Geek-Tastic!: Archon and the Geeks of Cebu - Color Article by Bayani Miguel Acebedo

When I was in high-school, I was a part in organizing one of the biggest Otaku events in Cebu: Archon. I was always excited about it because it was a chance for me to be surrounded by my own kind. Sure the geek culture has become more celebrated now, but back then, it was one of the weirdest things to be a geek. Geeks were the kids who didn’t care about socializing. They brought their card games to school and played with them during recess and lunch. They didn’t care about what people thought about them, and they were always welcome to talking with people who had the same interests.

if people HAD the same interests

Archon was when I could be around people who loved everything that I did, some even loved them more. In Archon, I saw some of my favorite characters come to life (well, depending on how good the costume was), and I could see rows of people playing with trading cards and video games. It was like running into a family reunion, only everyone in this family understood you.

This year, they celebrated Archon X, the tenth anniversary of the convention. I could say, from the earlier years that I’ve been attending the event, they’ve added a few more features. Back then, there were barely any toy exhibits for the people to see. Myself being a former toy collector would always awe at the collections that these people would bring in. The video game scene has also become bigger. The rows of people playing back then are just few compared to the gamers attending Archon now.

Kind of this crowd, but brown and out in public... times 50.

But even though Archon is a well-celebrated event for the Cebuano geek, I feel that there’s something that’s lacking for the fanboys here in Cebu. If you’ve ever been to Manila, you would just drool over all of the geek things that you can find. You can stop by Yexel’s Toy Museum in Las Pinas and marvel over the huge collection of figures and statues. They even have an in-scale Optimus Prime torso (I guess the full-body one can’t fit in the store). There’s also the Sci-Fi Café in Quezon City which, apart from being littered with tons of pop-culture memorabilia, serves nerd-tastic delights such as the “Supreme Man Pizza” and the “Planet of the Shrimps”. Not even to mention the countless other conventions that they have going on there.

Too bad "Schindler's Fish" didn't fall in the Sci-Fi category

I guess Cebuano geeks have a long wait before we can have the nerdy treats that Manila has to offer, but in the meantime, let’s enjoy the company of our fellow Nerd-folk. Live long and prosper.

The Real Kenshin Himura: Kawakami Gensai - Historical Article by Bayani Miguel Acebedo

                This month, the final movie of the live-action Rurouni Kenshin trilogy was released, and fans of the anime series all lined up to watch Kenshin’s final battle. Rorouni Kenshin has been such a popular series for Philippine Otaku, particularly to the ones who avidly watched it in the 90s. It’s so popular among Filipinos that when the live-action movie was announced, dozens of fans petitioned SM Supermarket to release it on theaters here in the Philippines, and sure enough, the release was such a great success that when the sequels were announced, Ayala Malls also jumped to the chance to release it in their cinemas as well.

SM was still able to get the Lupin Movie though. Curses!

                Rorouni Kenshin (translated to “Wandering Kenshin”) follows the journey of former assassin Kenshin Himura who, after years of slaughtering enemies of the government, vowed a life of pacifism. He promised never again to take a human life, and he wields a sword with a reversed edge, in order to use his skills to defend the weak. The series is rich with well-rounded characters, heart-wrenching stories, and spectacular action that it’s no wonder many Filipinos have managed to be devoted fans after so many years. What people don’t know, however, is that their hero, Kenshin Himura, is based on an actual samurai of the 1800s: Kawakami Gensai

Ladies.

                Back in the 1850s, Kawakami Gensai was considered as one of the deadliest swordsmen during the Edo Period. He is one of the four Hitokiri of the Bakumatsu Period (Hitokiri literally translates to “Man-Slayer”). His style of sword-fighting, Shiranui-ryu, is noted for its use of speed (Kenshin’s technique, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, is roughly based on Gensai’s style).

it still doesn't hold a candle to lightsaber fighting.

                Born in 1834 in Kumamoto, Gensai entered the Jishukan to follow his academic and martial arts courses. At the age of 16, he was given a job at the Kumamoto castle as a cleaning boy. Despite the menial position, Gensai still found himself spending his free time brushing up on his skills, even learning the art of the Japanese Tea Ceremony (sado) and Flower Arrangement (ikebana).

cause the ladies love that shit.

                In the 1850s, the shogunate that Gensai was serving had a sequence of unfair treaties, which angered Gensai, and he returned to his hometown. There he joined a school of philosophy under Hayashi Oen. After studying Oen’s kinno philosophy Gensai returned to Endo in the 1860s.

One of Gensai’s most notable acts is during the Ansei Purge. He encountered a group of escaping assassins, and Gensai calmed them down and held a tea ceremony, and told the men for his admiration of them. In 1861, he married Misawa Teiko, a woman who was also skilled in martial arts, specializing in using the naginata (a japanese spear). They also had a son named Gentaro.

From that point, Gensai performed security duties in Kumamoto, until he lost his mentor to a Shinsengumi raid in Idekaya. Gensai then carried out his most famous assassination of them all: The assassination of Shakuma Shozan with one stroke, in broad daylight. This was the only confirmed assassination by Gensai, as all other assassinations could be attributed to him, this is the only one that can be proven.

bet he didn't dress like this guy when he did it.

                After a while, Gensai fought in a couple of battles, but surrendered to Kumamoto forces at a battle in Kokura. He was the imprisoned until after the Meiji Restoration. When he was released, he changed his name to Takada Genbei, and continued to serve the Kumamoto Domain as a military officer and teacher. He was imprisoned again after for harboring a bunch of stragglers with an old comrade, Oraku Gentaro. He was then executed in 1872. He was 37 years old.

                So Gensai didn’t have the happy ending like Kenshin did in the manga, but Rurouni Kenshin was one hell of a show, and we have Kawakami Gensai to thank for it. 

the anime was brutal though

The Art of Papercraft (Not Origami, the Other Thing) - Hobbies Article by Bayani Miguel Acebedo

                What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word papercraft? No, it’s not origami. Origami is a Japanese art of folding a single piece of paper into a specific shape. Papercraft (or pepakura) is the art of printing out pieces of a scale model on heavy paper, cutting it up, and putting it together. With papercraft, people can make anything from miniature statues, to prop replicas, and even wearable (paper) armor.

It looks a whole lot better than this, I swear.

                Papercraft’s history can be traced back to the days of World War II when magazines would provide cut-out prints on paper, so children could put them together and make toys. Paper was used at that time because it was one of the materials that didn’t have a regulation for its use. Now, Papercraft has evolved into a much more intricate and more detailed hobby. ‘Crafters’ can download numerous layouts off the internet, and print them out at home to put together. Some prints come with a colored design, so all the crafter has to do is glue the pieces. Some crafters like to put together a model, and refine it more afterward. They coat the model in resin so the model would be sturdier and paint it with more details to resemble the source material better.

Wearable Paper Armor: Do not use for actual protection

                For some of the simpler models, people can just print the design and watch the video instructions online. For the more detailed pieces, some crafters opt to download the Pepakura Viewer program. It’s a program that allows you to view the entire model and the pieces that correspond to specific parts. Some models can be so detailed that it takes days, or even weeks to put together.

                The best thing about Papercraft, though, is that it’s free. Crafters have access to multiple designs, and all they need to buy is glue and some heavy paper. Some movie replicas can cost up to thousands of pesos, but with Papercraft, the same props could be yours for cheap, depending on how good you are as a crafter. 

Where the Wilder Things Are: Whatever Happened to Gene Wilder - 'Where are they Now' Article by Bayani Miguel Acebedo

     Nowadays, people have no idea who Gene Wilder is. Back in the 60s, no comedy movie would be a hit without the performance of Gene Wilder. The former Hollywood star with the soft voice and blue eyes made instant classics out of his movies such as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Young Frankenstein, and The Producers (1967). His performance as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced “FRONKenshteen”) in 1974’s Young Frankenstein is ranked #9 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).        

He has also been turned into quite the internet meme.

                Born June 11, 1933, Jerome Silberman had his big break playing in an off-Broadway production of Roots, which lead him to bigger roles in actual Broadway shows such as My Complacent Lover, The White House, and Luv. He changed his name to Gene Wilder after considering that “he could never imagine Jerome Silberman play Hamlet.” He also admits now that he can’t also imagine Gene Wilder playing Hamlet.

Bet he also didn't imagine Doctor Who playing Hamlet... or Professor X playing Claudius.

                His actor-studio connections got him a small but memorable role as an undertaker in the movie, Bonnie and Clyde. He then got nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role of Leo Bloom in Mel Brooks’ The Producers (1967). This led to numerous collaborations with Mel Brooks, most notably his lead role in the comedy classic Young Frankenstein, a story about Dr. Frankenstein’s grandson who tries to create his own monster after discovering his grandfather’s old notes. This role got him  a second Oscar nomination.

All those nominations without wins make him sound like the Leo DiCaprio of the 60s

                Plenty more movies followed, but they had more of a hit-and-miss nature. His last big screen movie was Another You in 1991, the rest that followed were either guest stints in TV series or roles in a TV movies.  In truth, Gene Wilder has not had any on-screen appearance since 1999. He had an interview, however in 2013, where he was asked about the nature of his retirement. He says that the reason he hasn’t acted in anything as of late was because “the movies nowadays are too loud, and have too much swearing. They send me a lot of movies every year, and if I find one that’s good, I would act in it, but I just haven’t found any.” Wilder spends his days writing and reading. He has already released five books, one of which is his autobiography titled Kiss Me Like a Stranger: My Search for Love and Art.

pictured above: Gene Wilder in 2014

                There isn’t any news yet on whether we would find Gene Wilder on the big screen again, but the chances aren’t totally in a world of pure imagination.

Chris Pratt: The Internet's Collective Boyfriend - Trends Article by Bayani Miguel Acebedo

The Guardians of the Galaxy was the unsuspecting blockbuster hit from Marvel Studios that arrived the summer of 2014. The movie was considered a large gamble by the studio, seeing that the movie was about an unknown group of individuals from the comics. Marvel Executive, Kevin Feige, however,  had enough confidence on the project, even announcing the sequel to hit on 2017, a month before the film was released. The film was well received by audiences, even trumping Captain America: The Winter Soldier, grossing over 300 million at the box office (Winter Soldier grossing 259 million). The Guardians of the Galaxy has been praised for its clever wit and unique characters, even being called “The Star Wars of this generation” by some critics.

There were some similarities between characters

What’s also amazing about this movie was the risk they took in casting an unknown actor, Chris Pratt, in the lead role. Pratt is best known for playing Andy Dwyer in the CBS Comedy, Parks and Recreation. He also plays extras in motion pictures such as Moneyball (2011), Zero Dark Thirty (2012), and Her (2013).Guardians was Pratt’s debut in a lead role, and it’s safe to say that we was perfectly cast. Some people were a bit skeptical that Guardians didn’t have a top-billing actor in the lead, but all worries were thrown aside when the movie was released. Pratt’s portrayal of the witty space-bandit has charmed audiences, and people say the movie wouldn’t have been such a huge success without him. People all over the internet have been buzzing about Chris Pratt as of late and want to know more about Hollywood’s overnight A-Lister.

Ladies.

Dubbed by Nerdist.com as “The Internet's Collective Boyfriend”, Chris Pratt has been married to former co-star Anna Farris (Scary Movie 3, House Bunny) since 2009, and they have one child together (Jack Pratt, born August 2012). He enjoys fishing, hunting, and working on cars. The internet especially praised Chris Pratt when he took his Star-Lord trench coat from the movie after it wrapped and visited children’s hospitals as the character himself. He says the Star-Lord character would probably be inspiration for some kids, and it would be a real treat for them to get visited by Star-Lord in person. He also visited some sick kids who were big fans of the Lego Movie (Pratt voicing the lead role of Emmett). For a while, the internet was calling him a real Guardian of the Galaxy.

You had your chance, Harrison Ford.

As of now, Pratt is in post-production for Jurassic World, the latest addition to the Jurassic Park series, which is set to be released in 2015. He’s also set to return for the highly-anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy 2. While fans just can’t wait to get more of Pratt’s Star-Lord, they can always catch more of his humorous antics as Andy Dwyer in the 7^th season of Parks and Recreation coming out next year.