Many have tried, but not one succeeded. That’s the sad histoire du anime Philippin in the Philippines. Yet, we lap up those animes from Japan and in the movies, the animated features produced by the dream factory called Hollywood.
In October, another Filipino anime comes to life on the screens via Barangay 143.
Filipinos are talented animators. Proof is most animation companies, based either here or overseas, employ hundreds of Filipino illustrators. So, why not harness their talents and create a Filipino anime.
With the support of Japanese Network TV Asahi and Singaporean studio August Media Holdings’, we will soon see the Filipino hands in an anime that will soon come alive on the GMA screen.
Filipinos are crazy about basketball and that’s the jumpstart of the anime with Filipino characters in it.
Barangay 143, by Quezon City-based ASI Studios, is an anime about a Korean basketball player who comes to the Philippines in search of his father. He ends up in Tondo, Manila, where he finds an unusual family in a group of basketball-loving misfits.
“It’s a story of human drama. It’s the coming of age of a young basketball hopeful but it takes you through the trials and tribulations of everything that’s very, very Filipino,” Jyotirmoy Saha of August Media said in an interview.
The character designs were made with the help of TV Asahi, while most of the script, the storyline, and the voice acting were done in the Philippines.
Lending their voices to the anime are mostly Kapuso talents. The protagonist, Bren T. Park, is voiced by Migo Adecer. John Arcilla and Edu Manzano lend their voices to Coach B and the head of the Philippine basketball league respectively. The series has also cast Cherie Gil, Paolo Contis, Ruru Madrid and Julie Anne San Jose to voice other major characters.
Music will also play a key role in the series.
“There’s a lot of influence from hip-hop culture. We’ll feature a lot of original hip-hop music from Filipino stars here,” Saha said, adding that basketball and hip-hop tend to have a common theme of rising in spite of disparity.
The first season of Barangay 143 is set to air this October on GMA 7 and will have 26 episodes.
Barangay 143 also has a mobile game which is free for download on Android and iPhone.
Barangay 143’s official website featured a countdown timer for the anime’s premiere along with the tagline “Handa na ba kayo sa liga ng buhay (Are you ready for the league of life)?”
* * * *
Celeb Athletes Feted in Hall Of Fame Awards
The country’s top celebrity athletes were honored at the first Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) Hall of Fame Awards on July 31 at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura, Bonifacio Global City.
The awardees were Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez (Fencing), Makati 1st District Rep. Monsour del Rosario (Taekwondo), Senator Miguel Zubiri (Arnis) and 11-time world boxing champion Senator Manny Pacquiao (Boxing).
Baron Geisler and Kiko Matos, who made headlines with their impromptu cage match on June 25, 2016, also earned a citation as the URCC’s first celebrity fight.
The URCC played a key role in popularizing mixed martial arts (MMA) in the Philippines, kicking off its inaugural event at the Casino Filipino Ampitheater in Paranaque City on Nov. 23, 2002.
Founded by Filipino Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Alvin Aguilar, the URCC has since become a breeding ground for world-class Filipino fighters who have charted their own respective legacies in the global MMA arena.
This year, URCC marks its foray towards global domination with the creation of URCC Global, spearheaded by its new chairman, Arnold Vegafria.
Under its strengthened leadership, URCC Global hopes to penetrate the Southeast Asian region and forge long-term partnerships with its Asian affiliates, and eventually assemble a contingent of iconic fighters willing to compete head-on with their Caucasian counterparts.
VIP guests included former UFC legend Frank Shamrock and International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) President Kerrith Brown.
* * * *
Vlogger in Sarap Diva
There are so many new things to watch out for in Sarap Diva!
First, we have a brand new kapitbahay.
Inday’s Tita Baby is coming to visit. And seeing how she is from her vlogs, Inday is bracing herself to love and hate this new Tita.
And Tita Baby does have a lot to say about Ate Regine’s visitors. Starting with new mom, Kylie Padilla.
Kylie will share how being a mom has changed her and her family’s life. One of which is that she learned how to cook. And one of the first dishes she learned is Aljur’s favorite – Pininyahang Manok.
Newly-married Jan Manual is also joining and will share how married life is, so far. But this bonding won’t be complete with him not sharing how he proposed and planned the whole wedding. Such a sweet perspective coming from a groom.
All things new are waiting for you this today in Sarap Diva after Maynila! on GMA7 Saturday mornings.
Sarap Diva also airs on GMA Pinoy TV and GMA Life.