MANILA, Philippines—Apart from turning the SMX Convention Center into a literary art haven for five days during the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), Primetrade Asia, Inc. also provided book lovers-slash-anime enthusiasts a place to unleash their love for anything Japanese through the anime-themed convention, the Best Of Anime (BOA).
This year, attendees of the event were treated to a karaoke competition where passionate music lovers belted out their favourite Japanese tracks; a quick-draw competition where aspiring mangakas (Japanese term for comic artist) had the opportunity to share their talent with their fellow anime fans; an inter-school cosplay competition where young anime enthusiasts instantly became their school’s pride; a showdown among bands covering renowned anime soundtracks; an anime dubbing workshop; and performances from scream-worthy cosplayers like Karael, Kaika, Onnie, and the Philippines’ very own Liui Aquino.
But that’s not all. What topped off the loaded two-day program were the international acts brought in by the BOA team.
Fans of the visual kei rock band Heidi., Japanese-American rock musician Joe Inoue, and Japanese pop (J-pop) idol group STARMARIE witnessed these groups perform live in quite an intimate setup. J-pop group STARMARIE even held a meet and greet by their booth while they weren’t performing.
And like any other anime-themed convention, BOA also offered the regulars—booths selling anime merchandise like beanies, caps, desktop computer accessories, plush toys, posters, shirts, and even Japanese albums.
The Best Of Anime 2014 was held at the Function Rooms 3 and 4 of the SMX Convention Center.
