes and mall tours due to other commitments.

I wish I could continue meeting her… maybe for one last time?

January 26, 2020: That didn’t happen though – it somehow did, but I was merely outside of the cafe, along with others who failed to make it inside.

No, I won’t get in detail about my reasons, as well as the financial divide that separates me from getting the full idol experience.

I am well aware that once I put a few words here, those who love MNL48 so much will clap back at me saying, “You’re really not a fan, are you?”

I… have to be honest, MNL48 was not something I can spend more cash on. Sure, I get to see the group at mall tours, but idols independent or not are going through major changes.

If I talk about how MNL48 is managed, I’ll just add to the noise that is already getting louder and louder on Twitter – so loud, it becomes alienating.

It was a confident decision to not pursue talking about MNL48 as soon as my kamioshi graduates, but it was not a hard decision either.

We still have Gabb (especially Gabb), Alice, Thea, Kay, Brei, Abby, Yzabel, Sela (especially Sela as well), the twins Shaina & Shaira, Dian and others; but I felt that MNL48 needs a new set of fans to propagate them. I really felt that.

Wait, it should be that this piece is about MNL48 Faith, but I went on to talk about the group as a whole? tl;dr – I’m graduating as well from the MNL48 fandom following my kamioshi, and let the newer fans do their thing.

I thank Faith as well as the fans for bringing me closer to MNL48 – it was fun ’til it lasted. On that note, ’till we meet again.

Let me dedicate a space to share the links to the podcast episodes where I talked about MNL48:

VOTEMNL48 Series

Other Episodes

Capping off this post, I’ll include the feature about Faith’s graduation concert here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XI5Li0REHk

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Philippines' Epic 2019 Aidoru Recap

The audience at Aidol Fiesta 2019, a landmark event for local idols and the aidoru community held at The Roxy Events Place in Quezon City last May 5.
The audience at Aidol Fiesta 2019, a landmark event for local idols and the aidoru community held at The Roxy Events Place in Quezon City last May 5. Photo: Do it for the Aidols

What a roller-coaster 2019 was for the aidoru community.

We have seen a lot of twists and turns, and as with the underground idol community in Japan, there was quite a lot of graduations too.

One critical moment was the MNL48 Second Generation Election held this last Summer, much to the frustration of the MNLoves as well as the members themselves. I even covered this on a separate podcast episode.

Aidoru Timeline (as of December 25, 2019)

For now, let us look back at what the Philippines’ aidoru community went through this year in the timeline we curated below.

Out of so many groups, we arbitrarily selected a few groups/units for the initial release: Aidoru Sozai, ALICE Project, CH4U, Color Up Project, LaLa Parade, Pastel∞Mix, Seishun Kakumei, and Wonderland Hiraya.

Please note that the information is based on their posts online as well as inputs from some of the groups’ respective members.

I really thought 2019 will be the year for the local aidoru community to thrive further, but all I see are setbacks. Major groups saw a lot of setbacks this 2019, with a lot of the pioneers graduating from their roles. In Japan’s underground idol scene, graduations are quite a norm.

The timeline is still open to revisions, as we still have other groups that are not in this initial release. We encourage everyone to share their biggest idol moments in the comments section below.

In addition, a separate timeline which will include MNL48, PPop Generation: Boom Ganda, and JAPH DOLLS is being planned, and we would love to have your feedback and assistance in making this timeline so we can update this page. Let’s make this happen.