Convention Recap | NexCon 2014
3:05 AM
Most of
you know me as an anime fan and a cosplayer who attends a lot of anime
and cosplay conventions. But I do not
limit myself to just anime and manga. In fact, I have a very soft spot for the
Western fandom, especially science fiction, fantasy, and superhero. My all-time favorite
is Star Wars, thanks to my dad who influenced me on it when I was a kid.
My love
for the Western fandom grew when Marc introduced me to
Western movies and TV shows. He is just like my dad who loves science fiction and
fantasy movies and TV shows. I started watched American TV shows like Castle,
Chuck, Supernatural, Once Upon A Time, and the likes and had a liking with sci-fi
movies as well. In other words, the Western fandom started to have a place in my
heart.
That is
why when I found out that a sci-fi and fantasy convention was going to happen, I
became excited! The convention was called NexCon, and held last May 31 to June
1, 2014 at the Bayanihan Center in Pasig City, from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM on both
days. It was dubbed as “the ultimate celebration of science fiction and
fanstasy in the Philippines” and is the first of its kind.
About
NexCon
A New
EXperience.
A New way
to EXplore the imagination.
The NEXt
phase of Pinoy fandom.
NeXcon
Manila is the ultimate celebration of all things science fiction and fantasy,
and a gathering of genre fans and creators from the Philippines and beyond.
Boasting
an impressive lineup of activities, including in-depth panel discussions with
industry veterans, Geek Fight Battle Royale, cosplay contests, and a rocking
closing concert, end your summer with a bang at NexCon Manila!
NeXcon
Manila is produced by Cosplay.PH in partnership with Stompworks Media Studios.
Cosplay.ph is behind the highly successful Cosplay Mania events in Manila,
which have been going on for over ten years. Stompworks is a media solutions
company specializing in television and video productions.
Tickets
Honestly,
I was waiting for a themed convention that is focused solely on the Western
fandom, specifically in science fiction and fantasy. And I am glad Cosplay.ph came
up with NexCon. :D
We only came on June 1, 2014, Sunday, but we had a great experience with just
one day. We cosplayed as generic hooded Jedi Knights.
 |
| Photo by: Japo Anareta. |
We bought
Silver Pass tickets priced at P500 each, which provides access to activities
and contests on the day it is used.
This
means we were able to enter both the auditorium and Dealer’s Hall. We totally made use of the Silver Pass by
returning to the Dealer’s Hall many times and attended some of the auditorium activities
like the Film Showing and Cosplay Rumble (Cosplay Competition). We also participated in activities like the
501st Droid Hunt, answering the Animax survey, and more.
Cosplay
and Displays
Of
course, the convention was not complete without cosplay and displays. While there
were a few anime cosplayers, there were MORE Western cosplays that showed the true
fans of science fiction, fantasy, and anything related to them. Cosplayers from
DC, Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, Game of Thrones, and more were present and delighted
con-goers and fellow cosplayers. Indeed, the convention theme was so strong.
 |
| Cosplay Rumble Judges with Hosts |
 |
| Cosplay Rumble Winners |
 |
| My cosplay idols: Miguel as Mako Mori (Pacific Rim) Jin Joson as Cecil Palmer (Scenery of Night Vale) |
The
displays coming from various sci-fi and fantasy shows and movies were also
awesome. They were amazing and we felt nostalgic just by looking at them.
One-of-a-Kind
Convention
All in
all, NexCon was a one-of-a-kind convention. It was a great venue to celebrate
your favorite Western fandoms with fans. We saw true fans of Star Wars, Star
Trek, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, Marvel Superheroes, DC Superheroes, Pacific
Rim, and more. Old friends talked; we met new friends too who are just
as excited as us with this new and unique convention.
It was
not that crowded and the venue was just right. It was a big change for us, as
usual cons were super crowded and cater to a broader audience. But we’re not
complaining though. Creating a themed convention like NexCon was really a great
idea from Cosplay.ph, because this is where real fans gather and you meet more
people who share the same interests. Even for just one day, we saw everyone having
fun and mingling with each other.
Final Say
At the
end of the day, we realized having themed conventions like NexCon is really
fun. We hope Cosplay.ph will continue this and have a second NexCon next year.
And in the next years. :D This is a way to celebrate your love for Western science
fiction and fantasy. The small crowd also helped as everyone mingled with
anybody because we all share the same hobbies and interests. :) NexCon
is indeed one of the best conventions I attended this year! :D
And of
course, a convention is not complete without buying merchandise. Here are our
hauls:
I'll be posting the whole set of the NexCon pics in my FB page this week, so you can take a look there.
~Hainrihi
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