| Another show at the Tokyo Big Sight! Before my
buddy and I got there (we only went on the 2nd day), we went over to the nearby mall to
have lunch. From there, it was already obvious something big was going on because
there were tons of girls dressed as maids and cute goths. I figured they were
cosplayers, but it turned out that's just how they dressed for the show. I could
have sat there all day and just looked at all the interestingly dressed girls. I
wish I could have taken pictures for you (and for myself!), but it would have been a
little too strange to sit there and take candid pictures of girls. It's especially
hard for me to be discrete because I'm 6'7"(2 meters) tall, so I really stand out in
Japan. So, no pictures... just memories. |
| After lunch we walked over to the Tokyo Big Sight, and it
was a long walk because they made us circle around the whole place and enter through some
back door that was as far away as possible. It must have been more than 1 mile.
Anyhow, as we were walking, I looked at my friend and said "Hey, do you notice
that we're they only guys here?!" I knew then that it must have been a girls'
doujin show, but neither one of us ever saw anything about it being a girls' show.
Oh well, we'd come so far, so we checked it out anyways. Besides, to be honest, I'd
rather go to a girls' doujin comic show because almost everything at guys' shows is
perverted stuff that I don't go for. |
 Once we got inside, it was amazing! The first hall we went
into had over 4000 display tables and probably about 25,000 girls running around looking
at comics. There was another hall just as big, so the show had a total of over 8000
display tables, and I'm guessing about 50-60,000 people at any one time. I arrived
towards the end of 2nd day, so I can't imagine what the total attendance was! Later
on in the summer, there's another show scheduled with room for over 12,000 display
tables. This isn't any kinda international or even national show, it's just a
regular old show that they have a few times a year in Tokyo. None of the artists
are published or famous... they're all just amateurs who publish and sell their own
stuff. Amazing!! By the way, when the show was over, I walked from one end of
the hall down to the other, and it took me 3 1/2 minutes! How long does that make
it... about 1/3 to 2/5 of a mile long?! You can kinda see it in the picture, but you
probably can't appreciate it unless you see it for yourself. And remember, there was
another hall equally as big! |
| Needless to say, I really was out of place at the show.
Although I'm skinny, I weighed almost twice as much as any girl at the show, and no
girl even came up to my shoulder (even with platform shoes)... most barely came up to my
chest. On top of that, I was the only foreigner, and one of only about 10 guys at
the show. Thank goodness the Japanese people didn't make a spectacle out of me...
most everybody just pretended like there was nothing strange at all. |
| Anyhow, any kind of comic you could imagine was at the
show... even a couple of girl hentai comics ^_^ However, the biggest sections that I
noticed were of course for Final Fantasy and Guilty Gear (as I expected). Hundreds
of tables were dedicated to each series. KoF had a pretty big showing too, as did
most other popular RPGs like Wild Arms 3 and Dragon Quest. The once mighty Capcom
had almost nothing that I saw. It seems like even their most diehard fans have
finally moved on to other things. |
| All in all, as awkward as the day was for me, it was a
very interesting experience. I'll never cease to be amazed by how much talent,
dedication, and love the Japan people have when it comes to comics. Even the girls.
No wonder why I love it so much in Japan! And aside from all the great comics
and amazing artists I got to see, the fashion of Japanese girls is always something that
fascinates me. I live in the USA, where girls have little or no sense of style at
all >_<. I already mentioned the maids and goths, but there was so much more
at the show. Even normal Japanese girls dress with lots of style, so you can imagine
how a bunch of artistic girls dress up. Even though dressing up like a super-cute
maid is ridiculous, I think it's very fun. |
| These shows happen a few times a year, so if you're in
Tokyo, there's a good chance that you'll be able to go and check it out for yourself.
Even if you're a guy, don't hesitate to go... if I can, you can too! I
guarantee that everybody will have a good time because there's just so much unique stuff
to experience. For a schedule of shows at the TBS, check the Tokyo Big Sight homepage. And for more on
the Super Comic City shows (in Tokyo and all around Japan), check out www.Akaboo.co.jp. |
Once we got inside, it was amazing! The first hall we went
into had over 4000 display tables and probably about 25,000 girls running around looking
at comics. There was another hall just as big, so the show had a total of over 8000
display tables, and I'm guessing about 50-60,000 people at any one time. I arrived
towards the end of 2nd day, so I can't imagine what the total attendance was! Later
on in the summer, there's another show scheduled with room for over 12,000 display
tables. This isn't any kinda international or even national show, it's just a
regular old show that they have a few times a year in Tokyo. None of the artists
are published or famous... they're all just amateurs who publish and sell their own
stuff. Amazing!! By the way, when the show was over, I walked from one end of
the hall down to the other, and it took me 3 1/2 minutes! How long does that make
it... about 1/3 to 2/5 of a mile long?! You can kinda see it in the picture, but you
probably can't appreciate it unless you see it for yourself. And remember, there was
another hall equally as big!