STGCC 2013

Secret War Journal[31 August - 1 September 2013]
This was truly an impromptu event. We did not plan for this outing in the slightest bit.

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Elusyf

It all began with a trip to meet up with Jia Ying, a fellow committee member of Ignite! to discuss a potential business venture. Johnston tagged along to listen and provide feedback.

Before we attended the business idea presentation per se, we did some catching up since we last met up. (Before our graduation?)

A little bit of background for Jia Ying, she is now an undergraduate pursuing Psychology. Chancing upon a opportunity to work part-time while studying, she is sharing to her friends about it.

Frankly, the business model of Elusyf is decent but I was a bit disappointed because I was expecting something else. I went to the venue expecting something of a smaller scale to start with. Unfortunately, I instead encountered a model that I was familiar with (and one that I should embrace with caution at that too).

Thus, reaching to the same decision as Debbie, I tagged along with Johnston to Sands Expo & Convention Center to attend the Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention.

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Photos, photos, photos!
Due to the enormous amount pictures we took during the span of 2 days, I will give you the link to the whole album here to prevent me spamming (and lagging your internet browser) you with pictures. Enjoy!
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Aza, Korean Cosplayer
One of the star cosplayers that graced the event was Aza from South Korea. You can click on the below link to her page where her photos are being uploaded in.

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Miyuko Cosplayer

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Vampy, American Cosplayer
Another cosplayer that graced the event, she is from the United States. The link is as follows: https://www.facebook.com/pages/VAMPY-BIT-ME/370120112710

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One of the notable games that were showcased was Disney's Infinity.

This game, (do not quote me because even until now. I am not very sure what this game is about), seems to be quite similar to Mindcraft. In this game, the player decides the rules and the gameplay. That means you, as the player can do whatever you want. It is like a sandbox game, only weirder. I had a lot of difficulty trying to play this game as I was too used to having a clear objective to achieve in a game. (I think my imagination skills are not as good as before, huh?)

What sets this game apart from the likes of Minecraft is that Disney incorporates the element of collectibles into the game. To be able to use the character, you would first need to own a specific figurine meant for the game.  For example, if you would like to use Mickey Mouse, you need to have the Mickey Mouse figurine. To activate the character in the game, you would need to place the figurine on a detector (which I presume uses NFC technology to identify the figurine). This idea may sound cool to onlookers but it makes this game really costly. Hence, it is unlikely I would ever buy such a game.

You can read Gamespot's review here.

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Looking ahead
After this event, we are setting our sights on AFA SG 2013 on 7-9 November 2013.

I am considering buying a 1 <3 AniSong concert ticket for the first time. If I buy it, it should be on the 8 Nov. Are you going too? :)

Official Website - http://www.animefestival.asia/afa13/

Kokoro Connect

Secret War Journal[7 January 2013][Spoiler Alert]
I seldom talk about anime because Randomc.net does a very good job writing about them. However, I believe that Kokoro Connect deserves a special mention because of its characters.

With the last 4 episodes airing marathon this month, the anime had officially concluded. In a way, it is a pity that it ended though I have to agree that the anime should end this way instead of dragging it. Otherwise, the effect that allows it to be so impactful would be lost. What captivates me to really watch it is the way how the characters relate to me.

I feel so cold

Take inaba. Her initial personality before revealing her feelings for Tachi reminded greatly of myself. She was a character who actually keeps many things to herself. She keeps her fears to herself and is a little bit cynical about life. From her first impressions, one would actually think she is a dark character. This stems from her ideology that there is no one else to rely on but herself. On occasions, I cannot say that is wrong but being an one-man army sergeant can only bring one so far. It was no surprise when Inaba broke under the pressure of heartseed. Given the unpredictable phenomenon of Heartseed's intervention, it is hard to hide your thoughts from others. In normal circumstances, Inaba would had been able to pull if out and live her life as before because no one would probably find out about her secrets.

Iori and Inaba

Towards the last 4 episodes, it was her best friend Iori that relate to me the most. Midway through the anime, we discovered that her cheerful personality was just a false front and she told her then boyfriend Tachi that she was afraid of how people would judge her when they see the true side of her. During the final arc of the story, Heartseed caused thoughts of a random one of the five to be known to others. This initiated a breakdown of Iori as her actions and thoughts are not in sync. When others heard her actual thoughts, they were shocked, and when Iori heard the thoughts of others judging her through the act of Heartseed, she realised that she can no longer keep up the false front. Forsaking her cheerful self, thinking it is only a idealistic impression of herself, she progressively became a cold person. Similarly to Inaba, she would had been able to keep up the facade if not for Heartseed's intervention. However, in case you are wondering, in the end, all is well with Iori accepting that she should not try to live up to other's expectations but live life as how she wants it. :)

Iori's case does prompt one to wonder. How many of us are actually not being honest with others when we socialise? It is unlikely that there would be some supernatural phenomenon which would cause our darkest secrets to be revealed but is continuing on this track detrimental to our mental well-being?

Something to ponder on huh?
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Finally, Aoki and Yui. Probably the most smooth-sailing happy ending in there? Hahas. Granted, the couple also had some hurdles, especially getting Yui to like Aoki! It was not originally that difficult since I suspect Yui already has some feeling for Aoki. However, relevations! Yui actually turns out to be suffering from androphobia! No wonder she always hang out with girls only.

With that said, the couple ultimately benefited (as do others, though it is not apparent immediately) from the deeds of Heartseed. With the end of the second arc, Yui decided to stand up and fight her androphobia. By the end of the anime, Yui explicitly hinted that she took a liking to Aoki. (A good sign, in my opinion!)

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I must say, even in the end, I was rooting for Iori x Tachi but I guess by the final arc, when Iori broke down so badly, it is quite impossible. This is especially so when Tachi realised he never really knew Iori. When you realise that, it is quite hard to get a relationship going when Iori hinted a break-up too. Not that bad, they were really dating to start with, with Iori keep asking Tachi if he can see her real self or only the personalty that Iori is showing to everyone. (which we found out later that Tachi cannot, he thought he could though.)

Inaba x Tachi

I guess, in the end a Inaba x Tachi ending would be more appropriate. I wonder what hidden message the scriptwriters are trying to relay here. Everyone has secrets? :P

Do not understand what I mean? Watch the anime! Hahas!

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Credits: Randomc.net