Otaku Urule!'s OXP 2014

I know I say this a lot...

But yesterday's OXP 2014 by Otaku Urule held at SM Centerpoint Cyberzone, Sta. Mesa was an EPIC EVENT OF EPIC EPICNESS!!!! (did I also said it was EPIC)

Haven't been in any anime-gaming-cosplay expo in quite a few years... mainly because past expos left a bad taste in my mouth and it made me think that it wasn't worth it to go. But this event was made by anime-cosplay-gaming fans for anime-cosplay-gaming fans. Its like a big family cook-out and the whole SM Centerpoint patrons are invited.

Things started a little slow, as the games for the Gaming events were featured on stage. People were still gathering up then. It was still a bit early (10am) by weekend standards but there were cosplayers already there...strutting their stuff, signing up for the cosplay competition/ catwalk that was to be held later that afternoon.

(Me..as Super Patriot,  with one of my faves Lulilian Yoro)

For me, the morning became quite a reunion. As I attended various cosplay photoshoots, a lot of them with Urule, I gathered quite a number of good friends within the community. And almost all of them were there... including some of my favorite cosplayers (because they were fun to have around a shoot, and I built quite a good rapport with them). I got into the mix as I came as Image Comic's Super Patriot. No one, except 2 guys, got it... everyone else ended up calling me Captain America.

Things start to pick up early in the afternoon as bands, girl groups and the program kicked into high gear. This event also launches and introduced one of Otaku Urule!'s branches called LARP Games Philippines to the public. Its like playing RPG in your cosplay outfit...in real life...complete with rules, goals and quests. A video was shown about the current series LARP has been beta testing for a while called "Zombie Apocalypse". A sort of 'zombie run', but its also like playing Resident Evil or Silent Hill in real life.

The stunner of the day...not only for members of the Otaku community, but for the general public alike, was the Cosplay Competition. People in the general audience were at awe with the detail of props, costume and acting the cosplayers were dishing out on the catwalk. This is what separates cosplayers from costume models. Cosplay not only entails dressing up for the part...but also acting the part. A common misconception of the public is that if you put on the costume, you are already a cosplayer. The event judges include Ray of LARP Games Philippines, Arkadymac from Cosplay and Anime Cafe (arkadymac.com) and Ralph from CNPH.

( in my head people are running away screaming "Gojira!!!Gojira!!!")

The night was capped off with a sort of band party where the band played familiar L'Arc covers with such energy and prowess, you'd think that the original band was playing. A fitting end to quite a long and tiring, but fun day.

Said goodbye to my buddies and co'zer friends and models. And I'll be posting some photos of the event soon.

Till the next time.