The Comic Market (Comiket) 97 event in Tokyo drew about 190,000 people on its fourth day on Tuesday, December 31, bringing the total to 750,000 across all four days. As only the second time in its history that it ran for four days, the event broke its winter and all-time attendance records.
Comiket 95, the winter event in 2018, held the event’s previous winter record with 570,000 attendees over three days. Comiket 96, the summer event this year, held the event’s previous all-time record with 730,000 attendees over four days.
Comiket 97’s first day saw about 190,000 attendees on Saturday, the second day saw about 180,000 attendees on Sunday, and the third day drew about 190,000 attendees on Monday, December 30. Comiket does not have unique passes for visitors, so a person who attends all four days would be counted four times.
The Comiket 94 event (held across only three days) attracted about 530,000 attendees in August 2018, and Comiket 93 (also held across three days) attracted about 550,000 attendees in December 2017. The third-day of Comiket 94 attracted 210,000 attendees, tying the all-time one-day attendance record.
Comiket 96 and 97 both expanded to a record four days. Both times, the event was also held across two locations, separated by a 15-minute walk. The organizers of the event have implemented a policy for Comiket 96 and 97 where attendees must purchase a wristband for 500 yen (about US$4.60) or buy the event’s catalog (with wristbands included) to be able to attend the event each day. The wristband color changes daily.
Comiket 98 will run during Golden Week from May 2 to May 5 in 2020 instead of the usual August. The event’s usual Tokyo Big Sight venue will serve as the main press center and international broadcasting center for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics from July 24 to August 9, 2020.
Source: The Mainichi Shimbun’s Mantan Web