This BLush Convention report will not include event pictures to protect the privacy of the con attendees. Thank you very much for your understanding and support.

After a two-year hiatus, several members of the original Lights Out: Philippine Yaoi Convention got back together to give it another go. The new event is called BLush Convention, and it promises to bring not just Philippine BL fans, but also fans from neighboring countries as well.

The event has a promising start, with a large and accessible venue in Shaw Boulevard (halfway between Quezon City and Pasay City). Unlike previous venues such as Lepanto Tower in Makati City and Ikeda Hall in Quezon City, it was a good compromise to accommodate participants from all points in the metropolis.

The venue was simply furnished, with a Library, a Market, and a Lecture Hall. However, the Lecture hall suffered from bad acoustics, so instead of drawing people in it made people lose interest in the talks — which is a shame as there were some very intruiguing and educational lectures by Japanese academics Shimada Akiko and Ogi Fusami.

A new development not seen in their previous cons is the BLush Anthology, a collection of stories, comics, and illustrations depicting a common theme. This volume’s theme is First Love, and authors and doujinshi artists such as hanaoka, CP Coulter, M.C. Jose, Nix de Pano, and Cinammon Rub. It is an eclectic collection with well-selected pieces, swoing a broad spectrum of first love experiences.

The butler cafe La Vie en Rose was likewise simply furnished, but the level of service and the quality of the food served more than made up for the sparse decorations. The somewhat sterile decor is completely understandable however, as most venues do not allow for permanent construction and other “nice touches”.

Overall, it was a decent first effort for a new and untried team. With the experience of the core ladies from the defunct Philippine Yaoi Convention, its new incarnation BLush has plenty of room to improve and lots of space to grow.