Celebrities gather for Tokyo Comic Con’s opening ceremony at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo, Dec. 8, 2023. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
More than 85,000 people — a new attendance record for Tokyo Comic Con — flooded the three-day event this year at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center east of central Tokyo.
Organizers expected about 80,000 at the Dec. 8-10 gathering, Tokyo Comic Con president Mitsuaki Munegumi told Stars and Stripes by video call on Nov. 14. An estimated 67,000 people attended last year’s event.
Tokyo Comic Con crowds gather at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo, Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
“It’s been amazing,” Lance Cpl. Emma Della Maggiora, a range control fire desk operator at Combined Arms Training Center, Camp Fuji, told Stars and Stripes at the event on Sunday. “This is the first time I’ve ever been to any sort of cosplaying event.”
Della Maggiora, visiting from San Francisco, dressed up as Padme Amidala, a “Star Wars” character, and tracked down and talked to other “Stars Wars” cosplayers at the convention. She wore an official cosplayers badge required for attendees in costume. It cost 1,500 yen, or about $10.32 a day, to cosplay each day of the convention.
Marine Lance Cpl. Emma Della Maggiora, a range control fire desk operator stationed at Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, copslays as Padme Amidala from the “Star Wars” during Tokyo Comic Con at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo, Dec. 9, 2023. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
“It feels really official, wearing this badge,” she said with a smile. “I’ve been having the best day of my life since I was probably 6 years old.”
All the celebrities opened the convention at noon Dec. 8 with greetings and a kagami-birakiceremony, the act of opening sake barrels with a wooden mallet. Now a comic con tradition, the ceremony is meant to bring success to the event.
Actor Benedict Cumberbatch greets guests during Tokyo Comic Con's opening ceremony at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo, Dec. 8, 2023. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
This year’s convention featured appearances by Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston, who play Dr. Strange and Loki, respectively, in the “Avengers” franchise; Ewan McGregor, who portrayed a young Obi-wan Kenobi in the “Star Wars” prequels; Christopher Lloyd, Doc Brown in the “Back to the Future” trilogy; Natalia Tena, Tonks in the “Harry Potter” films; and Evangeline Lilly, Hope Pym in the “Ant-Man” movies.
“Hello, konnichiwa, thank you all for coming,” McGregor said as he waved to the audience.
Attendees had opportunities for photos and autographs and to attend panel discussions with their favorite actors, who answered questions submitted by fans on official websites.
Actors Tom Hiddleston and Ewan McGregor attend Tokyo Comic Con’s opening ceremony at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo, Dec. 8, 2023. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
“Playing Loki changed my life,” Hiddleston said during his panel Friday night. “The reason I have been able to play Loki for so long is because of everyone’s support. Loki is a god, but also complex, playful, charming and multi-faceted; I think his appeal is that he is very human.”
Another Comic Con first-timer, Petty Officer 2nd Class Vince Narvaez, said his shipmates dragged him along to the event. Narvaez, an instructor at Information Warfare Training Site Yokosuka, said he is new to Japan, and only three weeks in country.
“I’m really enjoying cosplaying,” said Narvaez, from Chula Vista, Calif. “It’s just the amount of effort that people put in costumes, I absolutely love. They should be costume designers or something with some of the specific costumes I’ve seen; it’s pretty crazy.”
A cosplayer dresses as a Laputian Robot Trooper from the Studio Ghibli film “Laputa: Castle in the Sky” during Tokyo Comic Con at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo, Dec. 10, 2023. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
At the convention, vendors sold anime-, TV- and movie-themed merchandise like jackets, T-shirts, keychains and towels from well-known productions like “Back to the Future,” “Jaws,” “E.T.” and “Star Wars.”
On the artist alley, guests could find autographs and custom drawings from comic book artists, including David Angelo Roman of “Rick and Morty,” Arthur Suydam of “The Walking Dead” and Alex Sinclair of “The Flash.”
Screen-used props from the 1984 film “Gremlins” are displayed during Tokyo Comic Con at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo, Dec. 9, 2023. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
“Star Wars” figurines on sale during Tokyo Comic Con at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo, Dec. 10, 2023. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
Movie memorabilia was also a big item at the convention, including the DeLorean from “Back to the Future Part II,” puppets used on “Gremlins,” Marilyn Monroe’s white dress from “The Seven Year Itch” and Robin’s suit from the 1960s show “Batman.”
