Wow, look at that; it's been five months since my last post, and of course, what's better to get this blog moving again than with a bit of review of one of the most anticipated films of the year? :)

I've been having a countdown for the first installment of The Hobbit films for quite some time, what with me and a bunch of others waiting for such a thing to happen for TEN years! I do recall the very last time a group of Tolkien/The Lord of the Rings enthusiasts watched The Return of the King together in theaters in 2003; most of us were in tears, for when shall we re-visit Middle-earth again, until The Hobbit would be made into a film?

Despite the long road of issues (like the film rights, among many others) The Hobbit had to endure in order for filming to begin, fans all over the world were gifted with not only one but THREE films (and I'll let you know my reaction to this afterwards). However, I believe some good kind of sorcery is about. :P

Now, on to the review:

One of the earliest teaser posters released in 2011

From the time the teaser trailer was released, I've been following Peter Jackson's Production Video-Blogs as he went through the process of bringing the book to the big screen: from cast rehearsals on set, to on-location scouting, and so on and so forth; all that just built up the excitement for the film as it opened by the end of the year.

I think ten years just did it, for as soon as the opening scenes rolled, I felt tingles down my spine, and I most definitely had a moment then and there when I thought I'd just explode from happiness. The viewer is at once greeted with Howard Shore's familiar tunes from Lord of the Rings, transporting them immediately to Middle-earth, and off into an adventure.

One of the official posters, starring Mr. Bilbo Baggins and his yet unnamed letter opener xD

The adventure begins when Bilbo Baggins, a respectable hobbit of the Shire, gets prodded out of the comfort of his hobbit-hole when Gandalf the Grey, a wandering wizard known for his fireworks among the hobbit-folk, recruits Bilbo into the company of thirteen dwarves (he was their fourteenth companion, thus making them a "lucky number;" he was also their official burglar--as hobbits are light and quick on their feet) in a quest to retrieve their long-lost gold and the kingdom of Erebor from the clutches of Smaug the dragon.

How Peter Jackson managed to cram in all thirteen dwarves--I'm sure it was no simple feat! In fact, the sheer number of characters among the dwarves was one of the reasons Peter Jackson hesitated in taking the helm, but so far he managed quite nicely. While most of the dwarves still appear as blurs in the first film, you may already get to know some of them through appearance, and even in personality, apart from the evidently distinguishable "a very important dwarf," the Company's leader, Thorin Oakenshield (played by deliciously dashing Richard Armitage).

Thorin and Co., with name tags :P (click to enlarge)

Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, Dwarven King-in-Exile

Other than perhaps a dwarf or two, each one had speaking lines in the film, which shows that a good amount of effort was made to help ease audience's confusion on who's who, and why there were so many dwarves in the first place! :) This is one of the points where I appreciate the film: every dwarf is given a distinct appearance, albeit taking more liberties than what was described in the book (where they had simply color-coordinated hoods and beards).

There are many points to appreciate in the film, in fact! While there are new faces such as Martin Freeman, who plays a much younger Bilbo, Richard Armitage, and a host of others such as (see photo that shows who plays who in the Dwarf Company):

The Dwarf Cast! (click to enlarge)

...there were also familiar faces, characters who have been introduced in The Lord of the Rings, such as Gandalf (Ian McKellen), old Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm), Saruman the White (Christopher Lee), Lady Galadriel of Lorien (Cate Blanchett), and Lord Elrond of Rivendell (Hugo Weaving). Andy Serkis also reprises his role as Gollum, so he's back in the motion-capture suit and playing Gollum's creepy hiss of a voice. The blend of familiarity and novelty of actors and characters works for the film, I think; it's like meeting new friends with familiar faces, or coming home to old furniture arranged in a new way. :P

Of course, Middle-earth won't be Middle-earth without its vast landscapes and jaw-dropping scenery. The film was generous with its sweeping aerial shots, which also lent me a chuckle: Peter Jackson is most definitely showing off! The film was shot, after all, in New Zealand, where the director is native to. :)

A landscape scene from one of the teaser trailers (click to enlarge: you'll see the Company right there)

Moreover, even with a much larger cast of characters, they all contributed their acting skill to the mix. The more notable performances, of course, came from Ian McKellen, and Martin Freeman just made an adorable, most fitting hobbit! Freeman is known for his "furrowed brow expression," and it gave the character of Bilbo a trait of constant worry, irritation, and pondering--perhaps, for most of the time, of why he had gotten himself into this mess and why should he not have just stayed in his nice, warm, hobbit-hole. :P Richard Armitage brought the stern, grim Thorin Oakenshield to life, with his dwarvish pride, stubborness, commanding bearing and all. And I don't find Sylvester McCoy's Radagast the Brown annoying at all, as I have read in initial reviews. He's quite a fun character, and being an animal lover myself, I found that the character now has a nice, cozy spot in my heart.

Galadriel, Elrond, and Gandalf in Rivendell

While the primary characters have more time to shine, the rest of the Company gave solid performances. The dwarf cast established an essence of Tolkien's Dwarven race, if I may be so bold as to put that out. :) These are no bumbling comic relief dudes. They're a race full of purpose: brave one moment, frightened the next, then cheery in another: rambunctious fellows with not-so-refined manners but with a steadfast obstinacy of never backing up from a quest (even when a number of them doubted Bilbo in the first place, and suspected him of backing up from the journey!). In The Lord of the Rings, Elves were all the rage; now, with The Hobbit, dwarves are taking the front seat, no longer a shadowed Middle-earth race, but a more fleshed-out, relatable one.

What puts this film together as well is the musical score. Howard Shore came aboard the project once more, stringing melodies from his old work with new ones. The old themes send a good amount of warmth to the heart, while the new ones pound lustily into the viewers' heads: the "Misty Mountains" theme is one of the newer ones, played frequently enough throughout the film to leave an impression. :) However, there are also moments when the soundtrack lends a "sleepy" feel to the film, at least in my opinion; the "Riddles in the Dark" scene, although played well, went slower than I thought it should because of how the score "lazily" trickled into it.

"The Hobbit" soundtrack cover

Furthermore, I can say that I have encountered a problem about the film which a lot of critics share: the over-stretching of some scenes which make the film longer than it should. I won't be pointing out particular scenes to avoid spoilers for those who have not seen the film yet (although I'm quite certain nearly all the populace has! :P), but some scenes may have improved the pace of the film more had they been cut shorter, or had not been over-embellished. Alright, a hint: some action scenes can start becoming tedious after a while. It's a shame, really, since I do know that a lot of the cast did their own stunts and trained hard for such demanding scenes.

Riddles In The Dark...

Other than that a couple of issues I had with the film, I say that the trilogy is off with a good start! Ah yes, my thoughts on ONE BOOK becoming a TRILOGY: initially, I raised an eyebrow and kept it that way for a short time only; I got over it quickly. :P The "trilogy announcement" happened a mere few months from the opening of An Unexpected Journey that I imagined everyone involved in the film, as well as the press going haywire about the last-minute decision. Why did I get over it quickly, though? I've re-read The Hobbit after some years, and apart from Peter Jackson, et al. assuring fans that their extra material will come from the appendices found in The Return of the King (and a bit from Peter Jackson's own imagination for his adaptation), I did see how a book can manage to stretch into three films (albeit the first installment had a little excess). For example: one page of narration in the book chronicles events which happen in three-days' time. That could easily be about fifteen minutes' worth of film, in my opinion.

A Dwarf Holiday in Bag End. :P

Now on to the final touch which I feel very much contributed to the film to fans (male and female, I suppose, but more on the latter!)

WELL YES HOT DWARVES.

No offense to the race, but after encountering a beard-laden, frequently-taciturn Gimli in the LOTR trilogy, it's quite unlikely to the imagination that a very handsome dwarf would spring from stone or a bearded dwarven mother. But lo and behold! It's been a known joke among the cast and crew that if Middle-earth had a share of boy bands from Durin's Folk (which a good part of the dwarven race is often referred to), well, they would be:

DURIN'S HEIRS (click for optimal viewing pleasure :P)

THORIN, FILI, and KILI.

Appealing looks win the eye over, and perhaps apart from making good-looking dwarves a selling point of the film, I would say that these three: Thorin Oakenshield, Fili, and Kili (both of whom are Thorin's nephews or "sister-sons") were given the attractiveness of dwarves of royal lineage in their prime. Dean O' Gorman and Aiden Turner lent their youthfulness to Fili's and Kili's roles who, in the book, are considered the much younger and more able-bodied dwarves of the Company. Of course that translates to hotness as well as you can see.

KILI IS NOW THE NEW LEGOLAS HE HAS A BOW TOO AND EVERYTHING AND LOOK AT THE GAZE CAPSLOCK ABUSE

Aiden Turner as Fili

Fili isn't half-bad, either! Fili is Kili's older brother of five years.

Dean O' Gorman as Fili

Look at that. The royal line of Durin at its finest, I believe. :P (And I hope you didn't miss the photo I included of Richard Armitage as Thorin earlier. NOW THAT'S A KING RIGHT THARRR)

Well, you can say that adding a dash of hotness isn't the only stunt which Peter Jackson and crew tried to pull off. :P The film was shot using state-of-the-art equipment, and the film as well is being screened at 48 frames per second, when a "normal" movie would be at 28 frames per second. This has been introduced as HFR-3D, with "HFR" standing for "high frame rate."

I have watched it in both HFR-3D and IMAX 3D, and I can say right off the bat that I do prefer HFR-3D. THE CLARITY BLEW ME AWAY. Yes, 48 fps can lend a very clear quality to the film so that it registers almost like a television show, but the detail that can be gleaned from such quality is astounding. IMAX 3D got me, in some parts, dizzied up, but not so with HFR-3D. I actually enjoyed the experience, for all the critics say about it. And if you must know, I haven't watched the film in 2D yet, so I can't compare; although if I were to watch a movie in theaters, I might as well eat up all the "experience-enhancing" gimmicks for all they're worth--but only if it's a movie that I really have been anticipating, such as this one. :)

Tip: Make sure you get 3D goggles that are NOT fogged up from use. :)

Thorin & Co. 

While The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey may not have reached an all-time high among critics (it's only about 65% positive in Rottentomatoes.com), it has and still continues to win old and new fans over. 3 hours on the theater seat can be uncomfortable, but not so much when you're enjoying a nice adventure! With a great cast, epic visual effects (which don't drown out the actors as most visual effects-laden films tend to do), lingering musical score, quotable script, humorous bits in the right places--you'll still feel the wonder of Middle-earth in this new film. :) It may not be as novel as when you have first encountered The Lord of the Rings, but that doesn't mean that The Hobbit trilogy is out of great promise. I'm looking forward to The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: There And Back Again more than I could ever admit, and if Peter Jackson and crew have heard what could've been worked on in their first installment, they'd be working out the knots and cogs of the upcoming ones. I'm sure they'll be no less than sweepingly epic. :)

And with that, I give The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey a four stars out of five. Which reminds me: I ought to watch it at least a couple of more times before it disappears from theaters! :P

I KNOW THIS IS A LENGTHY REVIEW (AS ALWAYS). :P But hey, if it's something dear to me, I really put the effort to it. :)

So have any of you watched The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey already? What? No? FOR SHAME!!! I'm kidding. ^_^



LURVE,

*Movie posters and photos are copyrighted to Warner Bros. :)

YES I KNOW. It's been about a couple of months since my last post and I'm well aware that I am slacking in my blogging faculties. :((( BUT as they say, better late than never: a cliche that saves many sanities. I am not about to abandon this dear blog o' mine. :P

Which brings us to our today's product for review: Etude House's Silk Scarf Hair Treatment. :3

I am not (yet) a huge fan of pink, but one of the things that first drew me to this product is its PACKAGING.

aheeheeheehee.

Have some similar products in the mold of this packaging on your dresser table or bathroom vanity and VOILA. Yes, princess. You have a very pretty collection of grooming tools and potions. Your brother will avoid them like the plague. Your sister, however, might covet them. :3

This is what the back of the tube looks like: with Korean instructions on top, followed by English instructions and ingredients list at the bottom:

                            

At 200 ml, it's a good-sized tube with enough product to last me for about three weeks to a month. I have long-ish and UTTERLY DAMAGED hair from so much bleach and color treatments. Maintaining my red hair as long as I can had me washing my hair at least two to three times a week (Ewww, you might say, but if you follow some Youtube gurus, a number of them make the discovery that washing hair daily can strip hair of its natural oils, causing it to be drier and frizzier if not careful...) So, I was meaning to say that this tube lasts me long enough to treat my hair and cover it from root to tip without spending too much or using too much. ^^;;

I have no idea why it's doing this. If you see nothing but lines, do take note that I am TRYING to post a photo of the ingredients list. >___>

If this terribly HELPFUL photo has ceased to enlighten you somewhat, I'll make it all the more helpful and post some noteworthy details of the product:

It's meant to be used 1-2 times a week.

It's a conditioner which you leave in for 5 minutes onto the hair before washing it out. It's not a leave-in conditioner. (Though the Silk Scarf line has one which I haven't purchased nor tried yet... but will probably do, someday)

It has a mix of natural and synthetic ingredients. Refer to terribly helpful photo if you can take a glimpse of its ingredients. ^^;;;

It's a flip-to-open-top tube:

It looks like this out of the tube:

If you see lines, click the photo to enlarge and hopefully that will help

It has a floral scent that may be overpowering at first, but depending if you like scent on your products or not, it's also noteworthy that the scent does not linger long in the hair after you've washed the product out and dried your hair. I usually simply air-dry my hair and the scent doesn't last very long. It's both a shame and a relief, because while the smell is pleasant, a little too much of it can create a bit of a headache.

SO... Does the stuff work?

As I mentioned earlier, my hair is damaged beyond belief. O_O I do use semi-permanent vegetable-based dyes for my hair, but before that, bleach and DIY hair dye kits ravaged my locks. Boredom and vanity don't really mix sometimes; you'd tend to overdo it. :P All I can say is that the hair treatment works WITHIN REASON. :P

For example:

Psylocke and piratical me at Toy Con 2012 ^_^

You can still see how damaged my hair looks. The dye is fading a bit and the light rather gave my hair a crispy kind of texture. IT DOES NOT LOOK HEALTHY. That much I admit. BUT!!

Look, Ma, no serious frizz from the depths of Hades.

I can actually put my hair down and keep it that way without my hair going all over the place. :3 While at a point my hair does get tangly, it doesn't end up being too unruly. I have naturally wavy hair and the waves just kept their place without looking too disgustingly wiry, as what my waves tend to do when my hair's all a-frizz.

Of course, I do use quite a bit more than usual when I go to events such as Toy Con. :P Here's another photo with some of my cosplay buddies:

Cosplays are known for costumes that go with wigs. But lo and behold, I used my real hair in all its copper glory. Eh. Whatever glory it has summoned at that time. :P

And while we're in the subject of hair, let me put this here for the absolute LULZ of the populace:

Gods of BadAss-Gardian Hair. 

I do believe that with regular use, the Silk Scarf Hair Treatment will give you similar results. Also I wanted an excuse to fangirl some more over these two ah yes 

On with the drill:


PROS:

• It WORKS well enough depending on your current hair situation
• Its packaging is adorable. Its place is SO NOT my bathroom floor.
• A little goes a long way. You don't have to drown your hair in it in order for it to work
• Makes your hair look presentable (again, depending on your hair situation) at events where a lot of photos will be taken
• It smells nice, and while the smell is strong, it doesn't last long so as to overwhelm you.
• Etude House products, as far as I know are CRUELTY-FREE. 

CONS:

• It has DIMETHICONE. Most conditioners have this in order to seal moisture in. Used according to product instructions, your hair will be quite fine; used too often, Dimethicone will kill your hair.
• If you're not fond of powerful floral smells (even if it fades quickly overtime as you use it on your hair), then this stuff may not be for you
• Be careful with the flip-top cap. Like other flip-top caps, if you're not careful, the cover might tear out of its plastic-y hinges.

Do I recommend: YES, I've already done so to a couple of friends and they loved it. :3

Overall Rating: 4.5/5 

Will I repurchase: This hair treatment. I LIKE IT. ANOTHER!!!!!!!

I am already on my third tube and will probably keep repurchasing until I find something better. :P

THERE THERE THOR, THERE'S PLENTY OF HAIR STUFF FOR ALL TO GO AROUND

I wonder if any of you tried it and actually hated it? :P Perhaps you loved it too. Let me know in the comments section or something. Teehee.

LURVE,

Wait, I'm not done with my "Avengers" obsession phase yet, even if the hype has died down and dwindled as people make way for other summer blockbusters. xD Such periods of dire fondness for a fandom is something a geek isn't a stranger to; in fact, in a geek's life, it happens nearly everyday (for better and for worse, believe you me).

So when I saw photos shared by friends linked to the Hot Toys' Facebook fan page, and with the full glory of the Loki 1/6 scale figurine adorning their timeline, I immediately had to know more details about that particular figurine (hey, it's LOKI! #Loki'sArmy xD) and others in "The Avengers" line.

I checked out more photos from http://youbentmywookie.com (and I'd like to stress that the photos I'd be posting here will all be from their web site, so the photo credits go to them. :) ).

And boy, was I BLOWN AWAY.

Even as the photos only showed the prototypes, and the official releases may still slightly differ, I can't help but ADMIRE the painstaking detail lavished unto each figurine, especially the paint details of the face. Each pose, each angle of the collectible showed a masterpiece waiting to be displayed proudly in a toy collector's haven/shelf/home museum. Even at first glance, the lifelike details can't be missed, and their likeness to the actors that played them in the films were uncannily very identical.

Well, then, let's look at the photos, starting with Loki, God of Mischief, in the likeness of  (spellbinding) actor Tom Hiddleston:

one word: CHEEKBONES. hell yeah cheekbones.

I was never really a fan of Loki's costume (it's the helmet, making him look goat-ish sometimes!! D:) UNTIL there were enough photos on the web which showcased Tom Hiddleston in costume (read: ridiculously photogenic Loki meme) and I slowly found myself appreciating the blend of fabrics and textures. The collectible is no different. Textures, fabric, how they photograph very nicely--it's all in the package.

These collectibles were made not only to be displayed but, perhaps, to be photographed in different poses using different accessories that come with the figurine. LOKI HAS A LOT. Just look. LOOK. They even included that freaky muzzle and shackles which he wore towards the end of the film.

The collectible itself is highly pose-able. It's like a tiny human being in itself and it's almost scary. Here are more photos:

The Loki collectible figurine stands at about 32 cm tall with over 30 points of articulation (meaning those joint things you can move to achieve real-life body poses). I was dazed to realize that the collectible is a LIMITED EDITION one, so I'm pretty sure by the time it's released to the market on December 2012, stocks will fly off shelves in no time..... and I'm close enough in becoming one of them (even with a HEFTY SRP of $219.99!! *mini heart attack*)

More photos and details on the figurine itself can be found HERE.

So, that's for the God of Mischief. Now moving on to his brother: Thor, God of Thunder, played by the smexy Chris Hemsworth:

Hammer time!

Just like the Loki figurine, the Thor one spares no detail. The fabrics used, the textures, the sculpt of the hair, beard, and facial features, with Mjolnir (the hammer has a name, yes) at his side... Odin himself would be quite intrigued ("My son, the mortals hath forged sculptures in thy likeness. Interesting realm, this Midgard.").

Not a lot of accessories come with Thor (though the Tesseract container and its crafted detail is something to consider), but I forgot to mention that the this and the Loki figurine come with stands bearing the film logo. These beauties are indeed for display. The actors who played Loki and Thor are about the same height, so their collectible versions are also about the same height: 32 cm, and Thor's also has more than 30 points of articulation.

AND OH YES, THE FACE DETAILS~~~

BY ASGARD!!! DO YOU NOT SEE THE PORES???

And then you thought that Asgardians would be flawless and immortal and as splendid as the gods of lore... yes there are pores, and traces of wrinkles, redness, and the facial hair--so much like what Chris Hemsworth may look like had you watched the film (or "Thor") in HDTV. xD


And just to compare the two side by side (sort of), here is Loki's marvelous mugshot:

"I stole my brother's skincare regimen and got the best from it"

Pores are still there, but finer. AND THE EYES BY ODIN'S BEARD THE EYES. Kudos to the artists (shown in the figurines' respective pages in Youbentmywookie (the site hath a peculiar name, doth it not?) who really captured the characters'/actors' perfections and imperfections. The Thor collectible figurine retails at $199.99. Perhaps it is due to less loose parts and accessories as compared to the Loki figurine.

Both figurines are still for pre-order and will be released to the market in the 4th quarter of this year. More details on the Thor collectible figurine can be found HERE. He is also LIMITED EDITION (aaccckkkk).

The other characters whose prototypes have been released are: Captain America, Nick Fury, and Hawkeye.

Just a little note: I have not been paid or compensated by Hot Toys to make some oggling observations of Thor and Loki from their 1:6 scale line. ^^; I just wanted to share the good stuff to you guys, and who knows, any of you may be falling in line soon to receive the collectibles when they come out, most likely, on December 2012.

So... purchased any action figures lately? ^^ I do know some girls who do. They unleash their inner boy-geek and toy stores instantly become what makeup stores are during their girly days. xD

Hey, girls have the right to collect and display toys of favorite superheroes and action figures as anyone! ^_^


LURVE,

Okay, so I have a confession to make.

Ever since watching Marvel's The Avengers, I duly came to realize that I've been missing out on a large chunk of geekdom in my life, which is: the geekdom of comic books. "The Avengers" opened a world to me which I knew would be vast, interesting, complicated, and perhaps more endearing than I have imagined. In all those years, I've seen fellow geek friends succumb to the power of the comic book. While I do own a couple, such as "V for Vendetta" and "Watchmen," I have never really considered myself an enthusiast... until I felt the tingle of slowly becoming one eventually.

I think it's both a good thing and a bad thing. xD

You see, I've entered this phase when I stop spending on make-up, clothes, and shoes--which is good--only to bring my attention to something else--which is, well, entirely geek stuff.

I've foregone some skin care purchases because of this:

"The Ultimates," written by Mark Millar

I've sworn that I'd be in a spending ban after that motherfudger, and so far so good: no major purchases since then, and I believe that the effort is worth it, since I enjoyed my new paperback immensely.

And that is when I knew that I wanted MOARRR.

So I decided to attend Fully Book's Free Comic Book Day on May 19, 2012 at their Bonifacio High Street branch (yes, the one with the four--well, five with the basement--floors of awesome). Of course, I also made sure to attend with friends who were more adept in this new field that I am dabbling into. Nick or Pinoyavenger was there, and so was Mark, and the Justice PH, who came in full costume--pure coolness.

The 9:30AM line

When the line started to move in front of Fully Booked.

I was told that people start falling in line a couple of hours before the shop opens during Free Comic Book Day, and Fully Booked was no exception. Nick and I were there at around 9AM and there already was a line outside the doors about three shops long. In less than an hour, the line grew long enough to span nearly a mile (I may be exaggerating but hey! It's my first Free Comic Book Day ever and these novel things bring wonder to my eyes). The little kid inside me grew giddy. I was thinking: what people would do for free comics; what people would do to celebrate something they love, however small it was. 

The poster

Nick and I (and the line behind us)

As our turn came, I went about consulting Nick and Mark repeatedly on recommendations of comics, both from the free comic book pile, and from those on sale. I eyed a couple of comic book compilations on The Hulk (I have The Hulk/Dr. Bruce Banner FEELS, you see. :P) from the sale (50% off!!!!!) and toted them around for a while, making up my mind, until I decided to save up instead for more geek things I had in mind (also comic book related... somewhat ^^;). The force of comic books in me isn't that strong yet, but the interest surely remained. Mark offered to lend me "Planet Hulk," and of course I accepted; before investing myself thoroughly into this geekdom, I must do more than dip my toes and dive in, with the help of friends, of course. ^_^;;;

The Justice PH :D

Pickin' out some comics at the comics desk

By brunch time, Nick and I decided to have some waffles and pancakes, and soon, Mark joined in after retrieving a free donut from Krispy Kreme. And then a slew of comic-book (and "Avengers" film)-related conversations began. The names and timelines they dropped were both foreign and candy to my ears. They didn't leave me out of the conversation as they enlightened me as they went, while I asked a question or two. It dawned upon me again that I HAVE BEEN MISSING OUT. Dang, girl! You could've had some grand times with past Free Comic Book Days. Oh well, better late then never ever, I suppose!

What I got (behind are prints illustrated by comic book artist Andrew Villar :) )

I haven't had a kikay post in a long time, but I've initially planned for my blog to cater to various audiences and be about various topics and shenanigans, and since I've been in a geeking mood as of late, WELL HERE IT IS.

And besides...

(I just needed an excuse to include a tantrum-y Loki here.)

So... any of you guys have been on Free Comic Book Days for this year and the past years since its inception? :D


LURVE,

So what are these "anime and hobby conventions," and why do people go to such events?

Well, people have their own, various reasons, but one thing's for sure: we go there to dress up and just plain have fun. :P

And what do we mean by "dress up?"

YES, it's called "cosplay." The term "cosplay" has definitions which people debate on and have evolved overtime, but simply put, it's short for "costume play:" wherein a person dresses up as a fictional character from television, films, books, and comic books and ACTS OUT the character. YOU ARE THE CHARACTER. It sounds pretty freaky to the layman, but as we keep on saying amongst ourselves: one may never know the joys of cosplay until he or she tries it... because it's worth trying at least once in your life. ~.^

BUT this entry isn't solely about cosplay. It's about an event called "The Philippine Cosplay Convention," running in its fifth year and was held on March 3, 2012 in Robinson's Place Manila Midtown Atrium. Yes, I know this is a super late post. xD

So we've been teased with this poster weeks before the event:

The event teaser poster taken from Cosplay.ph.

What's cool about PCC is that their IS NO ENTRANCE FEE. This was actually the first time I've attended PCC, but my chaps here seem to have attended for a while now:

Yes, that's 2 girls dressing up as 2 guys... with a hawt schoolgirl teehee

A couple of friends decided to dress up as characters from Kuroshitsuji, also known as "Black Butler" in its English dub. Ayn was Ciel Phantomhive, while Stacy was Grell Sutcliff. Caroline was simply dressed up as a hot schoolgirl (she will deny the "hot" part, but don't believe her xD). I... well, you will see. :P

Since entrance was free, the place was simply packed. However, since the mall was basically open to costumed people especially when they needed refreshment and had to go on food and bathroom breaks, the crowd remained manageable and there was still enough space to breathe. Another plus for this event and the venue. :D

Taken from the 4th floor ^^

Now... let's take a look at some of the cool cosplays we've encountered at the convention:

A ZOIDS MECHA! One complicated costume

Marky, one adorable, talented cosplayer, dressed up as Bon Clay from One Piece

This is also the place where your childhood comes to life.

SHAIDER! Galaxy police

Also, we meet more cosplay friends and acquaintances, like these guys from the famous Tuxedo Team:

The girls were joining the festivities at the venue

I also think that one of the fun parts of being in costume is when you go out and eat and do some of the stuff you do normally... but as the character you're cosplaying. xD Here, Grell is picking on Ciel in the absence of Ciel's butler, Sebastian :P :

Grell!!! BEhAVE! :P

And as for me, well... the usual. :P I'm still on my way of reaching my ideal weight since I gained a LOT, so in the meantime, I've been dressing up as a pirate lass. ^^; For this event, I specifically went as a gypsy pirate princess. Because every little girl wants to be a princess

Who goes there??? >:3

The venue also had booths that sold toys and other cosplay-related goodies. :D It is, after all, a cosplay compendium event. ^^ Of course, I HAD TO take a photo of THIS:

ThunderCats, HOOOOO!!!

At the end of the day, we had tired feet, but were all smiles. :) 10,000,000 photos later (well not really, but all of us were trigger happy as much as we can with our cameras while distracted by so many stuff), we remembered to take a group shot photo of ourselves. xD

With Celeste who came as an ordinary h00man hehe

People who are keen to judge may be inclined to think that we'ere too old for such things, and should just stick to what one calls "reality." We try not to let those kinds of people bust our bubble, since we still try our best to live our lives and all other responsibilities that come with it. :) Cosplay events add more rays of sunshine into our lives, and we relish every minute of it, in spite of what other people may think. ^^;;;

As I said, being in costume and attending such events is worth a try... even at least once in your lifetime.

LURVE,