The Cosplay and Animé Café: arkadymac.com

One of the biggest cosplay projects ever assembled in the country had come to its 5th and what could be final installment. The Extreme Moments Out-of-Town Cosplay Project Series started over a year ago, and from its audacious start at Capones Island it has since spanned some of the most beautiful locations in the Philippines, and it has made what would most likely be its final stop at historic Corregidor.  After months of extensive and careful preparations, TeamXM, the organizers behind the Extreme Moments Out-of-Town Cosplay Project Series, got to pull off another amazing feat with Extreme Moments 5, “The Final Wrath,” where 88 talented cosplayers, photographers and their supporters went on a cosplay adventure of a lifetime to the fortified island south of Manila Bay. arkadymac.com was there as the media team to have covered all five installments of the series.

Extreme Moments has been filling entire buses and boats of cosplayers and photographers for fun and amazing shoots in distant but spectacular locations outside the city.  The team gas shot in Capones Island in Zambales (click for our coverage of Day 1 and Day 2), at Mt. Samat in Bataan (our coverage can be found here), at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan (our coverage can be found here), then at  Fortune Island off the coast of Batangas (our coverage can be found here).  Extreme Moments has become a highly anticipated event for the community for it provides a unique experience for cosplayers and photographers, straying away from the usual photoshoots and events in the city.

This project has been a collaboration of its varied but skilled participants. Its last four installments  showcased creativity, ingenuity, and imagination of cosplayers and photographers, pushing them to their limits at this out-of-town cosplay project. This time, the participants headed off to the historic island of Corregidor for an endeavor that has again never done or even tried by the community.

Members of the team went through extensive preparations of casting for the cosplayers, selecting the photographers, and inspecting the site. When it was all done, the participants all met at the Sun Cruises ferry terminal at the Seaside, Mall of Asia Complex. Participants gathered here from all parts of the Philippines as an exciting gathering of individuals with different backgrounds, styles, personalities, and expectations bound by their mutual passions.  Some participants were so eager that they came as early as 3 am despite the call time still four hours away. The participants were a mixture of veterans, long-time supporters, and first-timers: all of whom were willing to give their best for this project.

The 88 participants got on the ferry as it left the terminal around 9, arriving an hour or so later on the island.  Corregidor is located at the entrance of Manila Bay around 45 kilometers from the city. Despite still being classified by PHIVOLCS as a potentially active volcano, its location has made the island of strategic importance in terms of defense, having been used by the Spanish and Americans as a fortified area against enemy ships planning to attack Manila. It figured prominently during World War II with the heroic defense of American and
Filipino soldiers against Japanese invaders. Today, Corregidor is a historic monument as well as a famous tourist destination.

The XM participants got off the ferry onto the pier where customized open buses took them to their accommodations beside the beach.  Along the way, Jeff Ricalde and the other organizers, got to brief everyone on what to expect for the past couple of days and gave them their room assignments.

After unloading all their luggage and baggage, the team was whisked away to where lunch awaited.  Food was a welcome sight as the long trip gave everyone a healthy appetite.  It also gave everyone a chance to bond some more.  The XM shirts were given out and a special chocobo stuffed toy was given out to the cosplayers as a show of appreciation for their efforts.

After a hearty lunch, the team was brought back to their lodgings by the beach and everyone began their preparations for the shoot ahead.  For most of the cosplayers, this was not an easy task as most of them had elaborate and meticulous costumes which literally take hours to prepare.  The first ones that did finish early braved the harsh sunlight and sweltering afternoon heat as they were immediately shot by eager photographers.

When the other cosplayers got to finish their preparations, they were shuttled off to the main shooting location where ruined buildings from World War II still stand as a testament to the island’s historic and cultural importance.  The team made sure to give proper reverence and respect to these monuments as they did their shoot.  The entire afternoon saw cosplayers and photographers making the most of the time and opportunity to get their best shots off, everyone going to great lengths to achieve the results they wanted.  With many cosplayers and photographers to rotate with, the shoot took until early in the evening.

When the team finally decided to call it a day, they were shuttled off to where dinner was waiting.  The buffet dinner was very  well received and very welcomed (to put in mildly) by the exhausted and famished members.   The thick, hot mushroom soup was like a godsend to the cosplayers who were freezing under the harsh winds during the shoot.  More than the good food that had the team coming back for more, the meal was a chance for the team to share on their experience during the first day of shooting and unwind a bit.

After having their fill, the team went back to their lodgings by the beach, where a bonfire was waiting. Well, for those who didn’t plop down on their beds once they arrived anyway.  They got to enjoy some videoke and games and punishment games that got a bit out of hand.

TeamXM, the people behind Extreme Moments, shared with us their thoughts on the upcoming final installment of the series: “We would like to thank all the cosplayers and photographers who believe in our little vision to take cosplay photography to the next level of quality and enjoyment in some of the best tourist destinations in our country. We hope that this move can encourage our fellow cosplayers and cosplay photographers to create more out of town shoots so the world can see some of beautiful tourist spots in our country and at the same time provide a spotlight for our talented cosplayers and cosplay photographers.”

But this is just Day 1 of the two-day shoot, so please stay tuned for arkadymac.com’s coverage of Day 2 coming very soon.

Thank you for dropping by, and do visit us again for more features here at arkadymac.com.

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