Koralene Wins Philly's Next Top Cosplayer!

UPPER DARBY, Pa. - Nov. 15, 2014 - PRLog -- "Charisma. Uniqueness. Nerve. Talent. These are some of the most important qualities one must possess in order to be successful. But do you have what it takes to be the best in the world at what you do in a universe of costumed illusions? If so, put your skills that pay the bills to the test in Philly's Next Top Cosplayer!" And it was with those words that "the most extreme Asian culture fusion festival" embarked on a gritty journey to premier Philadelphia's 1ST-EVER reality show-based cosplay competition in a style & flair that was 2nd-to-none. The 1st season of PNTC began on October 1st, 2014 & featured a month's worth of daily video testimonials & weekly costumed challenges. Four brave souls in particular (Avery, Kojii, Koralene, & Sakura) subjected themselves to tasks such as "Slice Of Life: Philly", "Jigsaw", & "Judge's Choice", all with the help of their very-distinguished sensei (Dokudel, Anastasia Versace, Nero, Nikki, & special guests Cris Ryan & Stacy Rubel), putting their cosplayer skills to the ultimate test. Fans around the world would then vote (on the PNTC Forum, YouTube, Facebook, & texting) on whom they felt did the best job.

The competition came to a head during its Live Finale on October 25th, 2014 at TAKII HQ in Upper Darby, PA (broadcasted on USTREAM) & once the costumed dust had settled, we were able to crown Koralene our 1st Philly's Next Top Cosplayer champion! To the winner went the spoils, as she would go on to be awarded (handsomely) cosplay commission funds & the honor of repping the fusion festival at cons far & wide over the next several months, including headlining TAKII 18 ~Brand New World~! Due to the critical success of Philly's Next Top Cosplayer, a 2nd season was already being pre-planned (for sometime in 2015). BUUUUT before we search for a soul to follow in Koralene's royal footsteps, we invite you to visit this reality show's home at our "Historic Archives" (http://takii.pdnmz.com/historic-archives/takii-world-tour-archive/pntc) & read the following message from PNTC's reigning champ:

"Being in Philly's Next Top Cosplayer was an amazing experience. My 1st impression was that it was going to be something really fun & interesting to do. As the start date got closer, I was more nervous than anything. That was alleviated quickly because D-chan was so great & constantly talked to me about any concerns or worries that I had, which made me feel so much more at ease going through all of this as a person who has never competed in a cosplay contest before. As each of the "Challenges" were revealed, I got to work immediately with full support from friends & family, as well as the sensei.

My interactions were limited at 1st with the other contestants because I honestly didn't know if I was supposed to be talking to the competition! Eventually & happily, Sakura & I did start conversing, not just about PNTC, but life in general. I was really happy to have made another great friend through this experience. My time with my assigned sensei (Anastasia Versace) was very limited, much to my chagrin (thought she gave me great tips on makeup for "Challenge #1": Slice Of Life ~Philly~). However, D-chan came to the rescue (often) when my sensei was unavailable & made sure I was supported in the competition. Dokudel was also a sensei who was very fun & helpful. I got to spend some time with her at the Live Finale & I always looked forward to her feedback. The feedback from all the sensei was an immense aid to improve my performances in each "Challenge". Speaking of the "Challenges" as a whole, it was important to me to step up my game & push myself. Again, I had a lot of support from family & friends, who helped me come up with some great ideas! I definitely couldn't have done it without their help as actors & editors. In short, PNTC really pushed my creativity to the next level.

If anything can be said about this reality show, it's that TAKII has done something incredibly amazing & special for all of the cosplayers out there. I'll absolutely be supporting The Asian Karaoke Idol Invitational in any way I can & plan to represent the title of Philly's Next Top Cosplayer in a manner that would do the organization proud, make other cosplayers aspire to follow in my footsteps, & get our fandom to fall in love with the art of cosplay all over again. Being involved in the competition made me feel great & excited & gave me the opportunity to reach out to people & make new friends in a style I previously thought was impossible. Winning Philly's Next Top Cosplayer has been a true highlight in my life & has served as a spring board for my creativity, encouraging me to push my cosplaying boundaries to the extreme.

I am so thankful for the friends I've made, the incredible prizes I've won, & the opportunity to be a part of something new & different. I honestly wish I could enter again next year, but I get to do the next best thing & be a sensei! So as I begin my reign as your cosplay standard bearer in the Philadelphia area, I leave you with this: "Charisma. Uniqueness. Nerve. Talent. These are some of the most important qualities one must possess in order to be successful. But do you have what it takes to be the best in the world at what you do in a universe of costumed illusions? If so, put your skills that pay the bills to the test in Philly's Next Top Cosplayer!" xoxo, KORALENE COSPLAY"