My JRunway Press and Funan Anime Matsuri 2016 experience
Friday, 4.47 pm.
Me and Justinn were invited as media representative for the
JRunway Press. I for one, am not an expert of fashion so I was going in blindly
wearing what I find most comfortable against the weather in Singapore. Basically, I
don’t really care about what I wear.
When I arrived there, there was already a huge crowd
gathering at the front of the stage. Photographers, cosplayers and attendees,
which were mostly girls, with their phones and cameras out, waiting for the
JRunway Press to begin. The media reps receive a goodie bag kind of thing. It
contains an A4 pamphlet of various brands that’s available in JRunway and a
rundown on them, there’s a Gundam badge, hairclips, a few smaller pamphlets and
finally, what seems to me, was a very long singlet. Well… I don’t think I can wear it so I'll give it to my sister.
A few minutes pass 5 pm and out came the two guests, Akira
and Takeru. They introduce themselves and were asked question from the event
people, from the media reps as well as a few from the crowd. I couldn’t catch
all of what were asked and answered but here were a few that I recorded.
They were quite happy when all three of the questions from
the crowd were asked in Japanese instead.
Even though I am not a fan of them or this medium, I really
respect them for their work as they’re working as models, singers and
fashion/apparel designers and they have come this far where they’re able to
expand to different countries. It’s both difficult to juggle time between them
but at the same time all three can help to expand their reach to consumers
through each of their own platforms, in time gaining popularity. It sorts of
reminds me of Koji Makaino from Bakuman where he was singer and then tried to
be a mangaka.
Other than JRunway, I stayed back a little, walking around
the area and taking in the atmosphere as I won’t be able to come on the
weekends due to classes. I watched the Ely workshop for a while before continue
making rounds around the floor (I’m quite sad that I couldn’t buy one of
Ely’s new cosplay photobook). There were various figurines on sale for a
discounted price, ranging from $40 for a Nendroid to $115 for a Yukikaze scale
figure from Aquamarine. Figurine from series like Free!, Cross Ange, One Piece,
Love Live! and more. I don’t get why I torture myself looking at them as I
can’t buy them at all. Going around looking and staring from afar, browsing
through the catalogue, overhearing shouts of joy when attendees win the lottery
doesn’t really help me. Haiz…
So here’s what I took in the state of my depression,
cowardice and lethargy before heading home to break my fast. I also added in
what I took on Monday. Enjoy!
They were quite a number of cosplayers there. Series like
Ansatsu Kyoushitsu, Love Live, Date A Live, Guilty Crown, Owari no Seraph and
quite a few more. I guess FAM being a smaller scale event compared to events
such as Cosfest, Chara Expo, STGCC and AFA, doesn’t seem as “event-like”. But
they still managed to draw quite a crowd with the various things happening in
their schedule despite how compact the area was. Card competitions, guests
cosplayers, cosplay workshop, meet and greets and also having mini concerts on
the weekends still do liven up the atmosphere. The Horror House, Six Exits and
the puzzle adventure game, Escape the Assassination Classroom also help to
gather people. There are also curious onlookers who are visiting the Funan
before its renovation so without a doubt, there’s a lot of publicity from
different sources.
That was the last Funan Anime Matsuri before its renovation.
There’s three less shops to buy figurines from, a huge Challenger gone and one
less mall that I can window shop at.
Mata ne~
Written by Zwei
No Comment to " My JRunway Press and Funan Anime Matsuri 2016 experience "