In the previous article, I wrote about prepping to attend a comic convention – specifically on attending Comic City; in this article, I will go into detail about the actual event I attended – Comic City Osaka 77 (henceforth as CC Osaka) – along with hints and tips about what to do on the day of the event.

It was a first in a while for me to attend an event of this sort, let alone the first time for me to attend one at the beginning of a year. I debated as to whether I wanted to get there bright and early in the morning from the start, or to go later in the day when it is slightly less busier – I ended up choosing the former.
The venue for CC Osaka is Intex Osaka; I was expecting to get to the venue from the nearest station – Nakafutō Station for New Tram, so I, as I’ve always done in the past, got off at Cosmosquare Station to transfer to the New Tram, till I noticed some signs posted at the station. As it turned out, attendees were advised to walk from Cosmosquare Station (instead of Nakafutō Station) – this was a measure taken by the station (and transit system) for crowd control.
I have to admit this was somewhat unexpected at first, though it became clear why it’s necessary after seeing the amount of people inside the station and in the train.

I arrived at the venue a bit before 9am, yet there were an astounding number of people waiting to enter the venue.
Intex Osaka consists of 6 sections (section 6 is further divided into 4 sub-sections), of which section 1 was used for line-ups standing by for entry into the venue, and the rest were all used for booths for artist circles. Circles were allocated to a section according to their main genre of work.
In all areas of the venue, there was music played in the background, ranging from J-pop to anime tunes. While waiting, many attendees were checking their pamphlets and marking the circles they are interested (and sure enough, I was doing the same).

The pamphlet contains a map of the venue and an index of participating circles. There are two types of indexes – one is a list of circles in alphabetical order with corresponding booth locations, and the other is a list of circles categorized by genre accompanied by a “circle cut” (small sample of their work). You would want to use the alphabetical list if you know exactly which circle you want to see, and you would want to use the index with the circle cuts if you just have a generic idea of what genre you are interested.
Here’s a sample of the venue map:

As you can see, you can detach the map from the pamphlet, though keep in mind that the map will not serve as a substitute for an entry pass – in other words, you are still required to be in possession of the actual pamphlet in order to enter the venue. That said, make sure not to discard the pamphlet after detaching the map if you haven’t officially entered the event venue (and no, being in line to enter does not count as “being in the venue”.)

The event opens at 10:30am, yet due to the amount of people, it took me until around 11am to enter the venue.
After entering the venue, it really depends on each person where to go first. If you are with a group of people, you would naturally want to “split the workload” by assigning each person to a section – this would definitely increase the chances of being able to acquire the merchandise you want. This CC Osaka, given that it was the first event of the kind of the year, was especially large-scale, which meant that the more genres/series you are interested in, the more you had to run around all over the venue.
As there would be no way to split the workload when you are at an event on your own, you would have to simply set your priorities in that case. Keep in mind that those circles that are positioned along the wall tend to be the “big-name” circles – if they are the kind you are aiming for, be prepared to wait in line for a while.
As well, events that expect to have a large number of attendees tend to have some traffic regulations (such as one-ways) within the venue – it would be a wise idea to check such regulations on the venue map in the pamphlet while waiting to enter the venue.
For this particular event, there were some traffic regulations around the escalators, creating some one-way paths and detours to get to Section 6C and 6D. While I was planning ahead about how to get to those sections, it wasn’t until after I got to the escalators that I got a clear grasp of the traffic regulation.

As far as convention etiquette is concerned, most of it is common sense, though I do want to mention a few things.
When you want to look a their samples, give the artists some acknowledgement by saying a few words such as “May I?” (in Japanese it would be “ii-desuka?”) before looking, and “Thank you” after looking. It does become somewhat awkward just looking at samples without saying anything.
Another thing to watch for is payment. Do not *ever* use large bills (5000 or 10000yen) for payment, especially not at the beginning of the event in the morning. For big-name circles, it does not become as much of an issue, but if you start using such large bills toward the beginning of the event, circles will be running low on change and it will severely inconvenience them. To avoid needless trouble, it is best to prepare small change in advance.

Given it was the first event in a while for me, I felt somewhat inclined to ask for a sketch from one of the artists.
Some artists are willing to do on-the-spot sketches (and they will likely have a sign of some sort at their booth if that’s the case). Attendees would bring their own sketchbooks for artists to draw something.
However, keep in mind that the artists will be multitasking and have a limited number of sketches they can do.
It is definitely a great way for attendees to interact with the artists, so I would recommend asking for sketches if you have a chance.
If you do not have a sketchbook with you, the vendors inside the venue usually carry some for this very purpose.
When asking for a sketch, be respectful and don’t feel offended if the artists are unable to fulfill your request. If an artist does agree to do a sketch for you, do show your appreciation, and don’t forget to pick up your sketchbook before the end of the event.
As well, keep in mind that artists are doing sketches as a favor – don’t make requests for something complicated (difficult pose, asking for multiple characters in the sketch) – chances are, you are not the only one who are getting sketches done.

For the most part, I got to do everything I intended on doing, from buying most of the books I wanted to getting a sketch done by one of the artists I really like.
Overall, it was a great experience and it was honestly worth going.
I do realize this is not much of an objective report on the event, but hopefully these past two articles gave you some idea of what to expect out of a Japanese comic convention.

As some people may know, I was back in Japan for New Years, and I was lucky enough that a comic convention in my somewhat local area was happening during my stay.
While I realize this event is from a while ago, I thought it may be worthwhile to write on this, especially for those folks who are interested in attending events of this sort in the future. This article will cover some general information about Japanese comic conventions, along with my personal experiences.
I will have to admit that I personally am not as well-experienced in attending these events, so the article is geared more or less towards “beginners”, though anyone is welcome to read on.

So what *is* Comic City?
Comic City is a comic convention hosted by Aka-BooBoo Tsūshinsha, and is often abbreviated as City or CC. It is held numerous times over the course of the year in either Tokyo, Osaka, or Fukuoka.
This article will be focusing on CC Osaka 77, held on January 10, 2010.

Before going to CC
The amount of preparation you can do for a comic convention depends on the event, but here are some things that you can do in advance for most conventions:
- Checking for circles – “Circles” or artist groups often have information on their website if they intend to participate in an upcoming event. If you have a certain series/genre in mind, you can easily search online for potential circles that you can visit. It would be wise to jot down which booth they will be located.
- Checking weather conditions – Most of the time, you can expect to wait in line to enter the venue, and such lines may extend and/or be located outdoors depending on the event. Always check the weather forecast, and dress accordingly. It never hurts to prepare raingear, extra layers of cloths, and liquids (to prevent dehydration).
- Checking traffic conditions – Given that these events usually attract a very large number of people, it is expected that public transit will be extremely busy and crowded. If this is your first time attending a particular venue, you would want to make sure to check transfer points and times. Often times, train stations may also take security/crowd control measures, so it may help to check your local transits’ websites for notices. Depending on which forms of transportations you plan to take, it may help to use IC cards or prepaid fare to avoid line-ups at the ticket vendors.

Given that CC Osaka 77 was the first event of its kind this year, and that it is one of the larger CCs, pamphlets (to be explained later) for this event was sold in advance. Of course, it is possible to purchase them at the venue, yet purchasing them in advance would give you more time to look over which circles are participating at the event, and would also give you an idea of the venue structure. I personally would recommend advance purchase.
However, I do have to admit I am usually the kind who ends up not doing much with the pamphlet until I get to the venue, and kill time looking at the pamphlet while waiting in line.

Things to bring
While these are items I personally prepare, I believe these are standard items that most people would bring to the event.

Starting with the “must-have”s:
- Pamphlet – For most events, this serves as an entry pass for regular attendees. Prices will vary depending on the event. They contain information regarding the venue, participating circles, and general event guidelines. I will go into more detail on this later.
- Small change – The more the better! If you are going to be at the event from the start (ie. in the morning), it is best to carry 100, 500, and/or 1000yen since circles will likely not have as much change at the beginning. Keep in mind that this is a convention where the artists are mostly amateurs, don’t expect them to be like a store where they can easily break your 10000yen bills!
- Liquids – For hydration (and in some cases, sugar). Regardless of what time of the year the event is happening, you do not want to be in a state of dehydration – it will not hurt to keep a bottle of water or tea in your bag. However, don’t overload yourself with liquids as restrooms tend to be extremely crowded throughout the event.
- Large durable bag – Needless to say, this is for carrying your acquisitions. My recommendation would be to use something like a tote bag – yes, it will potentially put a lot of weight on your shoulder, but the pain will only last for less than a day, and if you are that concerned about damaging your shoulder, just don’t buy that much! On the contrary, I do not recommend using those small suitcases with wheels. Yes, it may make it easier for you to carry your heavy books, but keep in mind that it can potentially block traffic (especially in front of stairs!), and it may be difficult to maneuver in the crowd. If you must use one of those, keep in mind you may end up constantly bumping into more people than you need, or being cussed at by a large number of people.

Other items that come in handy:
- Portable gaming devices – These especially come in handy if you plan to attend from the start of the event. You will be grateful to have one of these once you are finished browsing through the pamphlet about a hundred times and still have time to kill.
- Writing utensils – More specifically, highlighters. These come in handy when you are marking down which circles you want to check out.
- Sketchbook (more on this in part 2 or the article)
I realize I have listed quite a few items, though you will want to keep the amount of things to bring to a minimum – again, keep in mind that you are entering an extremely crowded venue.

Pamphlets
Personally, when I heard the word “pamphlet”, I had the impression they would be thin, 1-page things, but that impression has been completely shattered after attending my first CC.
“Pamphlets” for comic conventions tend to have at least a few hundred pages, and thus end up being rather thick and heavy.
You don’t believe me? See for yourself:

I know I’m using a rather old pamphlet in comparison, but in the photo are 2 pamphlets – one from Day 1 of Super Comic City Osaka 12 back in 2006 (on the top), and the other from Comic City Osaka 77 (on the bottom). I’m sure you can tell how thick they are by comparing it to the board from that video game system.
In terms of event intensity, both SCC Osaka 12 and CC Osaka 77 are about the same; however, the former extended for 2 days but with a smaller venue, and the pamphlet in the photo was only for the first day, which explains why the pamphlet is slightly thinner.
The thickness of the pamphlet somewhat reflects the size/intensity of the event, so you can expect the Comic Market (Comiket) pamphlets to be rather thick (and consequently heavy).

That’s about it for prepping for the event, the following article will cover things that go on during the actual event.

Sorry, this entry is only available in 日本語.

Sorry, this entry is only available in 日本語.

Sorry, this entry is only available in 日本語.

On August 21, I went to the “The DNA of Sunday/Magazine” Exhibit held at the Kawasaki City Museum.
This was a special exhibit held to commemorate the 50th anniversaries of Weekly Shonen Sunday and Weekly Shonen Magazine. With full support of Shogakukan (for Sunday) and Kodansha (for Magazine), the exhibit displayed works by the top artists that represent each magazine. I believe it was as valuable an exhibit as the “Shojo Manga Power” Exhibit which was held before. (especially given the rareness of an opportunity to see close-ups of hand-drawn manuscripts – of which you can even see how the artist scraped or layered screentones)

After purchasing a ticket at the entrance and entering the exhibit, the hallway was decorated with artworks from both Sunday and Magazine, dating from its very first volume to the present. Unlike a simple timeline with dates and names of works, it contained images of main characters from each of the works.
It was exciting to see characters from back in the days. I think it was very well done.

The next area after passing through the timeline hallway is the main exhibit space.
First, I was greeted by 2 autographed statues (shaped like a G-pen), 1 from each magazine. Most of the autographs were indecipherable, though it became clear who it was written by from the illustration drawn by it or the characters incorporated in the autograph – I suppose this is something to expect from a manga artist.

The exhibit was comprised of 4 sections:
- manuscript displays along the walls
- a timeline denoting notable manga works and popular items from the corresponding time period, along with a display of character goods and other related items, which loosely surrounded the center area
- the center area containing a display panel with a commentary on Sunday and Magazine by Fusanosuke Natsume (organizer of this exhibit), and a lineage tree of different genres shaped like a DNA model.
- close to the exit was a space containing the history of interactions between the Tokiwa-so group and the editors, Rumiko Takahashi and Mitsuru Adachi’s favorite items and notebooks containing their ideas, and display panels explaining both Sunday and Magazine‘s chief editors’ work style

It seemed as though these section did not have as much correlation among each other. The valuable manuscripts, materials giving background information of each era, and items which reminisce the artist’s workspace all provide excellent resources, and for such kind of an exhibit it was very interesting and remarkable, though the connection between each section seemed somewhat weak. Specifically, the manuscript display could have had a bit more of a twist.

The items were displayed in a rather basic method of arranging notable works in a chronological order. The captions lacked information, and without prior knowledge, it may be difficult for some to understand the correlation among works. Personally, I would have liked to see the manuscripts along with the DNA model in the center area, as it would have been easier to understand the display. It was too bad they were a bit far from each other.

Another note about the caption: it would have been nicer if it indicated what materials were used to produce the manuscripts (eg. copic, color ink, CG), especially for the colored illustrations. This might be a demand likely coming from the otaku population, but the techniques and the tools used to produce manga is something specific to the Japanese, and I’m sure many of the audience are interested in finding out how their idol manga artists draw their manga, so it was somewhat disappointing to see that such information was lacking.

I’ve been listing all the points of criticism thus far, but personally, I was quite content to have been able to see the original manuscripts up close. For the artists who do everything on paper, it was especially nice to see techniques such as touched-up details and traces of cutting and pasting.

Going into a bit of detail with regards to manuscripts, I’d like to make a note about the treatment of digital manuscripts as a display item. For this exhibit, they were printed on paper, autographed by the artists, and was put on display. Since the manga media is meant to be reproduced, giving authorization on the basis of displaying at a museum or an art gallery is a rather difficult issue. An “original” manuscript, may be perceived as a one-and-only piece of item, given how they may contain materials that would not appear in the reproduction, such as specific instructions for printing or traces of correction. For a paper-based manuscript, it would not be difficult to claim that it is a one-and-only type of item. However, for a digital-based manuscript, it can be replicated or printed as many times as needed. This then brings the issue of whether if it is worthy of display. For this particular exhibit, such issue is resolved through the process of autographing, though it would be interesting to see how facilities that intend to specialize in storing/displaying manga would go about preserving the authenticity of these manuscripts.

Overall, the fact that such a large volume of manuscripts can be observed in one place seems to be highest point of this exhibit. Even if they had to be limited to the notable works, it is rare to be able to experience visually the 50 years of history–the changes in the artistic style which reflect the audience’s preference, the changes in theme, and the sophistication of style–of the two major manga magazines, Sunday and Magazine.

It appears that they’ll later be moving to Kyoto, so for those living in the Kansai area, this might be worth viewing.