My very first anime convention, and it was the incredibly awesome Anime Festival Asia in Singapore. While many people chose to focus on the merchandise, I decided to focus on the participants of the con – the cosplayers. SIXTY crazy photos ahead! With Singapore being the next most proliferate anime hub, the cosplayers have quite the reputation to hold up, and it doesn’t disappoint.
I would have posted earlier, but being sick kinda delayed it a little. Oh, the above photo wasn’t taken by me, as I didn’t bring my DSLR with me on my trip, that and I also couldn’t get that close to the lovely Gwendolyn.
So I arrived on late Friday, and basically my first breakfast before going to AFA was my absolute favorite breakfast delicacy in Singapore – Roti Prata. Delicious start to my visit!
On the way to Suntec. Decided not to go through the City Hall to Suntec underpass because my friend wanted to have a smoke. It was a nice day for a walk anyway. The weather is nice this time of year – much cooler than summer. It’s like Vancouver’s summer weather!
Inside Suntec. The convention hub is also a mall! Not too much has changed in here since my last visit, compared to the rest of Singapore. (more photos in the near future).
My AFA ticket. It’s rather unfortunate that my Sunday ticket is still firmly attached to the stub. I got pretty sick near the end of Day 1, and basically was wrestling with the idea of whether to attend Day 2. I regret not going, but at the same time, it probably would have destroyed the rest of my vacation here.
My lunch. Swenson’s baked chicken on rice. I haven’t had Swenson’s in over 4 years! Singapore’s chicken has a very different texture to it, one that I can’t say I really like. The meat is stringy and dry – even with all this sauce.
Into the fray I go. Fortunately, thanks to Zh3us’ organizing, I was able to obtain tickets without needing to line up for hours. I arrived late, and the line-up was still insane! When you walk in the door, you’re greeted by this large (or should I say small) Gundam.
No idea who they are, but frankly, I don’t care. THIS is how cosplay works. Not like most of that North American crap.
A Beyond-Perfect-Grade Gundam. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen something as cool as this at that kind of scale.
I’m speechless at how cool this looks. BADASS!
After finally seeing a Cintiq for the first time in person, I’ve decided to buy less anime figures, sell more anime figures, and save up for a Cintiq.
Absolutely amazing work. I enjoy these kinds of paintings more than the typical anime fan art nowadays. I especially love it when they introduce a more asian/anime influenced edge into this kind of work. It’s what I hope to accomplish in the future.
Suigintou cosplayer. She’s absolutely adorable! And I’m not just talking about the outfit! A very friendly, and timid demeanor from the brief 15 seconds of interaction I had with her.
This is what the convention is all about – jacked up prices for large volumes of anime merchandise, and a lot of rare ones too!
Not a cosplayer, but her job is obvious. Decided to cover her face out of respect.
K-On! Not much else I can say about this photo other than “NICE GUITAR!”
I kinda know who the girl on the left is (Bleach?) But the rest escape me. I’m guessing they’re just loligoth.
Same deal. Who are they cosplaying as? Doesn’t matter. I’m sure any girl would love to wear a flowing princessy dress for a day while people snap pictures of her like a celebrity/model.
Can’t say for sure, but I think this guy is a very famous artist. (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time?). Autograph signing had just closed when I got there.
I absolutely cannot wait to see this movie! Production I.G. FTW!
Stickers to prove your worth.
Absolutely awesome Black Rock Shooter cosplayer. The eye thing is a very nice touch. What I find interesting is that you can have ANYONE simply carry a samurai sword, and it will look like cosplay. Wear loligoth, carry a katana = cosplay. Wear a school uniform, carry a katana = cosplay. Wear street clothes, carry a katana = cosplay.
kero kero kero kero. Super adorable.
More Gundam goodness. Now this is a Gundam worth getting!
At the Danny Ch- er I mean Good Smile booth, with the ultra cute Xenoglossia Nendoroid Petits! I don’t recall seeing anyone post photos of these cuties.
WIN. There’s no other words required.
Obligatory photo. ^_^ I chose not to post my shots of Black Rock Shooter and World is Mine. Everyone’s posted it already.
This looks so cool.
These were all available for sale! I bought the smallest one.
This guy was awesome. He had a voodoo doll Miku with him too. He was nice enough to pose with me of him decapitating my head. Too gruesome to show that! 😛
After reading Rule 2, I lost interest. This is what Singapore is like, my friends! (please laugh. I’m just teasing.)
I do find the rules humorous though, especially rule 4.
awesome awesome Eneloop dog. This made my day. Seeing a Miku taking a photo with it also made my day (and yes, I did take a photo with her, and the dog, seperately).
No idea who she’s cosplaying as, but whatever. Cute smile.
Awesome KH cosplayer. Those weapons are hand-made! I asked what it was made out of and what was involved. It was very technical. I was lost at “composite”.
Terrible fanart is terrible. I like how well it’s rendered, but the entire thing looks… dead. There’s just something incredibly lacking about it – the facial expressions, the poses, the composition, how stiff everyone looks, the complete lack of dynamic movement, it’s just all wrong. Being a huge fan of Valkyria Chronicles, I found this image insulting.
Hardcore card players playing anime card games. It’s like an anime version of Magic the Gathering!
Miku buying Miku merchandise. This is where you’d find artists like puppychun.
Actually very good cosplay. I’m not a Bleach or Naruto fan, but again, THIS is how cosplay is done right.
Yes, this is how good fanart looks. Stylized in your own way, but in ways that add to the original concept, not take away. While the general style is “generic”, it’s done well, and works well with the character.
ka-wa-ii.
<3
Again, two more cosplayers with absolutely amazing handiwork. It’s like these two are the opposite of the first two princess and prince duo.
More epic cosplayers.
So many people! But this isn’t even a lot!
Yaoi FTW! I do not support that message.
Yuri FTW. This I do support.
Breaktime – a “local” drink – Bandung. It’s a rose syrup milk drink. It tastes deliciously sweet with a fragrant rose scent. This definitely tops my previous favorite – Orange Qoo.
I believe she’s one of the AFA Cosplay Contest finalists. Quite amazing work.
This Naruto cosplayer is not a Narutard.
Double Post for deserved kawaii-ness.
There’s something about a group of cosplaying girls sitting around chatting. Bonus points for them being frilly loligoth cosplayers. You’ll notice they’r still segregated between the “anime hair color” group and the “natural hair color group”.
There were better poses from her, but oh well.
This guy was a great cosplayer. Very friendly, totally open, and very patient. He held that pose for a good 30 seconds while someone with a DSLR snapped away silently.
Then he took a picture with me like we’ve always been good friends. XD
Ulala variant color. VERY HOT. I love retrocool style clothes.
MOAR PEOPLE!!!
YES. It really should have been a girl character! HAWT.
Who is the girl on the right cosplaying as? She’s very pretty.
MOAR PEOPLE!!! Check out the giant sword on the left.
Ran into her back in the con. She’s very cute.
Gwendolyn from Odin Sphere. When I first saw her wandering, I was floored. I wasn’t camera ready as she went through a door and vanished. I wasn’t satisfied leaving without a shot of her. I ran into her again (friend pointed her out). Unfortunately, this photo doesn’t do her justice anyway. I also saw ONE girl dressed as Konata (height was accurate too) but wasn’t camera ready at the time she went passed and disappeared around a corner.
Quite sad that this was the only pic I got of Danny Choo as he was mobbed and rushing away. I shouted “DANNY!” he looked over, and said “Hey!” That blurry thing in front of him is his hand as he waved. If I’m not mistaken, that’s Alodia. It’s blurry, but you can see her Witchblade makeup still on.
At the end of it all, after looking through all my photos, I feel it’s time I bought a new point and shoot camera. Most of the photos I got were blurry under this low light condition. There are cameras nowadays with face tracking, smile tracking, and anti-motion blur processing. I want to get a point and shoot that I can take out for quick shots and not have to worry about missing amoment.
AFA 09 was a lot of fun, and I really wish I was able to attend Day 2. I’ll definitely try to attend again. I’ll at least be attending my local anime con – Anime Evolution, though my friend tells me that I’ll be disappointed after having been exposed to AFA.
I’ve still got more to experience here, and I’ve already taken quite a number of photos of Singapore – the next most proliferating anime hub on the internetz. So stay tuned to check out what Singapore is like!
Thanks for checking out the photos!
Hello! I’m the Suigintou cosplayer! 😀
Nice touch to the photo with Miku. xP
Glad you enjoyed AFA in Singapore!
Cheers! XD
Oh hello! It was very nice meeting you! You’re awesome, and I know it already. 😀
Very happy that you replied! I apologize the picture doesn’t do you justice! ^_^
Haha! It’s okay! I’m not that good at posing and all that yet anyways. 😛 Come visit Singapore again soon! 😀
Nice photos, thanks! But it’s kinda sad to see all the splendor just in pictures. I wish I were able to teleport myself over several thousands kilometers.
If I recall, Gordonator was working on a teleporter for Candice. 😛
I’m glad that I’m at least able to show you guys through photos of what happened at AFA. The painfully long flight was worth it, that’s for sure…
Omg hai!
Too bad I couldn’t meet you! Zh3us wanted to too! (??? )
yea me too >.<
It’s not too late! I’m still here! If there is any awesome place you want to give me a tour of, let’s meet up!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Time to meet upppp!! When are you going back?
I’ll give you a shout via email shortly! Busy for the rest of the week (meeting with wife’s friends). But should be free next week.
How come I missed so many gorgeous cosplayers??? O_O
was it during day 1 or 2 or combined?
This was just day 1. I basically ran the entire con within 2 hours and saw everything I wanted to see. The rest of it was going around taking pictures of cosplayers like I was in Disneyland or something. 🙂
oh my gosh :((( I’m soooo jealouss!!!! I vow I will go to one of these very soon! *bookmarks radiantdreamer* Lovely site, VERY nice 🙂
Hi! Welcome to my blog! I do hope that you’ll be able to attend next year. It’s definitely worth it!
Thanks for visiting! Hope you enjoy your stay and become a longtime reader! *bows politely*
I was with zh3us group that couple of days… Sadly not being able to meet you… :3c
I wonder if we had all inadvertently run into each other, but just not know it! O_o
I’ve got a Vader Helm as my right shoulder armour on Day 01, should be obvious enough… ^^;
Wish I was there… Haven’t had any experience going to cons yet.
No local cons? Alodia goes everywhere, no?
No cons here in the province only in other big cities like Cebu City, Davao City, Manila to name a few but it’s not a valid reason to my parents to travel there..
And I have to ask for their permissions first since I’m helping the business, I have some responsibilities to do.
OwO Awesome cosplayers are awesome! OwO
I can identify some of the characters/series for you XD
First pair after your first Gundam photo: Euphemia and Lelouch from Code Geass (I kinda LOLed at the platforms ^^;)
Girl with green hair after Eneloop Dog Mascot + Miku cosplayer photo: Ranka Lee from Macross Frontier
2nd “Prince and Princess” duo: CC and Lelouch from Code Geass
the guy in the photo below CC+Lelouch: Kururugi Suzaku from Code Geass… as for the girl, I’m not so sure… Trinity Blood?
As for the photo with Danny, LOL. Yep, that’s Alodia.
I hope I can be able to go to a con overseas in the future! OwO
lol shows how much of an anime fan I am. 😛 Yeah, those cosplay costumes floor me. I’m absolutely amazed by them!
LOL. Nah, Macross Frontier is just popular, I still haven’t watched it… and the rest of the characters I pointed out were from Code Geass ^^
I always had deep respect to those who are able to make and pull off amazing cosplays by themselves… I always had my costumes commissioned because I couldn’t make my own ><;
Awesome pics! First of all, you got to check out the 1/35 GFF RX-78-2…. I am seriously jealous… If it eventually goes on sale, that’s the one thing I’ll be getting, UGH! I can see my wallet draining…
Great pics of the beautiful cosplayers and a real nice touch with the Miku on the faces, that just makes it even more mysterious and cute. I’m actually surprised you didn’t know a lot of the more notable characters (Ranka Lee?). Then again, you don’t seem to be all that into the more shounen targeted series.
Get any good loot other than the awesome Domo-kun?
The Cintiq looks amazing, amazing and expensive, I’m already happy with my gigantic Intuos3 though, but I think it’d be really nice to own a badass Cintiq.
I love Orange Qoo!
YURI FTW! \(>_<)/
Well pyauki. What can I say other than BUY IT!!! That is one SWEET looking gunpla, I can tell you that. ^_^
Heh I just grabbed a random Miku from Danboruu. ^_^ I like giving people a sense of mystery! ^_^
I did pick up something else other than Domo Kun! I grabbed one of the Imaginary Friends artbooks (specifically Pepper Project). It’s VERY nice.
It will be difficult to curb my habit of anime figures to buy a Cintiq. =_=;
I have yet to drink any Orange Qoo here. All the kopitiam serve grape only. 🙁
WANT MOAR YURI!
the girl in the 3rd last pic is cosplaying Yuki Morikawa from White Album, she’s a friend of mine ^^
orly? Dang, were you nearby at the time? She’s Malaysian then?
I was probably some where around there that time haha, yeah she’s Malaysian
Hey! seems like the KH cosplayer from last year is back this year too.
Seems like a very nice and patient person, explaining to me what the weapons were made out of… I was offered to hold it, but I was afraid I’d break them, so I declined. ^_^;
sadly I didn’t see you on Day 1, heck I didn’t even see Zh3us on Day 1. Haha.
we may be meeting this Sunday. 🙂
gyaa reading AFA reports everywhere those days… this makes me feel jealous and lonely in my little corner of France ^^;
Looks like it was a great event. Thx for the dream 😉
Anime is not as proliferate over there? Do take a trip sometime! It’s worth it! ^_^
They are, but festivals/convs around them are just… commercial bullshits. Well, actually it is more mangas than animes. That’s why guests are generally mangakas. Not much stuff about animes’ world, like anisongs, people from this industry like voice actors etc… There are some cosplay/anisong animations though, organised by random fans, but that’s too poor in my opinion.
Well, I shouldn’t be complaining since we’ve got JAM Project in Paris last year ^^;
But want more! Like those beautiful cosplayer ladies you have there hehe =p
Need to think about a trip indeed, but that’s quite a thing to organise, coming from this far away ^^;
I know what you mean by them being commercial BS. When comic cons first appeared in Vancouver, it was the same too. Actually the local anime con is still mostly merchants, if I hear correctly, but they do organize some events, though not nearly as elaborate and “expo-like” as AFA. I’m most definitely spoiled now! ^^;
So I’ve heard that you’re sorta “back on the scene” a little now! Welcome back! I do hope you’ll participate in this year’s AFN photo contest! ^^
Wow! That’s a very fruitful coverage even for Day 1! Never knew the hype for AFA is that big; it kinda puts the ones in Hong Kong to shame (well the Hong Kong one is more like for general audience) ^^;
Tons of stuff there: exhibitions, figures, fanarts, cosplays, and you get to see DC too!
Lots of cosplayers there, and despite my anxiety towards cosplayers in general, they are actually pretty good 😮
You’ve got anxiety towards cosplayers? I’m guessing that you’re shy? It’s okay! They are just people too! Most of them are more than happy to take a photo with you! (every cosplayer I asked was okay with taking a photo with me). One rule to remember, which I kinda wasn’t aware of until it happened, don’t bother a cosplayer for a photo if he/she is not posing or waiting. I did that with the hesitant Ulala cosplayer and felt bad for it, because after that, other photographers closed in on her. -_-;
I actually mean I tend to have little expectations as I don’t see many good ones usually. I actually rarely had the notion of taking pictures of cosplayers; perhaps I am not so big into it in the first place.
A huge ton of good cosplayers. As of fan of the KH series I really like the roxas cosplayer, especially his keyblades. Some of the girl cosplayers look cute thats for sure. As said before good cosplays. Thing is why theirs are good is that they put more effort into it than here in the US.
It seems that some of the cosplayers buy their costumes and tailor it to fit. I guess this is fine, as the point really is to dress up and look nice. North America is more hooked on the idea of “it must be home made!”, which I think is fine if you’re excellent at making cosplay and looking good in it, but not so much if you’re not. I think that overall, North Americans do put in the effort for their cosplay. Just that asian cosplayers put in more effort to make it look good.