OtaCute’s Japanight Cosplay and Anime Club returns with its latest installment, East Meets West, happening this Saturday, July 8 at Brooklyn Warehouse in Recto, Manila. Here are the events happening there:
Last year’s DJ Lineup—DJ Bori, Zeroblade and NicDroid—returns with this year’s guest DJs Sigrid, Kaori Ramos and Siglus.
Hibana also returns to the fray, performing Wotagei for the club’s audience. Wiljanz, a two-time representative for the Philippines at the Cyalume Dance World Battle, leads the group.
Guests from Japan include Pinoy Big Brother Otso Housemate and influencer Fumiya, and debuting anikura DJ Misuru.
Also: The awards night for OtaCutE Events Dao x Cosplay Token (COT)’s SEXY KYARA Cosplay Contest.
Reach out to OtaCute DAO on Facebook to reserve your tickets. Walk-ins are now allowed to register, so you can get your tickets on site.
Long time no see, keepsakes.! I am so immersed in VTubers that I gave this space the least priority. It’s not too late to write here, so I have a story to share with everyone. Earlier today, I was at OtaCute to witness the Launch Party of its Event DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization).
I am still somehow confused as to what a DAO means even after reading this Investopedia article and how it applies to OtaCute’s current format, but I did realize that the whole process of organizing the launch party was left to those who want to participate in it.
Nevertheless, all I had in mind is this: At last, I can use the Cosplay Token that I have in my crypto wallet. Cosplay Token was developed by CureCos initially to support the cosplay economy—which according to Cure is valued at 45 billion US dollars.
When Cosplay Token was revealed in 2018, I was not OK with cryptocurrency. Especially at that time, rug pulls were the big news, giving me the impression that cryptocurrency is used as a scam. That bitter aftertaste is still present today, especially with how volatile major cryptocurrencies are—not to mention, the then well-endorsed FTX exchange was gone in an instant.
Despite this, major fintech services such as Maya and GCash are opening the doors for the common folk to use spare change to play with volatile cryptocurrencies. CONQuest Festival last year distributed its limited-edition NFT to those interested at no cost. Philippine TOYCON last year has partnered with a token service for a utility token.
It’s better for me to say that I am slowly opening up to these technologies rather than continue dissing them when I have such items. To me, as long as it’s at little to no cost, and it respects original content (unlike NFTs which can be created using AI art, together a bad combination), I can be fine with it. That’s my current personal opinion on NFTs.
But we are not talking about NFTs here—let’s go back to Cosplay Token. I had the chance to use 600 COTs as payment for goods. I got this by signing up in the event as a visitor (400 COT) and previously through a lottery at OtaCute’s booth during Japan Fiesta two months ago (200 COT).
This one’s important: Currently, OtaCute’s COT is in the ByBit exchange, and ByBit shoulders gas fees for COT transactions. This means that if I were a ByBit user, I don’t have to pay additional transaction fees (or gas in Etherum terms, in the form of MATIC).
That’s where my problem lies: I don’t have MATIC at first. Sure, I can swap some of my COT using MATIC, but I don’t have MATIC at hand to swap coins. This is a Catch-22 problem that I only faced because I am not using a ByBit wallet. I asked a staff member if I could purchase Php50 worth of MATIC just for things to push through. And so, it did. Remember this part so you don’t face the same problem as mine. It’s a Metamask thing, because the minimum deposit amount from your bank to Metamask is around Php1,700.
So, how did I spend these coins? Over the course of almost 4 hours, I bought two A4 cosplay prints, a bundle of two 4R prints, two hotdog-on-sticks, a 4-piece sushi set, and iced tea. All’s good. I enjoyed the rest of the event especially the music-by-request segment. It felt more like an intimate party rather than a formal launch, which is good because the purpose of these events is to hang out with your fellow fans.
My current impression is that OtaCute is keen on developing the use of COT in the country. I had a chance to sit down with one of OtaCute’s founders, Yu Ohara, and exchange thoughts. I asked Yu-san which country aside from the Philippines has an example of using COT, and he told me about Vietnam. I have yet to ask about this in the future, but do let me know what’s it like there.
I talked to a cosplayer who sells prints about their experience. She told me that it’s as if they’re doing cashless transaction a la GCash. That’s good, because they don’t have to prepare change. Well, as for me, I have to think of those gas fees (thankfully you can at least have 0.1 MATIC and proceed with your transactions).
Thank you for reaching this far. I’m sure this was an unusual experience, but I will continue to monitor Cosplay Token’s use in the Philippines. More stories from this event will be posted on Tiktok, and Cosplay photos are already posted on Facebook.
We have been covering events at OtaCute in Manila for so long, so we’ve seen how this small venue grew up to become a hotspot for anime culture. In this month’s Otasuke Cosplay Festival, we have not just one but two venues which will cater to everything anime and cosplay.
Aside from the LA Village venue which saw a lot of performances, OtaCute is set to debut its Wallstreet venue, opening the door for a wider experience. This new venue, which has been teased for so long, sports a long catwalk with lots of screens, giving a better viewing experience.
With this in mind, let’s get to know the highlights of this upcoming event.
Otasuke Cosplay Festival Stage Activities this July
OtasukeFes has already prepared a list of activities for everyone, which include:
Cosplay Competitions
Cosplay Performances
Fighting Performance
Dance Performance
Cosplay Runway
Idol Performances
Kimono Fashion Show
Karaoke Competition
Meet and Greet
DJ Performances at Japanight Dance Party
Artist Alley
Exhibitors’ Area
Meet the Guests
The two-day event will be graced by special guests Myrtle Sarrosa, James De Los Santos and Junna Tsukii of the award-winning Philippines National Karate Team, the polar duo of Ash and Faith, Kimono PH, LOLBABES & LOLBOYS Dancers, idol groups Urodia and Nekonnect, Hibana Wotagei, DMC 2021 Philippines finalist and turntablist Heneral Timmeh, DJ Bori, DJ Zeroblade, Nicdroid, and the Otasuke! Ambassadors.
How to Enter Otasuke Cosplay Festival July 2022?
There are limited ticket slots for this month’s OtasukeFes, divided into tiers:
2-Day Pass (Php 399)
LA Village VIP (Php 499) – 2-day pass with access to the VIP Lounge, dressing room and baggage counter at LA Village (recommended for cosplayers)
Wallstreet VIP (Php 999) – 2-day pass with access to the VIP Lounge, dressing room and baggage counter at Wallstreet plus one drink for Anikura (for 18+ up only)
Wallstreet VIP+ (Php 1,399) – VIP tier with access to special cosplayer guest meet-and-greet (for 18+ up only)
Anikura (Php 249) – access to the Japanight Dance Party on July 30 only (8pm to midnight, for 18+ up only)
Every ticket purchase also gives you the chance to win a Nintendo Switch.
SEE YOU at Otasuke Cosplay Festival on July 30-31, 2022 at YOU.Suites, 2119 Claro M. Recto Ave., Manila (landmark: Laperal Apartments at University Belt). keepsakes. is a media partner for this event.
Take a look at past coverage from Otasuke and OtaCute below:
We are witnessing the return of physical events – and as we speak, two venues are taking charge of bringing back the glorious days of cosplay conventions. One of which is the OtaCute, who will hold its Otasuke Cosplay Festival on the weekend of April 23-24, 2022.
The two-day event will have Karaoke and Cosplay competitions, as well as performances from guests and Otasuke ambassadors. The Maid Cafe also returns after a successful run last month.
One of the things I physically miss in the cosplay community so much is the Cosplay Runway. At this event, Otasuke ambassadors—most of them are known in the community even before the pandemic—will strut their way on stage. I’m sure our shutter-happy selves will have a field day taking photos.
Tickets for the event are available on site (Php199 per day / Php349 for 2-day pass) or at Ticket2Me.net (additional charge applies): https://ticket2me.net/e/34799/tickets
A look back at OtaCute and the Otasuke app
AiDreamin!’s first performance as their own characters at the 2022 Otasuke Anisong Festival last March 20.
This month’s Otasuke Cosplay Festival will still be held at the grounds of Laperal YOU.Suites strategically located around the University Belt in Recto Avenue, Manila. We started featuring events from OtaCute since the restrictions on crowds loosened up last year.
Otasuke Anisong Festival 2022 performers DNE and Bella6ix.
OtaCute holds events in the said location on a mostly monthly basis. Last March, Otacute held its Otasuke Anisong Festival there:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0Q6ow3ujp0
Just recently, OtaCute got a Series A investment from Next Chymia Consulting HK through a third-party allocation of shares. At the same time, OtaCute formed a business partnership with Cure’s Cosplay Token, which hints at Otasuke community app’s use of Cure’s COT in the future.
What we’re going to do at the Otasuke Cosplay Festival
We will definitely have fun roaming around and taking photos (and videos of cosplayers! Watch out for that mic as I’ll be reaching out to participants. Afterwards, you’ll see our snapshots on Facebook and our video series on YouTube. See you there!
keepsakes. is a media partner for the 2022 Otasuke Cosplay Festival powered by OtaCute.
The year 2019, last of its decade, was a fruitful year for keepsakes.
We’ve done quite a lot of projects, visited a lot of events, and made new friends along the way. These are so many that by December I wished I could take a break (I did).
To finally close the book on 2019 and start 2020, I am listing down what we have done so far. Those who have listened to Episode 61 got first dibs on this as I posted the episode last month.
Just a note: This post contains a LOT of videos, so bear with me if your browser starts to become slowwww.
January
There are not that many events this month, but my highlights of this month are my first visit to the PPOP Generation: Boom Ganda! launch at Teatrino Greenhills, the first Anime Idol Convention at the Unilab Bayanihan Center and my first trip to Baguio at Kospurei Bunkasai, where I spent half of the day resting in one of the benches.
February
After being invited by Christian Mack to Baguio last month, I got invited to visit the Hypnosis Underground event at One Corporate Center, a few kilometers away from Otaku Expo 2019 at SM Megamall.
If my memory serves me right, this is where I first met Ai Natsumi in a different role as part of the event’s team.
I also made my first visit to the Big Bad Wolf Book Fair to buy some books which I plan to read in my spare time (I’m not yet finished).
The main highlight of this month was my second visit to Cebu for Otakufest 2019 at SM Seaside City Cebu, which gave me a dose of how active Cebu’s otaku community is.
March
Nothing that much happened this month except my visit to Cosplay Matsuri 2019 and rushed visits to both the National Swap Meet and the Ateneo de Manila’s Natsu Matsuri on the same night. That said, I’m no longer sure if my body’s still ok to visit another Natsu Matsuri.
April – May
April is Ozine Fest month. This month also led me to recognize CH4U’s Uriko as a fish lord who persuades fans to watch their reboot concert.
May is another busy month, starting with the first taiban event (or maybe live house idol event for a better term), Aidol Fiesta.
Imagine having the venue’s aircon bust out due to how many people are inside, which makes me wonder if this is the same case in Japan.
Following that is the Pinoy Otaku Festival, NCPH’s way of making me go to faraway places such as the far, far, Fairview, Quezon City. I had a great time moderating another successful panel on idols albeit having some technical difficulties.
June – August
June is TOYCON month, which will see another milestone in the local aidoru community. I had to take a break afterward.
Two months after, I had another trip to Baguio for Cosplay Tanabata 7, which was, unfortunately, their last. They did go all-out for this one, and I left Baguio bittersweet.
The week after, I went to Misaki Con at Lucky Chinatown after a long time not going in.
September
This year’s Otaku Musika Festival saw the LaLa Parade, Wonderland Hiraya A.L.I.C.E. Project (ALIPRO) among others.
This was at a time where the major groups were on a break, so it was an open opportunity for the other groups to take the stage.
I learned to have a checklist for events so I can keep myself busy and fulfilled at the same time. Doing this at Cosplay Mania 2019 satisfied my experience there.
Aftermath: My Cosplay Mania 2019 loot.
October
It is quite often that events pile up on the same weekend. On a single weekend, I was at Cosmic Con moderating a panel with international cosplayer guest Hanabi, at Kontrabida Ball checking out what made it a unique cosplayer’s party, and at Cafeterium Chaldeas playing games with the servants as their master.
I was also at ESGS to roam around and meet friends because why not:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4H0uUeBBmT/
November
I am happy to be part of the media covering Coslandia 2019, the first Japan Fiesta 2019 and the Melody Road 2019 Anime Feature.
I am sad to learn that the iBlog Summit we bloggers frequent to every year has to end in a half-day session to recap what has happened to the definition of blogging and how it took us to places.
After going to iBlog, I caught up on the Bunny Girl Senpai movie’s fan screening, and it was so awesome.
I went back to Cebu for ARCHcon 2019, and if I were to be asked, I am happy to live in Mandaue City for the rest of my life. Thanks ARCHcon for having me!
Another defining moment in this year (and perhaps in this decade) is the YouTuber boom – at Blogapalooza’s Blogafest 2019, I saw a LOT of people popping their cameras up to document stuff.
I felt really old enough to see a new generation of content creators – and yes, “content creators” are the new “bloggers” for me.
December
December was wild – I got almost broke in the first half of the month if not for my two coin banks in the office. Moving on, I was able to witness an actual SEA Games event and go mingle with the community and media at Movie Stars Cafe for the Naruto Slufgest launch party.
In the second half, I got to witness the 2nd OtaCute Cosplay Festival with CH4U and ALIPRO helming the stage.
I was also able to go to the last three conventions in the Metro for the year, Ozine Fest Winter Festival, Cosplay Matsuri, and the TOYCON held every December at the Megatrade Halls.
“Live at Dungeon Akiba”
After Dungeon Akiba opened in Mandaluyong this year, I paid a visit last May and made it my content house for 2019. Some of the outputs of this are part of the podcast as well as several Facebook Lives.
keepsakes 2.0 / 2.1
keepsakes 2.0 (September 2019) and 2.1 (December 2019)
Another milestone is my hosting move. I remember again the time I spent to port every post possible to the new platform, spending around two to four hours each night before the site goes up on September 20.
Another theme change was applied in early December, in time for 2020.
Overall, the year 2019 has been awesome – already looking forward to what this year will bring to us!
Thank You to the people I met and will always meet from Manila, Cebu and Baguio – most especially Gary from Cebu, Jhazzie and Protektor from Baguio, Sere from The Lily Cat, and all of you who have made my 2019 great.
Special Thanks to our Partner Brands
Cubizone / Cubinet Interactive (Mr. Oliver Viray and Ms. Fatima McGinn)
Aniplus Asia (Ms. Rosanne Lo)
Dungeon Akiba (Emerson and Ferrari Lacson)
AICon Team (Shem Yu)
Otakufest 2019 Team (Ms. Sonia Vidal)
Pinoy Otaku Festival (David d’Angelo of NCPH)
Curteanah Cosplay Events Baguio (Ciel Santos and Lora Lopez et al)
