Comic Market 106 (Summer Comiket 2025) Event Report
Comic Market 106, the 106th iteration of Japan’s biggest “doujin” (fan/amateur/hobbyist-made content) event, Comic Market (also known, primarily in the west, as “Comiket”) was held at Tokyo Big Sight on 16-17 August 2025.
Official website (ENG): https://www.comiket.co.jp/index_e.html
The biannual event had seen diminishing attendance since COVID-19 led to the event limiting entry following the guidelines determined by Doujin Japan 2020 since Comic Market 99: While Comic Market 97 saw a grand total of 750,000 attendees over four days, making for an average of 187,500 people showing up each day, C99 limited attendees to 55,000 per day, and while C100 increased the number to 85,000, this was still less than half C97’s count. C101 saw a slight increase to 90,000 attendees per day, and with Japan formally determining that the COVID-19 crisis was over, C102 did away with the restrictions accordingly, resulting in over 260,000 people attending over two days, and C103 similarly had 270,000 people attending over two days. C104 saw a similar but slightly less amount of people attending, with 130,000 people coming on each day for a total of 260,000 attendees, while C105 again saw an upward trend, with 300,000 attendees over two days. With half of the east wing closed for renovations meaning a smaller number of circles participating, however, Comic Market 106 saw a decrease in attendees, with 120,000 on the first day and 130,000 on the second for a total of 250,000.
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- Participants (day 1): 120,000
- Participants (day 2): 130,000
- Doujin circles (day 1): 11,500
- Doujin circles (day 2): 11,200
- Cosplayers (day 1): Male – 1,621, Female – 3,347
- Cosplayers (day 2): Male – 1,573, Female – 2,663
- Corporate entities: 121
Though not quite as bad as last year’s summer Comic Market, it was nevertheless very hot, and combined with the closure of half of the east wing for renovations (meaning less available space, and thus less participating circles), this resulted in the last amount of attendees in a post-COVID Comic Market (though there were still more circles and cosplayers present than in C102).
While Comic Market is known primarily for its doujin (fan-made content) side, consisting primarily of doujinshi (fan-made comics, books, and magazines) but also including doujin games (not just video games, but analog games like card and board games too), doujin music, and other things like keychains, stickers, and various accessories, the event also has a significant corporate presence including numerous anime and game companies promoting their latest works and selling merchandise, and we compiled an assortment of photographs of the corporate area at Comic Market 105 below.
While Comic Market might seem confusing to the point of being impenetrable to foreign visitors, the event does in fact have international desks (C106 had 9 spread over the venue with around 50 staff) that can provide aid in English, Chinese, and Korean, the official website also has a section to help foreign visitors, and it was in fact reported that C106 saw participants from 71 different countries.
Comic Market is something truly special, and anyone interested in otaku culture, manga, anime, Japanese video games, or cosplay should definitely check it out (it’d probably be a better idea for a first-time attendee to come in winter, though).
We had a professional photographer covering cosplay at the event too, and will have an article going up soon: Keep your eyes on this page or follow us at @FrontlineJP to keep up to date on when!
Also see:
Comic Market 105 (Winter Comiket 2024) Event Report
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