I started writing this at 10pm on the date mentioned, and I hope to write a lot of good stories from this Desk Diary before (a) doze off or (b) I forget stuff.
I have no regrets taking more time off the NewsDrop desk (or anything, really, at least for a single day) to meet friends at Cosplay Mania 2024. For once, I asked myself to stop being bothered by the stuff happening on my news feed, meet familiar and new faces, and touch grass. I had several goals in mind:
- Produce a highlight video using the classic Move Closer to Your World news theme package in a last-ditch effort to prove to myself that I still got the knack to edit videos (note to self: I still have pending backlogs from June)
- Take photos of rare cosplays (90% accomplished, not bad)
- Have fun for once (I always go to these events with objectives related to what I do in the media)
This is not meant to be an event review, so I’ll leave the rest of the nitpicking about the event into their feedback form. Andito ako para magsaya, baka matuluyan na yung burnout ko.
I secured a Gold ticket through a good friend, and we meet in good spirits. I also got to introduce him to fellows with similar interests along the way. The rest of the day was me chasing in circles as I move from place to place checking the rarest cosplay I can capture with my phone.
Yung mga tropa kong photographer, nag-adjust na sa katotohanang walang photo area sa CosMania ’24 – ‘pero ‘yung iba naka-carts na, and may nakita pa ako na na-inspire sa iconic na walking light ni big man Erving Go (lodi).
If there are two rare cosplays I’d like to find, it’s Ai Natsumi’s cosplay of VSPO! EN’s Arya Kuroha and Coffeine’s cosplay of NEXAS’ Momoko Nuihara. I did miss a unique duo cosplay of ChroNoiR, but I’m sure they had fun. Also, we got a RARE Rin Penrose cosplay! John VTuber is real!
My good friend Hoshiin finally did the BIBBIDIBA Suisei (complete with the shoe). I also saw a rare Eureka Seven cosplay too! ⬅️
I was also having fun with the straightest male naokomama and friends. This illustrator and the gang kind of gets me when I go nuts, so I feel I’m in a great company.
hololive Indonesia’s Anya Melfissa and Vestia Zeta were scheduled to have a live presentation that afternoon, at yung mga tropa ko sa side ng hololive Fans, they’re winning. Consider this: In a trivia game segment, they were able to force Zeta to meow twice. Fantastic.
Back to the cosplayers, I really look forward to capture rare cosplays, na kapag di ko nagawa nanghihina ako. Ganun. Thankfully I get to mark off my checklist before I get back to getting more recorded footage.
As for stage events, I only went to a few: at the EX Hall, I was listening to ASHA‘s second major solo performance. She really went a long way, and I made the right decision to support her. Kahit tameme na at pagod, I was able to leave positive feedback to her after her performance.
As for Marienyan, she also wants to perform at Cosplay Mania, and I’m happy to know her wish is granted. One more Suinigang, please!
…and now we focus on BRADIO. I’ve heard their hit single Flyers from Death Parade, on top of other songs from their powerful POWER OF LIFE album. In fact, my music history with BRADIO involves most of the songs from that album. I was waiting for them to play Hit Parade, but their set list is so groovy, I wanna do a ballroom dance (I don’t have a partner to dance with).
The last time I had this satisfied feeling was when fhána performed here in 2018, at the height of their success with Maidragon.
It’s been a long time coming – around 9 years – to see BRADIO in person and jam at their hour-long concert set. Sobrang saya. Thank you for coming.