POP COLLECTOR PROFILE – CES DIMALANTA

In the fast-paced world of advertising and digital media communications, it’s always nice to have something outside of work to look forward to. For collector and social content manager Ces Dimalanta, her outlet is Funko Pops, especially those from her favorite anime, My Hero Academia.

 “I’m a newbie collector,” laughs Ces. “I started in March - medyo accident ang pagiging collector ko ng Funko! I’ve liked collecting toys ever since I was young, and I collected different line…I became interested in Funko when I bought 3 MHA Pops (Todoroki, Bakugo, Shigaraki), and the rest is history!”

 While she only began collecting fairly recently, she’s found her fellow Funko fans to be a welcoming and accepting community, joining a number of Funko groups, and learning from the members.

“A friend of mine is a collector, and he recommended that I join groups. The people are super fun and welcoming - It made me feel less threatened to share about my collection. At first, I thought the community was small in the Philippines because I had nobody to talk to (about Funko), in my circle of friends, there were only three. Outside my bubble, marami pala!

Since her early days, Ces has become a real pro, even introducing the hobby to others, and inviting them to start their own collections!

“I introduced someone to the hobby, he’s collecting the One PIece line!  My advice to new collectors is to have a specific budget every month so you don’t overspend, and to really think about your purchases, versus just impulse buying. If there’s a specific anime or line you’re interested in collecting, better to concentrate on that, because once you get one Pop, you won’t stop!”

Creating content beyond the brands I work on helps remove stress!” says Ces. When I shot my first unboxing video, it made me super happy, bringing me back to my childhood days. Even if I always know what I’m opening (I haven’t tried opening a mystery box yet!), iba yung feeling na nakuha mo yung gusto mo. Waking up with them on your shelf is a different sense of accomplishment, and it makes you feel happy like nothing else.

You can catch more from Ces on her YouTube Channel Ces Dimalanta or follow her on Facebook @manilaMillennial