Short-Thoughts

I attended maimai Sync Showdown at Timezone Trinoma last Saturday, September 26. Sync Showdown (organized by maimai Philippines with Meow Meow Gaming Hub and Pepsi) filled the arcade with players and fans alike, turning it into another milestone for the history books. While I’m there to support the bet of MPS (you can now refer to it as Paradoxxx Extended) for the Expert Division, I’m also there to see the best of the best pairs in Philippines’ maimai DX scene. ...

I was at the Bushiroad Expo 2026 in Manila last weekend. This time, the Expo was held at the concourse of One Ayala, another mall that’s directly connected to the train station (they sure love trains). This has got to be the most accessible Bushiroad Expo yet, even though the location was quite small compared to past 2 editions. Still, I spent my time there enjoying the content they offer, such as the Make Your Own Card area, the play test for the upcoming BanG Dream! Our Notes (launching September 24 btw) ...

This video in its entirety made me believe that I am lucky to live in a time when me and Kaleidxscopix both exist. I got introduced to maimai in early 2025 and is still playing up to this day.

The planets aligned and agreed to have 2 VTuber events at the same weekend. Here’s what I’m going to do on the weekend of August 15-16: ONLive happens Saturday, which means I will host another panel discussion for VTuber NewsDrop. (The schedule’s at 12 noon so consider this a power lunch.) The presentation is still being worked upon in coordination with the organizers. Oshi Con is also happening but for 2 days, August 15 and 16. ...

I definitely miss watching elements at play — the wrestlers bringing in the action, and the fans (especially the heckler’s row) who believe in the vision of Pinoy Wrestling, so much that they spent time and cash to be there, surrounding the wrestling square. If there’s a good advantage that the venue has, they have projectors from atop and on one side that add spice to the whole aura of the show. It was colorful, to say the least. ...

I was looking for a 12 chart to clear in maimai (in my journey to reach 13,000 DX points) and I stumbled upon this track from sasakure.UK (or TJ.hangneil), and it’s clear to me that I can sample this track, transforming it into a theme song for primetime news. ...

I had a brief conversation at the sidelines of TOYCON’s Summer Prelude at Okada Sunday, April 12. I wasn’t supposed to go because of that one theft incident involving a guest Japanese ensemble Super Macaroni Salad, but I’m glad I did nonetheless. (Photos on Facebook) Some of you know I staff for TOYCON most of the time, including the one insider I spoke to who told me what the event did after SMS member Tenten’s iPhone was stolen during their performance (It was not clear to me how exactly it got stolen, and I didn’t ask further). ...

It’s been a long time since I listened to some good anime music. No, I’m not talking about the opening and ending themes of any anime, I’m talking about the original soundtracks in it. I miss the times when I still get my dose of anime soundtracks from not-so-legal sources, only to end up listening to it on streaming services like YouTube Music or Spotify. For example, this track from the Clockwork Planet OST called chronograph, or a track from SONIANI called Sunnyday Working, or the 1st volume of the Vividred Operation Soundtrack in general. ...

I’ve had fun watching KING OF PERFORMAI the 7th tournament, especially with maimai DX and CHUNITHM. Yours truly hosted the MAXBEAT Philippines Watch Party at MX Gaming Grounds at the heart of Manila’s University Belt Sunday, March 1. I was joined by fellow rhythm game players and Team MX colleagues Kurohime and Tenshi, and I had fun asking them about their experiences playing maimai and CHUNITHM respectively, their reactions to songs the players will compete against, and the new song charts that they will sightread. ...

I drafted this piece this after I played maimai DX PRISM+ for the last time… only to finish this after CiRCLE hits our arcades. Anything marked 🆕 is an addition to this piece written after February 1. I’ve already seen fellow players complain to Quantum about the price increase for a single game credit. Here’s what I was thinking as I try my best to understand and sympathize with the rest of the player base: ...