More than 80 cosplayers who are mostly young adults joined the first day of Yokai Festival held in one of the malls in Legazpi City.
Bobby Yuson of Upstage Productions and Otaku Bloodline Guild who organized the 2-day activity says the event was patterned after Japan’s Yokai fest which is held annually every third Sunday of November. Yokai are a class of supernatural entities and spirits in Japanese folklore.
“The event aims to be a venue for cosplay and anime enthusiasts to come together and celebrate the best of cosplay, anime and japanese culture”, Yuson says.
It was a fun gathering for cosplayers who had the chance to know each other personally after being friends for years on social media. 17-year-old Leira del Castillo of Ligao City finally met her virtual friend from Sorsogon who goes by the characher of Okoshi.
“When she noticed po that I’m Leira, nagulat po ako kasi kilala nya ako so it means mutuals kami sa fb but hindi ko sya nare recognize but when she said na sya si Okoshi yun po na recognize ko na po, more on internet friends lang po talaga yung karamihan and especially nung pandemic”, Leira narrates
Even the mall goers enjoyed the event and took pictures with the cosplayers.
Yuson adds the event was also an opportunity for local artists and small entrepreneurs sell their customized and anime-related items.
The Yokai festival is until today, November 13.
