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This is 1999, Pokémon: I Choose You Arrived in the Philippines.
In the years that followed, the television show held a special place in the hearts of Filipino children and beyond, inspiring kids to strive to be the best they’ve ever been.
Twenty-five years later, Jason Paige, the voice actor of the iconic “Gotta Catch ‘Em All” catchphrase and theme song, and Veronica Taylor, the voice actor of Ash Ketchum in the original English version, arrived in Manila for the 3-day Pokéverse Season 1 convention.
From May 31 to June 2, fans gathered at SM MegaMall to celebrate all things Pokémon-related, including game-style maps, trainer quests, role-playing and gaming competitions, and of course, meeting the voice actors behind the beloved show.
When asked about her interactions with fans, Veronica Taylor told the outlet that she found the personal growth of her audience members particularly memorable.
“You know, one of the things that’s been really amazing is that I got to see the kids when they were 10 years old, and now, all these years later, to see them have their own kids is just incredible,” she said. She also voices characters such as May and Deliah Ketchum in the animated series.
“The fact that we all grew up together and Pokémon is so important to them that someone would share it with their own kids is crazy.”
Jason Paige dazzled the audience with his energetic performances of the original English theme songs, “Viridian City” and “Catch The World With A Throw: A Tribute To Pokémon Go.”
Some of his memorable interactions with fans involve the emotional connection people have with the theme song. “There’s a sense of nostalgia with them, and we have reunion moments — people I never knew existed, and they never knew I existed,” the singer said.
The convention is positioned as a high-end Pokémon-themed expo designed to meet the needs of different fans, with the first day focusing on collecting and nostalgia, the second day focusing on passion and competition, and the last day focusing on championships and family.
Guests, many dressed in anime-inspired costumes, toured several areas including the Pokéverse Museum, which showcased rare Pokémon items, a trading card game (TCG) tournament arena called Victory Road, an artist alley featuring fan-made merchandise and many other exhibits, with daily hosts Tim Yap, Myrtle Sarrosa and Robbie Domingo.
However, the event drew criticism online following a post by Parañaque City artist Rita, who placed second in the convention’s PokeSinger competition.
LET’S TALK ABOUT POKEVERSE PH
Pokémon-themed WONKA-DASHCON-FYRE festival in the PhilippinesLet me take you on a daily tour of the PREMIER POKÉMON EXPO!
‼ ️Super Topic‼ ️ pic.twitter.com/H38b4pLL6T
— Rita WAS @ POKEVERSE (@BintuRita) June 4, 2024
According to her, the convention’s main stage events were well-executed, allowing audience members to interact with other fans and hear from esteemed panelists. However, delays and unmet expectations marred the experience.
in a statement On her Art page, Binturita accused the venue’s seating area of being photographed without consent, as well as the chaos of the entire event. She also criticized the photographs of children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the charity supported by the event.
Rappler has reached out to organizers but has yet to receive a response.
Under her leadership Original Facebook PostPokéverse apologized for the oversight, saying there was “too little time” to prepare for the first-ever event. The team promised to listen to feedback to do better next time.
Welcome to IGN In their report they stated Participants faced numerous issues, including late start times for the event, large open areas offering few Pokémon-themed activities, poor communication about the event, and ticket prices ranging from P1,000 for a single-day pass to a 3-day VIP pass that costs P19,500.
Despite these issues, Rita acknowledges the strengths of the Pokéverse, pointing to the creativity of Artist Alley, the passionate friends she’s met, and the once-in-a-lifetime experience of meeting international Pokémon icons.
“Watching Veronica Taylor and Jason Page on stage doing these heartfelt interviews, Jason Page throwing cards into the audience, and the laser light show — it was fun,” she told Rappler. “It’s easy to overlook all the flaws of a convention if you’re having so much fun, especially when you’re with your kids.”
The convention launched with a standard family package, appealing to parents who want their children to explore the Pokémon community in a safe space.
Veronica Taylor told the media that “one of the greatest honors” in her life is that people trust her to hold their children at the meet-and-greet. “This doesn’t happen in real life, and when this happens at the venue, I feel very happy.”
Neither of the two guest voice actors could have imagined that the popularity of “Pokémon” would soar, allowing them to travel all over the world, including the capital of the Philippines.
“When I auditioned, they said the show was going to be on TV and we all said sure, whatever. And it was on TV, at 6 in the morning, and then 6:30, and then it kept going,” Veronica shared. “So I don’t know, I do think the only reason it was on for so long is that people accepted it and kept it on.”
The exhibition, she said, engages viewers’ creativity and imagination in a way that few other projects can — whether through drawings, stories or, in this case, fan gatherings.
“There’s a lot of great work in the show, the game, and so on, but I think what really makes it what it is is how people interpret it.” – Rappler.com
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