COMITIA

This article is about the Japanese comics convention. For the Roman legislative assembly, see Citizens' assemblies of the Roman Republic.
COMITIA
コミティア
StatusActive
GenreDoujinshi convention
VenueVarious
InauguratedNovember 18, 1984; 40 years ago (1984-11-18)
Most recentSeptember 29, 2024 (Nagoya)
Next eventNovember 17, 2024 (Tokyo)
Attendance20,000–30,000 (2019)[1]
ActivityMarketplace, original cosplay
Organised byCOMITIA Organizational Committee
Other regional committees
Websitecomitia.co.jp

COMITIA (Japanese: コミティア, Hepburn: Komitia) is a doujinshi convention for original doujin (self-published) works held in various locations across Japan. COMITIA is typically held four times per year in Tokyo, and 2–3 times per year in Niigata (since 1991), Nagoya (since January 1993), and the Kansai region (since April 1993). Less regular events are also hosted in Sapporo (since 2014), Tōhoku (since 2015), and Kitakyushu (since 2017).[2] As an event series focusing on non-derivative work, the sale of fan art, fanzines, fan fiction, and other parody material of existing copyrighted franchises is prohibited. It is the largest convention focused completely on original works in Japan.[1]

Various high-profile manga artists, such as Keiichi Arawi, Kenshin Shinzato [ja], and Barasui have previously exhibited at COMITIA.[3][4][5][6]

History

Since 1984, COMITIA has been hosted regularly by the COMITIA Organizational Committee, a not-for-profit volunteer organization.[7] Events in Tokyo are referred to as Tokyo COMITIA while other cities feature conventions known as Regional COMITIA (地方コミティア, Chihō Komitia), which are organized by other volunteer-run groups.[2] The Niigata event shares an organizational team with Niigata Comic Market.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation of multiple COMITIA events. A crowdfunding campaign was held in late 2020 and resulted in over ¥100 million (US$960,000) being raised to cover administrative expenses, venue fees, and the purchase of personal protective equipment for use during future events.[8][9]

Recent conventions

Type/Location Number Venue Date
Kansai (Osaka) 63 INTEX Osaka January 23, 2022
Tokyo 139 Tokyo Big Sight February 20, 2022
Nagoya 60 Nagoya Congress Center April 3, 2022
Tokyo 140 Tokyo Big Sight May 5, 2022
Kansai (Osaka) 64 INTEX Osaka May 22, 2022
Niigata 54 Niigata City Sangyo Shinko Center [ja] May 29, 2022
Hokkaido 15 Sapporo Convention Center June 5, 2022
Michinoku (Sendai) 8 Yume Messe Miyagi [ja] June 12, 2022
Tokyo 141 Tokyo Big Sight September 4, 2022
Kansai (Kyoto) 65 Kyoto Pulse Plaza [ja] September 19, 2022
Nagoya 61 Nagoya Congress Center October 2, 2022
Kyushu 6 West Japan General Exhibition Center [ja] October 10, 2022
Niigata 55 Niigata City Sangyo Shinko Center November 20, 2022
Tokyo 142 Tokyo Big Sight November 27, 2022
Hokkaido 16 Sapporo Convention Center December 3, 2022
Michinoku (Fukushima) 9 Big Palette Fukushima [ja] December 11, 2022
Kansai (Kyoto) 66 Kyoto Pulse Plaza January 22, 2023
Tokyo 143 Tokyo Big Sight February 19, 2023
Kyushu 7 West Japan General Exhibition Center March 5, 2023
Nagoya 62 Nagoya Congress Center March 26, 2023
Tokyo 144 Tokyo Big Sight May 5, 2023
Kansai (Osaka) 67 INTEX Osaka May 21, 2023
Michinoku (Sendai) 10 Yume Messe Miyagi May 27, 2023
Hokkaido 17 Sapporo Convention Center June 25, 2023
Niigata 56 Niigata City Sangyo Shinko Center July 2, 2023
Tokyo 145 Tokyo Big Sight September 3, 2023
Nagoya 63 Nagoya Congress Center September 17, 2023
Kansai (Kyoto) 68 Kyoto Pulse Plaza October 22, 2023
Niigata 57 Niigata City Sangyo Shinko Center October 29, 2023
Michinoku (Fukushima) 11 Big Palette Fukushima November 4, 2023
Hokkaido 18 Sapporo Convention Center November 5, 2023
Tokyo 146 Tokyo Big Sight December 3, 2023
Kansai (Osaka) 69 INTEX Osaka January 21, 2024
Tokyo 147 Tokyo Big Sight February 25, 2024
Kyushu 8 West Japan General Exhibition Center March 10, 2023
Nagoya 64 Nagoya Congress Center March 24, 2024
Kansai (Osaka) 70 INTEX Osaka May 12, 2024[10]
Tokyo 148 Tokyo Big Sight May 26, 2024[11]
Niigata 58 Niigata City Sangyo Shinko Center June 9, 2024[12]
Hokkaido 19 Sapporo Convention Center June 23, 2024[13]
Michinoku (Sendai) 12 Yume Messe Miyagi June 30, 2024[14]
Tokyo 149 Tokyo Big Sight August 18, 2024[11]
Nagoya 65 Nagoya Congress Center September 29, 2024[15]
Tokyo 150 Tokyo Big Sight November 17, 2024[11]

References

  1. ^ a b "コミティアの歴史". Natalie (in Japanese). September 4, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "地方コミティア". comitia.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  3. ^ "『日常』のあらゐけいいち描き下ろし作品を収録『コミティア魂 漫画と同人誌の40年』3/2発売。同人誌と漫画業界の歴史がこの一冊に". Famitsu (in Japanese). February 27, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  4. ^ Arawi, Keiichi [@himaraya] (March 3, 2012). "とりあえずコミティア１００に申し込んでみました" (Tweet). Retrieved March 25, 2024 – via Twitter.
  5. ^ "「命ある限り描き続ける」77歳でコミティアに挑戦した漫画家・新里堅進 沖縄戦を伝える唯一無二の存在感". TBS News (in Japanese). February 14, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  6. ^ @_barasui (October 17, 2024). "コミティア11/17出ます 東4 あ59a よろしくおねがいします" (Tweet). Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Twitter.
  7. ^ "For Visitors（コミティア英語案内）". comitia.co.jp. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  8. ^ "Doujinshi Convention Comitia to Return on November 23 After Successful Crowdfunding Campaign". Anime News Network. September 7, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  9. ^ Tolentino, Josh (August 16, 2020). "Japanese Doujin Festival Comitia Begins Crowdfunding to Survive to 2021". Siliconera. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  10. ^ "関西コミティア – 創作漫画同人誌即売会". k-comitia.com (in Japanese). Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c "開催スケジュール". comitia.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  12. ^ "新潟コミティア58". ガタケット (in Japanese). December 12, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  13. ^ "北海道COMITIA". エリシアンオフィス (in Japanese). Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  14. ^ "みちのくCOMITIA12". adv-kikaku.com (in Japanese). Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  15. ^ "名古屋コミティア". n-comitia.com (in Japanese). March 23, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2024.