The best TOYCON moments, from Alodia's pregnancy reveal to Jed Madela's impromptu concert
TOYCON 2024 is over. *sobs* But in case you missed the most-talked-about pop culture event over the weekend, we've got you covered with the awesome things that went down at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Alodia’s pregnancy reveal
After hinting with a dragon’s egg on her socials, cosplay queen Alodia Gosiengfiao-Quimbo finally confirmed her pregnancy before the TOYCON attendees, a community she had been a part of since the sophomore year of the convention. “Well, Player 3 has joined the party,” she revealed on Day 3. The crowd then went wild.
@secretjerry Cosplay queen and Tier One co-founder Alodia Gosiengfiao has finally confirmed her pregnancy at #Toycon. Congrats, Boss A! @alodia is set to appear in the esports movie #FriendlyFire, showing on Oct. 23. #alodiagosiengfiao #cosplay #gamer #esports @blackcappicturesinc ♬ original sound - secretjerry
eSports movie Friendly Fire trailer drop
Having co-founded gaming label Tier One herself and leaving the company due to misaligned “visions and values,” Alodia, a.k.a Boss A to the gaming community, proves to be an important addition to the cast of esports movie Friendly Fire. Helmed by Mikhail Red (Birdshot, Deleter), the story revolves around Hazel/Kaya (Loisa Andalio) who reluctantly joins the national team competing at the Project Xandata Grand Prix. Also present at the trailer reveal were Yves Flores, Bob Jbeili, and Jan Silverio. Friendly Fire opens in Philippine cinemas on Oct. 23.
Sneak peek of Heart Evangelista’s new international movie Infamous 6
TOYCON event partner MINDStyl revealed it is producing Infamous 6, an action-thriller featuring an ensemble cast that includes Heart Evangelista. A behind-the-scenes video was played during the event showing Heart’s character pressing someone’s head and being trapped in what appeared to be a torture device.
Jed Madela’s impromptu concert
Singer Jed Madela’s visit to the Funko Funatics Philippines Sari-Sari Store last Sunday turned into a mini-concert as he performed before his fellow collectors. “I also realized that there are a lot of new artists and I'm actually happy to see our industry grow. Let's take care of it guys and support each other,” he posted on Facebook.
Madela himself is a toy designer. “Thinking of it now, I miss VuDu and VuDu Boy. I think it's time to bring him back. Interest check!”
Autograph and picture session with the cast of Encantadia Chronicles: Sang’gre
Avid Encantadia fans enjoyed a meet-and-greet with the cast of the sequel series Encantadia Chronicles: Sang’gre. Rhian Ramos plays Mitena, the cursed twin of Cassiopeia (Solenn Heussaff) who can manipulate ice; Faith da Silva portrays the fire-wielding Flamarra; Angel Guardian stars as Deia, who possesses the gem of the wind; and Bianca Umali is set to appear as Terra, the lost daughter of Danaya (Sanya Lopez). The actresses also hosted a short trivia show to test the knowledge of the fans on all things Encantadia.
Showstopping J-Pop, P-Pop, and K-Pop performances
On Day 2, Japanese singer krage brought the house down with her performance of “request” from the official soundtrack of the anime Solo Leveling. J-Pop trio Blow the Chicken Idol took everyone by surprise by singing a capella in the audience area. Boy group BUGVEL, meanwhile, showed they were more than their toned biceps and pretty faces by dancing, rapping, and singing like there’s no tomorrow.
The boys of K-Pop group n.Ssign taught the audience five ways to make a heart sign while dancing to their song “Love, Love, Love, Love, Love!” As for the men-turned-Bullets, G22 astonished them with cool moves and catchy urban music.
Voltes V: Legacy MS/01 Masterpiece Series, JolliTEQ, and lootBOX+’s Combatron designer toys
Christmas came early for mecha fans as TOYCON became the channel for pre-ordering Riot’s Voltes V: Legacy MS/01 Masterpiece Series, 28-centimenter MMS/01, and a Voltes V vs. Baizanga Anime Diorama. Apart from the 20-foot-tall Voltes V: Legacy display by licensor Telesuccess Productions, fans also took snaps of the prototypes displayed at TOYCON.
Over at the lootBOX+ booth, 90s kids took the chance to grab the designer toys based on Funny Comics character Combatron and meet the character’s creator Berlin Manalaysay. lootBOX+ founders Tonicci Paulino and Norman Caguiat tapped artists to design their own Combatron figures. All units sold out at TOYCON, the proceeds will be donated to an orphanage.
Fastfood company Jollibee also made its JolliTEQ figure available at the event, and gave away free cheeseburgers via a social media contest throughout the day. The figure is designed by Filipino visual artist Juanito Maiquez, known as Quiccs.
An unfortunate incident: Theft at Impact Toys and Collectibles booth
As a sidebar, a theft was reported at the Impact Toys and Collectibles booth on Saturday. The owner told PhilSTAR L!fe that the stolen earnings amount to more than P100,000, which she planned to use for her cesarean delivery. Shots of the suspect from the CCTV footage are posted on the shop’s page. The suspect remains at large as of posting.
Commenters suggested making the toy exhibitors’ area at TOYCON more spacious next time to prevent thefts. Others advised sellers to safeguard their earnings by wearing a belt bag and not leaving them exposed.
What was your favorite moment or haul at TOYCON 2024? Organizers are gearing up for its Christmas iteration this year but the date and venue are still under wraps. Until then, start saving up for the next geekgasmic event!
