For the second straight year, fans of the hit anime series Yuri on Ice got to experience the joy of skating, have fun and re-live the feels at You Only Live Once: The #yoiconph2018 After Party a while back at the SM Mall of Asia Skating Rink. As a followup to Hear My Heartbeat: The YOICONPH2017 Pre-party, which was one of the very first anime-themed events on an Olympic-sized skating rink in the Philippines, the event again had fans skate and live out the experience from Yuri on Ice, with an engaging program and very special guest cosplayers.
“It’s bigger, it’s better, it’s born to make history,” was what the organizers said of You Only Live Once: The #yoiconph2018 After Party. Last year they were able to pull off one very successful event which had no precedent in local anime-themed events: they brought fans, be they skating experts or novices, onto the ice and shared the joy with everyone. It was certainly no small feat for a group with admittedly limited experience in holding such events, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable fan conventions of 2017.
You Only Live Once: The #yoiconph2018 After Party is the post-event celebration of sorts for Born To Make History: A Yuri!!! on ICE Fan Gathering 2, the main event held a week earlier at the Bayanihan Center in Pasig City. It is the much-awaited follow-up to the warmly welcomed and well-attended Born To Make History: A Yuri!!! on ICE Fan Gathering, held last year. This event pays tribute to the history that Yuri!!! on ICE continues to make. Born To Make History: A Yuri!!! on ICE Fan Gathering 2 brought back the beloved features of the previous event with more exciting additions. The extensive Artist Alley and carefully curated Merchant Market served as the centerpiece of the event. Thought-provoking panels, specialty talks, and cosplayer meet-and-greets rounded out the program for this day-long celebration of life, love, and Yuri!!! on ICE.
Although set in the evening, fans were already there early afternoon so as not to miss a single minute of the pre-party. At the designated time, they lined up properly, and while they waited they would be heard chatting animatedly amongst themselves, all obviously excited of the event, even sharing a story or a joke or two. Even strangers got to be good friends afterwards just because of their shared love for the anime.
Around 6pm the attendees were ushered inside, and they were given skate rentals at no extra cost, and all were excited as they suited up just minutes before the program began.
Probably the most awaited part of the program was an exhibition skate by Joel Minas. His performance of Yuri’s Eros routine had over two million hits on YouTube, and fans at the pre-party were overjoyed as he got to perform it in front of their very eyes this year amid their screams and cheers at the SM Mall of Asia Olympic-sized skating rink.
Getting to see the special guest cosplayers was one of the most awaited highlights of the event. Returning for his second YOICON was our very own accomplished figure skater Joel Minas cosplaying Yuri Katsuki. Brought together for the first time in the country and to YOICON were Phil Mizuno from Canada and Barimor from Russia, both of which are acclaimed and accomplished cosplayers. They were welcome with screams and cheers as they were presented to the public.
Not long after, it was the “You on Ice” part of the event where the fans themselves got to be on the ice and got to feel what it was like in the world of Yuri. It didn’t matter if they knew how to skate or not, and that for a good number of them it was their first time on a skating rink. All were thrilled with the experience, and everyone was friendly and helpful and having the time of their lives. They had a great time taking pics with the guests as well.
Everyone had a splendid time as they relived their favorite anime on the ice that Yuri loved, and even for just a night, they all got to bond, sing the theme song together, and in a friendly and supportive atmosphere, got to live out their fantasies on the ice together. And for these, we congratulate the organizers for doing an amazing job of putting their second successful YOICON party together.
Many thanks to everyone at Perry in Disguise for helping us out. Our gratitude to the organizers for entrusting their coverage to us. Also thanks to our Correspondents Irene and Candy for covering the event with us.
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