TAGCC (Toys Anime Games Comic Con) 2023 took place from the 23rd to the 24th of September, marking the fifth year of this highly anticipated event. As the name might suggest, toys and figurines took centre stage at TAGCC, along with other attractions such as art, cosplay, and even VTuber appearances.
Here’s a taste of what TAGCC had in store for us this year:
Exhibitors
TAGCC’s signature has always been their showcase of unique toys and figurines from around the world, and they definitely didn’t disappoint this year, with exhibits from top brands such as Hot Toys, Funko, A.R.T City, and many more. Die-hard collectors could even get their first look at items that were being exclusively revealed at the event, such as 52TOYS’ debut of the Disney Mechanical Series – Donald Duck statue, or IconiQ Studios’ prototypes for statues of Akuma from Street Fighter V.
More casual con-goers who were just looking to add a small figure or two to their collection would also have been spoiled for choice with the many official figure retailers present at the event. In particular, many visitors could be seen trying their luck at the gacha machines being operated by booths such as Oh! Gatcha and Gachaponpon.
We’d also like to take a moment to shout out our very own THE MAGIC RAIN Game Station! Located near the entrance of the exhibition hall, anyone looking to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the event could try their hand at a new boardgame, battle other con-goers in a game of Gigabash, or learn about local indie games by trying out Weyrdworks’ Weyrdlets or Cellar Vault Games’ Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open.
Art & Cosplay
Similarly to other events held at Tropicana Gardens Mall, the ground floor played host to a wide variety of artists’ booths, with everything from prints to t-shirts available for fans to buy. A portion of the space was also dedicated to a special exhibition from the Nippon Designers School Malaysia College, where the school’s graduates and students alike were invited to showcase some of their best works; as well as an itansha (decorated motorcycle) showcase made possible by the Malaysian Itasha Movement.
However, the most eye-catching feature on the ground floor was without a doubt the TAGCC Tower, a huge metal structure that was reminiscent of global landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower in France, or Japan’s Tokyo Tower. It served as a unique photo opportunity for everyone who visited the mall, and doing so could even earn you a slot in the event’s special giveaway.
Heading back to the fourth floor, you could find the Cosplay Market located just outside the exhibition hall, where many fans could be seen queueing for a chance to speak with some of their favourite cosplayers, while also getting their hands on exclusive cosplay merch being sold at the event.
Stage
The main highlight of the event – and arguably what drew many attendees to TAGCC to begin with – was definitely the special VTuber appearances from Hololive’s Vestia Zeta and Ceres Fauna, as well as Holostars’ Axel Syrios and Banzoin Hakka. Attendees could be seen flocking to the stage for this rare opportunity to play games and interact with some of their favourite international VTubers.
Although fans were stopped from recording or photographing these sessions, they could still grab a souvenir to remember the event by, through collecting postcards of the VTubers from TAGCC’s redemption counter on the first floor.
Of course, there were also plenty of flesh-and-blood performers in attendance, such as Gemini X and Ellemorina, who kept con-goers entertained with their energetic dance moves and singing voices on both days of the event. TAGCC also served as the debut stage for Honey Milk, an idol group featuring local powerhouses Amelia Khor, Joann Miiao and Estee, who each had their own solo performances throughout the weekend as well.
Judging by the sea of lightsticks and enthusiastic cheers that echoed throughout their act, we’d say their first performance together was a resounding success!
Performances aside, the stage also featured the 60 Seconds of Anything Cosplay Competiton, where participants could demonstrate any skill they wanted within a 60-second time limit. From comedic skits to dance showcases, to lip-syncing and acrobatics, the hour and a half-long session flew by as the cosplay community showed us everything they had to offer.
Finally, the Table Flip Challenge lended a touch of levity and chaos to the whole event, as dozens of participants queued up to see how far they could toss a table across the room. It was a real blast to watch everyone’s attempt at the Challenge, especially as some came dressed as characters from various anime, movie and videogame series.
With another TAGCC in the books, we’d like to extend our congratulations to the team for a successful five years of organizing this event, as it’s definitely become a staple that many fans look forward to every year.
However, as TAGCC is one of the few events in the local ACG scene that put the spotlight on toys and collectibles, we would love to see this aspect of the event being emphasised more in years to come. For example, they could offer more stage talks and workshops related to this niche in the community. It would certainly help to set TAGCC apart from many of the current ACG events being held in recent years.
All in all, thank you once again to TAGCC for having us, and we can’t wait to be back for more!
Photography for this article was contributed by Tommy Lim. See more of his work on Instagram.
