Yona Kuromatoki Platform Logo to Rebrand in January 2027

 

The current Yona Kuromatoki logo has been consistently used since 2017, the longest serving in the indie media entity's history

Happy new year, YKPers! Thank you for supporting me and the Yona Kuromatoki Platform for 2025 and the preceding years!

We would like to formally announce that the Yona Kuromatoki Platform logo will undergo a rebrand starting January 1, 2027. This move is to keep with the changing times for the global market while still maintaining our core values that the platform has been doing since its inception in 2014. Thus, the logos for Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast and the Yona Kuromatoki All Axezz online content series will also be rebranded, with the former will be started with the upcoming Anthology 6 season's second half next year.

During the one-year transition period, the permanent slogan, Sama-Sama I-Angat ang Lahat, will remain, and the 2026 secondary tagline, Building Bridges is the Answer!, will be the last under the current logo. The reveal of the new Yona Kuromatoki Platform logo will be slated this October to coincide with YKIP's sixth and my 17th cosplay anniversaries, yet the rebrand transition proper will be fully commenced by the new year of 2027 along with the new slogan, so kindly keep in touch to our socials in the coming weeks leading up to it.

For nearly a decade, the red, blue, and yellow colored mic, which represents the Philippines' three islands - Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, has been synonymous with the current Yona Kuromatoki Platform, and throughout various changes beginning with its immediate predecessors: the Yona Kuromatoki Cosplay Page (2017-19) and the Yona Kuromatoki Page (2019-23). It also features in all but two year end specials since 2017, with the 2025 edition being the most recent, and the upcoming 2026 one will be its swan song, as well as being used for both YKIP and YK All Axezz online content series.

Even with the impending logo rebrand, your support and appreciation remain the same, and we'd like to extend your understanding and patience regarding the transition. In the meantime, let's make more memories by looking forward for the cons and ganaps that I'll be attending for the year, and please watch out for the 2026 Year Opener Video on the last week of this month, the first since 2019.

This is Yona Kuromatoki, maraming salamat po!

Habemus Curatus! Introducing Cures Zukyoon and Kiss!

On June 1 and 8, 2025, fans of the Pretty Cure series from all over the planet have witnessed the (reboot and) rise of the two warrior idols. However, this isn’t the usual stuff that we’ve seen in all the midseason Cures’ initial and fully maiden debuts since 2009.

Enter Purirun and Meroron, the two mascot fairies from KiraKiland that transform into Cures Zukyoon and Kiss, whose memories and experiences of the former and feelings of the latter have been literally locked in due to a very forbidden item called the Heart Kirari Lock. What the hell just happened?!!

Following two weeks of roller coaster of emotions and intense curiosity, Yoshino Nanjo (Eli Ayase in Love Live! and Shirabe Tsukuyomi in Symphogear) and Miharu Hanai (Tomoe Murakami in Idolm@ster Cinderella Girls and Twin Turbo in Uma Musume Pretty Derby) have been finally taking over as the first two seiyuus to play two midseason Cures in seven years since Nao and Yukari Tamura, and the first in two years since Aoi Koga, respectively.

The return of the mascot fairies-turned-Cures trope in the global action magical girl show’s Reiwa production era is very unprecedented and predictable as well as for the first time in 16 years of the midseason one, there are no sign of leaks circulating on the internet like the others, and so the guys at Toei Animation surprised us with those two gorgeous official arts of Zukyoon and Kiss which posted on May 30, 2025, two days before their pre-debut.

The two slayed and braved fluffy divas’ birthdays will be on October 9 and December 7 respectively.

In an interview with the Japanese otaku media site Animate Times, Nanjo and Hanai have shared their own thoughts and experiences of being part of a long running show like Pretty Cure with the former says that she was surprised, happy and pressured all at once. While the latter answers that she couldn’t believe that she got the job and her mind went blank.

“It felt like I was being handed the baton [pass message] that everyone who had been involved in the work up until now had cherished, and it was also the moment when I resolved to spend this year cherishing it with Purirun and Zukyoon, the cast and the You and Idol Pretty Cure [production] team,” Nanjo said.

“It was a very strange feeling to be able to be involved with Pretty Cure, which I had been watching and admiring since I was little. At the same time, I was of course happy that I could become a part of Pretty Cure, which had been my dream and goal, and I felt a sense of responsibility...!!” said Hanai, who’s also a longtime Cure fan.

The two seiyuus are also commented about their characters’ charms and recommended points, among other things as well.

Zukyoon and Kiss’ henshin sequence has been revealed on the current season’s 19th episode aired on Father’s Day, June 15, marking the first time to do so since Macherie and Amour. Also, we’re finally getting a short glimpse of Purirun and Meroron’s human forms in it, both animated by Nishiki Itaoka, with the latter being designed by the season’s character designer Miho Sugimoto. However, the celebratory official debut has been overshadowed by a gut wrenching scene when Uta Sakura aka Cure Idol (voiced by Misato Matsuoka) is shockingly learned that her beloved Purirun has lost her memories due to the after effects of the aforementioned forbidden item, as well as her wish to protect the said Cure leader at the cost of becoming a hero and turning her ribbon into gray, at the end of the episode.

Truly, what the hell just happened?! What do think about Cures Zukyoon and Kiss so far? Let us know in our comments here or on our socials.

ADDENDUM: We’re apologize for not posting new content on our blog due to numerous commitments for the first half of 2025, but we’ll be doing our best to make it active as possible, especially we have the upcoming Yona Kuromatoki’s Interactive Podcast Fan Favorite Awards 2025 and the Yona Kuromatoki Platform Top Cosplays Rank: The Philippines Cosplay Community and Industry Silver Anniversary Edition in December, with the usual voting period that’ll start by the late October.

In addition to these, we’re gonna do The Goddess’ Playlist segment posts and interviews with fella geeks again for this year, so keep on eyes out on them in the coming days.

Under Parallel Skies Spoiler-Free Review

A one liner that we can describe the movie: Uuuugh deym feels yow!!! 😭

Feels and jokes aside, the combination of Win Metawin and Janella Salvador is easily knocking on the park with their respective acting skills and flexing some basic words in their respective native languages, and it's just wonderful (pun unintended)!

Besides this, spending a short time with someone they love is a painful to see, so yeah it totally hurts if you ask me. The lesson here that we should make the most of the time by hanging them out while they're still alive because we really don't know about when their time on this planet will be ended, especially to our parents and pets. Also, don't you guys dare wait for them for too long like weeks, months or years coz time is constantly changing as we grow older.

Under Parallel Skies is one of the examples on crossing cultures and uniqueness between the Philippines and Thailand, a rare occurence that has not seen since the Erich Gonzales-Mario Maurer movie Suddenly It's Magic more than a decade ago, moresoever with the rise of another unexpected but very phenomenal duo in the form of Michelle Dee and Anntonia Porsild aka PorDee as well as the love for AKB48 and Japanese idols with MNL48 and BNK48 in the recent years.

Despite the respective sociopolitical issues that the two ASEAN countries face until today, their relationship has singlehandedly gave another new meaning - transcending diversity and sharing cultures with happiness, peace, understanding and love with one another even coming from the other side of the fence.
 

The Goddess' Playlist: Fighter by Tali Golergant (Eurovision 2024 Entry for Luxembourg and Yona Kuromatoki Platform 10th Anniversary Song)

 

Single version cover

After a two-year hiatus, The Goddess' Playlist segment in this blog makes a wonderfully triumphant comeback, and yes we're so back to do impressions on our all time favorite songs, this time we go Eurovision with "Fighter" by the Israeli-Luxembourgish singer-songwriter Tali Golergant!

The first Luxembourgish Eurovision song in 31 years and also the first since the country's last participation in 1993 (of course it's my birth year, as said during the recent YKIP Live), it was released on January 9, 2024 under Bel Air Records, and composed by Dario Faini aka Dardust, who is also handling the music for another Eurovision 2024 song, "La noia" by Angelina Mango for Italy, and notable for doing the same with Mahmood's "Soldi" in 2019, together with Ana Zimmer and Manon Romiti, while the lyrics were written by the latter two and Silvio Lisbonne. The revamped version on the other hand was released on March 29, 2024 under the same label and Jo&Co. 

The song was competed in the inaugural Luxembourg Song Contest on January 27, 2024 and won the right to represent the Grand Duchy in Eurovision over the runner-up "Drowning in the Rain" by Krick by 13 points as well as six other finalists. In the super final of the national selection show, Golergant had received 94 points from the juries and 84 points from the televoters for a combined total of 178 points.

Eurovision version cover

According to Golergant, she states in interviews that the song is about how humans suffer, and how people persevere through suffering, in which the singer is used as an example of living in New York City and going through series of rejections within the music industry. It is indeed in the first stanza that the singer has struggled to get a break in the big city in her 20s, the age bracket where most people often go to parties and spend their money on lavish things.

On the Overthinking Eurovision YouTube channel's interpretation of the song meanwhile, the first refrain part has the word "siren" in it because sirens are monsters that lure sailors by seducting them with their voices to impending doom. Therefore in the aforementioned, the little siren voice wants the singer to come and take its hand towards an excited yet risky path of the industry she gets used to before going to the chorus, which is in English. In it, there is an inner cheerleader who encourages the singer to keep going as a fighter until it suddenly goes away from its outer counterpart.

Speaking of which, Fighter is a song of self-doubt in French with an assurance of self-confidence in English and we love it very much whether in either version. I mean, it has catchy beats with a powerful meaning of perserverance, determination and overcome trials as humans! Definitely a top ten on my bucket list for this Eurovision season.

Yona Kuromatoki Platform 10th Anniversary version cover. From left: Cure Sky (Hirogaru Sky! Pretty Cure), yours truly as Seiji Sagara (Happiness Charge Pretty Cure! aka the first cosplay featured in the platform) and Cure Wonderful (Wonderful Pretty Cure!)

As mentioned in the blog's previous post, the song becomes the Yona Kuromatoki Platform's 10th anniversary song, the second non-English to do so after MNL48's "First Rabbit" aka the fifth anniversary song of the platform, then known as the Yona Kuromatoki Cosplay Page, and it is also the first time to specially feature not only yours truly but two groundbreaking Pretty Cure leaders, Cures Sky and Wonderful, although neither the former nor the latter are written specifically for themselves too like Golergant.

In the anniversary version, the first stanza is now interpreted as myself still getting adjustments on adulthood and juggled with the hobbies I still have, while also being recently lost a mother and about to receive my downfall. Then, a siren voice calls me to come and bring to something that is adventurous but also risky before moving on to the chorus. Its self-focused version has the said siren voice, aka my inner self, wanting to keep me going and knowing that I'm a fighter because of my never give up spirit until I go crazy and don't know what to do after the voice itself leaves far away from me.

Meanwhile the second stanza, usually refers to the singer's complications on deciding her path and fight to conquer the world stage, is transformed into Komugi Inukai being a dog that distrusts and hesitates in mind, and Sora Harewataru's ambitious aspiration to become a hero of all worlds. The siren voice in the second refrain now refers to Iroha Inukai and Mashiro Nijigaoka in inner forms telling the two Cure leaders to come and go towards their respective destinies that are unstoppable, as both pairs have done the same yet in different ways in their own Cure seasons.

If my self-focused version of the chorus is about my inner self cheering me to keep going, the second focused one refers to the inner Iroha encouraging Komugi to come to her and never let the latter down because the "older" Inukai knows her fursister is a fighter. The inner Mashiron, on the other hand, notices that Soracchi's heart is holding the love around everyone and she knows she's basically one, a hero as in. Then, the two leaders are going wild to grab everything and nothing at the same time like two girls that are crazily wandering in the outskirts after questioning on the whereabouts of their inner formed partners from afar.

But the bridge part is kinda complicated because it may also be refer to me or either of the two Cure leaders. Nevertheless, it also interprets as the three of us just wanting to open our hearts by resonating the sound of our dreams and not our own fears to everyone, and that's truly meaningful.

Finally, the last chorus states that my inner version, and the ones of Iroha and Mashiron are started to fade away, much like Golergant's, before returning to our heads (well I'm sure that both secondary Cures won't be affected by that crazy inner mindness lols) and go crazy like wild beasts that are nothing to do but on a rampage.

Of course, Fighter is different from First Rabbit in terms of the language, genre and musical styles, but the message is clear for both songs: keep going, never stop to reach our dreams and fight for what we believe in even if we endure so much pain and suffering. Truly remarkable celebratories for the Yona Kuromatoki Platform!

Whether either interpretation of the song may be, then it's up to you. But both interpretations are cool as heck and way beyond our twinkle imaginations. Anyways, I wish the best of luck to Golergant at Eurovision and yesh, keep slaying!

What is your own interpretation of Golergant's Fighter? Let us know in the comments section below, on our Facebook page, X, Instagram or Threads accounts. Till the next Goddess' Playlist, lads and vadengs!

The Manalili Mastersplan on the YKP 10th and Others

Like any other industry or multimedia franchise, it is important to know about what the plans are for the upcoming months and the things that are cooked for the fans and followers, and the Yona Kuromatoki Platform is no exception. Because I'm not only doing its tenth anniversary, which is celebrated this year besides my 15th cosplay one, but I also did two special cosplay lineup series from the previous year. But how the heck these plans have been really planned from the start?

Known as the Manalili Masterplan, I came up these ideas in mind shortly after the first Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast Part 3.0 episode in 2022 and originally had plans to solely focus on my 30th birth anniversary in 2023 and the preps for the platform's first decade in 2024. But when the Pretty Cure 20th anniversary festivities were kicking off so early (Delicious Party was the season aired at the time), then I took the opportunity to bring back something that I had done before - the Ultimate Pretty Cure Cosplay Line Up! The special cosplay lineup series was the first in YKP and introduced during the franchise's 15th anniversary, when the former was known as the Yona Kuromatoki Cosplay Page (2014-19) and later the Yona Kuromatoki Page during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic before rebranding once more to its present name. Then another iconic franchise would celebrate another milestone, Doctor Who, which would be turned 60th in that year, and I thought that it'd be great to have its first cosplay lineup series too.

Plans for the UPCCLU 2.0 made clear when Hirogaru Sky! would be the next season of Pretty Cure, so the thought of adding at least one new cosplay from the show would be a good addition to both promote it and spread the wholesome agenda in pop culture cons. The then upcoming cosplans were Laura/Cure La Mer (mermaid form ver.), Takumi Shinada/Black Pepper and Nagisa Misumi/Cure Black, in addition to the active cosplays like Seiji Sagara, Yui Nanase, Pikario/Rio Kuroki/Cure Waffles and Emiru Aisaki/Cure Macherie. However, only Black Pepper made a cosplay debut in Pinoy Otaku Festival 2023, while Cure Black would be retained for the 2024 cosplans alongside Nozomi Yumehara/Cure Dream (Otona PreCure ver., currently on the canvassing stage), Ellee/Cure Majesty (currently in progress) and Nodoka Hanadera/Cure Grace (currently on the plans). There were also plans to bring back Ako Shirabe/Cure Muse for the cosplay lineup series but it was ultimately scrapped due to constraints. Fortunately, its first phrase made a huge success thanks to the constant hype over the 20th anniversary and a second phrase is currently ongoing for the Wonderful! season and the YKP tenth anniversary, so there's a possibility to push the comeback still within this year.

Speaking of which, I also considered the 15th Doctor for the first Ultimate Doctor Who Cosplay Line Up alongside Thasmin aka the 13th Doctor and Yasmin Khan, but also met the same fate as Cure Muse unfortunately.

The initial plan for the UPCCLU 2.0 would be held at Otaku Expo Anime and Manga Drawing Special 2023 day 2 to coincide with the Delicious Party♡Pretty Cure finale, but because I already debuted Hizuru Minakata on that con, it was later moved to the Ozine Summer Fest 2023 TriNoma leg on the day after EDSA People Power Day and I thought it'd be a perfect time to celebrate HUGtto!'s fifth anniversary with Macherie! The aforementioned stuff weren't the only ones to consider, the much-awaited comebacks of my Seiji Sagara cosplay and Yui-Yui's winter casual outfit were also part of my plans for the cosplay lineup series and proved to be successful with minor revamps and newly acquired props.

As for the DWUCLU, I would still push 13 and Yaz for it at least to commemorate Who's 60th and it became a success, notably thanks to Cosplay Mania 2023 day 2 and the recent watchalong party organized by the Whovian Philippines group. But also, here's to more cosplays from the silly but very iconic blue box show.

The advanced and the belated namida surprise fiestas at cons for Waffles and Black Pep on the other hand were my ideas, but what's more interesting to know that the latter also coincided with the actual one of Makoto Kenzaki/Cure Sword last Sugoi Anime Fest 2023 at Robinsons Antipolo in Rizal Province, so that's that. When All Stars F was first announced in March, I was excited and decided to take that opportunity to bring up the hype as much as possible. Three months later, the first trailer came out and the special teams had been revealed! Due to that, the idea of a helpers group was born and it was taking inspiration from the companions group from Jodie Whittaker's last regular Doccy Who episode, The Power of the Doctor, but a Cure-esque twist. And so, the three special cosplay cards featuring Black Pep (representing Teams Sky and Prism), Yui-Yui (representing Team Wing and Majesty) and Waffles (representing Team Butterfly) were released for a limited time and debuted at CosHabatsu 2023 day 2.

I even said in the YKIP Part 3.0 penultimate episode that the early plans for the YKP 10th were on the works and one of which was planning to attend a Visayas or Mindanao con first then an international one next, in addition to the continuation of the YKIP Live Panels and a theme song for the year-long party, much like the ones of the anime industry centenary in 2017 and the Pretty Cure series in 2023. The logo for the aforementioned would be the same as the podcast's current season , 4F, and it was made as early as September with little adjustments. When Wonderful Pretty Cure! was officially unveiled, sinabay ko talaga 'yun with the YKP tenth anniversary logo and poof, surprise guys! :p

And oh, speaking of anniversaries, December 2023 came out and the theme slogan had been revealed shortly after the YKIP Year End Special with "Sama-Sama I-Angat ang Lahat! Onward to the Extremely Wonderful Decade!" and a pubmat for my Cosplay Carnival 2023 day 3 lineup with the anniversary logo. Then more than a month later aka shortly after the Hirogaru Sky! finale episode, the YKP tenth anniversary song would be "Fighter" performed by Tali. Not only this is the first time that a Eurovision song, specifically the current seasonal roster from a comeback participated country Luxembourg after a 31-year hiatus, is used for the aforementioned, but this is also technically the second non-English one to do so after MNL48's "First Rabbit," which was used for the platform's fifth anniversary in 2019. Both songs are dealing with the struggles and perseverance that us humans do everyday, but just with two different genres from east and west hehe. That aside, they're also related to me and how I deal with the suffering and despair, but with multiple drops of determination and hope, and used the latter to overcome the former.

Oof, looks like we've gotta end this long-ass essay on how the Manalili Masterplan came to life! But I do hope you guys enjoy reading it from start to finish and apologies for not posting on the vlog due to busy schedules. Till the next random ramble on Yona's Blog, fellas! 

Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast Fan Favorite Episode and Guest Awards 2023 Winners and Honorable Mentions

 

Hallo everyone! I apologize again for not posting new content on my blog due to work and engaging in various ganaps for the past two months, as well as being busy for the Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast Year-End Special 2023. But we're back to business once again coz, thanks to your votes, we'll reveal the winners, and some honorable mentions, for the first Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast Fan Favorite Episode and Guest Awards!

Favorite Season One Episode (Note: Bold letters state the winner of the category)

1. "Yona's Random Rambles 2021" - 33.3%
2. "RIVER by MNL48 Fan Commentary and Impressions" - 33.3% (tied for first place)
3. "Why Do We Love Cure Grace?" - 16.7%
4. "Mid-Season Pretty Cures Look Backs! Road to Cure La Mer Part 1" - 16.7% (tied for second place)

Honorable Mentions

• "Yona's Doctor Who Fan Experiences So Far"
• "20/20 Vision! Up~on the Graceful Future! The Yona Kuromatoki Year-End Special 2020 Part 1"
• "#HealinGoodSakalam! The Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast Tribute to Healin' Good Pretty Cure Part 4: The Woman Who Chimed to Earth
• "Girls Can Be Heroes Too!"
• "#HealinGoodSakalam! The Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast Tribute to Healin' Good Pretty Cure Part 1: Our Amazing Grace"

Favorite Season Two Episode

1. "365 Araw ng YKIP x Sayonara Thirteen: The Prelude - Road to Regeneration" - 33.3%
2. "The Thasmin Effect on Queer Culture" - 16.7%
3. "#YonaXXIX and A Decade of Symphogear" - 16.7% (tied for second place)
4. "Doctor Who, Leni Robredo and the Negastar Army" - 16.7% (tied for second place)
5. "YKIP All Axezz Chapter Zero: Tropical Flux! PTAA Travel Trade Expo 2021!" - 16.7% (tied for second place)

Honorable Mentions

• "Trese and the Filipino Geek Culture"
• "1, 2 Kuru Jump~! The Mewkledreamy Talks!"
• "Cures Summer and La Mer Appreciation"
• "Red and Blue Oceans in Modern Society"
• "Anong Gentle, Gentle?! It's Cure Finale!!"

Favorite Part 3.0 Episode

1. "It's Krejza! It's Majestic! Thoughts on Our 78th Main Pretty Cure Hero!" - 16.7%
2. "The Power of JaneNella" - 16.7% (tied for first place)
3. "Is Bad Publicity Still Publicity?" - 16.7%
4. "Sayonara Thirteen! The Power of the Doctor Commentary" - 16.7% (tied for second place)
5. "What the Hell is the Eurovision Song Contest?!" - 16.7%
6. "Five Glorious Years of MNL48" - 16.7% (tied for third place)

Honorable Mentions

• "The Golf Gals and the Space Mecha Gals"
• "Fukkatsu! The Road to Pretty Cure All Stars F!"
• "Let Our Precious Moments Lead!! The Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast Year-End Special 2022"
• "#PreCure20th Specials Part Two: The Party Goes On Forever! Our Delicious Party♡Pretty Cure Impressions and Commentary!"
• "Six Decades of Adventure in Space and Time"

Favorite Recurring Guest

1. Christian Quilala
2. Andrea "Drei" Labastilla (tied for first place)
3. Jackson "Blazeix" Jordan
4. Nathaniel Vergara (tied for second place)

Favorite Season One and Two Guest

1. The Roaming Historyador - 33.3%
2. Dina aka Raspberry Cremé - 33.3% (tied for first place)
3. Christian Quilala - 16.7%
4. DregenScarletBloom - 16.7% (tied for second place)

Honorable Mentions

• Jay Agonoy
• Nightcat
• Usapang Cosplay Podcast
• Jackson "Blazeix" Jordan
• Charlie aka sheregenerated

Favorite Part 3.0 Guest

1. Philip Miguel Garcia - 33.3%
2. Leigh Craddock - 16.7%
3. JG Ramos - 16.7% (tied for second place)
4. NeraTheodore - 16.7%
5. David Seery - 16.7% (tied for third place)

Honorable Mentions

• Louie Aguinaldo
• Jernard aka Bern Bear
• ElectricAura
• Andrea "Drei" Labastilla

Congratulations to the first set of winners for the YKIP Favorite Episode and Guest Awards despite some tie-breaks! Your contribution and efforts to the podcast won't be wasted and useless, and you also made it more interesting throughout its three-year run. You guys are very welcome to come back to this silly but amazing podcast show and hoping to hear you all again in the future episodes.

Again, shout out to those who are voted for their favorites and thank you for spending your time to do it!

See ya all at the Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast Fan Favorite Episode and Guest Awards 2024, and we will wish you a very soaring sky Christmas and a wonderful new year, YKIPers!

Sama-Sama I-Angat ang Lahat chosen as Yona Kuromatoki Platform permanent slogan, 10th anniversary logo officially unveiled

We are excited to announce that "Sama-Sama I-Angat ang Lahat" (Uplift Everyone Together) has been chosen as the slogan for the Yona Kuromatoki Platform's tenth anniversary in 2024 - and in the successive years. The secondary phrase of the permanent slogan itself meanwhile will be revealed sometime around late December 2023 or early January next year, just when the new Pretty Cure season's title will come out and it has became a traditional norm for the platform since 2017. But we can assure that it has the words "extreme" and "decade."

The slogan was created shortly after the release of the 2022 year-end special Let Our Precious Moments Lead!, the very first under the banner of the platform's flagship podcast show, Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast, with the phrase "Goin', Flyin' Up to the Sky!" on December 31 of that year and it was revealed on the YKP Facebook page on the first few hours of January 1, 2023.

Therefore, after almost seven years of using different slogans and as we approach YKP's tenth anniversary, it's surely about time to use a permanent one that symbolizes true unity, inclusivity, universality, equality and celebrating pop culture diversity. Moreover, it's in my native language, Filipino, and not just a kinda crazy play and spin on the two iconic and infamous slogans of the last Philippines general elections in 2022.

As the Yona Kuromatoki Platform continues to steadily evolving over the years, transforming from a cosplay page to a multimedia platform thanks to YKIP and its All Axezz expanded content series, and the inclusion of the creator's Tumblr account, YouTube channel and blog aka Yona's Blog plus the creation of the podcast's Twitter/X account under the single roof, we believe using the same slogan will help and improve our brand even further.

Even though the now permanent slogan is in Filipino, we can assure our followers and supporters across this planet about what it means, to uplift everyone from all walks of life together, with the unconditional power of pop culture love and appreciation. Plus to sum up, it's also referring to our staunch stance for proper inclusivity, equality and accessibility to all, no matter the shape, size, gender or nationality.

With this announcement, we are going to unveil the YKP tenth anniversary logo and will use for all pubmats, cosplay cards, vlogs and physical promotional materials for the entire 2024. It's different compare to the fifth anniversary logo that we used in 2019 though, but these color schemes symbolize creative diversity in the pop culture world by all shapes and sizes. The font use in it is Cyber Shape 3D, which is also used for the upcoming YKIP season 4F. Under the commemorative logo will be the permanent and secondary phrased slogans, so we're working on the other font that we're gonna be using and expecting to reveal in the coming weeks as well.

Right now, we are looking for ways on how to promote the YKP tenth anniversary year as well as other activities to look forward to such as the yearly YKIP Live, various guestings and engagements. Stay tuned to our social accounts as we're about to kick off another fiesta on the platform together with my 15th cosplay anniversary!

Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast Fan Favorite Episode and Guest Rankings Guidelines

Wazzup everyone, Yona here aka the host of Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast, and I'm back again on this blog for a very special announcement! This year will have the first ever YKIP Fan Favorite Episode ane Guest Rankings wherein you have the power (pun unintended) to vote for your favorite episodes from Season One to Part 3.0 and the ten episodes with the most number of votes will be featured in the podcast's 2023 year-end special on New Year's Eve. Not only that, there'll be also five honorable mentions that deserve to be included in it. So, of the 40 episodes and 10+ guests of YKIP, 30 of which will be picked and voted by you guys. Yes sirs and madames, ALL 40 episodes from ALL THREE seasons and 10+ guests of YKIP that will be battling for the top ten plus five honorable mentioned fan favorite episode and the top ten favorite season and recurring guest spots!

But how can we vote? Well, I'll be posting the link provided after the last paragraph and rest assure that there'll be no cooking shows nor fabrications during and after the voting period. On the bright side though, you can vote as much as you want, just make sure that your other fave YKIP episode/s and guest/s will also count. The voting period will end on December 15, so as much as possible have your taps and clicks ready as we can possibly expect a power vote almost every hour, notably from the big and established fan clubs of course.

So what are y'all waiting for? Let's celebrate three years of YKIP and the launch of 4F, and wrap the Year of the First Rabbit with this new exciting award! Anyway, if you have inquiries or questions, you can interact to us on this blog, Facebook, X/Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram. I just wanna greet a very soaring Christmas and a properly towards 2024 to all of you at home and beyond in advance!

Link to vote: https://forms.gle/Zg8eRHGeMEzNcvpY7

It's Krejza! It's Majestic! Introducing Cure Majesty!

On September 3 and 10, 2023, fans of the Pretty Cure series from all over the planet have been witnessed the birth of the fifth Hirogaru Sky Pretty Cure that is Ellee, the Sky Land princess who is also known as the Child of Destiny, transforming into Cure Majesty for the first time.

Following these two weeks of surprised excitement and anticipation, Aoi Koga (Shouko Komi in Komi Can't Communicate, Ange Le Carre in Princess Principal, Kaguya Shinomiya in Kaguya-sama: Love is War and Yuri Miyata in Two Car) has already been taking over from Ai Kayano, the woman who played Amane Kasai aka Cure Finale in the global action magical superhero show's previous season Delicious Party, as the fourth exclusive additional and the first late season Cure in the Reiwa era, and also the first since Ako Shirabe aka Cure Muse. Despite these slight changes, Ellee's birthday will still be on March 12.

Continuing the current season's groundbreaking trends as with her teammates-slash-surrogate family, Ellee is also the youngest canonically main Cure and the first mascot-turned-Cure who doesn't automatically default to a human form around the same age as the heroes.

In an interview from Anehime, Koga expresses her reason of becoming a voice actor through the franchise, and wanting to be part of it and its expanding history since childhood.

"As a child back then, I admired Futari wa PreCure, and after wanting to become a voice actor, I said to myself, 'I want to be in the PreCure series someday!', 'I want to become a Pretty Cure someday!' became my dream and goal.

That's why PreCure is a dream, a goal, and an admiration! Even now that I get to play the role of Cure Majesty, my feelings of admiration haven't changed, and I want to cherish this feeling."

The seiyuu also stresses about the stereotypes at the time of the first Cure season's airing, but then she said that with the season, it's okay for girls to be cool, refreshing to see fighting through it and it was also cool to see them working hard for their loved ones and friends.

Koga also said that her favorite Cure is Nagisa Misumi aka Cure Black, the first hero and leader, due to being lively and has a strength that makes everyone want to follow her naturally, and the coolness that makes decisions to which she admires. She even learned about lacrosse because of Nagisa and the latter was the key to steadily overcome her shyness as a kid.

What do you think about Aoi Koga as Ellee and Cure Majesty? What are your thoughts about the mythical hero so far? Let us know in the comments section on the blog, and our FB page, our Instagram and the Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast X accounts.

Interview source: https://cocreco.kodansha.co.jp/anehime/news/interview/HAOLN

Anime In-Depth: The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady

Henlo, lads and vadengs! I'd like to apologize again for not posting on my blog due to work, attending ganaps like the Ozine Summer Fest 2023 trilogy, cleaning up some backlogs and working on a cosplay project which is expecting to be done this May.

Apologies done and we're bringing another Anime In-Depth, this time I'm going solo again, bejba, and itz kajnda krejza (well, Eurovision fans can get this joke anyway)! Speaking of solos, I'll be doing overall impressions about The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, which was in fact a "late to the party-party" lineup of my recent winter anime season watchlist thanks to my fella yuri fans, especially the JaneNella fans aka the vadengs who're also otakus on the bloody Twitter. Guys, you owe me into that rabbit hole and quickly dig in! Seriously though, why are shows that I watch getting included so late in that anime season sked every three years? The last time I did so was back in 2020 with OshiBudo, in which took place in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I first took that thingy three years earlier with Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid. 

MagiRevo, as a lot of lads short for, is an isekai-slash-yuri light novel series written by Piero Karasu and illustrated by Yuri Kisaragi. It was originally serialized online on the novel website Shosetsuka ni Naro between February 2019 and August 2021 before getting acquired physically by Fujimi Shobo's Fantastia Bunko imprint on January 2020. The manga version on the other hand is illustrated by Harutsugu Nadaka and has been serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Maoh from July 2020 onwards. Both versions are licensed by Yen Press in North America. The anime series meanwhile was produced by Diomedéa (Domestic Girlfriend, Fuuka, Binan Koukou Chikyuu Boueibu LOVE!) just last January and ended on March 22.

The story revolves around Anisphia von Palletia (voiced by Sayaka Senbongi), a princess who remembered her previous life at her young age and set her own fantasies into a fantasy kingdom, yet also gave up her claim to the throne. Anis has an intense love for magic despite not having one, but develops her own field of study known as magicology and invents tools that can access everyone to the wonders of magic, something that only the royals can cast out.

One night, Anis was testing on her customized witch broom in the castle and flying towards an unfamiliar place which created a magical mishap. There, she stumbled and party-pooped upon a scene where her younger brother Algard (voiced by Shogo Sakata) was breaking up his relationship with Euphyllia Magenta (voiced by Manaka Iwami), the daughter of the Duke Magenta and a high-ranking noble, following an alleged bullying against Lainie Cyan (voiced by Hina Yomiya) who was the prince's love interest, yet the latter then said a few episodes or so later that it was just really a misunderstanding case. With all the party-pooping going on, Anis decided to take Euphie by living with her and becoming her assistant in magic researching with a plan of finding ways to restore the latter's good name.

As the story went on progressively, the two ladies would be dealing with a conviction to their respective fams on their relationship, misogynistically and toxically points of view by the so-called boomer and close-minded royals on pressuring for the kingdom's future and accepting magicology as a good contributing figure to it, and yup, the monsters to take down. Fortunately, that went pretty well thanks to the lads who believed in them and their relationship and surely, there'd be more to come and more obstacles coming in their way.

Look I'm casually nothing new to isekai and yuri, but this is the first time that I see something, well, very revolutionary! Anyway, besides that, Anis and Euphie are cute and awesome heroines in my mind, like a lot of female heroes that I look up to, but also the contrasts on each other in terms of various lifestyles and personality are very interesting. Anis' struggles on accepting her own study and dealing with the heirship to become the next queen is unusual for other works involving young royals who're doing the same old formula but with a twist, plus not wanting Euphie to become the next queen in exchange of taking the spirit contract is a sad moment. But on top of that, she's witty, openly queer, eccentric and creative who doesn't think twice, and also has been enduring the traumas within her.

Speaking of Euphie, man the power she holds! No literally, I mean she has the guts and glory in dealing with the royals and officials over politics and ways to accept an unfamiliar thing that the commoners need to those rotted lads. But she has weaknesses and flaws that need to adapt and reflect, yet also become the notes to regain herself every time. Her depression and sense of loss is one of the memorable parts of the series, but also the seriousness and calmness in her are a good mix in contrast to Anis' eccentricity and outlandishness. That's what makes them an amazing duo that go on and on and on through thick and thin, and their chemistry is so strong!

Another amazing joy to the show are the supporting cast, specifically Ilia (voiced by Ai Kakuma) aka Anis' loyal maid, Lainie and Tilty the medical magician. They're pretty interesting to watch and read, if you're getting with the novels and the manga. Surprisingly, Ilia and Lainie have an unexpected chemistry, which is something that has never ever done before in most isekai works but on top of that, they're also sweet, though I do wish to see more of them in the future. Tilty meanwhile is both intriguing and hot. Intriguing because I wonder what kind of magician she really is and motives on some sort, and hot in terms of the visuals, design and aura. The other characters on the other hand are either a-okay, somewhat not or kinda making my head ache such as Algard. I shouldn't talk about that guy, but his aspirations of becoming the next ruler is mostly somewhat ambitious rather than intentional, although he gets something to care about by his big sis who concerns on his well being even after an unfortunate incident when they were kids and his own disownment from taking over the throne.

The fights are at least as intense as those in other female lead shows and the recent isekai ones such as Reincarnated as a Sword and Beast Tamer, the angsty drama and wacky comedy blending into a single note is very nice and ahem, the very kilig EuphiAni moments - both happy and sad - are as delicious smiley as the onigiri and as bitter as the ampalaya! And the kisses! Yeah, those dang kisses in the first and finale episodes, and even the opening and ending themes are making me go kyaa and aaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!

Okay enough with the fangirl screams, as always I personally can forgive with the flaws and need to point out like why Anis has an Earthling past and how she ends up into an unfamiliar kingdom to create and invent tools or how Euphie goes with an unplanned marriage on Algard to (supposedly) become the next queen consort. But that's on a different time.

Overall, MagiRevo is nothing but full of wonders and adventure in the queerest ane revolutionary ways, high tensions and romantic in the sweetest ways especially our two revolutionary hero gals and the other, unexpected but cute pair against monsters and nasty royal officials. Ah well, maybe I should look on the novel and the manga to get more of it! But also, we have fanfics and hopefully, doujins. We can only hope and manifest for a followup, but for now, we shall taste ourselves for these contents to crave in while waiting for the aforementioned.

What did you think of MagiRevo overall? Who's your favorite character and why? Lemme know in the comments box here, on my FB page or my Twitter @goddessyk13.

Let Our Precious Moments Lead!! (Yona's Blog's Version)

 

It's time for the newly-minted traditional hybrid year-end special for the third straight time on this blog (the other is the year-end special video proper on my Facebook page), this time for our 2022 one that's Let Our Precious Moments Lead!!

Similar to the 2021 year-end special, Sulong sa Bente Uno! Follow the Bright Summer Light!!, which themed about rewind memories and the importance of the now, this one tackles about achievements and disappointments, giving on what really happen to our world and affect our lives throughout the year.

With that, let's take a look at the responses of some of my colleagues regarding the Year of the Palmtop Tiger as a whole through their own precious moments!

What are the achievements and disappointments you've witnessed or seen for the year (they can be real life and/or pop culture)?

"Our national women's football team qualifying for next year's Women's World Cup, and especially clinching a bronze at the Hanoi SEA Games, as well as winning the first title in the AFF Women's Championship last July.

Although there were ups and downs, particularly despite last May's elections and the heightening Russo-Ukraine war, 2022 had a batch of good things, and need to know that life has a yin yang between both good times and bad times - two halves to the whole."

- Archive International

"Din Djarin and Grogu being reunited in The Book Of Boba Fett. It's set up very nicely for their Mandalorian return!

Thasmin getting an emotional exit which worked for both of them!"

- Leigh Craddock

"Pros: Sa wakas nakatapos na ng (At last I finally finished) college, seeing the PPop scene grow (pero MNL48 at Alamat, kayo pa rin [ang] top fave PPop groups ko) (but MNL48 and Alamat, you're still my top fave PPop groups), meeting more fellow Whovian moots online. I guess 'yan muna kasi boring ['yung] buhay ko (that's it for now because my life's boring).

Cons: Russia vs. Ukraine, 2022 election results (aka the very worse death sousenkyo in PH history).

- Nightcat, PAKSA MNL writer and Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast stalwart guest

"As for me, my 2022 moments are the following:

1. Vlogging recovery after more than a year since 2021, when I quit the MNL48 fandom plus the death of my friend who is also a fellow fan that gave me a blow on my life.

2. Disclosure but freedom - what had happened to me last February due to the unprecedented issue gave me lessons. Since I'm a BA History graduate of 2012, this gave me a spark in order to become more serious on information gathering as well as to refute false news in the social media nowadays. The disclosure that made to me by an anime vlogger group (name withheld) also gave me new opportunities to become a freelancer vlogger without any group/s who wants me to be invited to be their member. Well, I will continue to forgive them (and also the ones who made me shamed in the social media) seventy times seven if they could also forgive me too, but if they're not, forgiveness doesn't require reconnection as what TOL told to us in his mental health podcast The Yellow Space. Starting up as a freelancer is not a joke, because people will consider you again as a newbie and you have to build once again the trust that was lost. Yet, I pray to God through Jesus Christ that my vlogging will be guided once again in spite of many challenges I've encountered this year. As what I said many times, magsisimula muli ako... nang mag-isa (I have to start over again... alone)."

- Lean Alvarez, Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast first guest and The Roaming Historyador content creator

From me, my fam and my mates, have a delicious smiley and sky-highly New Year to all of you! May 2023 will be full of proper good moments, though we'll expect some more bad ones as always, and remembered that toxicity will never ever win, even the real megalomaniacs and their wannabe counterparts of society!

Insights From a Goddess (and Mates): A Geek's Impressions About Being a Pretty Cure Fan and Amane Kasai/Cure Finale

The Insights From a Goddess (and Mates) segment of this blog makes a delicious smiled return after almost two years and to commemorate its comeback, I was stumbling to a geek that I just met during ToyCon PH 2022 day 3 and he's actually also a fan of the Pretty Cure series since Star Twinkle! Moreover, he quickly recognized my newly-debuted Cure Macherie cosplay and I got his approval to take some selfies that day. 

Introducing Limuel Oco, the dude who is quickly included into the small yet very delighted Cure fan community in the Philippines and wanting to share his own experiences as a fan as well as his impressions about the newest midseason Cure heroine, Amane Kasai aka Cure Finale from Delicious Party. 

Yona's Blog: How did you get into the Pretty Cure series? 

Limuel Oco: I got into the Pretty Cure series when I saw a clip from Star Twinkle☆PreCure that they are transforming, it finds me more interesting since they are singing while becoming Cures and it looks fun! 

YB: What was the first season that you've watched regularly? 

LO: The first season that I've watched was Star Twinkle. 

YB: Kirayaba (Twincool)~~!! 

YB: What is your favorite season and why? 

LO: Star Twinkle, likewise. 

YB: Do you have a favorite Cure from each season? 

LO: Yes. 

• Nagisa Misumi aka Cure Black (Futari wa and Max Heart)

• Mai Mishou aka Cure Egret and Windy (Splash Star)

• Milk/Kurumi Mimino aka Milky Rose (Yes! 5 and Yes! 5 GoGo!)

• Setsuna Higashi aka Cure Passion (Fresh!)

• Yuri Tsukikage aka Cure Moonlight (HeartCatch!)

• Kanade Minamino aka Cure Rhythm (Suite)

• Miyuki Hoshizora aka Cure Happy (Smile!)

• Aguri Madoka aka Cure Ace (Doki Doki!)

• Iona Hikawa aka Cure Fortune (Happiness Charge!)

• Towa Akagi aka Cure Scarlet (Go! Princess)

• Ha-chan/Kotoha Hanami aka Cure Felice (Mahou Tsukai!)

• Aoi Tategami aka Cure Gelato (KiraKira☆A La Mode)

• Homare Kagayaki aka Cure Étoile (HUGtto!)

• Yuni aka Cure Cosmo (Star Twinkle)

• Asumi Fuurin aka Cure Earth (Healin' Good)

• Laura Apollodoros Hyginus La Mer aka Cure La Mer (Tropical-Rouge!)

• Amane Kasai aka Cure Finale (Delicious Party) 

YB: Wonderful choices! Who are your favorite main fairy mascot from each season? 

LO: Kururun (if applicable) from Tropical-Rouge! I find her cute even though that she can't speak, just she said her name. 

YB: Napaka-funny talaga si Kururun (Kururun is really funny) eh. 

LO: True. 

YB: Anyways, who is your favorite villain general (redeemed or not)? 

LO: My favorite villain general is Lock from Go! Princess PreCure. 

YB: Okay, how about your favorite main villain (redeemed or not)? 

LO: The Witch of Delays from Tropical-Rouge! 

YB: 'Yung backstory nila (Their backstory) with [the season's ancient heroine Aunete aka Cure] Oasis was so sad. 

LO: True ang sad nun, pero it also ended na nakakaiyak (it's so sad, but it also ended tearfully). 

YB: I mentioned sa podcast ko (Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast) that both the Witch and Oasis were similar kina [Manatsu Natsuumi aka Cure] Summer and La Mer yet in different ways (I mentioned in my podcast (Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast) that both the Witch and Oasis were similar to [Manatsu Natsuumi aka Cure] Summer and La Mer yet in different ways). 

LO: Ooohh I see! 

YB: Yeah. Tsaka the reason na na-delay n'ya was because gusto n'ya palang makipagkaibigan kay Oasis (And the reason why she delayed it was because she actually wanted to make friends with Oasis). Not knowing the latter had died so many years ago pa (already). 

LO: True, almost 100 years n'ya dinelay 'yung battle nila (she (the Witch) delayed their battle for almost 100 years). 

YB: Mm, yet at least nag-reunite sila (they're reunited) and nagsama na sila (they've been joined) into the heavens. 

LO: True. 

YB: That was why, from what I observed, gumawa ng memory wiping machine (the memory wiping machine was made) from a mermaid whose human friend had died due to short life span. So in short yes, semi-immortal ang mermaids/merfolks (mermaids/merfolks are semi-immortals). 

LO: True. 

YB: Anyways, let's move on sa (to the) next question! Do you collect various Cure merchandises? 

LO: Not yet but looking forward to, but right now I have PreCure Juu-Style dolls. The first one is Cure Star, then second is Cure Fontaine that I bought yesterday from ToyCon PH 2022. (BLOGGER'S NOTE: This online conversation was taped on July 11, 2022) 

YB: What is your initial impression on Amane Kasai? 

LO: I like her, but I expected that she is the midseason Cure. 

YB: As a baddie, what did you think of her as Gentle? 

LO: What I think her is as Gentle is she is a badass girl with a gentle heart for Recipepes. 

YB: We already learned her past about loving parfaits and meeting the Parfait Recipepe since childhood kasi, but after becoming a baddie everything has changed. However, as I did to some past midseason Cures that came before, I know that Amane isn't really bad at all. 

LO: True, she is not talaga (she is really not). 

YB: Seeing the Recipepe again alongside her made me so happy. 

LO: Yaaass!! 

YB: 'Yung regrets n'ya (her regrets) about what she has done reminds me of the almost same scenarios dati kina (before to) Passion, Beat and Scarlet. 

LO: Yes, me too. 

YB: What is your first impression about Amane as Finale? 

LO: Amazed because I didn't expect her design was so good. 

YB: Ako din (Me too)! Na-overjoy ako (I was overjoyed) that she overcomes 'yung doubts n'ya (her doubts). Well, enough with the overjoying stuff because we're down to the last three questions before I let you go. 

LO: Go! 

YB: What are the things you looking forward for our dear golden parfait girl and her friends in the coming episodes? 

LO: Getting to know more of her story and what she can offer as the new midseason Cure. 

YB: How does it feel that Ai Kayano is voicing a Cure? 

LO: To be honest I'm not familiar with the seiyuus. But I know that they are bringing our Pretty Cures to life, and giving them emotions and strengths to make more of the characters to be loved by the fans. 

YB: Last question before you really go, what are your fan messages to both Kayano and Amane/Finale? 

LO: My message will be good luck and you are slaying it from just one episode, and looking forward to see you more until the season finale! 

YB: Yay! But also no pun intended, anyways thank you for your time and you're always welcoming back to the blog, and probably we'd love to have you as a guest in Yona Kuromatoki's Interactive Podcast in the future! 

LO: Thanks for the info and looking forward to that! 

YB: Do you have social media accounts so that everyone can follow you? 

LO: I do have socmeds, but it's personal so I don't have any of them with PreCure/anime content. But I have another account that has my hobbies content. 

YB: What is your hobby account? 

LO: It's @toyluvzz21 on Instagram. 

YB: Again, thank you so much for the time in this blog! 

LO: You're welcome and thanks for the oppurtunity! 

YB: No problem!