Alodia Gosiengfiao, a Filipino otaku icon with 1.9 million likes on Facebook, a huge anime and game lover who travels the world as a cosplayer to events, arrived in Japan on August 2nd.
After appearing at the World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, she visited Isetan Shinjuku on August 5th. She visited "Tokyo Pastel," which was exhibiting for a limited time in the TOKYO Liberation Zone on the second floor, and interacted with Ayumi Watanabe, designer of "himitsu by Syrup.", and Kanae Azuma, designer of "Rurumu."
As soon as she entered the pastel-colored shop, Alodia clapped her hands and said in Japanese, "Wonderful! So cute!" She also paid attention to the fashion of both designers, asking, "Did you make that headband yourself?" and "Those (bejeweled) sneakers are cute," as she chatted with them with great interest.
The first item that caught her eye was a knitted smartphone case by Rumuto. She also designs her own phone cases, saying, "Mine are simpler, though." Looking at Rumuto's image photo, she showed off her geeky side, saying, "I've seen this on the Internet!" Also, while looking at the himitsu by Syrup. lookbook, she pointed to a checkered skirt-shaped bondage-style belt and exclaimed in Japanese, "I love it!", ordering it on the spot. She also seemed to like the cosplay-inspired items, such as the large cherry-shaped necklace and earrings, and the checked overalls with a heart motif on the chest.
Alodia, who likes Shibuya 109, visited the Isetan Shinjuku store for the first time. She was particularly impressed by the well-equipped makeup corner on the first floor, saying, "There's no place like this in the Philippines, so I hope they have one."
She first became interested in anime, games, and other cultures after watching "Sailor Moon" at the age of seven. After that, she didn't just watch, she started making her own clothes and posting photos of herself wearing them.
"I started cosplaying 10 years ago (at age 15). I had a page called "Black Mage Alodia" on the American website deviantART and started posting photos of my cosplay. I started out cosplaying as characters from the game "Final Fantasy." I make my own costumes and the items the characters hold. My sister, who is a rock singer, and I take photos of each other. Japanese anime is popular in the Philippines, and even in rural Manila, people naturally cosplay."
Since 2009, she has been invited to events all over the world. "I started in Singapore, and now I travel all over the world to cosplay events in Malaysia, Los Angeles, Dubai, etc."
She has been indirectly familiar with Japanese culture since she was a child, but when it comes to fashion in Tokyo today, "The city is like something out of a magazine! I want to take lots of photos. I like Shibuya and Harajuku, and I also like Lolita fashion and gyaru fashion. I especially love Kyary Pamyu Pamyu! Yes, I like the cosplay kind of thing (laughs). Right now I'm obsessed with 'Attack on Titan'! I watch it online on a paid anime site called Crunchyroll. I'm practicing the opening song on the piano by ear, and my goal is to get better at playing it! I've even been to Crunchyroll's headquarters in San Francisco."
Alodia will continue to travel the world, and "In the future I want to have my own online shop. I've always taught myself how to make clothes, and I'd like to sell clothes that I design myself. I also want to be able to speak more Japanese," she said in fluent English throughout the interview.
