HUNDREDS of excited anime fans as well as cosplayers gathered on Saturday, February 18, for the UP Otakufest X: The Matrix held at the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu grounds.
Otaku is a Japanese slang for a person with an obsession or addiction to anime or manga.
A long line of people waited for the gates to open to register at 8 a.m.
The event showcased different booths like Rezpy beads hand-crafted art pieces made from perler beads with designs of Pokemon characters and famous games like Dota 2 and Overwatch.
Guests were also treated to different anime characters from popular series Gundam, Pokemon, Dragon Ball, among others at an exhibitors booth.
Visitors also showed their creativity at the Artists' Alley where they were allowed to draw or paint their favorite anime characters.
The booth also had affordable artworks.
Aside from artwork exhibits, tournaments also took place like the ramen eating contest, Japanese singing contest, and Asian Pop dance competition.
One of the highlights of the event was the cosplay competition as cosplayers showed off their amazing costumes. Guest cosplayers, Team EuRika and DD Tenka, were also present during the event.
The UP's Otakufest started in 2007 and is held every February of the year. (Aljun Cainghog, CIT-University Intern/SunStar Philippines)