Japan’s Biggest Pop Culture Event: Comic Market 2023

The Comic Market (Comiket) is a marketplace where people may sell their self-produced products to a community that values and supports such creative personal activities. Comiket primarily serves as a social trade for self-published books known as doujinshi. Doujinshi is self-published content directed towards like-minded persons, according to Japanese dictionaries, and the Comic Market welcomes any publication (books, music, films, software, etc.) made by individuals that are not available through regular commercial means. Booth applications are processed prior to the event.

Comic Market 2023 is set for August from the 12th to the 13th of August. If you are lovers of Japanese anime, manga, and game subculture you should not miss this event held once in summer and once in winter.

What is Exactly Comiket?

If you are an uninvolved observer interested in learning about the strange and feisty Japanese subculture, here is what you should keep in mind while considering whether to attend or not Comiket: around 500,000 people participate over the two to three days, so it gets very crowded. Because this is Japan, the mob organizes itself into orderly but huge lineups, even for toilets.

How Should You Prepare Yourself?

First and foremost, read the published guidelines on how things work at Comiket. This is a large event, and numerous rules have been developed to ensure that everything runs smoothly for everyone.

I think the anime Genshiken portrays Comiket well, and is a particularly fine example of Comiket etiquette queuing, purchasing, cosplay photo-taking, and so on.

Determine how to get there from where you are staying, and plan accordingly.

Before each event, Comiket publishes a catalogue with full information on participating fan organizations and commercial booths, as well as participation guides and layout maps. If you’re looking to buy fan works or doujinshi, a catalogue is essential so you may make a “shopping list” of booths to visit and move around in the crowds on the day. Otherwise, the participation instructions can be obtained from the website’s catalogue area (in Japanese).

It is available in Japan on CD or paper via booksellers and anime-related shops (both online and offline). During Comiket, the catalogue is also available for purchase on-site. The catalogue costs between 2000 and 2400 yen, although there is an online version. Sign-up is necessary, however, access is free with pop-up advertising. You must pay to download or print the data from the internet version.

What Can You Bring to Comiket?

It is advised to arrive prepared, therefore carry the following items with you when queuing:

• Something to do while waiting in line.
• Raincoat and cap instead of umbrella against rain and sun
• Towels and cooling packs for sweat in the summer, and warming packs for cold in the winter.
• Plastic bags to waterproof your purchases in the event of rain, as well as for your personal waste
• Something to sit on, such as insulating sheets (which may be purchased at 100yen stores) or light-weight little folding chairs. If you arrive at about 11 a.m., you’ll most likely have to wait standing, so this isn’t necessary.
• Water, sports drinks, and snacks are available.

Things you might need for Comiket; You need to have some cash (do not rely on ATMs or facilities to exchange huge amounts). Water and snacks are available, but you can also purchase them within the halls. Bookshelf bags.

When Should You Go to Comic Market?

The commercial booths remain the same over the two to three days, however, the doujin booths vary. Day one is quite generic; day two is more female-oriented; and day three is more male-oriented. This is subject to change, therefore consult the catalogue for specifics on which titles are assigned to particular days. Day 2 features a minor boost in cosplay quality, in my opinion, due to the increase in female participants.

NB: The event will only last for two days, the 12th and 13th of August, So make sure to consult the catalog

What is the Crucial Time to Go to Comic Market?

Comiket is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the last day ending an hour sooner. Take the early train and plan to wait for 5 hours to receive the most popular doujin. Arriving at 10 or 11 am will allow you to enter after an hour or two of the queue, however, very popular titles may sell out.

Arrive around midday to avoid queues and enjoy the ambience. Popular titles may sell out, but many others continue to sell.

How Can You Get There?

If you go early in the morning, you’ll immediately meet a crowd of Comiket attendees, who are simple to spot–just blend and follow the flow.

If you are travelling from Kyoto, Osaka, or Nagoya and only intend to remain for one day, you can board an overnight bus and return that evening on the same bus. Many bus operators, such as Willer Express, provide Comiket bus tours with optional onsen visits.

You might also rent a hotel in Tokyo and stay for a few days to do some sightseeing, but do so early. Hotels in the Odaiba region near Yurikamome stations are convenient, as well as hotels near JR Saikyo Line stations like Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Shibuya, and Ebisu.

What are some activities You can Expect at this Comiket 2023 Edition?

If you have been reading the anime conventions listed on this website, then you should already have an idea of what to expect. These are a few of the activities you will attend be attending at the Japan’s biggest Pop event:

Cosplaying

A large number of cosplayers attend Comic Market to display themselves and their outfits. One of the main reasons they come is to get famous. Many magazine photographers as well as agency representatives attend the event in search of new talent. It’s not uncommon to see cosplayers behave extremely business-like after you snap their picture in the hopes that you’re a head hunter and will remember them.

Cosplaying usually takes place between 11:00 and 13:00 and these are some spots where you expect to cosplayers:

• The entry plaza is filled with cosplayers and a great place to take photos. However, before 12 p.m., that region is extremely congested.
• The garden area also boasts a large number of cosplayers, however, it becomes extremely congested after 12 p.m.
• The rooftop is only accessible on the second day. It’s less congested and easier to navigate.
• There are some cosplayers in the East Hall outside the shopping area, but not as many as in other areas.
• There are also a lot of cosplayers in the parking area to the east of Tokyo Big Sight.

Visit WorkShops and Buy Goods

Regular attendees to Comic Market have a strategy. Artists will usually tweet their booth location and what they’ll have in stock before the event. A catalog is also published ahead of time. Some of these products are limited editions, and getting them is a race. If you truly desire something, locate the booth, arrive early, and RUSH! If you’re not there for a specific reason, feel free to wander around.

What Else to Expect at Comic Market 2023?

Come and discover!!!

Useful Links:

• Web Catalog
• Admission to Comic Market 102