The Best of Anime / BOA 2015: Day 1

 

 

On its sixth straight year of being one of the biggest anime conventions in the Philippines, The Best of Anime continued to exceed fan expectations as it rolled out an exciting lineup of attractions and activities and flew in an impressive roster of international cosplayers and performers to ensure that attendees have a memorable experience at this year’s edition.

 

 

The kickoff for BOA 2015 started the evening before with the fan meetup of crowd-favorite Japanese fantasy idol group Starmarie.  The group was back in Manila for a series of performances over the weekend.  They were gracious in giving their fans a separate session at Meeting Room 10 of SMX to get reacquainted with each other and spend some time together before the event itself, with our coverage of the event here.  At Day One they gave high-octane performances that left the audience cheering and clamoring for more and they also got to spend time with their fans at the event area for photos and autograph signings.

 

 

 

With a solid and consistent track record of providing the best experience and entertainment possible for its fans by listening to their requests and feedback for the past five years, BOA has gained a strong following in the local anime and cosplay community.  It has been promoting Japanese pop culture through exhibitions, film screenings, school events and contests to reach a wider audience.  BOA 2015 would turn out to be another breakthrough year as thousands of people filled Function Rooms 2, 3, and 4 of the SMX Convention Center at SM Mall of Asia on its first day.  The Rurouni Kenshin live action movie was screened as attendees settled in and got their first glimpse of this year’s event.

 

 

The host welcomed the the crowd to this year’s event as well as warmed them up for the great lineup of performances all throughout the day, starting off with a frenetic set by Asterysk.

 

 

 

The Quickdraw Competition got to see talented young artists come up with a new mascot character for the event sponsor and got to show their skills and finished work to the audience.

 

 

 

Over at Meeting Room 10, the Meet and Greet Session with one of Taiwan’s prominent cosplayers was underway.  Hane Ann has become known in many countries for her Love Live! cosplays, and that day her Filipino fans got to see her as Kotori Minami.  She got to answer questions from her fans, saying that she was enjoying her stay in the Philippines and that she admired the cosplayers here, and that the people were warm and always smiling.  She also got to do autographs and have photos taken with her fans.

 

 

 

 

Next up was the Meet and Greet Session with Japanese band UchusentaiNOIZ, with Taka, Kotaro, Masato, Kyo and Yamato.  It was a rowdy but engaging affair as both the band and their fans enjoyed each other’s company too much.  We’ll be having a separate article for it so do watch out for it soon.

 

 

 

Back on stage, Hane Ann gave a splendid Love Live! performance to the delight of the crowd, warming them up for the BOA All-Star Cosplay Competition, where the best local cosplayers from all over the country compete for huge prizes in singles and group action.

 

 

The difficult task of picking out the best from a talented pool of participants fell on the shoulders of an impressive team of judges made up of outstanding Singaporean cosplayer Sara Tousa Bao, celebrity cosplayer Myrtle Sarrosa, Monya of Starmarie and Taiwanese cosplayer Hane Ann.

 

 

Competitors put on their best performances in front of a supportive crowd, their skills put to the test.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Myrtle was gracious in having photos with her co-judges and her fans. She later went to the Hero TV booth to meet her fans up close and take pictures with them.

 

 

 

 

 

People then started flocking around the stage as Joe Inoue got ready to perform.  The talented Japanese singer and songwriter first got to perform in the country way back in 2013, and ever since then his Filipino fans just keep on multiplying and couldn’t get enough of him. His charisma, undeniable singing talent and antics made him a crowd favorite.  Joe confessed that he has already fallen in love with the Philippines and thanked the fans for their endless support.  He even wrote and sang a couple of songs in Taglish just to show his deep appreciation. He send the crowd rocking with his famous hits like Fighting Dreamers and Closer and had a fun time with them, taking photos and videos and going to the barriers to shake hands with the crowd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Joe’s very amusing performance, the stage was set for the Day One’s finale. UchusentaiNOIZ sent the audience into a frenzy with their showmanship and musical prowess.  Taka, Kotaro, Masato, Kyo and Yamato showed everyone their skill and versatility, playing their renowned hits besides covering Filipino songs like Narda, Pinoy Ako and Liwanag sa Dilim.  The SMX Hall two was literally shaking with the fans jumping up and down and pumping their fists and cheering the band on as they matched each other’s energy.  It made for one amazing performance the band appeared tireless after doing full sets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were there for the cosplayers too, of course, and there were lots of them enjoying being with the crowd in the costumes they have prepared just for this event.  Among them was our Cosplay Models Mina Kim and our photographer Keileen, who was having fun cosplaying Shimakaze of Kantai Collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many thanks to our Photographer and Meganekko Kami for covering the event with us.

 

 

And with all those, BOA was off to a great start with Day 1.  Watch out soon as we bring you our coverage of an even more exciting Day 2 of The Best of Anime.  Visit us again soon.

 

Please click on an image to view slideshow.

 

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