Cosplay Carnival 2016 – A Successful Experiment
Cosplay Carnival The Philippine Cosplay scene has come a long way since its humble beginnings. Cosplay.ph one of the Cosplay convention pioneers here in the Philippines and it has helped spread the love of Cosplay in the country. From their humble events back in the nineties, they gained lots of experience and insight which eventually led to them conceptualizing and organizing the biggest cosplay event in the Philippines, CosplayMania! However, one cannot rest on their laurels forever. Cosplaymania is far from the so-called “final form” of Cosplay.ph events. There is still room to stretch their limits, experiment, and improve. Cosplay Carnival is one such experiment. A bold new attempt to make the cosplay convention experience more convenient and fun. Instead of the usual merch-and-activity area combo that we see in most cons, they divided up the floorspace into several Experience Zones. The Fashion Zone catered to everyone’s cosplay needs — costumes, accessories, and everything else. The Collectors Zone featured a whole slew of toys and collectibles that appealed to nascent hobbyists. The Food Zone served as a rest stop for hungry con-goers who need refreshments. Finally, the Fan Fair was an artist’s alley for a variety of creator-produced merchandise and art prints. Aside from the Experience Zones, there was never a shortage of things to do. Every con-goer could go on a Cosplay Con-Quest in which they are given Quest cards. By going to different areas of the convention and joining in on some activities, they can complete their quest to get awesome prizes. Of course, a convention organized by Cosplay.ph would never be complete without special Cosplay guests. Two internationally known cosplayers, Rainer Tachibana and A-Live Love Live Dance Group Captain Kirisaki 2.0 met with their fans and were judges in the cosplay contests. They had several meet-and-greet opportunities, courtesy of Cosplay.ph and Cospray Haircolor, sellers of spray-on hair color. Even WAG bot was able to meet them! Cosplay Auction & Cosplay Storage Wars The Cosplay Auction was exactly what it said on the tin. The auction was generally a segue segment, between the major events of Cosplay Carnival. The auctioneers presented several cosplay costumes, props, and other merchandise, from both the stage and among the crowd. It was always entertaining when a heated back-and-forth bidding war ensued. I even tried getting that blow-up Master Ball, although the pricing got too hot for my humble wallet. Some items were so enticing that even the event staff threw their hat in the auction! And because we can never get enough of auctions, Cosplay Carnival had to raise the stakes with Cosplay Storage Wars. Instead of single items, mystery packages containing random amazing goodies. All the items were well-loved cosplay items that cosplayers are willing to pass on… for the right price, of course. It took a while, but the audience eventually warmed up to the idea. Cosplay Karaoke: Anime Edition Cosplay Karaoke took the usual favorite Filipino pastime and put an interesting twist on it. Rather than choosing their own songs, contestants had to sing a random song from a pre-selected song list of twelve songs. Each song was from a familiar and popular anime, ranging from Naruto to Neon Genesis Evangelion. This event combined both skill and luck as it challenged each and every singer. Singing a song on stage could be nerve-wracking enough, but, coupled with the uncertainty on what needed to be performed, this can be a certifiable nightmare. Contestants weren’t left totally out to dry as they were able to read lyrics of the selected songs on a screen. Some were understandably caught off guard with unfamiliar songs. Others rose above the challenge and rocked the audience. A select few embraced their moment on stage, lyrics and songs be damned. And one lucky soul got the English Pokemon song! 
