What is the ComicMarket?

●The Comic Market (Comiket)is a marketplace where indi-viduals can offer their ownself-produced creations to acommunity that appreciatesand supports such creativepersonal activities. Comiketprimarily focuses on acting asa communal exchange placefor self-published books,known as d‒ojinshi. Japanesedictionaries define d‒ojinshi asself-published material aimedtoward likeminded individualsand the Comic Market invitesany publication (books, music,films, software, etc.) publishedby individuals that are not avail-able through standard com-mercial outlets. Applicationsfor booths are processed priorto the event. You cannotapply for a booth at Comiketitself.●One goal of the Comic Market isaiding creative efforts conductedoutside the established commer-cial realms, and thereby encour-age innovation and interactionwithin the overall communityrevolving around manga, animeand games. Comiket placesemphasis on community build-ing that empowers individualcreativity, initiative, freedom,and to that end we strive ourbest to accommodate a largeand diverse collection of d‒ojinshipublishing groups, known as cir-cles, to offer their d‒ojinshi (non-corporate, limited distributionpublications). Comiket placesgreat priority on artistic free-dom, subject to certain condi-tions necessary to ensuresmooth operation of the ComicMarket and retain compliance toJapanese laws. ●Comiket is a large scale, pri-vately run exposition and mar-ketplace. Comiket is neither a

Comic Market(Comiket) 89

Session Dates:2015/12/29 (Tuesday) ～2015/12/31 (Thursday)Next Planned Session Dates:2016/8/12 (Friday) ～2016/8/14 (Sunday)

Location & Hoursof Operation

●Tokyo Big Sight (TokyoInternational ExhibitionCenter)For information regarding accessto the Tokyo Big Site, visit:http://www.bigsight.jp/english/

●D‒ojinshi Area: All East Halls, West Halls 1 & 210:00am to 4:00pm each day●Dressing RoomsWomen: Reception Hall on 1st

Floor of the Conference TowerMen: 6th Floor of the ConferenceTower10:00am to 5:00pm each day,3:45pm last day (CostumePlay Registration:10:00am to 3:30pm, 2:30pmon last day)●Costume Play Public Square:Gardens near Restaurant Ave.on 1st Floor of ConferenceTower, etc. (Check map on pg.30 for details.)●Corporate Dealer Area: WestHalls 3 & 410:00am to 5:00pm, 4:00pmon last day

Entrance FeesEntrance to Comiket is free.However, purchasing theComiket Catalog (available inboth print, online and DVD-ROM

37

versions) is highly recommend-ed. Only d‒ojinshi publishers (cir-cle members) are given entrypasses to allow early entry to setup their booths. All others mustget in line for entry.

How to use thisCatalog

This catalog is divided into thefollowing major parts: Basicinformation regarding Comiket,listings of all d‒ojinshi circles inattendance, a listing of all ven-dors in the corporate booth area,procedures on costuming, andother various articles. Most ofthe catalog is in Japanese. Thesection you are reading is abarebone guide written in for-eign languages for attendee fromoverseas.Please note this section is nota complete translation of allthe information in this catalog.Some information has beenabbreviated. If you have anyquestions, we recommend youask a Japanese fr iend toreview the Comiket Catalog orcontact the International Deskfor more information. (Seebelow regarding InternationalDesk location.)●Overall Comiket map ＝pg.4●D‒ojinshi circle listings: Tuesday's listings = pg. 60Wednesda's listings = pg. 440Thursday's listings = pg. 816

●Costume play information＝pg.24 (Japanese)See "Cosplay Activities andPhotography" below for moreinformation.

●Corporate booth listings＝pg.1185A color guide of the all thevendors operating at the cor-porate booths is separatelyavailable during Comiket.

●Information for f irst t imevisitors to Comiket＝ See"Navigating Comiket".

WELCOME TOTHE COMICMARKET

■Comic Market's Ideals and Introduction（Japanese）http://www.comiket.co.jp/info-a/WhatIs.html

■Comic Market's Ideals and Vision（English）http://www.comiket.co.jp/info-c/IdealsAndVision.html

※Due to construction at Tokyo Big Sight, changes are expected from Comic Market 89 and onward. Please listen for instructions given by Comiket staff.

commercial enterprise, nor agovernmental operation. Theoperation of the Comic Marketis made possible by a volun-teer based organization, theComic Market (Comiket)Committee.

Comic Market: ItsHistory and IdealsComiket was established out offrustrations regarding existingmanga fan events and disap-pointment at the lack of diversi-ty in commercial publications inthe mid 1970's. Many venueswhere manga fans could con-verge tended to be narrow-mind-ed and outlets for experimentalyoung manga authors were lim-ited in the commercial sphere,thus a manga critique groupMeikyu ("Labyrinth") not onlystarted publishing a mangareview d‒ojinshi, but also estab-lished an event where mangaauthors and creators of othermediums could share their publi-cations. The small startup eventonly featured 32 circles andapproximately 700 people attend-ing, taking place in a relativelysmall conference space, and yetthe basic constructs of theComic Market were already inplace. Namely, an event focusedon individual's personal cre-ations, regular attendees sup-porting and encouraging suchcreative efforts, a volunteergroup managing the operationof the event, and all partiesinvolved doing their best to helpeach other.This cooperative emphasis con-tinues to be part of the operationof the Comic Market. Comiket isan event of the fans, by the fans,for the fans of manga in generaland other mediums of selfexpression. All operations ofComiket are designed to providethe maximum degree of freedom

38

allowable while at the same timemaintaining order and safety sothat Comiket can continue to beheld year after year. In recent years, the ComicMarket has grown to become anevent with over 35 years of his-tory, boasting 35,000 d‒ojinshicircles and 500,000 generalattendees at each session, usual-ly held twice a year. D‒ojinshiauthors and fans from all overJapan, and some from overseas,converge upon Comiket todirectly intermingle among theirpeers, with whom they share acommon devotion toward adiverse and unique range of cre-ative works, made possible byindependence, imagination andself-expression.In addition to d‒ojinshi booths,Comiket houses a corporatedealers' area, attended by corpo-rations who understand andsupport the ideals of the ComicMarket. Numerous attendeeswear costumes at Comiket, anactivity known as cosplay. Otherevents, such as symposiums,exhibits, talk shows, etc. mayalso take place.For most d‾ojinshi circles, earn-ing profits is not the goal fortheir activities, but instead theyaim to interact with their fellowparticipants through their owncreations. Communicationencourages creation throughinspiration, and thereby lays theground work for even greaterworks to come into being. Thisis the paramount goal of theComic Market.

Important ComiketPolicies

All attendees must follow allrules and policies established bythe Comiket Committee withoutexception. Attendees must obeyall instructions issued by police,firefighters, Comiket staff, or

security guards, and employeesof the Tokyo Big Sight. Below isa list of specific policies andrules of the Comic Market. ●Anyone attending the ComicMarket must obey Japaneselaws and Tokyo MetropolitanGovernment ordinances.●All Comiket attendees mustfollow disaster prevention andpublic safety rules establishedbelow: ◆Do not run or push people.It is very easy for a tramplingincident or a crowd collapse tooccur with so many peoplepacked together. Alwaysremain calm and don't rush.Comiket also prohibits peoplewalking on moving escalatorsfor safety reasons.◆Do not sit down or place lug-gage, sort books, etc. nearfire fighting gear or emer-gency exits. These areas aremarked by red or yellow tapeon the floor within the facility.Furthermore, do not leavebaggage unattended anywherewithin the premises. If youcome across a suspiciousobject, please inform Comiketstaff or a security guardimmediately.◆Do not smoke anywhere exceptat designated smoking areas.◆Do not start any open flames,bring in pyrotechnic devices,or any easily flammable itemswithin Tokyo Big Sight.●Attendees must follow com-monsense rules for publicbehavior, respect others inpersonal interaction, andavoid causing crowd controlissues or being a public nui-sance.

◆Do not loiter inside or near theTokyo Big Sight during latenight hours.◆Do not swing around, throw orkick objects about.◆Do not tamper with Tokyo

Big Sight property.◆Do not use Tokyo Big Sightelectrical outlets without per-mission.◆Do not park cars on streetsnear the Tokyo Big Sight.◆Do not generate loud soundsor music.◆Do not change clothing exceptat designated dressing rooms.Changing clothing in toilets isspecifically prohibited. Do notcome or leave the Comiketwearing your costume.◆No drinking alcohol while atthe Comic Market.◆Service animals (e.g. guidedogs) are the only type of ani-mals allowed.◆Flyers and free samples can-not be distributed in the hall-ways. Flyer distributors mustbe pre-registered and are lim-ited to handing out material tocircles prior to beginning ofthe each day's session. Circlesmay distribute flyers fromtheir own booths.◆Other activities may be pro-hibited or restricted depen-dent on the decisions of police,firefighters, Comiket staff, orsecurity guards.

Prohibited andRestricted Items

Attendees must not bring in anyitems whose possession or use iseither prohibited or restrictedby Japanese law.●All weapons and weapon-likeitems must be in compliancewith the Firearms and SwordsControl Law.●All items deemed to be a vio-lation of Penal Code 175(obscenity restrictions) or theChild Pornography Law arenot permitted.●Other restricted items include:Electrical generators, largebatteries, people-carrying vehi-cles (i.e. bicycles, unicycles,

39

skateboards, roller-skates, etc.),any balloons that may float up,and any other items deemeddangerous by police, firefight-ers, Comiket staff, or securityguards.

Cosplay Activitiesand PhotographyComic Market welcomes thosewho would like to wear cos-tumes, but they must come topremises of Comiket in plain-clothes. At Comiket, first regis-ter as a cosplayer and then usethe dressing room provided. (See"Location and Hours ofOperation" above for locationsand hours.) Registration will cost800 yen for each day. Note thatall specific policies and rulesregarding costume play are list-ed on pg. 24 of this catalog aswell as listed on the officialComiket website. (Both are inJapanese only.)●Below are broad Comiketguidelines regarding cosplay:◆Do not wear something that isrisqu e . Exposing too muchskin may cause legal problems. ◆Do not wear something thatmay physically harm othersand/or stain property or cloth-ing. No wet paint or sub-stances that can rub off easilyare permitted.◆Any costumes that may causeinjury to others should bedesigned with safety in mind,i.e. making parts removable toensure safety during move-ment. Sharp objects and point-ed tips may harm others sim-ply by walking throughcrowds.◆When wearing uniforms ofpolice officers, firefighters, etc.,please ensure you will not bemistaken to be real uniformedofficers. Any attire that wouldmake others mistake you to bea uniformed officer is prohibit-

ed. The Comiket staff at thedressing room will be happyto answer any questionsregarding regulations on cos-tume attire and items.●Anyone who wishes to photo-graph or film someone else atComiket must adhere to thefollowing policies.◆Always get permission fromthe person. This rule alsoapplies to those in costume.Comiket features a costumeplay public square for the spe-cific purpose of facilitatinginteraction and photography,but you still must get some-one's permission before pho-tographing them. Details per-taining to photography atComiket is listed under"Regarding Photography andRecordings by Individuals forNon-Profit Purposes" athttp://www.comiket.co.jp/info-a/TAFO/NonProfitCollect_E.html. ◆When taking photos, please beaware of the safety of othersaround you. Please do notblock passageways or stand onobjects and do not use equip-ment that may interfere withthe flow of traffic. Use of lightreflectors and tripods, etc. isrestricted in some locations.All photographers must obeysigns and directions issued byComiket staff.

Press Coverageand Interviews

If you are attending the ComicMarket as part of any type offieldwork for a public or com-mercial news media service orentertainment provider, you mustregister at the Press Registrationlocated in the 2nd floor of EastHall 1 and follow instructionsissued at that time. Japaneselaws regarding privacyrestricts the unsolicited photo -graphy of private individuals

even in public spaces. Pleaserefrain from any interviewing orfilming inside or near thepremises of Comiket prior toregistration.

NavigatingComiket - A

Beginner's Guide◆Comiket is no ordinary event.It is very crowded and mas-sive. We recommend first timevisitors to come past 12 noonto avoid long lines. You shouldbe in good health when visit-ing Comiket and make sure todress accordingly. It can getvery hot and humid in sum-mer while very cold winds canbe felt in winter.◆While the Comic Market doeshave first aid stations staffedby volunteering medical pro-fessionals, they can only pro-vide rudimentary medical caretypical of a school's nurse'soffice. If you have a pre-exist-ing condition that may hamperyour ability to safely navigateComiket and its intensecrowds, we strongly recom-mend you seek advice fromyour doctor.◆Make sure to use public trans-portation. Visit the Tokyo BigSight web page listed abovefor access information.◆Do not leave your personalbelongings, especially whenyou are in line to get intoComiket. It is very easy to losetrack of your place in line.Make sure to keep money,passports, travel tickets, andother important items withyou at all times just in case. Ifyou lose or drop somethingimportant, contact Comiketstaff for assistance.◆Cell phone service and/orInternet access may becomeunreliable due to heavy traffic.Do not rely on cell phones or

40

Internet access as the solemeans of contacting othersaccompanying you or who youplan to meet. You cannot useComiket's public address sys-tem to attempt to find someone.This service is reserved for offi-cial notices and emergencies.◆It is very easy for someone toget lost or separated atComiket. Make sure to desig-nate at least two places whereyou can find each other at spe-cific times in case you get sep-arated. (i.e. Near spot X at thetop of every hour or at spot Yat the end of the day beforeleaving.) We highly recom-mend you bring a note writtenin Japanese, that indicateswhere you are staying andhow to get back in cases youneed return back alone.◆Comiket is harsh enough forregular adults. All parentsshould place the highest pri-ority on your children's wel-fare if they are attendingComiket. In addition to mak-ing sure to keeping an eye onyour child, please monitoryour children's condition at alltimes. Comiket does not havechildcare services nor medica-tion designed for children. Ifyour child is too young to beable to return home alone,make sure to give them an IDbadge, bracelet or card. TheID should contain your child'sname, address and emergencycontact information (i.e. cellphone, the circle you areworking at, hotel, etc.) ContactComiket Staff if your child hasgotten lost. ◆Publishers at the ComicMarket can range anywherebetween amateur manga hob-byists to professional mangaauthors, but most share acommon devot ion towardd‒ojinshi and Comiket, a place

where one can experience firsthand the diverse as well asunique creativity made possi-ble by the medium of d‒ojin-shis. Comiket thrives on diver-sity, and while you may notapprove of certain creations,please do not openly criticizetheir works in a way that isdisrespectful. While many cir-cles are happy to offer their cre-ations to you, some may disap-prove at the prospects of out-siders who don't know muchabout Comiket or d‒ojinshi ingeneral from purchasing theirpersonal creations. Please respectthe individual d‒ojinshi circles'decisions on what they createand to whom they offer them.

Comic MarketInternational DeskEach section of the ComiketStaff are handed out informationon how to respond to commonquestions that may arise fromattendees from overseas, but formore involved topics, Comikethas an International Desk sec-tion ready to assist you.The Comic Market InternationalDesk is here to provide overseasattendees with information andanswer any questions that mightarise. Please feel free to comeand ask for our help. We wel-come everyone who shares ourenthusiasm and interest in thed‒ojinshi culture.All of us on the Comiket staffhope you will enjoy your visit tothe Comic Market.

The International Desk is