On 9 and 10 September 2017, the Singapore Toys Games and Comics Convention was held at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, with many exciting changes in store for their 10th anniversary celebration! To begin with, access to stage performances for non-VIP ticket holders, a long awaited dedicated gaming area for the gaming community, GGXP (Good Game Experience) and the Akiba Zone for cosplay fans to immerse themselves with the Japanese culture, as well as an exciting guest lineup for all attendees to enjoy! It’s no wonder that a long line of excited fans could be spotted way before the opening time, not wanting to miss out on all the action!
Fans waiting patiently in line for the doors to open
The convention started off with the iconic Grand March-In by the Singapore Garrison and Rebel Legion! It featured characters like the one and only Darth Vader, escorted by the ever popular Stormtroopers behind him, with some Rebel Alliance Troopers snooping around and other unique figures from the Star Wars universe. They made their presence known by blasting the ubiquitous melody and rhythm of The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s theme song), marching pass the attendees and emitting the might of the Empire. The opening march-in has been a staple segment to the STGCC event for several years now and with new Star Wars films getting produced, we are able to see an assortment of new costume from the Garrison.
Darth Vader gracing us humble mortals with his presence
We also dropped by the merchandise and guest booths to check out what’s in store this year! XM Studios Pte Ltd was crowded with people waiting to snap up their favourite figures and indulge themselves with brand new loots. Prominent toy designer brand The Beast Brothers, Sorbet Jungle’s founder DeAnne George, as well as Japanese toy designers Hinatique and Yasu were there as well, just to name a few.
At the INKINK Collectibles Booth
Not forgetting the local artists, booths at the Artist Alley were filled with talented artists and their wares. Art of Rachta Lin, Collateral Damage Studios, Evacomics, SG Cartoons and Velvet Room Cosplay Gallery were some of the familiar names spotted.
Artwork display at Rachta Lin’s booth
If cosplaying is your thing, then you would have heard of the incredible guest cosplayer lineup at STGCC! Siutao (小桃) and Shimo (霜月) were familiar faces at STGCC, while it was Leon Chiro and Iori Moe’s first appearances in Singapore! The fans sure made the guests feel welcomed, with long queues gathering at the guests’ booth where fans showed their support and got their merchandise signed, or simply just for a chance to interact with these stars.
A fan taking a selfie with Iori Moe
For the comic fans, Adi Granov, Frank Cho, David Mack, Arthur Adams and Joyce Chin were among the many guests invited for this year’s edition. Sonny Liew, the creator of well-known comic The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, was there as well to sign copies of his book. Frank Cho, known for his mastery of drawing beautiful female characters, held a live drawing session as well.
Frank Cho speaking at his live drawing session
There were also special talk segments, namely Heroines at the Frontline featuring how female guests like Joyce Chin and Mirka Andolfo made a name for themselves in the male-dominated comic industry, as well as Talking Comics, The Past, Present and Future, a panel discussion on how comics have been adapted into new media forms, and how these changes affect the comic artists and the comic industry. These enlightening talks allowed fans and aspiring comic book artists to get an in-depth understanding of the comic industry.
David Mack with a fan at his booth
In the GGXP area, fans of games like CS:GO and Dota 2 were treated with the ROG Masters 2017 Singapore Qualifier – Finals, where the winners of the respective games will be representing Singapore in the upcoming APAC Regional Qualifiers in Philippines. Do show your support for your favourite teams in their quest to become the best team in the region or maybe the world! Fighting!
At the entrance to the GGXP Zone!
If you are thirsty for new games, there were several indie game booths showcasing their game demonstrations at STGCC this year! Local indie game company Daylight Studios, the developer of games featuring potato protagonists like Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?! and Holy Potatoes! We’re in Space! was back again at STGCC this year! They’re working on a new cooking management simulation game on the moment, and a sneak peek is available on their Steam page. A new Chillax zone was also added this year, for friends and family members to get cosy and game together. The Good Game Awards was also held this year, honouring outstanding indie game developers for their efforts.
Father and son bonding through gaming at the GGXP area~
At noon on Day 1, Odoru Stage kicked off, featuring local and international guest groups like Tokimeki JUMP, A-LIVE, Ola Aphrodite and Ayame (aka Apricot). Dancing to songs like LUVORATORRRRRY!!, Kimagure Mercy and Kimi-iro ni Somaru, they certainly impressed the audiences with their energetic dances. For the finale, fans were treated to a collaboration dance featuring Apricot and Tokimeki JUMP where they danced to the song, Gravity=Reality!
Tokimeki JUMP And Ayame aka Apricot*
Around evening time, anime fans were treated to a medley of songs played by TAM and Akairyusei! Starting off was TAM on the violin with a KEY medley featuring Tori no Uta (Air OP), Megumeru ~cuckool mix 2007~ (CLANNAD OP), My Soul, Your Beats! (Angel Beats OP1), Philosophyz (Rewrite OP1), Little Busters! (Little Busters! OP), Alicemagic (Little Busters ED), Chiisana Te no Hira (CLANNAD ~AFTER STORY~ Final ED) and ending off with Dango Daikazoku (CLANNAD ED)! Afterwards, TAM and Akairyusei hyped up the crowd during their freestyle performance. Their enthusiasm and TAM’s impromptu playing skills took the spotlight here. Bursting with energy, the duo also wowed the crowd with Touhou songs from Saikou Rock part 3 and some jazz-styled medleys.
TAM and Akairyusei!
An anisong DJ party featuring ARM, Masayoshi Minoshima (Alstroemeria Records), REDSHiFT, Taku Inoue and Yunomi was the closing act for Day 1. Tracks played included popular songs like Don’t Say Lazy (K-ON! ED), Namae no Nai Kaibutsu (Psycho Pass ED1) and Snow Halation (Love Live! Season 2 Episode 9), as well as hits like Sugar Song and Bitter Step (Kekkai Sensen ED) and Susume☆Otome_～jewel_parade～ (from the iDOLM@STER: Cinderella Girls rhythm game). The crowd was hyper throughout the party, shouting out the lyrics to key phrases, waving their lightsticks and jumping to the beat. With such a fantastic lineup and familiar songs, who wouldn’t be excited?
Day 2
As Day 2 kicked off, the Singapore Garrison was back at it again, and this time with the adorable R2-D2 droid joining its ranks!
This year, STGCC dedicated an entire area for Star Wars fans – called Star Wars: Experience the Force Singapore! Featuring games and toys for fans to enjoy and browse through, opportunities for photo-taking were also abundant.
Mini replicas of the X-Wing and TIE fighters running through the trenches of the Death Star
Not only that, STGCC also invited Stefan Cembolista, Chairman of the Belgian Costume Division, who personally showed us around their fan-made Star Wars replicas like Rey’s speeder from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and a part of the Millennium Falcon. They also managed to get their prop signed by J.J Abrams! The exhibit also included a chance for the fans to catch a glimpse of the exact replica of Kylo Ren’s TIE Silencer that will be featured in the upcoming Star Wars movie, Star Wars: The Last Jedi!
Replica of Kylo Ren’s TIE Silencer
Last but not least is the Singapore Garrison booth! The Singapore Garrison are comprised of local star wars fans that wanted more than just enjoying the films and stories. These fans have immersed themselves by donning on accurate costumes or armor replicas, portraying characters featured in the Star Wars Universe. What’s more, over the years, the dioramas seen next to their booth were collections from the members themselves!
Rebel Legion and Singapore Garrison flags
The Rebels in a briefing for the attack on the Death Star
The Singapore Garrison is part of the international organization known as the 501st Legion, whose main mission is to promote interest in the Star Wars universe and to support the less needy through fundraising and charity work! Who says bad guys never do good deeds?
More comic talk segments were also held today. Made in Singapore, lah! added some local flavour to STGCC by featuring well-known local artists and creators like Eva (Evacomics), WaHa (Collateral Damage Studios) and Derrick Chew (DCWJ). The Comic Giants, Adi Granov, Arthur Adams, Frank Cho and Sonny Liew also shared on their journey to success, and the responsibility of being a comic giant. These inspirational stories are sure to encourage aspiring pencillers and comic artists to continue pursuing their dream!
The STGCC Cosplay competition was also one not to be missed! This year’s contestants brought cosplaying to its highest calibre, ranging from massive props to sophisticated technology in-built to the costume itself, what a sight to behold! Not to be forgotten, in the Kid’s Cosplay Parade, children dressed up as Snow White, Wonder Woman, Spiderman and other familiar characters. It was fascinating and enjoyable to watch their performance on stage.
We also got to visit the Velvet Room booth where our local cosplayers and regional cosplayers got to meetup in STGCC! Velvet Room supports the cosplay community by enabling cosplayers to focus on reaching out to fans, bringing their favourite characters to life and honing their craft without having to worry about details like logistics and operations. Fans and attendees get to meet favorite cosplayers and bring home memorabilia while engaging in a memorable experience. If you are a fan of the cosplayers, you definitely have to watch out for the Velvet Room to catch up with your favourite cosplayers for some meet and greet!
The whole Velvet Room Team!
Boiledcurry, REA Kami, Felin Firn, ChibiTako, ATSUkoand XiuWoon (starting from bottom left)
Felin Fern in front of the Velvet Room booth
Are you more interested in tabletop gaming? Look no further than the Colosseum, where there’s a whole variety of games for you to try and compete in! Games tournaments include The Corellian Summit – X-Wing Miniatures Game National Tournament (D1) and Heart of Ultramar – Warhammer 40,000 2v2 Battle Brothers Tournament (D2)!
Players preparing their fighters for the game
Warhammer 40K character pieces on display
As the finale, Japanese idol groups and singers, featuring Ayame, Color Pointe, Hiiragi Rio, Rie Yunohara, Tokyo CLEAR’s, Tsukiyama Sae and Yunomi feat. nicamoq fired up the crowd at Japan POP Stage! It was truly a fitting end for a wonderful weekend of anime, pop culture, comics, toys and games! Of course, for some, the true finale was the STGCC After Party at VLV, where the fans partied away with Ryu☆, kors k, Camellia, kradness and Quarks! Convention guests were also present at the After Party to party the night away! As they say, the night is still young…
STGCC definitely did not disappoint on its 10th Anniversary celebration. The level of content this year has certainly expanded a lot with the inclusion of dedicated zones for gaming and Japanese culture for fans to enjoy. The gaming section was buffed up this year, with a dedicated gaming hall and atmosphere to match. The guest lineup was also impressive; it was difficult for us to plan our time to meet all guests. As a nice change, stage performances were also accessible to non-VIP ticket holders as well, making it more enticing for the public to attend. The Star Wars booth gradually increases in scale every year, and this time, STGCC brought out the big guns! With life-sized replicas of the Millennium Falcon and Rey’s Speeder, as well as an early preview of Kylo Ren’s TIE Silencer, fans were definitely kept entertained!
With a decade of experience in the bag, we hope that future editions of STGCC will be grander and more enjoyable!
Written by: Wai Chun and Kar Yee
Edited by Victoria
Photos taken by: Wai Chun, Dominic, Han Feng, Yong Sheng
NTU Visual Arts Society 