The Story of My First Comiket: Meeting Unique Zines and Their Creators

"Would you like to go to Comiket with me next time?"

After receiving that LINE message, I went to Comiket for the first time in my life on August 13th.

It was that very Comiket, held in summer and winter at Big Sight.
Believe it or not,this was the momentous 100th event!!!

Comic Market, Comiket, Comi-ke.
Are you all familiar with it? And have you ever participated?

Perhaps you think it's a space filled only with hardcore anime and game fans, cosplayers, and people enjoying the world of fan-made doujinshi—a place a bit removed from us, right?

Admittedly, I also see it mentioned frequently on the news and Twitter, and while I was vaguely curious, I only had a very hazy and extremely rude impression of it as "a super crowded event in a very deep world" (my apologies).

Furthermore, I had never met anyone in my life who had been to Comiket multiple times and would invite me, which was another reason it felt like such a distant world.
Even though I had been following Evangelion in real-time for a quarter of a century. Even though I had been consistently hooked on anime and manga. It's funny how you just don't meet people like that.

But then,in the summer of 2022, they finally appeared!!! Someone to invite me!!!

It was an editor who was acting as an instructor for a ZINE-making workshop, connected through the Hitohako Furuhon-ichi (One-Box Used Book Market) that I am currently helping to prepare.

They mentioned that "Comiket is an event whereLiterature Flea Marketand other events are gaining excitement together." It was an unexpected conversation.

A ZINE, or little press, is a paper book that isn't commercially published, so its distribution channels and print runs are limited. However, it's a dazzling, enchanting world packed with the creator's "likes," individuality, and obsessions that would be difficult to achieve in commercial publishing.

In other words, it's a doujinshi.

However, perhaps over the last 5 to 10 years, things that are more elaborate in terms of content, as well as paper, binding, printing, and design—things that are cute, stylish, art-like, or fashionable—have come to be called ZINEs or little presses.

That editor is someone who has been collecting numerous doujinshi, ZINEs, and little presses from all over the country and the world for many years, and is also someone who goes to Comiket regularly.

If someone like that is guiding you, it's not just like giving a club to an ogre, it's as invincible as alightsaber.
Safe for beginners! If not now, when?! So, along with an acquaintance who was also a beginner, I decided to tag along.

However, on the day of the event,a typhoon unexpectedly struck.
And due to various circumstances,it turned out that only the two beginners gathered at Big Sight, which meant...all was lost!!!

While almost being blown away by the strong winds, thanks to many kind people, I managed to enter Big Sight safely.
It seems that our decision to gather and participate from the afternoon worked in our favor.

Inside the venue, we immediately passed by the cosplay area. I was surprised by the sight of Totoro, thinking "Whoa!" and,

I was surprised by the sheer number of booths lined up in the vast venue and the crowd of people, thinking "Whoa!" (Although I couldn't actually go to the South District, every area was this bustling).

I was completely overwhelmed from start to finish.

As a pair of beginners, we were already exhausted just by managing to reach the critique area in the East Hall, which an editor had kindly told us about in advance...

Comiket ends at 4:00 PM.
Given our limited time of about two hours and the energy we had left, we ended up only being able to browse the critique area.
It was probably a range that didn't even cover 5% of the entire Comiket venue.

To think that Chika Umino's circle (sales booth) was apparently just a few dozen meters away!!! I had absolutely no idea.
As someone who loves 'Honey and Clover' and 'March Comes in Like a Lion,' I wish I could have seen it, even if it had already sold out...

That said, knowing about the existence of the critique area I visited this time,really changed my image of Comiket in a very positive way. I was surprised to find that such a place existed!

Moreover, the creators and the books sold at each individual circle were truly unique. It was just so much fun.The two hours flew by in an instant.

For example, if the theme is food, curry or ramen might be understandable, but there was a book featuring only protein by a creator who was a bodybuilder and very convincing, a book introducing only Japanese sweets from Kanazawa with lovely designs, and a recipe book for tea-over-rice fanatics that is even officially recognized by Nagatanien!

For vehicles, there were not only trains but also collections of route buses and local community buses, as well as books summarizing transferred vehicles.

There were also many photo books, and not limited to architecture, there were books only about research facilities that are hard for the general public to enter, like Super-Kamiokande, or books only about large antennas.

Also, there was a circle run by someone who stayed at the Showa Station in Antarctica for work, offering photo books of Antarctic animals, stay diaries, and original goods like keychains.

I didn't encounter them on-site, but there were people like this too. The POP that looks just like a certain shop's is also impressive.

In this day and age, internet services have really evolved, making it easy to handcraft anything yourself.
You can print only the number of books you order with on-demand printing, easily turn them into e-books and sell them on Amazon, or use services like SUZURI to easily create and sell merchandise.

I apologize for only introducing a small fraction, but I hope I've conveyed what the area was like.
Anyway,it's a 'anything goes' kind of place, and it's so free and fun!I was just so excited✨
I forgot all my previous fatigue, wandered around here and there, asked the creators about their work, and ended up buying the things that really caught my eye.

So, what did you buy!

With that said, if I may, let me introduce the fascinating books I bought and their creators in the order I purchased them!!!

1. The Society for Eating Rare Things: Rare Delicacy Michelin Omnibus 3: Religious Food (Tokyo Edition & India Sacred Site Edition)

This was the first one I encountered.
The creator actually traveled around to eat, research, and edit these books. And apparently, they have been active with this theme for over 10 years.

We talked about various interesting topics, like the Freemasons, and it was very fascinating. There were so many things I didn't know, and it really made me realize how big the world is.

I chose this book because I started studying at university and my interest expanded to the history of world religions, different cultures, and cultural anthropology, but I was incredibly curious about every feature.
By the way, the acquaintance who came with me bought the Secret Society Food book. We plan to lend and borrow from each other once we're done reading.

2. A Book Interpreting 'The Tale of Genji' from the Perspective of 'Moe' Omnibus & Extra Edition

In my university studies, I've touched upon classical literature here and there, but 'The Tale of Genji' was something I wanted to read properly but had been hesitant about.

The creator of this book is a woman. With a very approachable angle and writing style, she explains and summarizes the broad outline of the story, the characters, and their relationship charts from the very basics, which instantly sparked my interest, making me think, 'I really want to read The Tale of Genji properly! It looks so interesting!'

Unfortunately, I couldn't meet her in person. It seems she was a very cute and popular cosplayer, which made me want to talk to her even more... She is truly too talented. It's wonderful.
The free paper left casually on the desk was also quite interesting, and I intend to follow her activities on social media and elsewhere.

3. Civil Engineering Students Try Anime Pilgrimage! @ Numazu

This wasn't just because I was drawn in by 'Love Live! Sunshine!!', but because the content related to the geography and topography of Numazu was so well-crafted that as a local, I couldn't help but buy a copy.

The creator is a member of an intercollegiate circle attending a university in the Kanto area.
Unfortunately, I couldn't meet the creator either, as they seemed to have gone out to do some shopping.
But I happened to find their note account the other day, and I intend to continue following their activities along with their social media.

Thanks to 'Love Live! Sunshine!!' and 'Laid-Back Camp', Numazu and Izu are buzzing with excitement.
I saw many other books about touring Izu and Numazu. I honestly wanted to buy them all.I'm so grateful!!!
As a local, I am truly happy that people come for pilgrimages and enjoy the area, saying, 'It's such a nice place!'

4. A Restaurant You Can Take Someone with 100,000 Followers To | TWO

I'm someone who has never even bought a gourmet guide or a Michelin guide, but when I talked to the creator, I could tell their level of seriousness was immense.
Also, when I was allowed to browse through it, I could clearly see that it only contained reliable information, so I ended up buying it on the spot.
The list of well-received souvenirs at the end of the book was also quite substantial and very helpful.

When I checked Twitter later, it turned out to be a super famous book among those in the know, and a very well-known title among people in the media and entertainment industries.

I was surprised, thinking, 'There are books like this too; Comiket is so profound...'

5. Hasselblad 500C x Modern Architecture x Prefectural Government Buildings

The last one is this.
I actually wanted them all, but because I don't usually carry cash, I carelessly didn't have any on me that day (a beginner's mistake...), so I carefully selected this Hasselblad book.

The creator, 'Yama-D's Anechoic Chamber', lives in the Kansai region. They have many wonderful photo books that look like they could be sold at events like the Literature Flea Market, but they said they only participate in Comiket.
They have apparently been participating in Comiket for a long time, and they kindly talked to me about various things, such as bookbinding and paper.

I mean,everyone I met at Comiket was truly kind. And because they were so friendly and willing to talk, our beginner duo was really happy.

6. The Ceilings of the Hermitage Museum

The last one is this.
I didn't have enough cash to buy it on-site, but I ordered it online. I was surprised by how wonderful both the theme and the quality were. I can't believe they made this themselves!

That's right, it's not just about the paintings. Museums have highlights everywhere—the ceilings, walls, lighting, hallways, stairs, and even the restrooms!!!

But books like this are rare, even though you'd think they'd exist. I suppose it's too niche for commercial publishing to be profitable.

Also, the Hermitage Museum and that country were places I wanted to visit someday, but I never imagined they would become such distant existences.
Will the day ever come when I can visit in person? That's what I talked about with the creator.

Thank you for such a wonderful book that really 'gets it'✨

Summary

There was a time when the distance between me and Comiket was definitely closing. That was when I was attending a vocational school for fashion design.
I had a classmate who was a cosplayer herself and, alongside her studies, took on many custom cosplay costume commissions.

It was so different from everyday clothing, and I even felt a sense of respect for her high level of skill and professionalism, so I thought of Comiket as an incredibly high-hurdle, intense world that someone like me shouldn't dare to intrude upon.

While I had a vague feeling that might be the case, after actually going there this time,I have to admit it is indeed a world with a somewhat high hurdle, but in a sense, that is probably the 'correct' way for it to be,I thought.

To be honest, it is a fact that I felt it is often quite unfriendly to beginners...
The official websitehas a retro design that feels like it belongs to history and is hard to read because there is too much text information, advance tickets are hard to buy, there is a lack of various signs inside Big Sight making it hard to understand, and I didn't understand Comiket-specific terms like 'ichigen' meaning 'one copy per person', and so on and so forth.

But there was a part of me that thought, maybe that's okay.

The space that is Comiket is a wonderful, irreplaceable, and precious place for those who love it, and my impression that it should be a place where people who are truly looking forward to Comiket gather did not change. Rather, I felt that this is how it should be.

At the same time, I thought that a life with worlds, people, or things you can be passionate about is incredibly fun, and if you have that, even when work or school gets tough, it becomes a charm for your heart and an important place you can run to, allowing you to somehow drift through your days.

I also love museums, but one of the reasons I visit them whenever I have a chance is that there is an aspect of going to immerse myself in a world away from everyday life.

I am a person who thinks that creative works should ideally be within the bounds of certain rules, like morals and manners... but seeing the figures of those who were seriously enjoying themselves, I thought, if it's within the scope of enjoying it here, then that's fine too!

Diverse and free, 'everyone is great!' is Comiket. Even after returning to daily life, that intense lingering feeling continues, and so this time too, it has become a long, long note.
Now that we are at the very end, I have something important to say.

Participating as a buyer and participating as a creator are worlds apart. To all the creators, you are truly amazing.
Thank you for your hard work!!! And from the bottom of my heart, thank you!!!

I used to plan and produce small-run booklets for work, and come to think of it, that was similar to doujinshi. It was good work, even though it was tough.

And now, with my studies at university and the 'one-box secondhand book market' initiative I am planning, my desire to create ZINEs is increasing day by day.
Thinking about the content and actually giving it shape takes time and money, and above all, it is hard work, but I thought again that I definitely want to do it, I want to create one myself in the near future.

On the way home, it was just 16:00 when I left the venue.
When the announcement for the end of the first day began to play, everyone there started to applaud, like this.

It seems to be a customary event. The beginner duo also thought, 'This is wonderful!', joined in, and applauded grandly. I was happy to have encountered it.

There is a reason why it has continued for 100 times.
From the bottom of my heart, I am glad I took the plunge and went.

The next one is this winter. It will be the 101st time.
Won't you participate too? Comic Market.