My First ToyCon Experience #ToyConPh2016
After many failed attempts from the previous conventions, I finally made it this year! ToyCon is an annual pop culture event here in the Philippines that gathers hard core toy collectors, otakus, video gamers, cosplayers and fans together. So basically, ToyConPh is a convention that will surely bring out your inner geek at its best! This year, ToyCon celebrated their 15th anniversary with a vast of wonderful improvements. This yearly event which started way back in 2002 brought by The Asian Comics, Toys and Hobbies Collective Inc. as a convention exclusively for toy collectors has grown so much and is now recognized by the international industry of toys, comics, movies and anime.
Interestingly, this year’s convention is dubbed as ToyCon Philippines 2016 + Pop Life FanXperience. The Asian Comics, Toys and Hobbies Collective Inc has partnered with FanXperience to deliver the best pop culture in Asia, focusing on timing and relevance. Much like their previous conventions, the event will still showcase a huge collection all types of comics, toys, movies, animation, games and special memorabilia (either for sale or for exhibit purposes). What really makes ToyConPh2016 more special is the fact that they will now feature celebrity attendees for die hard fans of both local and international personalities.
With Php500 for a day pass, I must say that the admission fee is quite expensive compare to other popular conventions here in the Philippines (Cosmania, OzineFest, Nexcon to name a few). By hey, isn’t the same amount we paid for the recently held Asia Pop Comic Con (APCC)? After all, ToyCon provided the same amount of experience and the line up of celebrities and exhibitors they had this year wasn’t really that bad either! Stan Lee’s Excelsior Exhibition? Hodor from GOT? Dean Cain? The New Encantadia casts? Come on, it’s undeniably a great list of celebrities!One of the most interesting highlights of the event is this 25ft tall replica of the iconic Voltes V robot! This is done in celebration of its 40th Anniversary here in the Philippines. The anime was first shown in national television in 1970 (the time of Martial Law) and this anime have left a huge impact and has become a household name since then. Limited edition Voltes V toys from Mindstyle and Toei Company were presented in the event too.The event also invited an award winning USA Face & Body Artist, Sammie Bartko who provided free zombie-like makeover in her zombie and alien – inspired booth which also aptly features the works of Arthur Suydam, a well known graphic artists known for his work on Marvel Zombies and The Walking Dead.A ToyCon will not be a ToyCon without…. TOYS of course and the event features an overwhelming amount of toy collections! Some are for display purposes while most of them are greatly for sale which you can buy in size great discounts! This image above is a well-detailed collection of scaled Storm troopers and the exhibitor was actually challenging the event goers to guess the accurate amount of Storm Troopers on display and whoever guess it right will win a prize in return. (I will post a separate entry for Toys at ToyConPh soon). Japan-based Girl group named “Electric Ribbon” gracing the Satellite stage! It’s so nice of them to interact with the audience despite of having a hard time to communicate. They were very fun and witty though! This particular event is part of the so-called Tokyo Underground Experience brought by Pop Asia and Secret Base. They are accompanied by other groups like Yanakiku duo and Sony Music’s DJ Kazu.
Wow! My husband would have loved to b part of this!.He collects One Piece figures.I actually wanted to join but the venue is just too far from our place.
Kanya kanya talaga ng hilig ano? I have some friends who were there too. Some never outgrew pero I did. Anyway, I am sure it was quite an event and eye opener for you, Milton. 🙂
Hmmm I never thought toycons existed here in PH, I only know about cosplaying but toycons, wow I knew just now. It’s reallly a cool feat specially to people who never grows old 😉
Oh wow this is my thing! I wish I could have actually gone to this toycon. Me and my boyfriend already have some plans for some geeky conventions in the UK this year, but unfortunately PH is a bit too far away haha. Loved the pictures and glad you had fun
I’ve never been to a Toycon although I am a collector of figurines from the Marvel/DC universe and also Tintin. I will definitely attend one of these someday. Nice post 🙂
It was late when I got a notification that there will be a Toycon event happening so I wasn’t able to go. I wanted to go here with my brother because he was obsessed with toys and at the age of 14, he still keeps his legos with him. Haha! I’m more of a person who’s always focusing on the experience I’m going to have rather than the “Ang mahal nung entrance wag na tayo pumunta” person. So Php500 for an entrance? Well, that won’t be a problem! 😉
I’ve never heard about this Con, but there are so much in the world ! And this one is in PH so I guess that’s why Haha. As my girlfriend just said, we love conventions and already planed some, in the UK but she forgot to mention in the US as well Haha. We are fresh newbies though, and will start cosplaying for convention. The only one we made was in Montpellier coz I was working for it. At least we met some actors and comics drawers as I was driving them around. Who knows, maybe we’ll have the chance to do the ToyCon !
Oh ToyCon! <3 My boyfriend's cousin went here as an MIB agent haha I hope I can join next year 😛
This looks like fun. I’ve never been to a Toycon or any kind of convention. I have been to a Renaissance Faire which is the closest I can think of. But I agree that Hodor and Dean Cain are good celebrities for a convention.
This must have been a truly great event for toy collectors and kids at heart. A friend also joined the event and he mentioned he even won second place to one contest. His sons were really proud of him. And it came as a surprise as he just came to the event to have fun. And surely you also had fun.
I’d never heard of toycon before your post today!! Looks super fun though and love that you could have your make up done like a zombie. Did people dress up like they do at other conventions?
Inggit much ako haha!
Never pa talaga ako nakaka-attend any Toycon fest.
Did you meet Mario Maurer, Heneral Luna and the cast of Encantadia? Haha. Been wishing to participate toycon but not for me this year.
I wish I could have been there too to experience it! This looks amazing! I hope you had lots of fun though. 🙂
This was such a nice event! My partner actually likes the idea because he is into those characters. I hope I can bring him on future events.
This is such a cool event! I’ve heard about all the hype for the toycon and my friends were very excited. Now, I get them. Haha.
Oh myyyy! I only ever saw it in pictures. I can only imagine how happy I would be if I ever attend a toycon myself. It would definitely bring out the kid in me.
This is an interesting event. And that Voltes V robot surely made many of its fans happy. I grew up watching that show! Giving away my age here. Haha
Wow! I’ve always wanted to participate in these type of events but I never had the chance. That life sized replica of voltes five is so majestic! Awesome experience man. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I have a friend who was so happy to be able to attend ToyCon! The event looks really wonderful and star studded, of course! I bet you had a great time!
Not really a big toycon fan but looks like you had so much fun! Maybe I’ll try to go next time with E who will surely enjoy it!
I am not a fan of anime/cosplay but sometimes make me feel that im enjoy watching this on a mall 🙂
Wow! Looks like a dream. Look at all those Stormtroopers. 😀
Where am i when people are enjoying the show at toycon? WAaaaa. That big voltes 5 brought back childhood memories!
Wow, this brings back good old memories of when my college barkada go to Toycon and Comicon together. I remember there were cosplayers then, do they still have those now?
Wow. We don’t have such events in my State. But, the closest I have been to is a comicon. I would love to attend such a event. Its wonderful, reminds me of childhoood stuff.