Hobbyists among us: Toycon 2013

Earlier this month saw the Philippine hobby scene rise for another major event in the Metro, as people from all walks of life converged for the 12th annual installment of The Philippine Toys, Hobbies, and Collectibles Convention.

Held at SM Megamall's Megatrade Halls 1, 2, and 3, the event celebrated all things pop culture and geeky converged in one big event aimed at attracting collectors and cosplayers alike.



Attending the event for three days straight, I’ve been fortunate to get a tour of the entire area and space that make up the Toycon proper. The event was systematically set up to maximize the use of all three halls inside the top floor of building B in SM Megamall. Retailers and shops participating in the festivities were designated at Megatrade Hall 1, with numerous booths set up with merchandise and bargains on display. Hall 2 housed the sponsors and promotion booths, with many highlighting some of the year’s biggest summer blockbusters, with Warner Bros.’ Superman reboot film “Man Of Steel” being among the highlights and themes of this year’s installment of the ToyCon.

Hall 3 on the other hand wasn’t open to the general public on day one, which was literally a “soft opening” for the convention. On Saturday, however, there was a special ribbon cutting ceremony that officially started ToyCon weekend, with the area now open for the event’s cosplay competition, panel discussions, and stage shows. ToyCon quickly amassed a number of people who showcased their created outfits and costumes, based on characters and icons from various brands and genres in both western and eastern popculture. Comic book characters were brought to life by groups like Justice PH and The Philippine X-Men Team, while others took to anime and sentai and cosplayed characters from popular shows like Dragonball, Gundam, and Power Rangers.

So besides collecting and cosplaying, what else was there to do in ToyCon besides shopping? Plenty in fact, and a lot of people wanting to showcase their talents had a chance to join in the various competitions and activities that were spread around the event itself. Well-known toy groups gathered in the Megatrade conference hall to display some of their best dioramas, busts, statues, and toy collections ranging from popular lines like G.I. Joe, Transformers, and Gundam.

Gaming wise, the good folks from 99.5 PLAY FM gave gamers a chance to test their skills over the weekend by bringing an impressive lineup of titles to dish out some punishment and brawl in, such as Injustice: Gods Among Us and Super Street Fighter IV. There was even a “Beat The Batman” challenge that I personally participated in dressed as The Dark Knight, welcoming challengers to friendly battles and playing as their favorite characters from the new DC Comics fighting game. Also in line were some panel presentations and shows, such as Justice PH’s discussion on an actual DC Movie Universe and a Justice League film potentially happening following Man Of Steel’s release.

ToyCon was the place to be if you enjoy hobbies, toys, anime, games, and cosplay. And if you missed out on the action this month, not to worry: the organizers also hold the Xmas ToyCon every December, so be sure to check the official ToyCon Facebook page for more details. — BM, GMA News

Tim G. Villasor is a multimedia artist, writer, gamer, popculture enthusiast, collector, and occasional cosplayer. He is a founding member of cosplay group Justice PH, and suits up as The Dark Knight of the team, Batman. He’s also attended the ToyCon since its inception, and gets quite stoked at how much it grows each year he attends.