Message from the Organizer

　Comic Market is a “space” where all forms of creative expression, doujinshi being the core medium, are welcome. Its prime objective has remained the same since its foundation 40 years ago, when only 30 or so circles were participating.

　In the intervening years, Comic Market, or Comiket for short, has grown in size to accommodate an ever wider range of creative endeavors. Today, it is a vast forum that attracts more than 500,000 participants.

　In addition to the twice yearly regular events, we host Comiket Special every five years. For Comiket, which is constantly seeking ways to expand and evolve, these special occasions provide the platform to take on new challenges, such as the “24hours endurance run” and the “away games”. The theme of the last event (held in 2010 in the city of Mito) was “urban regeneration”- a disused department store was taken over and brought back to life over a two day period.

　The forthcoming Comiket Special sees us, after an absence of 20 years, return to the venue of the Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, to host the “OTAKU Summit”. In this endeavor we are grateful for the support of numerous overseas and domestic event organizers, as well as domestic business groups.

　Today, manga and anime constitute a major cultural movement that is proudly Japanese, spawning fans in many countries. Notable within this trend is doujinshi, the core of our activities at Comiket, which flourished under the generous watch of many copyright holders and went on to make a significant fan-based contribution to the rise of manga culture.

　In 1981, when being an anime fan was an oddity, Yoshiyuki Tomino, producer of the Mobile Suit Gundam series, announced an “Anime New Century Declaration” to the 15,000 strong audience gathered to watch the movie version of Gundam. It was the beginning of the new era when anime went on to become recognized as an art form.

　The word otaku was then born to describe anime and manga fans. The days when the term “otaku” connoted social introversion is all but history today, and the “otaku” culture as represented by manga, anime, and gaming -- as well as the cosplay inspired by them -- have have become more mainstream in society. Furthermore, the development of the internet has facilitated greater access to Japanese manga, anime, and games globally, such that “otaku” is fast becoming a universal currency. We can now share experiences almost simultaneously with similarly minded fans anywhere around the world. Comiket has always been a “space” for the fans of otaku culture worldwide to come together, and it is our wish to grow as an embodiment of this ethos into the future.

　The next era is upon us -- At the forthcoming Comiket Special we, as fans of otaku culture, wish to hold a dialogue with people around the globe who also love manga, anime, and games. We may perhaps call this our “Otaku New Century Declaration”. Let’s join hands with otaku of the world, and come together at Comiket Special to enjoy manga and anime. You are sure to discover new works of art and inspiration. We will see you at Makuhari Messe!