Doujinshi convention

Comic Frontier, a doujinshi convention held in Jakarta, Indonesia

A doujinshi sokubaikai (Japanese: 同人誌即売会) is a type of event dedicated to the sale of doujinshi, or self-published works. Thousands of sokubaikai take place in Japan every year, but some are also held in other East Asian countries, and sometimes outside that region as well.

Summary[]

Doujinshi conventions are one of the most important distribution channels of doujinshi.^[1] Most are small-scale occasions with perhaps a few hundred participating circles, but the larger ones can attract tens or hundreds of thousands of participants, making them important public events in Japan. Comiket, the largest of all doujinshi conventions, attracts 35,000 sellers and over half a million individual visits during each of its biannual editions.^[2] Most conventions are organized by the amateur creators themselves, and most focus on the sale of doujinshi that are fanworks.

Different kinds of conventions[]

There are doujinshi conventions in many different sizes, on different schedules, and with a different focus. Many are recurring events, held yearly, twice yearly, quarterly, or even monthly. Many large conventions are "all genres" (オールジャンル, ooru janru), meaning that they are multi-fandom events that welcome creators from all possible fandoms or "genres". Comiket and Niigata Comic Market are examples. Some doujinshi conventions welcome cosplay activity as well.

The focus of smaller conventions is often narrower, and smaller conventions are also more likely to be one-off events. Many smaller conventions are "only events" (オンリーイベント, onrii ibento, also called "only doujinshi markets" オンリー同人誌即売会, onrii dōjinshi sokubaikai). This means that they feature only doujinshi about one particular fandom, one particular character, or one particular pairing or fan trope.^[3] Many conventions feature not just fanworks but also original (創作, sōsaku, or also orijinaru) doujinshi.^[4] Some conventions focus entirely on original works, for instance , a long-running convention that attracts several thousand doujinshi circles with every edition.^[5] Sometimes a themed "only event" takes place within a larger convention, with the organizers of the "only event" reserving space and signage for their smaller event in a hall shared with other "only events" and often a larger umbrella event. These conventions-within-conventions are also called "petit only" (プチオンリー, "puchi onrii"). They can focus on the same themes as the "only events" that occur outside of a larger convention.

How it works[]

Doujinshi circles during Comic Frontier 11

Months before the convention, organizers begin soliciting participants online and via flyers that are distributed at other conventions and in doujin shops. The pamphlets contain information about how many spaces are available for circles, how many cosplayers can apply, and so on. Interested circles and cosplayers can usually apply by filling in the form attached to the pamphlet, or by using an online application service like . Visitors to doujinshi conventions usually do not need to register either beforehand or upon arrival at the convention.

The main activity at doujinshi conventions is the sale of doujinshi, although some conventions include cosplay or other activities as well. Participating doujinshi circles sit at long rows of tables with their works displayed in front of them. They are usually grouped by fandom and sometimes also by the pairings on which their works focus, and visitors get or sometimes buy a convention catalog or flyer in which the location of every participating circle is indicated. Visitors move between the rows of tables, leaf through doujinshi that catch their eye, and buy them by paying the circles in cash.

Doujinshi circles during EOY 2012

Although the "for fans by fans" ethos among doujinshi conventions is strong, not everyone present at doujinshi conventions are fans or amateurs. In Comiket's 2004 summer edition, "5 percent of all circles participating in Comiket were headed by a professional manga artist or illustrator, while another 10 percent had some professional experience".^[6] Erotic game producers also allow artists to sell sketches as doujinshi.^[7] The larger conventions especially often allow some involvement of media companies. Many kinds of companies support doujinshi conventions through sponsorship, direct participation, or providing various necessary services. Comiket, for instance, has a "company area" where mostly media companies sell or give away goods and merchandise.^[8] Art supply companies and doujin printers also have booths at many of the larger conventions.^[9]

Examples[]

Some doujinshi conventions include:

• Comiket
• Niigata Comic Market
• Comic Frontier

In popular culture[]

• The manga and anime Genshiken has several scenes of characters taking part in a fictional doujinshi convention
• The manga and anime Dōjin Work has several scenes of characters taking part in a fictional doujinshi convention
• Doujinshi conventions are referenced in the manga Denkigai no Honya-san.

See also[]

• Doujin
• Doujin music
• Doujin soft

References[]

Further reading[]

• Ito, Mizuko, Daisuke Okabe, and Izumi Tsuji, eds. 2012. Fandom Unbound: Otaku Culture in a Connected World. Yale University Press.
• Lam, Fan-Yi (2010). "Comic Market: How the World's Biggest Amateur Comic Fair Shaped Japanese Dōjinshi Culture". Mechademia. 5: 232–48.
• Leavitt, Alex; Horbinski, Andrea (2012). "Even a Monkey Can Understand Fan Activism: Political Speech, Artistic Expression, and a Public of the Japanese Dojin Community". Transformative Works and Cultures. doi:10.3983/twc.2012.0321.