Foreign Otaku people!!
Of course you know “Comike”
How many people actually go there?
We actually went to “Comike” last week, and it made us to surprise a lot!
Oh, we have to explain because some of you do not know what it is.
“Comike” is the abbreviation of comic market.
This is the exhibition and fair of large-scale fanzine
(the magazine such as manga, anime, or novel that are made by
individual or circle that people get together by same hobby).
Recently, it is like a festival for Otaku who like manga, anime, and game;
moreover, there are lots of cosplayer, and
Every year, it is held for 3 days in summer and winter. 200,000 people visit there just one day,
and more than 500,000 people visit there on 3 days total.
The economic effect is 1.8 billion yen.
If you are Otaku, you have to visit there even though you have not any purpose.
No, I might say you must visit there.
The comike is something like that.
So, we will sneak into Comike as the one out of 200,000 people.
Place: Tokyo Big site
Access: Kokusai Tenjijo Station of Rinkai line
Kokusai Tenjijo Seimon Station of Yurikamome
The convenience store in the station had lots of products and ready for the event.
For people who anticipate the event, the breakfast is the “must”
because they need to line up long time from now on,
and even though there are some restaurants in the Big site,
they do not want to waste the time.
That is why they took breakfast by convenience store.
First, the opening is 10 AM, so we went there before 10 AM.
The comike is something like that.
We saw long long long line of rows!!
From what time does everyone line?
We heard that lot of people already get there before 5 AM or first train.
We can see their motivation.
Especially for people who want the limited goods or the item of popular circle,
it is just normal.
Even though the staying up all night is banned,
people called the “late” people who came there by first train as looser…
Like us who have not any purpose, it is ok to visit there around 10 AM.
However,
we need to line lol
We were just standing more than a hour
(people around us were playing the game,
but we forgot to charge the smartphone…why today..).
Every year, many many people use the smartphone,
so the connection became bad.
However, because the carrier send out the signal,
it was no problem about the connection.
Finally we could get in
We walked around the circle booth which is the main.
The item which is secondary creation of self-published
publication is the main contents of Comike,
but recently, it is not only magazines,
but also photo album or games which is made by them etc…
the genre became wide range.
There were lots of foreigners too.
Many and many circle exhibited (about 35,000 circles),
so we do not want to visit every booth.
Moreover, people are crowded there, so it was hard to just move.
The popular circle was of course long line of rows.
Having these paper bag (booty items) is the symbol of brave here.
The company booth were exhibited a lot mainly anime, game, and publication.
After walked around the booth, we went to the outside of the event site for photo shooting.
About 20,000 cosplayer were gathered in 3 days at Comike.
This time also, there were lots of people who weared standard cosplay,
the cosplay of trend anime, or comical cosplay and so on.
Neon Genesis Evangelion Rei Ayanami.
I think many people know her right?
cosplayer from foreign countries
We met our friends who are cosplayer coincidently.
Biohazard?
There is the main “stage” of cosplayer from the place where we were…
What a…!!
They made some poses surrounded by bunch of camera.
Eh…
Don’t they cold?!?
I don’t think they are fine, but they think they can be different person,
and they want such unusual pleasure that draws attention of several people.
That is why they cosplayed even if the outside is cold (damn hot in the summer)
We found the cosplayers (?) who don’t care if it is cold.
They are robots but they danced with idol’s song perfectly.
We did not expect that we could see the technology!!
It was really fun to see various cosplays.
It was crowded so bad though…
You worry about taking apart with friends? It can’t be helped…
We satisfied with visiting Comike as first time, so it is time to go back now.
Look at these people who want to go back…
Oh we met foreigner who anticipated Comike,
so we interviewed them why they came here.
We thought Japanese Otaku culture affects to the world.
If the culture spread to the world more,
many people can be connected with same hobby or something.
Comike will be held at somewhere in the world someday?
You who like Japanese Otaku culture should visit there for sure.
Next time will be August 11th ~ 13th at Tokyo Big Site!
