At the Comic Market Preparatory Meeting held on August 2nd, “Comic Market 99” (Comiket99) which has been postponed since the beginning of the pandemic back in 2020, announced that they aim to hold an event on December 30th and 31st at Tokyo Big Sight (East, West and South Exhibition Building).
The staff posted in Japanese and English the following statement:
New Schedule of Comic Market 99
Dates: December 30-31, 2021
Venue: Tokyo Big Sight, East, West and South Halls
举办延期的Comiket99,定位2021年12月30日至31日举行。
關於延期的Comiket99,將重新於2021年12月30日至31日舉行。
새로운 코믹마켓99는 2021년 12월 30~31일에 개최하게 되었습니다.
Following the cancelation of Comic Market 98 in May 2020, we had to repeatedly postpone Comic Market 99 from the original December 2020 and then from May 2021. While there have been significant restrictions for events due to the repeated State of Emergency Declarations and Focused Anti-infection Measures, several Doujinshi markets have been successfully held at Tokyo Big Sight since this May, attracting many circles and participants.
Last December, a coalition of Doujinshi events DOUJIN JAPAN 2020 has put together a guideline for Doujinshi events under COVID-19, reflecting advise from expert, the government’s Office for Novel Coronavirus Disease Control of the Cabinet Secretariat, the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Tokyo Big Sight. This guideline is targeting large-scale events, and multiple events following this guideline have been successfully held without causing any clusters of infections.
However, as of this writing, a State of Emergency Declaration is in effect in Tokyo with more than 4,000 positive cases are being reported per day, the worst spread so far. As the situation is still unpredictable, strong restrictions on events, such as upper limits on participants, continue to be in place.
Vaccination has proven successful already in multiple countries, reducing infections and hospitalization. Also in Japan, vaccination has progressed among the elderly, reducing the share of the elderly among the infected. However, vaccination is not yet immediately available to everybody, while Japanese government is seeking to complete vaccination to those wishing to be vaccinated by October to November. It has been reported that the current restrictions on number of participants of events could be relaxed by then.
The two-year interval without Comic Market due to COVID-19 has been a significant obstacle to Doujinshi-related activities of participants, and also for businesses in the field such as printing companies. During this time, we have been continuously trying to organize a “real” Doujinshi event, in order to maintain this ecosystem of Doujinshi creation, publishing and circulation. Since the postponing of Comic Marked 99 from May 2021, we have been discussing how to organize a safe Comic Market, in the post-Olympics Tokyo Big Sight.
While there still is a high degree of uncertainty, with infections again on the rise, we are today announcing our plans for Comic Market 99 in 2021 Winter, given the necessary time for preparations such as application by circles, looking at the effects of vaccination, and the increase in cases in recent weeks, we are trying to predict the situation a few months into the future. Therefore, we can’t deny the possibility of another postponing, in case that vaccination does not sufficiently improve the situation by the end of the year. However, if we don’t plan and start with preparations now, there will certainly be no Comic Market.
As before, when we planned Comic Market 99 (C99 hereafter) in May, we will again have to make sure to implement all necessary precautions against COVID-19, following the guideline. Therefore, we will most likely not be able to have a 200,000-participant-per-day event like before. Instead, we will have to restrict participation at the most to several tens of thousands per day. It can be, that not everybody wanting to participate can actually come to Comic Market, just like we do not have enough tables for all applying circles. We ask for your understanding for such a restricted Comic Market.
For those circles having applied to Comic Market 99 in May, your applications are still valid and have been automatically rescheduled for coming December. However, you will be able to adjust your application to reflect your current station. Please see the Japanese announcement for details Applicants to the Corporate Area will be contacted individually.
We are striving to uphold our goal to “accept the maximum number of participants possible without violating any laws and ordinances, while enforcing only a minimum set of rules needed for administrative purposes”. We are coordinating with experts, the authorities and the Big Sight to create a such “space” for the maximum number of participations given the circumstances. We ask for your understanding and cooperation.
Comic Market Committee Co-Representatives
Kaoru Yasuda, Yoshiyuki Fudetani, Koichi Ichikawa
Preventive measures
We will be adopting the preventive measures set out in the guideline for Doujinshi events and adjust the format of the event accordingly . The measures will be discussed in more detail once closer to the event. Depending on the restrictions on events placed by the national and local governments or the Tokyo Big Sight, the event might be reduced in scale, canceled or postponed. Updated information will be posted here.
Visiting participants
– As the maximum number of persons allowed inside the Tokyo Big Sight is very likely to be restricted, all participants will be required to purchase an entry pass beforehand. Due to the limited number of passes available, there will most likely be no passes available on-site and most likely be some kind of lottery- system for the allocation of passes.
– We will be creating a Web catalog of participating circles. A printed catalog is being considered, but there will be no DVD-ROM catalog.
Cosplay participants
– We are planning to provide Changing Rooms and Cosplay Areas, but the capacity of the Changing Rooms will have to be significantly reduced.
Corporate participants
– We will be contacting you individually
Participating circles
– Please see the Japanese announcement for details on updating your existing application or making a new application
– All circles must be contactable by e-mail, via the online registration platform Circle.ms
– There will be less tables, due to increased distances between tables and wider corridoes
– The number of chairs will be reduced to 1, and only 2 exhibitor passes will be issued per circle
– In case the event is postponed or canceled, the Comic Market Committee will try its best to return any fees, after the deduction of cost already incurred. However, depending on the timing, a significant amount of funds might already be spent and not be recoverable. Please note that refunds might be very difficult, especially after the rent of the venue has been paid.
Schedule for circles (online application)
August 2 Beginning of sale of printed applications forms (until August 12)
August 19 Start of new applications and updating of existing applications for May
August 25 Deadline for applications/updates by postal mail
August 26 Deadline for payment for online applications
August 27 Deadline for all online application/updates
Comic Market 99 has now been rescheduled for December 30-31, 2021 at the Tokyo Big Sight.
We will be annoucing more details on our homepage as they become available.
For more details, please see https://t.co/5jvaqQhFhv— コミックマーケット準備会 (@comiketofficial) August 2, 2021
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