Toycon 2017 - Debut of the Rice Armor

Toycon would still be one of my most awaited conventions of the year, if not for the ticket price increase caused by it being a joint event with Poplife FanXperience. This Toycon, I have no intentions of actually attending the event, because of the ticket price. I also don't have enough funds, because of my collector hobby, and because some people haven't paid me their debts. We planned to have a gathering outside of the convention halls. This is the so called Team Labas.

Toycon x Poplife FanXperience Day 2 - July 1, 2017
SMX Convention Center
Team Labas
Weeb stuff present: Rice Armor, Hanayo jacket, Hanayo mini nesoberi

This is the first time I did Team Labas for Toycon, since my first Toycon last 2014. I'm gonna miss the toy exhibit area, in which our our collector group is one of the exhibitors. Aside from that, there is really no surprising exhibit, unlike last year, where there is the 20-ft Voltes V statue.

This convention is the debut of my Rice Armor, which first appeared during the Moment Ring event. Some people showed their appreciation, and took pictures of my armor.

One of the reasons I went to Toycon even though I'm Team Labas, is to get my Hanayo mini Nesoberi, from a group order which my friend took care of.

With the K.F.C. group, we roamed SMX convention center, but not the convention halls. I even brought a camera, so we could take clear pictures of cosplayers that we find. We even met people of the same Love Live! fandom, like in every convention.

Something different in this Toycon, is even though we're Team Labas, we get a photo with an artist. First, I saw someone dressed as Bathalumang Ether from Encantadia (2016). I thought she was a ccosplayer, so I approached her, and asked for a photo. Then her companion told us to tag Janice Hung in social media sites. At first, I'm not sure with the name, then it was mentioned that Janice Hung is the actress who portrayed Ether.

That feeling when you think she is a cosplayer, then turns out that she is the real deal...

For the whole day, we roamed around SMX, taking pictures, chatting with other people. When you think about it, team labas is not really that bad, for Toycon. SMX is large, and it's easy to find a spot to hang out.

Here are some of my favorite shots from Day 2:

A rematch. We had our first encounter on O-kun Fiesta 3, and I have no shield at that time. Instead, we have our Rice Cult banner. We found someone who has a green lightsaber, so I borrowed it for a while, because Hanayo's color is light green. The lightsaber is just perfect. What's funny is we unintentionally rode the same bus going home.

Picture with Hanayo = favorite. Yes, kinda biased. I also do heart poses with Hanayo cosplayers I find, showing how much I love Hanayo.

Another reason of attending Day 2, is because I have a gathering with Pinoy Square Enix Collectors (PSEC) group. Every Toycon and Xmas Toycon, we have a gathering, usually dinner.

Day 2 Team Labas is not so bad. I still got a lot of photos.

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Toycon x Poplife FanXperience Day 3 - July 2, 2017
SMX Convention Center
Team Loob
Weeb stuff present: Rice Armor, Hanayo jacket, Hanayo mini nesoberi (same as Day 2)

For Day 3, I was planning to do Team Labas again with K.F.C. group. I planned on going again, since more my friends are going, and there are more people, meaning more photos. An unexpected turn of events, my mom gave me money for entrance ticket. Some more unexpected events, I was able to get hold of an entrance ticket, for free, thanks to a friend. I owe him big time. He's also responsible for searching Hanayo's solo CD in Japan. Yes, I definitely owe him big time.

So I got extra cash for merchandise, if I find some to buy. What a great day.

It's nice to see the people from Moment Ring event, again, even though we're going to see each other again on the 22nd of July. I had the coscards which I got from Moment Ring event, signed, well, except for one. This is where I can let out the inner weeb in me, without second thoughts.

I stayed with the K.F.C. group for a few hours, before I decided to enter the convention halls, and roam around. As usual, I find the merchant area cramped up. With my shield, and my backpack, I find it hard to roam around with so many people inside. I went around and looked for stuff which can be added in my Rice Armor.

In the exhibit area, it's nice to see some of the figs, which I haven't acquired yet, and haven't opened yet, not just in pictures, but the actual one. Some figs to mention are: Figma Lucina, Dark Magician Girl, and Shidou Hikaru. This is why I'm hyped the most about though, from the PSEC exhibit.

Dissidia Trading Arts Mini Terra Branford, with the Magitek Armor. I haven't got Terra yet, and I don't know if I have the chance to get the Magitek Armor.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from Day 3.

He is the only person I've seen who did a literal armor, just like me. His armor is a samurai's, decorated with Kanan stuff. Mine is an onigiri shield decorated with Hanayo stuff. Mandatory epic battle pose.

How can I forget the two people, who dragged me into idol heLL? Without them, I would not have gone this far.

With Rin-chan by Kibi. She is one of those who appreciated my armor a lot. She even asked for a picture with it last Moment Ring event. Now, I let her handle my shield again.

Dragon Ball Z - Mr. Hercule Satan, a.k.a. Master Pogi in the Filipino dub.

We even took photos so we could create a meme template, and an actual meme. Here is an example of a Drakeposting meme, with the arresting. I have to put the pics the other way though, because I did not realize we took the pictures the wrong way.

Here's my haul for Toycon 2017:

The pictures are free. I got them from people who were just giving them away. The others were bought inside the convention halls. Thanks to having entrance tickets, I was able to buy them, and at bargain prices for some of them, too.

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Toycon 2017 Thoughts:

I hope the organizers would give an option for tickets. A ticket for the Toycon part of the event, and a ticket for the Poplife FanXperience part of the event. Most of the people I've known just wanted the Toycon half. In fact, I have not explored the Poplife half of the event, for this year. I actually tried going there near the time of the event closing, but I saw that the area is closed already. Really? It's not yet 9 p.m. and you closed off that area already.