The long awaited collector’s convention, TAGCC happened on 22 and 23 October 2022 at Tropicana Gardens Mall. We had the chance to drop by to see the fun and liveliness happening at the event, which was split into two parts: the Creative Art Market located at Level CC, and the Toys & Collectables Market, Stage Area and Cosplay Booths, which were situated at Level 3A.
Let’s find out what happened at TAGCC 2022!
Collectibles Galore
Undoubtedly the main attraction of TAGCC, the event featured an impressive array of collectibles ranging from figurines to diecast vehicles. Attendees and collectors alike were surely entertained by the multitude of visually appealing showcases present at the event. Here are just some of the featured collectibles:
HotToys
The pinnacle of figurines for most collectors is undoubtedly from HotToys. These figurines come with immaculate detailing and variation alongside their impressive displayability. XL Toys, the official retailer booth gave customers the opportunity to pre-order upcoming figurines, as well as to pick up exclusive event merchandise like the exclusive Iron Man Mark LXXXV, Mark 85 Holographic Version.
Funko
TAGCC also featured an official Funko shop booth that brought in a wave of upcoming Funko Pops from the Black Panther and Pokémon lines ahead of their retail debut in Malaysia. These vinyl collectables were displayed both in-box and out-of-box at the event and gave collectors a good run for their money as many variations and characters were up for purchase.
Malaysia Diecast Expo 2022
Many car enthusiasts would have been ecstatic to see all sorts of model cars ranging from ignition_model displays to HobbyJapan minicars at TAGCC. This mini-expo at the event also served as a wholesome gathering for the Malaysian model car community, which is still a relative niche compared to other collectible communities.
One of the more eye-catching offers promoted by the event was the exclusive Mini GT, released as part of a TAGCC X MDX bundle for those who were present at the event as well as those who pre-ordered online. The exclusive car had a funky mixture of yellow, blue and most noticeably pink colours, all coming together to give the car an exotic appearance.
Creative Art Market
Upon stepping into Tropicana Gardens Mall, visitors would immediately find themselves in the Creative Art Market. It was one of the busiest sections at the event, with many fans seen browsing through the different stores to see what they had to offer. There was plenty of merchandise available from a variety of fandoms, such as Genshin Impact and Nijisanji EN.
Cosplay Booths
Cosplay booths are another highly anticipated feature of any ACG event, as many visitors are willing to line up for hours just to meet their idols in real life. Some well-known cosplayers like YingTze, Le Josette and Hayate小爹 could be seen boothing at the event. Special meet and greet sessions with cosplayers Carol & Iris, as well as musician Luna Lorrain, were also conducted at the Coffytiam Booth.
Hololive Showcase
A session that piqued the interest of many was the Hololive Meet with Ayunda Risu & Moona Hoshinova of Hololive Indonesia, as the occasion marked the first time that a Hololive Meet would be organised in Malaysia. The two talented VTubers performed a wide selection of popular anime songs, including some that the duo have never performed before. There were also some games conducted on stage where the audience had a chance to interact with Risu and Moona.
Although no photos or videos were allowed during the on-stage session, visitors could go to the Creative Art Market area to take photos with the VTubers, as well as to redeem prints of the two.
The MAマン (MAman) Showcase
Japanese Youtuber MAマン or MAman is widely known amongst collectors for her incredible skill and accuracy in figurine painting. She mainly focuses on a two-dimensional art style with the end result closely resembling the appearance of characters in manga pages.
She was present on both days of TAGCC, conducting stage sessions where she shared her past experiences, interacted with fans, and even displayed her figurine painting skills on stage. Here’s what went down:
Panel Session
On Day 1 of the event, a talk session was held with MAマン where she started off by expressing how excited she was being in Malaysia for the first time and also how she was impressed by the many cosplayers present. She mentioned having a sense of respect towards them since it is commendable knowing how much work it requires them to put into their outfits, similarly mirroring her experience and how much effort she had to put into figurine painting.
Furthermore, the session touched briefly on the backstory of how she started. Initially, the genre of figurine painting was not well-known and there were no artists that closely referenced the source material in figurine painting, which was the manga style. She then realised it would be a golden opportunity for her to stand out amongst the crowd. However, even someone like her started from humble beginnings with a passion for kanji calligraphy in high school, which eventually led to her showing interest in figurine painting.
“While it may seem difficult, show love and interest for the characters you’re working on and make sure to focus on one project at a time so as not to overwhelm yourself.”
MAマン
In the final segment, MAマン was asked about her viewpoint on work ethics drawing comparisons from both Japanese and Malaysian culture while sharing how crucial it is for an artist to de-stress. As an example, she shared how whenever she is stressed out or looking for inspiration, she loves going for walks around Akihabara street to relax. Before ending the talk, the artist also shared some words of inspiration for those who are still beginners in figurine painting.
Figure Brush Painting Demo
Day 2 of TAGCC featured a live painting demo where MAマン painted a figurine of Josuke from Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure (Part 4) live on stage. She meticulously worked her way around the black, white and grey paints ensuring that her work was as close to the source material as possible, all while fans watched in awe.
All and all, TAGCC was a great convention catering more towards collector enthusiasts. We definitely had fun exploring the different segments arranged by the organisers.
Did you attend TAGCC 2022? Let us know your favourite part of the event in the comments!
