OshiCon, an event by DayJobÜ revolving around VTubers, happened last August 15 and 16 in Space at One Ayala.
For what it's worth, this is how fan events are supposed to be. As somebody who has been to multiple fan events and gatherings over the years, OshiCon oozed with love. Even if it was more modest in scale compared to some of the more mainstream events at the same price point, you could tell that it was done for the love of the game.
Oshis, VTubing Culture and POTA
One aspect of VTubing that needs to be reiterated is how deeply rooted it is in anime culture. VTubers, or virtual YouTubers, use virtual avatars to represent themselves while streaming or creating content. It’s somewhat similar to saying you’re watching an anime girl do things on stream but instead of just a drawing, there’s an actual person behind it. Over time, as you watch these streamers, you might eventually find an oshi, or your favorite among them.
As the years have gone by, VTubers have carved their own path in the entertainment sphere and across various platforms like Twitch, YouTube, Tiktok and Bilibili to name a few. While music is at the forefront with VSingers and idols rooted from their VTuber roots, and gaming another, art is another pillar of the VTubing space.
Local art event organizer Patron of the Arts (POTA) took notice of the momentum and even had an event revolving around VTubers in conjunction with DayJobÜ. Unfortunately, due to issues on POTA's side, that partnership was eventually dissolved. What fans got in return with OshiCon, however, was something special.
VTubers from Everywhere
The Filipino VTubing space is niche in itself, with only a select few reaching somewhat mainstream notoriety. However, it's the supporters and the community that really make it thrive. In attendance of the event were the Bayanihan VTuber discord with their Tindahan ni Yanyan booth and of course the main organizers in DayJobÜ. International groups and agencies such VTuber group VSPO! EN as well as Ré:Arcadia (Releum) and Izigenia were also represented..
There was a time when VTubers weren't nearly as common as they are today. As the medium became more accessible over the years, however, more and more people joined in. I remember a time during the pandemic when a certain Shark Girl went A and the world took notice. Whether or not that created a butterfly effect that inspired more people to become VTubers is a discussion for another time. The point still stands that they're everywhere now, both in and outside the Philippines.
It wasn't just established VTubers in the spotlight, mind you. Both veterans and newcomers had their time to shine. II saw Filipino staples like Pan The Bread from DayJobÜ, a guilty pleasure of mine over the years. I also came across a newer VTuber that caught my attention: Cela from Releum's first generation, ReSpark. Apparently, she started in 2023 and was an outlier among her genmates. Considering where she is now, with Peachy Alien even cosplaying her, it was pretty cool to see how far she had come.
The POTA they wish they had
On the topic of cool things to see, merchandise at OshiCon was diverse and filled to the brim with all things fandom and VTuber. There was representation from major VTubing groups like Hololive, including my own oshi, Haachama, alongside a myriad of indie VTubers. I kid you not, but I even saw merchandise of myself at one of the artists' booths. If I felt joy seeing a sticker of me, imagine how creators with more established followings must feel.
It wasn't just art prints and stickers either, mind you. There were full-on body pillows and acrylic merchandise on display as well. If there was one way to show people what a VTuber is all about, art was definitely one of them. With talented artists all around, it was hard not to think about what had happened between POTA and the community. You could see the love people had for these VTubers and feel it in the enthusiasm of both the sellers and the crowd. It might be a bit of an exaggeration, but the way everything was set up genuinely made it feel like I was walking through a museum.
VTuber love is a global thing as well. One of the booths we wandered around was manned by an American who simply wanted to represent his friends and share the love. And it didn't end there. The larger agencies and VTubers represented at the event weren't exclusively Filipino either. I hesitated to take pictures of anyone out of cosplay because of the possibility of accidentally doxxing them, but you could tell that some guests and attendees had come from outside the Philippines, showing just how far the VTubing community extended.
A niche but fun time
Removing my rose-tinted glasses for a moment—and acknowledging the privilege I had going into the event—I initially thought ₱600 was a bit pricey just for admission. For the same price, you could watch a movie at the nearby cinema or get yourself plenty of good food. But when I saw fans having a moment with their oshi, it all clicked.
If you have an oshi with a meet and greet, you have a chance to actually spend a moment with them. If there was exclusive merch or fan merch that you were eying, this was the place to be without the shipping fee.
The VTubing space is niche and, at times, cringe, but as the saying goes: to be cringe is to be free. OshiCon may not be everyone's cup of tea, but to those who love their VTubers, the event is a total vibe. It doesn't need to appeal to everyone either. What matters is that it gives its community a place to celebrate the things they love, and I hope OshiCon continues to succeed without losing that along the way.
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