[Event] Cosplay Face-Off: SM San Lazaro

The Philippine Anime Otakus did not have an official meet up during the cosplay event at SM San Lazaro yesterday, 27 February 2011. There were, however, some PAOtakus during the cosplay event. ^_^

The event is merely a cosplay contest absent the usual stalls one will find during anime (and cosplay) conventions. As I expected, the event was held in the mall’s open area which made me wonder what the entrance fee of Php 75.00 is for on the first place. It is at a time like this when I fail to comprehend why the cosplay contenders even have to pay to compete when they already serve as an attraction for mall-goers at the day of the event. Well, perhaps considering that there are prizes at stake for winning cosplayers, it is just reasonable to solicit fees. The contest though seems to be an event sponsored by the mall itself so I hoped that there were no longer fees for participants and spectators. That would have added appeal for otakus to attend the event as to withstand the seemingly inaccessible location of the venue. It does qualify as “far-flung” for a typical otaku who regularly attends events in SM Mega Mall although the SM San Lazaro is actually just a couple of blocks away from the Tayuman LRT station. Everything just doesn’t add up. The usual mob of otaku con-goers did not and would not find sufficient reason to attend such an event that is labeled “minor.”

There were few participants but the audience was really amused. Some people in the mall were likewise curious of the event. I did not cosplay and just wore an Akatsuki t-shirt but an ordinary saleslady (by ordinary, I mean someone who doesn’t know otaku stuff) managed to surmise that I am an attendee to the event and asked who won in the cosplay competition. As usual, I engaged the saleslady and her friend into a short chat regarding the event. It is incidents like that that I take advantage of to spread anime awareness. J

Cosplay Face-Off Catwalk

One thing that is very notable about the event is the catwalk. The stage has a runway. Unlike other conventions, even major ones, the absence of a reasonably-sized stage and catwalk during the cosplay exhibition is really frustrating (and ridiculously annoying). Obviously, the space that a large stage and audience area would occupy will instead be allotted to booths making the venue really cramped or perhaps poor floor area planning should be blamed? Either way, this is the reason why I appreciate events that are merely for cosplay contests only. The stage, the cosplayers, the limelight… the show are given concentration.

I almost wished I went cosplaying yesterday but then again, I’m happy I didn’t. There were so few people and I didn’t like the idea of paying when you’re the one who is to entertain mall-goers. XD Except, of course, if I were there to compete and to win. But hey! Is not it a “cosplay contest” after all? At any rate, my going to SM San Lazaro was far from fruitless as I got to meet some PAOtakus again and new ones at that. ^_^ PLUS! I got the Code Geass Chibishies (chibi bishies) figurines that already run out of stock in other Comic Alley branches. Yatta~!

Chibishies~

admin.Hiro

for PAOtakus~

[Animé] Code Geass: Another Animé in my Heart

The following blog was first published online on 1 February 2009 at the my personal blogsite at multiply.com. I am republishing this as PAOtakus planned to do a group cosplay of Code Geass during the upcoming OzineFest 2011 in April. In the last part of this blog, I planned to cosplay Zero... well... it didn't happen. >_< Anyway, I am now keen on cosplaying Emperor Lelouch no matter what. In the event that PAO group cosplay of Code Geass dubbed as CODE PAO won't push through, I'll still definitely cosplay Emperor Lelouch later part of this year. ^_^ Although it is a dream cosplay of mine, I still prefer to cosplay with everyone else in a group. I'll upload next a report-blog on how PAO does group cosplaying. (admin.Hiro)

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I first watched this animé in TV5. I immediately noticed the manner the characters were drawn. They were edgy or pointy. They were also sleek and tall and their limbs are long. I knew that the makers were Clamp, the artists of Sakura Card Captor and Magic Knight Ray Earth. After I saw mechas (the Knightmare Frames) I became interested. And when I realized that the series has an underlying political theme, I just knew that I am in utmost pique. I love watching animé but Gundam Wing had always remained as my number 1. No other series came closer to my heart with Gundam Wing until I also fell in love with Code Geass. I guess the ideologies preached in the series took my heart away. I was surprised as the ideals and political attitude I always thought of seemed to have taken an animé form with a very good twist and astonishing depth.

The animé was about the wars that beset the world which divided it in three major powers. The Holy Britannian Empire, the European Union, and the Chinese Federation had divided the world in their own respective territories. Countries conquered by the Britannian Empire, the world power seeking world domination, were stripped off with rights and became their inferior subjects. Countries were renamed with Area Numbers and their citizens became Numbers. In the year 2010 ATB (Ascension Throne Britannia), Japan was conquered and was renamed Area 11 while its citizens are no longer Japanese but Elevens. There were various but ineffective resistances until the masked man Zero founded and led the Order of the Black Knights which aimed in liberalizing Japan. The Order posed a direct threat to the Empire and alongside the battles; the stories were unfolded to end up pointing to an unscrupulous culprit – the Geass.

The Geass was initially referred to as the metaphorical “power of the king” – the ability to mandate absolute obedience. The Britannian student Lelouch got this supernatural ability from C.C., a mystical girl sometimes called a witch. He infiltrated the Empire and controlled (both literally and figuratively, directly and indirectly) the people around him for his mission to avenge her mother’s death and for his quest to create a better world for his sister. For these reasons, Lelouch became Zero through his being a great strategist and tactician as well as cunningly using (of course) his Geass. In season two, it was revealed that there were various kinds of geass; hence, the “power of the king” is just one of it. Some of the geass are the following (with the users): the geass to see the future (the Knight of One), the geass to inscribe new false  memories (Britannian Emperor), the geass to cancel geass (Orange-kun XD) and, the geass to transfer one’s soul in another’s body (Lady Marianne, Lelouch’s mother).

All right… you must be thinking, “Supernatural powers? What the heck?!” Allow me to say that apart from the geass, I see reality in the series, more so the ideals that keep people doing what they do. Suzaku, Lelouch’s friend and Zero’s foe, fought to redeem himself for killing his own father, Japan’s Prime Minister, to stop Japan going into war. Suzaku intended to be a part of the unscrupulous system and change it from within. He became an honorary Britannian soldier despite being the Prime Minister’s son so he can stop the killings. Huh… talk about paradox. Suzaku was a big irony himself. Zero used armed resistance for liberation. He also resolved destroying the world and recreating it for the better. His mask became the symbol of the people’s desire for freedom, equality and justice. However, the face behind it had lived in hatred, deception and isolation. I think that this animé series is a huge reality itself. The geass is a representation of what people can do beyond their ordinary and hopeless state of being. The geass symbolizes desires and the undertakings to materialize the same. It is both the means and the end. It shows the infinity of what a person can do to achieve what he yearns for even to the extent of losing it.

Code Geass is simply beautiful. It definitely deserves the awards it earned. I already watched seasons one and two, 25 epidodes each, thrice already and I won’t grow tired of watching it over and over and over again. I love the lines. I sometimes find myself playing back quotable quotes. I love it when Zero gives orders in a moving emotional manner (especially that it’s in Japanese with subtitles of course) plus the awesome poses. I like Zero’s costume, I really intend to cosplay Zero this year in an anime convention. I’ll try to get a skillful tailor to get the suit done but the mask/helmet might be trouble (I’m thinking of making it using paper-mache). I understand why Britannia was made as the major antagonist in the series. Ironically, Britannian Empire does not include the UK islands in Europe. The empire instead has the entire American continents as homeland. America does not have the sophistication that royalties have and since it’s an animé series, the costumes must be very fascinating. So there goes Britannia.

Graphics were also great. They obviously have employed computer-generated images (CGI) in some scenes especially battle scenes. The operation of geass when casted must have also been CGI. It’s neat. The setting of the Ashford University provided the ambience for some humor and crazy stuff. The Knightmare Frame mechas were cool. Unlike Gundam series, the mechas do not overpower the characters. Characterization always surpassed mecha moments. It’s evident that “political linings” are always included in the “cloud of events”.

Gundam lovers would definitely like Code Geass especially those who are into mechas. Code Geass, like Gundam Wing, is politically themed that’s why I adore it. I am really waiting for the Original Video Animation (OVA). It should have one! And I bet Lelouch is still alive then *grins* (that’s one of the fans’ debates ~whether or not Lelouch died in the last episode).

Disclaimer: Images available and retrieved online.

N.B.

All PAOtakus are invited to have their reviews (previous or current) to be posted online at the PLOGsite (PAO Blogsite). Personally-written anime articles, otaku opinions, original photos and cosplay experiences, among others, are welcome to be published at the PLOGsite. Virtually anything that a PAOtaku would like to share to inspire and to help fellow otakus on anime and Japanese-related topics are very much welcome. ^_^