Over 10,000 flock to opening of #TOYCON20

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Over 10,000 flock to opening of #TOYCON20

Andrea Taguines,

ABS-CBN News

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Over 10,000 toy collectors swamp the first day of TOYCON at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, Friday.
Over 10,000 toy collectors swamp the first day of TOYCON at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, Friday.

MANILA - Over 10,000 toy collectors flocked to the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, Friday, for the first day of TOYCON — the Philippine Toys, Hobbies and Collectibles Convention.

After scaling down the event last year in light of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic, organizers say this year’s TOYCON is back with a vengeance — from the wider array of toy collections on display and collectibles up for sale to the solid lineup of guests.

Day 1 attendees were able to see in the flesh Ryousuke Kaizu, who played Red Mask in the Japanese sentai series “Maskman” and Tetsuo Kurata, another Japanese TV actor best known for his role as the Masked Rider Black in Karmen Rider Black.

For its 20th year, TOYCON founder and marketing manager Cholo Malilin said they are also putting the spotlight on Filipino toy designers.

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“We’re very much into making TOYCON a platform for Filipino ingenuity, creativity, innovation, imagination and all of that. Balang araw, hopefully, we can come up with a brand of Filipino toys that is recognized worldwide,” said Malilin.

Eryk Lalic, who goes by the name Creon Chkn, is just one of the many local toy designers who are able to exhibit and sell their work during the three-day convention.

“Medyo maliit 'yung toy community so ang ganda na may ganito dahil mas maraming taong makakakita (ng aming creations),” said Lalic.

Gimmicks aside, participants like Victor Victoria Jr. and cosplayer Glen Antonio were just happy to be reunited with friends from the toy community.

“Kasi may times na hindi mo alam where are your kindred spirits. Dito mo siya mahahanap sa TOYCON,” said Antonio.

“It’s really only here in conventions like TOYCON where I feel I’m a part of community,” echoes Victoria.

#TOYCON20 will run until Sunday, July 9.

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