Comiket 81 report day 1

6:30am and theres already too many people. This is the exit of the Rinkai Line Kokusai Tenjijo station which has a much earlier start time than any of the other lines thus causing it to be the choice for early starters.

Sun is still rising and we see crowds of at least 30-40k people waiting in the cold. Today would be between 2-9 degrees celcius with slight winds. These winds of course are multiplied due to the tunnel effects of buildings and lack of trees to block wind. We are also right near the water.

I wanna go into the top part sometime. would be cool to take pics from there.

around 7:10am and we have rushes going to and from their lines, going to the bathroom as well as nearby convenience stores to stock up and get something warm. Lines will start moving at around 8-9am depending on where you are in the line.

Lines stretch out to the side and across the road. We also have a blue itasha in the foreground

In front we have the lines at the bottom of the stairs. Train station in the distance. Behind me is another mass of people stretching over the pedestrian bridge which is at least the width of a 5 lane highway with more people in the square before the entrance to East and West halls.

I am here now at the Press Pass lines around 9am where theres already a bunch of Press people in line (20) and this is a shot of the East West Passage. This passage will be passed by almost everyone in the convention. For me I passed this about 4-5 times a day. Considering the amount of people that attend, you could say over the 3 days 2million + persons passed over this. As a Civil Engineer, its amazing how used this thing is and the fatigue stresses it will receive in its life cycle.

Intersection near the bits between East and West halls. Yurikamome Monorail line high above with many freight trucks going through. I believe its one of the best ways to get from Kawasaki and south west Tokyo, over to Chiba. There is underground tunnels but that costs.

Entry for Press on the left. Circle participants who sell their art works in the middle and Company booth staff people on the right.
Entry to Circle staff are restricted beyond 9am. So best get there before 9am =)

Initial Rush. Time is 10am and these people have been waiting a LOOOONG time for what they want to buy. They're itching to pass through but Comiket staff value safety much higher and prevent people from rushing down escalators. There will be runners though.

There are about 8 of these points that attendees will be flowing down from, and so you can imagine the amount of people needed as volunteers. In the foreground is a bunch of American dudes whos gonna do interviews with people.

People rush through to the other side of the hall into the light at the end for some long queues. You cannot resist the flow of people and 1 wrong step and u will be trampled on. After the mass passes u can see the litter of debris behind.

Meanwhile i will be heading towards West halls 3 and 4 to see the Company Booths. These folks are heading down for East halls where I started. On the left u can see the kanji for East and #1

The east west passage way. It looks quite empty now but later this gets a crowd and it is non stop the whole day.

This stairway is the main way into the West 3.4 halls where the company booths are. First day is big for company booths and the usual Cosplay area is converted into a space just for lining up the people.

Getting up the stairs is an ordeal

Have to fit all these people up the stairs

At the top of the stairs you get this. more lines, however these are split into the lines for the individual stalls for each company.

Inside West hall 3.4 where the company booths are. Its difficult to walk around here without being pushed on. Gotta keep the traffic flowing. Every now and then you will get a block of people that were waiting outside to come in and line up directly in front of the booths themselves. You can only fit so many people in front of your booth.

Promo girl. The thing she's holding up says Renai Kinshi. Love Relationships NOT Allowed.

She was promoting this stall, Media Factory.

Not sure what this Mecha is from, feel free to tag

Bushiroad Stall. Split into Milky Holmes and Vanguard.
This day they pre-sold some new booster sets that are due to release on the 14th of January. Long long lines for this one.

Bushiroad Staff. Sorry for blurry picture, the other one i took is better but i'm in it :P

Shana at the Rondo Robe booth.

Kadokawa Shoten, who has a load of Strike Witches stuff

Twin Angels booth

Broccoli, making stuff for various animes not just their own Galgames

Aniplex and their sexy screen. They are marketing Guilty Crown mainly

One of the biggest booths there in terms of line up time. Dog Days and Nanoha Movie 2. A friend lined up for Nanoha for 5hours, which is 10am to 3pm with no avail. He was there early too

Quite a clean looking Type Moon booth. They had lines all day

Palette and Pixiv. Palette was sold out quite quickly

Guilty Crown booth in itself. loads of people

August booth with the promo for a new game?

Super Sonico at the Nitro+ booth

Melon books and Gift

DC3 booth

This is their Gachapon corner. People going at it all day

Mio Azusa Shower Curtain, Toaru series Tapestry/Wall Scroll, and.... another shower curtain, looks like Boku wa Tomodachi ga sukunai?

Lots of people at K-books. not sure what they're selling though

She looks just like the character she's cosplaying as. Nice choice of character

3D postcards for free, given by her

Visual Arts booth, Long long lines nonstop all day.

Some posters along the path out. Ero games i think

New anime!

Milky Holmes 2 poster

about 11am and people are still coming in.

At about 12 or 13 oclock, crowd control for in and out of venue is ceased.

Going back to East

Shot of East hall. First day is marketed for Females, with the BL and stuff

Outside area where lines are formed. Theres some space here but earlier on this would be lines

Managed to catch up with Bushiroad CEO Kidani-san
was great meeting you.

Going home now. I might not write about 3rd day. i didn't come 2nd day at all.

Crowd back home