One weekend every June we put on our geek caps and head on over to the "Geek Exodus" that is Toycon.
This is our third year going and I still think that it is a PHENOMENON beyond logic and explanation but sometimes logic just goes out the window and all you have to do is celebrate that inner child in all of us.
The thing about Toycon is that everyone gets to celebrate that inner child in them and because of that the Megatrade Halls 1, 2 and 3 becomes the biggest play room - ever!
Posts on Facebook were about tickets running out (but they get re-stocked don't worry) Toycon 2014 has also officially broken records with 27,975 attendees!
A lot of posts from attendees have said that this year's Toycon had the most attendees and that halls were packed (more than usual) I guess that would be the case, since I wasn't really able to go around and look at all the stalls even if I stayed for about six hours.
And why have I not been able to check out all the stalls, well there are two reasons, the first being the obvious that there were too many people and the second was that well we were helping my cousins at the SuperElite props booth. So I got to experience what it was like to sit behind the booth, while onlookers stopped by to check the Star Wars movie props that were on display, but before I go on with my experience behind a booth at Toycon let me just rewind a bit to the start of the day.
Well, like many of our adventures it actually began with work - Yes! Work! I yet again came from work and basically went straight to Toycon with sleepiness and tiredness ready to kick in any minute, I actually got to share this burden with my sister who is now working (fresh graduate) who tags along with us during conventions.
By the early afternoon we were both sleepy zombies and couldn't even carry out a decent conversation anymore. A quick rush to Starbucks for some much needed caffeine quickly fixed that though and we were able to pull in an extra few hours of awake time.
When we arrived for Day 2 of Toycon, we were just in time for the ribbon cutting ceremony which had special guests Batman (who is celebrating his 75th year by the way), some Disney characters and Rurouni Kenshin characters and of course the 501st Philippine Outpost were present as well.
With the ribbon cut, photos taken (much like a frenzied Press Conference actually) Toycon 2014 Day 2 was officially open.
We immediately went over the SuperElite Props booth both to help my cousin set up and catch our wits. The rest of the day was then either hanging out and helping at the booth or going around the convention.
It really was different being behind the booth for a change, although I had some experience to back me up, during High School my friends and I actually got booths (we did it for years) during our school fair and we would sell - yup, you guessed it Anime merchandise :) So I guess it wasn't entirely a new experience for me.
What was new and refreshing was seeing the faces of the people who came by our booth light up when they saw, held, took a photo with the movie props (Lightsaber, Blaster and the Stromtrooper armor) from Star Wars. It was touching to see how the Dads would proudly point out the movie mementos to their children and in some way they seemed like kids as well. It was also amusing to see their wives steer them away from the booth, afraid of what a few more minutes ogling at the props could lead to.
While my sister and I had no sleep whatsoever, Paul on the other hand was in the day shift so he had all the energy we lacked. He went around the exhibits and took time to really get down (on all fours, at times) to take photos of the toys on display to his hearts' desire. Unlike during the previous years, where we would just make one round trip of the Megatrade Halls and that was it, this year, since we had a 'base of operations' so to speak we were able to make a number of trips around.
If you'll notice most of our photos are of the toys on display, according to Paul he really wanted to focus on the toys and exhibits - it is Toycon after all.
Aside from the toys I was really excited for the Rurouni Kenshin booth from Warner Brothers, if you've been following the blog since last year, you would know how strongly I feel about the Rurouni Kenshin live action movies. And having the actual costumes that were used in the movies up on display was a real treat for fans.
Of course, cosplayer Jin Joson with other RK cosplayers also drew the crowds in for photos. Exciting news came after Toycon when Keishi Otomo (director of the Rurouni Kenshin movies) tweeted about the booth and the cosplayers too (^^x This one just gets me more excited for the sequels which are slated to premiere in the Philippines in August and September. Hoping for bigger events, especially the movie premieres :)
While time and physical strength and probably the crowd situation made it difficult to really go around and take time to look at booths, we still had fun at our annual Toycon trip.
While I wished I was able to catch Midnight Meetings perform and Jay Tablante's talk in the Canon booth, I would really have to invest on rest and sleep. I keep on telling myself that I'd go on leave the Friday before Toycon just so I can have the strength to fully enjoy it - hopefully next year I can make good on that promise I keep on making :)
We had to rush to the hospital in the evening so we can visit Paul's nephew who is a big Star Wars fan (yeah, he probably gets it from us). We were supposed to bring him to Toycon this year but because of the surgery we would have to push that back until next year so I'm also looking forward to seeing his face light up, his eyes grow big to the size of plates and his jaw drop at the sight and sounds of his favorite heroes and villains as they walk in front of him or the amazing toys on display.
After all isn't that what Toycon is all about? A weekend where we can all be the kids that we really are deep down and the great thing about it is that you can go all out and go crazy and no one would give a damn! Until next year's Toycon! :)
Check out more photos here.
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