Comic Market 108 Attracts 260,000 Visitors Over Two Days

Comiket 108, held recently, drew around 260,000 attendees across its two-day run. The event featured approximately 23,000 regular exhibiting spaces, a slight decrease of 700 from the previous Comiket 107. However, the corporate exhibition area saw a record-breaking 121 companies participating, highlighting the event's growing commercial appeal. ## Attendance Trends and Exhibitor Spaces Attendance at Comiket has fluctuated over the years. Comiket 107, held in December, attracted about 300,000 people, with roughly 150,000 attendees each day. In contrast, Comiket 106 in August saw around 250,000 visitors, with 120,000 on the first day and 130,000 on the second. The number of exhibiting spaces has also varied, with Comiket 106 having about 22,700 spaces, a decline of 6,000 from Comiket 105. ## Anniversary Celebrations and Historical Context 2025 marks Comiket's 50th anniversary, and the period between Comiket 106 and Comiket 108 is designated as the "anniversary year," featuring commemorative projects. Comiket 105, held in December 2024, was notable as the first winter Comiket in a decade not held on New Year's Eve, drawing about 300,000 attendees. The event's history includes significant milestones, such as the first Comiket in December 1975, which had an estimated 700 attendees and 32 exhibiting circles. Over the years, Comiket has moved to various venues, including Tokyo's Harumi area and Chiba's Makuhari Messe, before settling at its current location, Tokyo Big Sight, for Comiket 50 in 1996. The one-day attendance record stands at 210,000, set at Comiket 93 in December 2017. ## Impact of COVID-19 and Recent Events The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected Comiket's attendance. Comiket 99 in December 2021 had about 110,000 attendees, while Comiket 100 in August 2022 saw 170,000, with daily attendance limited to 85,000. Comiket 101 in December 2022 had 180,000 attendees, with a daily limit of 90,000. Comiket 102 in August 2023 lifted most admission restrictions, except for venue capacity limits. Comiket 103 in December 2023 drew about 270,000 attendees, with 140,000 on the first day and 130,000 on the second. Comiket 104 in August 2024 had around 260,000 attendees, with approximately 130,000 each day. The last pre-pandemic Comiket, Comiket 97, attracted 750,000 attendees across four days, with daily attendance ranging between 180,000 and 190,000.