Road to Comiket 97 - Guide for Desperate International Otakus
Hello!!
So today i'm thinking to tell you about my Comiket journey and what kind of things i prepared for the event. Yes you need a thorough prep before attending this grand event of the biggest doujinshi market place.
This post will be an "advanced" doujinshi post so if you're not familiar with the whole "doujinshi world" and "Comiket" itself, better google it first and then go back here. I'm too lazy to go over the basics lol.
Let's go straight to the event itself. Comiket is being held 2 times a year, on summer and winter. This time i went on the winter, precisely on 28 and 29 December 2019. The event itself has 4 days but my interest is mainly on the first and second day so i only went on those 2 days (yas bcs it has lots BL circles xixixi).
BEFORE THE EVENT
If you have certain doujinshi/goods that you want to buy, it's best to know the circle name and where their place is. Tokyo Big Sight is HUGE and you'll lose your way in there (especially for first timer, which includes me lol). Not to mention there's gonna be LOTS of people who are more experienced than you. So, things to do that i recommend is :
1. Stalk through Twitter & Pixiv
Most doujin artists have Twitter & Pixiv account and it's best to follow their account. They often post artworks and doujinshi information that they'll sell on Comiket. It's convenient to know in advance so you can do a little budgeting (which i DIDN'T do and ended up splurging a ton).
It can be tricky to find their account (bcs of language barrier and all), but the trick to find doujin artists is by looking at the following list of fan accounts on Twitter. And you can dig deeper by looking at the following list of those doujin artists which gonna lead you to other artists and so on. It worked with me and it will help if you know the Japanese of your fav pairing/character. Most of the times English and Japanese name of OTPs are different in spelling so you have to do some research on it.
And make sure your doujin artist is going to the Comiket! Not all doujin artists will go to Comiket even though it is the biggest doujin event on Japan. Comiket has balloting system to fit the quota of limited spaces available. And most importantly, the artists themselves not always have time to devote on making doujinshi. They have their own life outside the fandom and not everyone has the privilege to go to doujinshi events often. That's why we have to express our gratitude to the artists who spare time from their real lives to make fanworks by NOT REPOSTING their artworks! Without them our fandom will be too bland right? /okay the topic is going too far and let's go back!/
2. Invest on Comiket Catalog
After you found your wanted doujin artist, the next step is to buy the catalog! Comiket has various form of their catalog (printed, web, DVD ROM). This catalog has lots of information, from the venue map; lists of circles, booths, cosplayers; and most importantly you can make list of your favorite circles!
My recommendation is to get the web version. Click here to go to the web.
The plus is you can access this web anytime anywhere and don't have to pay to see the lists of circles, BUT for a certain of time. You can get the limitless access for 1 month or 1 year by paying a certain amount. I paid for 1 month limitless access for 660JPY with credit card. Other advantages from the web catalog is you can access the artists Twitter/Pixiv accounts directly. You can also print the venue map with your fav circles to bring on the event so you won't be as lost!
You can also purchase the paper catalog but it is thick and heavy. I don't think it is wise to buy an expensive catalog (2200JPY) when i can use the money to buy doujinshi instead. And as a foreigner i need to think about the limited baggage.
3. Understanding Comiket Rules
This step is as important as the previous one. Comiket is an event that is ran by a group of volunteers and has existed for years. To be frank, doujinshi is not exactly "legal" because the copyright issues of the characters. The companies that have the copyright of those characters turned "blind eye" on doujinshi world because it boost the popularity of the original characters/shows. So as a "niche industry", we have to protect the doujinshi community by ourselves. For that very reason, a lot of rules and considerations have to be made.
There are a lot of rules that ran Comiket. For example, you are not allowed to wait outside of the venue from dawn (00:00 - 03:00, basically in the midnight right after the day changes) and only queue after the first train runs because it will disturb the surrounding people who live near the venue. Also, you need to be considerate with the artists by bringing money in small currencies (100, 200, 500, 1000JPY) and avoid paying with big currency such 5000 and 10000JPY. The artists are not fully prepared with lots of change and to make the purchasing system run smoothly because there are lots of other people who want to buy the same doujinshi. It will benefit you and the artist themselves. And the most important thing is, starting from previous Comiket, you have to buy wristband for each day of the event. It is better to buy the wristband before the day of the event on Animate, etc because (1) it's cheaper and (2) you don't have to queue to buy the wristband on the day of the event. The wristband costs 550JPY per day.
There are lots of other rules that need to be minded, you can find them by doing the next step!
4. Blogs & Vlogs
This step is not mandatory, it's just my hobby lol. I tend to read blogs about other people's experience on previous year's Comiket. I also watch Japanese Youtuber's videos about their prep and hauls on Comiket. I think it's good to have a picture about how the event will be like (especially for first timers!!) and to know the rules of Comiket.
5. When to Come & What to Bring
A lot of the videos i watched kinda "scare" me because they said that you need to prepare both physically and mentally for Comiket. Well, after actually experiencing Comiket myself, i've come to conclusion that each person's needs are different and should not be generalized. The main point is, things you should bring are depending on when you come to Comiket.
Because of that, let's discuss about when to come first.
As i mentioned above, Comiket is being held on summer and winter. For first timers, it is recommended to "test the waters" on winter Comiket. It is easier because on winter you don't need to handle with the scorching heat for hours and being cramped in one place with thousands other people. It is told that a "cloud of steam" was created inside the venue because of the humidity. On summers lots of people suffered heatstroke because of the heat. That's why it is important to not underestimate the fierceness of Comiket!
Another important thing is the time of arrival to the venue. First trains heading to Tokyo Big Sight are always crowded on Comiket days. So if you have certain things you definitely want to buy, hop on to the first-train group! Be prepared physically and mentally to be squished with hundreds of otakus from all across Japan in one tiny Yurikamome train lmao. And remember, waiting outside from midnight is definitely not allowed!! No matter how desperate you are, let's obey the rules!
But if you only want to chill on Comiket, coming after 12:00 P.M. is totally okay. Past noon, you don't have to queue to enter the venue (but inside is still crowded!).
To prepare yourself before going to the war, here's some of the basic things that (I think) you should bring is : (on WINTER COMIKET)
So today i'm thinking to tell you about my Comiket journey and what kind of things i prepared for the event. Yes you need a thorough prep before attending this grand event of the biggest doujinshi market place.
This post will be an "advanced" doujinshi post so if you're not familiar with the whole "doujinshi world" and "Comiket" itself, better google it first and then go back here. I'm too lazy to go over the basics lol.
Let's go straight to the event itself. Comiket is being held 2 times a year, on summer and winter. This time i went on the winter, precisely on 28 and 29 December 2019. The event itself has 4 days but my interest is mainly on the first and second day so i only went on those 2 days (yas bcs it has lots BL circles xixixi).
BEFORE THE EVENT
If you have certain doujinshi/goods that you want to buy, it's best to know the circle name and where their place is. Tokyo Big Sight is HUGE and you'll lose your way in there (especially for first timer, which includes me lol). Not to mention there's gonna be LOTS of people who are more experienced than you. So, things to do that i recommend is :
1. Stalk through Twitter & Pixiv
Most doujin artists have Twitter & Pixiv account and it's best to follow their account. They often post artworks and doujinshi information that they'll sell on Comiket. It's convenient to know in advance so you can do a little budgeting (which i DIDN'T do and ended up splurging a ton).
It can be tricky to find their account (bcs of language barrier and all), but the trick to find doujin artists is by looking at the following list of fan accounts on Twitter. And you can dig deeper by looking at the following list of those doujin artists which gonna lead you to other artists and so on. It worked with me and it will help if you know the Japanese of your fav pairing/character. Most of the times English and Japanese name of OTPs are different in spelling so you have to do some research on it.
And make sure your doujin artist is going to the Comiket! Not all doujin artists will go to Comiket even though it is the biggest doujin event on Japan. Comiket has balloting system to fit the quota of limited spaces available. And most importantly, the artists themselves not always have time to devote on making doujinshi. They have their own life outside the fandom and not everyone has the privilege to go to doujinshi events often. That's why we have to express our gratitude to the artists who spare time from their real lives to make fanworks by NOT REPOSTING their artworks! Without them our fandom will be too bland right? /okay the topic is going too far and let's go back!/
2. Invest on Comiket Catalog
After you found your wanted doujin artist, the next step is to buy the catalog! Comiket has various form of their catalog (printed, web, DVD ROM). This catalog has lots of information, from the venue map; lists of circles, booths, cosplayers; and most importantly you can make list of your favorite circles!
My recommendation is to get the web version. Click here to go to the web.
The plus is you can access this web anytime anywhere and don't have to pay to see the lists of circles, BUT for a certain of time. You can get the limitless access for 1 month or 1 year by paying a certain amount. I paid for 1 month limitless access for 660JPY with credit card. Other advantages from the web catalog is you can access the artists Twitter/Pixiv accounts directly. You can also print the venue map with your fav circles to bring on the event so you won't be as lost!
You can also purchase the paper catalog but it is thick and heavy. I don't think it is wise to buy an expensive catalog (2200JPY) when i can use the money to buy doujinshi instead. And as a foreigner i need to think about the limited baggage.
3. Understanding Comiket Rules
This step is as important as the previous one. Comiket is an event that is ran by a group of volunteers and has existed for years. To be frank, doujinshi is not exactly "legal" because the copyright issues of the characters. The companies that have the copyright of those characters turned "blind eye" on doujinshi world because it boost the popularity of the original characters/shows. So as a "niche industry", we have to protect the doujinshi community by ourselves. For that very reason, a lot of rules and considerations have to be made.
There are a lot of rules that ran Comiket. For example, you are not allowed to wait outside of the venue from dawn (00:00 - 03:00, basically in the midnight right after the day changes) and only queue after the first train runs because it will disturb the surrounding people who live near the venue. Also, you need to be considerate with the artists by bringing money in small currencies (100, 200, 500, 1000JPY) and avoid paying with big currency such 5000 and 10000JPY. The artists are not fully prepared with lots of change and to make the purchasing system run smoothly because there are lots of other people who want to buy the same doujinshi. It will benefit you and the artist themselves. And the most important thing is, starting from previous Comiket, you have to buy wristband for each day of the event. It is better to buy the wristband before the day of the event on Animate, etc because (1) it's cheaper and (2) you don't have to queue to buy the wristband on the day of the event. The wristband costs 550JPY per day.
There are lots of other rules that need to be minded, you can find them by doing the next step!
4. Blogs & Vlogs
This step is not mandatory, it's just my hobby lol. I tend to read blogs about other people's experience on previous year's Comiket. I also watch Japanese Youtuber's videos about their prep and hauls on Comiket. I think it's good to have a picture about how the event will be like (especially for first timers!!) and to know the rules of Comiket.
5. When to Come & What to Bring
A lot of the videos i watched kinda "scare" me because they said that you need to prepare both physically and mentally for Comiket. Well, after actually experiencing Comiket myself, i've come to conclusion that each person's needs are different and should not be generalized. The main point is, things you should bring are depending on when you come to Comiket.
Because of that, let's discuss about when to come first.
As i mentioned above, Comiket is being held on summer and winter. For first timers, it is recommended to "test the waters" on winter Comiket. It is easier because on winter you don't need to handle with the scorching heat for hours and being cramped in one place with thousands other people. It is told that a "cloud of steam" was created inside the venue because of the humidity. On summers lots of people suffered heatstroke because of the heat. That's why it is important to not underestimate the fierceness of Comiket!
Another important thing is the time of arrival to the venue. First trains heading to Tokyo Big Sight are always crowded on Comiket days. So if you have certain things you definitely want to buy, hop on to the first-train group! Be prepared physically and mentally to be squished with hundreds of otakus from all across Japan in one tiny Yurikamome train lmao. And remember, waiting outside from midnight is definitely not allowed!! No matter how desperate you are, let's obey the rules!
But if you only want to chill on Comiket, coming after 12:00 P.M. is totally okay. Past noon, you don't have to queue to enter the venue (but inside is still crowded!).
To prepare yourself before going to the war, here's some of the basic things that (I think) you should bring is : (on WINTER COMIKET)
- Fluids -- Even though it's winter, staying hydrated is vital. But of course you won't need too much of it because drinks are heavy! I think 2 bottles are enough. And make sure to purchase it before the day because buying them on convenience stores are not the best choice.
- Snacks -- If you are joining the first-train group, make sure to bring snacks because there's no way you'll get to eat a proper breakfast on 04:00 A.M. In my case, i bought energy jellies and bread to eat while sitting outside on the queue line.
- Raincoat -- Whether on winter or summer, we don't know how the weather will be. There are some time when it'll rain. Another Comiket nonspoken rule is not to use umbrellas because it can disturb other people who are queuing with you. So your choice is down to a raincoat. It's easy to buy one in Japan, just go to Daiso or Family Mart.
- Heatpack / kairo -- Just imagine this, you have to wait for approx. 6 hours on the freezing winter wind of Ariake that is just beside the sea. Your hands will freeze :) So stay warm folks!
- Entertainment -- Waiting for hours is definitely gonna bore you to death. Make sure to grab Nintendo Switch / tablet to entertain yourself. Or you can go through your list.
- Portable batteries -- Just bring it. You won't regret it.
- Trash bag -- As a well-mannered participant of Comiket, let's keep the environment clean by putting your trashes in one place and properly throw it on trash bin :)
- Map -- Absolutely don't forget to print the venue map. There are thousands of circles in just one area and you'll get lost with or without it. Being prepared is better than nothing.
- Big bag -- Trust me, you'll go back with tons of heavy things. Make sure to bring a big and comfortable bag to put all of your purchased things (doujinshi are heavy things folks). But!! Bringing a suitcase is a big NO because it will trip other people (except if you're the circle or cosplayer).
- Small currencies -- As mentioned above, only bring small currencies! The circles are not your dependable convenient store that has many change. Other people will steal your thing if you do not pay for it first!
- ID / passport -- If you want to buy an R18 works, the circle may ask for ID to do age verification thing. Make sure you bring your passport!
- Small present -- If you have the time, giving presents for your fav artists / cosplayer will be great! They are very happy to accept your good intention :)
6. Have Fun!
You've made it through that long ass reading! Congratulations! Now you can prep for your first ever doujinshi event!! The event itself can be a little (re: a lot) intimidating at first, but just follow the wave of people and stay within your map!
You can reach to me through Twitter or comment down below for questions! I'll be happy to answer ^^
Regards,
Neuv.
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