Japan Embassy’s J-Pop & Cosplay contests at SM Cinema

MANILA, Philippines - The Embassy of Japan recently celebrated the annual Philippines-Japan Friendship Month with the grand finals of the J-Pop Anime Singing and Mini-Cosplay contests at the SM Cinema Centerstage in Mall of Asia.

A joint project of Embassy of Japan in the Philippines in cooperation with the Japan Foundation, Manila and SM Cinema, this year’s festivities celebrated the 40th year of the ASEAN-Japan Friendship Cooperation year with the theme, “Thoughts Connected, Future Connected.”

Japan Ambassador to the Philippines, Toshinao Urabe graced the event that highlighted the best of Japan’s pop culture — J-Pop, anime and cosplay. The Embassy of Japan’s director of Information and Culture Center, Kiyoshi Takeuchi and Japan Foundation Manila director Shuji Takatori were also present.

Now on its fifth year, the J-Pop Anime Singing Contest is a venue for Filipino amateur performers of all ages who can sing their favorite J-pop or anime songs in Japanese. It featured 10 bands composing of solo, duo and group acts.

Nine-year-old Melrick James Celajes who sang Piece of My Wish by Imai Miki placed first, while fourth year Mass Communications student Sheena Stacey Gonzales who sang Kimi ni Todoke by May came second. Other winners were Diana Tabitha Caro who sang Ryuusei by Tia from the anime Naruto, and former theater group member Alexyz Arcilla who sang Saigo No Ame by Nakanishi Yasushi.

The mini-cosplay contest, now on its second year, was an opportunity for participants to dress up like their favorite anime characters. Ten participants competed in Mecha, which centers on robots and machines, and Cloth, a genre for fabrics and clothing materials.

In the Cloth category, 14-year-old Rica Gabrielle Ortiz who dressed up as Miku Hatsune from the game Project Diva placed first; while 11-year-old Ian Christopher Ticar as Agent Hunk from Resident Evil placed second.

In the Mecha genre, Seir Luke Buelos, 14, as Gundam Heavy Arms from the Gundam Wing Series, placed first, while Ashley Misaki Francisco as Garo placed second.

TOEI Animation Philippines also gave special awards to Rica Gabrielle Ortiz as Miku Hatsune for the Cloth category and Shan Lowel Cruz as Garulu for the Mecha category. HERO TV likewise cited Kathlene Pacao as Okita Souji, Gregory Cole McKenzie Reyes as Yukito and Christine Jean Blardony as Xiang Yu all for the Cloth category, and Shan Lowel Cruz as Garulu for the Mecha category.

American-Japanese rock singer Joe Inoue was the event’s special guest. Inoue, who is co-host of J-Melo, a television program that is aired in 180 countries, performed his hit song Closer from Naruto Shippuden’s opening theme to the delight of the audience.

The Japan Embassy’s No Plan Band, a group composed of diplomats from the Embassy of Japan bound together by their passion for music, also entertained the crowd. The band was formed in 2008, and was named No Plan Band because they have no particular plans for future performances.

Doraemon and Nobita from the anime Doraemon, Captain DFA of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Yakult mascot made special appearances. Ariadne Cristobal and Kenneth Keng hosted the event.

A Film Festival featuring The Place Promised in Our Early Days and 5 Centimeters Per Second were also screened at the SM Mall of Asia Cinema 6. Directed by Shinkai Makoto, the films touch the heart and explore the meaning of true friendship.

The contests were supported by Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation, Animation International Licensing, Phils., Canon Information Technologies Philippines, Inc., Canon Marketing (Philippines), Inc., Canon Business Machines (Philippines), Inc., Canon IT Solutions Philippines, Center for Pop Music Philippines Inc., HERO TV, Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines Inc., Panasonic Philippines Corporation, Sony Philippines, Inc., Toei Animation Phils., Inc., Toshiba Philippines, Inc., UNIQLO Philippines, Yakult Philippines, Inc. and Yoshinoya.