The Toycon 2017 Experience

07/16/2017 08:45:33 PM

It probably took me a very long while (and a change of setting and setups) before I hit one of the country's pop culture events after doing so four years ago.

And that said, everyone from the below-average Juan dela Cruzes to those elite fans are probably expecting that high, considering they teamed up with Pop Life. And while the term remains vivid (thanks to the strong brand recall they have built for over the years), the fact remains – that it was formally called “Toycon X Pop Life Fan Experience (FanX for short).”

While I'm became a part of that tech blogging crew who covered the event during those times, here are some of my personal takeaways during the event.

It's great that they occupied the entire SMX Convention Center to do these stages. I just wish they have  maximized the use spaces inside these halls, especially at the second hall where some backdrops were may be utilized by some attendants, but not many (and probably, because a lot are quite lazy to go to the second floor).

Speaking of spaces, the toy-selling area was packed to crowded, which is actually good (no question about it). But if they would have them much wider soon, I think that will be better.

And that goes for the eating seats, too. Let's face it: no one likes to eat their Salisbury steak rice meal, sandwich, mojos, or anything that are munching while standing alongside their stacks of topy purchases or tripods (with cameras, of course). And the visiting people should learn to take out their own trash, too for chrissakes!

Some of their staff need to know their roles very well. There was an instance where we should be going to the space intended for media during Saturday's inaugural ceremony, but was turned away by some of their members despite introducing ourselves as part of the Reimaru Files. Okay, that might sound very confusion right there, like “Hey, wait a second. We're part of your fourth estate here, right? What's up with that?”

Plus the main stage creeps the shit out of me. Like “why they are even darker than either a WWE PPV shit or something?” Would that create an intimate atmosphere inside?

Media room is staged somewhere in the faraway land, and for people who walked around for hours and hours to get everyone their quick fix of what's ups, it could really be a grueling grind of going up for 25-30 feet above the ground floor halls.

Did anyone get their worth of money for a day-full of visit? I can say yes, but not as absolutely as they would expect. Unless you're rich enough to satisfy your cravings for toy collections and sightings. 

Did the event lived up to the expectations? Probably, as  a below-average spectator, I can say it's still yes – but again, not totally. The portions that are intended for the Toycon itself are well-displayed, and while it's good they have expanded themselves to go beyond, I think there are still room for improvement.

I won't say I am disappointed. I still enjoyed my Toycon visit despite staying for quite six hours for obvious reasons. But I belive they could do a lot better than for the next coming years. 

Author: slickmaster | © 2017 The SlickMaster's Files