Comiket
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65)
Mon 2007/08/20 23:12
For those who dont know, Comiket is the largest comic event held in the world - you will understand why by looking at the following photos.
The term "Comiket" derives from "Comic" + "Market". The "comics" are actually "Doujinshi" - explanation on Doujinshi in the previous coverage.
The term "Comiket" derives from "Comic" + "Market". The "comics" are actually "Doujinshi" - explanation on Doujinshi in the previous coverage.
last time I went to the enterprise booths first and ended up with nothing. This time I went straight for the circles and was able to get *some* of what I wanted ^^;
"Circles" is the term used to refer to the groups selling Doujinshi.
"Circles" is the term used to refer to the groups selling Doujinshi.
The second circle I went for was Pink Chu Chu. While the press pass gets you straight in, the pass doesn't work on circle queues ^^;
The queues for goods are so long that they spill outside and snake back n forth. What happens is that a block of the queue will be selected to move forward while the rest stay where they are. People moving forward have to put their arm into the air while rubbing their stomach and stomping their left foot.
The queue for Pink Chu Chu was so long that they had a sign to indicate where the middle of the queue was - you usually see these only at the end of the queue.
You will find that the most popular circles are located against the wall. This is probably so that the large amount of people queuing up can do so outside without causing panic on the inside. The queue I was in must have had over a thousand people.
You will find that the most popular circles are located against the wall. This is probably so that the large amount of people queuing up can do so outside without causing panic on the inside. The queue I was in must have had over a thousand people.
This guy is very well prepped - a battle map with a list of the goodies that he wants. I've seen maps with lines all over them indicating how the person should move around the halls in the shortest possible time.
I ended up waiting an hour for my goodies.
When you are at the event, you will see these signs being held up to indicate where people should line up.
Most people just stand there waiting while some read manga or play on their NDS - didnt see anybody whip out a PSP. They must be playing Doki Doki Majo Shinpan.
You get to look at a load of moe characters on these bags that many people carry around - your head kind of turns and follows the illustration on the bag as you wonder "where did he get that!"
A Pink Chu Chu illustration at the end of the queue asking you to wait until the guy in front has moved on before you approach the till. More on Pink Chu Chu later.
I have never seen so many people at Big Sight before.
One of the reasons why Comiket held in Winter has less people is because the last day is the 31st - many Japanese leave Tokyo to spend the new year with their family.
People everywhere. You need to queue to use the elevators, queue while walking, queue to take a leek, queue to buy a drink.
If you like being surrounded by other sweaty (and in some cases smelly) human folk then you will love comiket. I was bounced left right and center @.@
The whole of Big Sight was used - compare that to Wonfes where only a few halls in the east are used.
"Hitodarake" means "a load of people."
Hitodarake!
Sometimes you may hear the term "hito hito hito!" or "people people people!" - and its usually written or spoken 3 times in a row.
This was what it looked like in the halls - hito hito hito!
Time to go home. A chime rings at 4PM and a few thousand people start to clap at once - its like a scene that you see in a film (kind of).
The next time I'll be back at Big Sight will be in December for the WHF and Comiket - the Plamo Radicon Show and Tokyo Game Show will be held at Makuhari Messe.
The guy in front of me had something to say...
Folks who queued up hours to get in can queue more on the way home - the station was packed.
The queue outside the station snaked back n forth a few times.
At least there is Yoko and her large eyes to look at while waiting to get to the platform.
Dont expect to walk on any esclators on the day of a comiket.
The mechachu girls in their new ero anime - more from the enterprise booths soon.
Nearly forgot to mention that I was joking about the stomach rubbing and foot stamping.
This coverage is being brought to you with Akihabaranews.com.
Related:-Comiket 72 - all comike 72 posts are pooled here.
Comiket 72 Gallery - all thumbnails are here.
Nearly forgot to mention that I was joking about the stomach rubbing and foot stamping.
This coverage is being brought to you with Akihabaranews.com.
Related:-
Wow danny that must have been mad being there! ive never been to anything like that in my life! Good Job :)
(ID #54936) Posted on 2007/08/20 23:02
Hitodarake indeed! Sheesh - ive never, ever seen that many people at big sight! I wouldve thought the Tokyo game show or Wonder fest would have been more popular, but not by a long shot! Got any pics of the actual show? I needs to see ero ero anime ladies! Love that pic of everyone walking home with the sun in the BG - Odaiba is a great place - totally in contrast to crowded, built up Tokyo. By the way - i voted hell. I dont think i could cope with that many people in that heat just to see some drawings of anime ladies... Figures maybe though....
(ID #54937) Posted on 2007/08/20 23:04
Web Developer/ウェブデベロッパー, Photographer/写真や
Alot of people that seems to be packed like sardines in tin cans ^^; Do people fight or use thier ninja powers to cut queues whenever possible?
(ID #54938) Posted on 2007/08/20 23:06
IT Developer
was there yesterday, way too crowded.. I spent most of my time queueing yesterday -_- If you want to see the cosplays, I posted 60 comiket cosplay pictures in my blog
(ID #54939) Posted on 2007/08/20 23:16
That truly is a mixture of heaven and hell. From the sight of eroge and cuties, mixed with the evil queue lines. Yes, hito hito hito!
(ID #54940) Posted on 2007/08/20 23:35
Raven, AMV & MAD maker, Otaku
Heaven as in the amount of stuff you really like, and hell as in the swarms of people inside the building lol
(ID #267644) Posted on 2008/08/17 01:42
Man oh man, that's way too crowded for me. LOL, I would eventually punch someone in the face if I was pushed from left to right to center constantly. Yoko is indeed a character you can look at for hours while waiting. ^^
(ID #54941) Posted on 2007/08/20 23:53
Mandalorian in training + Otaku...
Oh sweet, stuff on Megachu XD
(ID #54942) Posted on 2007/08/21 00:03
Lol that is way crowded or more crowded than those exhibition i been before @_@!!
(ID #54943) Posted on 2007/08/21 00:12
.NET/Web Developer
Heaven and Hell I would say. And yes, I would ask the same thing...Where did they get those bags/goodies? :D Do they give them away or you'd have to buy that stuff? Hito hito hito overload. Sooo many people. >_>
(ID #54944) Posted on 2007/08/21 00:13
anime/cosplay events organizer
hito hito hito @@ i've heard that C72 recorded 180,000 attendees on day 2 and 200,000 attendees on day 3, bringing the total to 550,000 attendees over 3 days according to Mantan Web...that's a lot of sweaty otakus XDDD i want to experience and maybe learn a thing or two at the event and maybe organize a local version of it here in the future ^^ Comiket is my dream event ^^
(ID #54945) Posted on 2007/08/21 00:39
Professional Student
Comiket is one of the few events I'd love to attend, but holy hell is that a lot of 人! @.@ Forgive me if I'm a bit dense in searching, but do they have a list they publish of all the doujinshi that'll be at Comiket, along with where they're located inside the building? Also, what is it that makes certain doujinshi artists more popular than others? Amount of copies? Experience at drawings? Word of mouth? Amount of ero content? ^^;
(ID #54946) Posted on 2007/08/21 00:55
VF-25 Pilot. Universariate Scholar.
it's heaven for me . you can't get stuff like this in my country however hard you pray ToT
(ID #54947) Posted on 2007/08/21 00:55
that guy taking the map reminds me of konata..
(ID #54948) Posted on 2007/08/21 01:46
heaven!! but they mostly sell doujinshi but the enterprise stuff is definitely heaven to me since i hardly read doujin
(ID #54949) Posted on 2007/08/21 01:50
Aimless Traveler
Nice to go there at least once in my lifetime, but overly crowded places just ain't for me.
(ID #54950) Posted on 2007/08/21 02:06
That ero anime looks like it's going to be really good. Keep us posted!
(ID #54953) Posted on 2007/08/21 02:26
NEET (no, student...)
I would like to go... My friend wants to go (although when we are planning to go, we will never even make it to Fyu-Comi) But yea, I am sorta scared to go in there...
(ID #54955) Posted on 2007/08/21 02:40
Animator/ graphic designer
its certainly my kind of place
(ID #54956) Posted on 2007/08/21 02:44
Geek Liaison
Half of me is wanting to go to Comiket just to see what it is like. The other half sees those crowds and just gets freaked out.
(ID #54957) Posted on 2007/08/21 02:53
＿|￣|○ i want that bag too
(ID #54958) Posted on 2007/08/21 03:00
omg, it alot alot of people there, but i would like to go .... that bag really nice ~ wish to have one too .... thx for the update
(ID #54959) Posted on 2007/08/21 03:46
Wow, hitodarake lol. I really want to go to comiket and buy a bunch of doujin lol. Though if I do I wouldn't know what to get with all the circles everywhere. That guy with the map is a true otaku as I say in my blog lol, though I'm sure many others did the same.
(ID #54961) Posted on 2007/08/21 05:21
That Mechachu girls image is pretty cool. I could see myself waiting in line for the stuff they're dishing out this year.
(ID #54962) Posted on 2007/08/21 05:22
Denno Coil Encoder + Tangerine Slicer
that sea of people - must make you think how overpopulated a city can be...
(ID #54963) Posted on 2007/08/21 05:42
Software Developer
Would love to try this event... but maybe during winter ^^; Thx for the (tough) coverage hehe ;)
(ID #54964) Posted on 2007/08/21 05:59
radical anime fan in Singapore; starting to freeze up. Mmm, end-of-year weather. (Registered on 2007/01/25 22:08)
Polytechnic Freshman. Mmm... fresh.
A little of heaven, a little of hell...
(ID #54965) Posted on 2007/08/21 06:35
Graphic Designer
Heaven and Hell ^^. the amount of ppl are insane,
(ID #54966) Posted on 2007/08/21 06:44
so many people @_@ too bad I wasn't in Tokyo that day. -.- hope I could go there on December.
(ID #54967) Posted on 2007/08/21 07:15
IT, Programmer, ...
Hito hito hito. As I expected Genshiken or Lucky Star didn't lie about the crowds and lining up. ;p I know it will be exhausting but still eally like to go there, but I guess it'll have to be next summer... ;p Can't wait to see more coverage. And I so want that bag too ;p I pretty proud to have my Suzumiya Haruhi bag from last years Entama in Akiba ;p (one of the items in the bag was a shirt of the festival with a little Haruhi logo on the front, I'm wearing it now at work ;p) I wonder what special stuff Entama has this year.
(ID #54968) Posted on 2007/08/21 07:30
Holy crap man, how do you go to such a stacked up place?
(ID #54969) Posted on 2007/08/21 07:32
Transfan52
hmm I would not want to be in an event that crowded now. heh. lol how do you get around in there danny?!
(ID #54971) Posted on 2007/08/21 07:57
ColdFusion Developer
Only an hour? Wow, I wish I lines were only that long. Also is Tokyo Game Show going to be held late this year around the same time as Comiket? If so that's going to be awesome as I might be able to attend.
(ID #54972) Posted on 2007/08/21 08:10
WOW thats really a crapload of people. I dont think I can really enjoy being there with so many people >__>
(ID #54973) Posted on 2007/08/21 08:48
0rion in US
Wow, hitodarake indeed! Those crowds look even worse than the Sanja Matsuri. Still nothing like Shinjuku during rush hour, though, thank goodness!
(ID #54976) Posted on 2007/08/21 09:24
dude, i do want to go there, but queque are my arch enemy. waiting for the pic
(ID #54987) Posted on 2007/08/21 11:20
Hito Hito Hito indeed! There were so many more people during natsukomi than in winter. I started queuing from 6am, and only managed to get to row 27 at the east entrance queue... didn't get into Big Sight till 10:15 orz Then proceeded to spend another 2 hours in the AMR queue...but good fun nonetheless!
(ID #54988) Posted on 2007/08/21 11:26
TheBigN
So many people. I wonder if anime conventions ever reach that size in the US? o_o
(ID #54997) Posted on 2007/08/21 12:33
trying to stay relevant
What impresses me about Japanese crowds is that they are completely orderly, even though the men with loud hailers seem to be panicking all the time...
(ID #54998) Posted on 2007/08/21 12:35
Jim in Japan
The lines, crowds, and heat: Hell! The comics and cosplay: Heaven! @Dan in South Florida Comiket publishes a catalog about the size of a small phone book. It lists every circle, location, and a small illustration. Each page includes about 36 circles. There are also fold out maps that you can use to plan your shopping. The circle info is over 1000 pages with another 300 plus pages of info and ads.
(ID #55000) Posted on 2007/08/21 12:50
Kyoji in UK
質問でーす！ I'm always amazed at how packed these kind of events are and even more at how long you have to queue! So a few questions since I haven't been to them before... 1. I always see how well-mannered the Japanese can be in media so, if you happened to leave the queue to visit the toilet do you re-queue or are people nice enough to let you go back to your place? And are there a lot of people that try to skip the queue? 2. At the game shows I see signs up that says the waiting time will be 3 hours or more to try out a single demo... Doesn't that mean people who go alone only get to try 1 or 2 demos? 3. How do people actually get those press passes? Good contacts? ^^;
(ID #55006) Posted on 2007/08/21 13:19
Professional Student
Thanks for the info, Jim! Man, that's a LOT of doujinshi!!
(ID #55010) Posted on 2007/08/21 14:03
Wow. That looks exactly like kona-chan battle plan. Haha.
(ID #55016) Posted on 2007/08/21 15:29
DAYMOON in UK
Hi, never commented before, but always reading your articles. Ah, just thought the comic market in summer is also the time for people to go back to their home to pray their ancestors due to Obon vacation... Well, maybe not ancestors, but grand parents or great-grand paretns... Not really sure^^; It seems in this year it was held after Obon vacation though, which is unusual as long as I know.
(ID #55022) Posted on 2007/08/21 17:09
Hey Danny you should get Akihabara news to hire you some body guards for events like this. :D
(ID #55029) Posted on 2007/08/21 21:34
Director/代表取締役
Kyoji, 1.Going to toilet is fine - just let the person behind you know. There are a few who do try to skip the queue. 2.If you die then your turn is finished. 3.If you have an influential site then you may be considered as press. 仁葉工芸さん、 へ！どこにいったんですか？ Hectic3, You managed to get AMR stuff?! Tom, Cuteness and word of mouth. Windbell, Most are well behaved.
(ID #55111) Posted on 2007/08/22 22:54
Kyoji in UK
おうっ！返事だ！ サンキュー！感謝です T_T Maybe I'll consider joining one of these events if I ever go to Japan（° ▽°）
(ID #55242) Posted on 2007/08/23 23:49
Moebags,lines and qeuses,100s of 1,000s of people cramed into one place.Unbelievable.I want to go to comiket!But will probably only be able to but the 13 and up stuff.*sigh*one day....one day i'll surpass you Danny Choo
(ID #55990) Posted on 2007/09/01 01:55
japan is so interesting... wish could go there ..
(ID #56878) Posted on 2007/09/14 14:01
battle plans... its rather confusing... hmm...if you could get a group it would probably work really well... how much information do you get to formulate the strategies needed to succeed in Comiket? it seems people get maps and all but is there a price list?... im wondering what information one would have in order to navigate this place... also umm need more info... and friends and money...well and a plain ticket to japan
(ID #67651) Posted on 2007/12/23 02:32
Web Developer
That's some really packed crowd. Guess you really had a tough time gliding throughout the expo.
(ID #263909) Posted on 2008/08/12 23:07
Part human, part student, 100% loser
The place by itself is hell but the goodies on sale are from heaven...
(ID #267364) Posted on 2008/08/16 17:16
I see people everywhere......... oceans of people~!!! I really don't get the fun of swimming in that ocean of people lol
(ID #267383) Posted on 2008/08/16 17:38
i dont like the huge crowds.. to hot and smelly for me.. comic con wasnt too bad.. but i can already imagine comiket...
(ID #267504) Posted on 2008/08/16 22:04
Thanks for showing us how is the comiket ^^ Was the stuff you got expensive ?
(ID #267522) Posted on 2008/08/16 22:51
i really wanted to go there, but when i think in that many people... better stay in home and watch some animes! kkk
(ID #267547) Posted on 2008/08/16 23:36
Otaku/Student of University of Western Ontario
Unfortunately I've only been to one anime convention (Anime North), and honestly it's nothing compared to Comiket. Genshiken really did a good job portraying it. I wonder if the third installment of Type-Moon Complex is released.
(ID #267565) Posted on 2008/08/17 00:19
So I read that some guy was arrested for threatening to throw a grenade at the people at Comiket? And that they're checking people's bags now? In the same article I read about a guy threatening to use a truck and knife (like in Akiba) to attack singer Nana Mizuki and her fans. What's with all the hate in Japan lately?
(ID #267616) Posted on 2008/08/17 01:07
Heaven! I would like to see the Comiket by myself :-D and above all, talk with doujinshi drawers :-| Do you got the average of the number of visitors there at each comiket? In France, in the biggest con (Japan Expo), there's 120 000 visitors this year (yeah only), but i heard that the entrance price is free at Comiket, right?
(ID #267727) Posted on 2008/08/17 03:51
For those who went to the comiket and bought the nanoha and fate dakimakura, can you please give me size of it ? Thanks
(ID #267741) Posted on 2008/08/17 04:26