Cosplayers act out a battle scene from “Thor: Ragnarok” during Tokyo Comic Con at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo, Nov. 25, 2022. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
Get ready to cosplay your favorite character while rubbing elbows with the stars of “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter” and Marvel’s “Avengers” at this year’s Tokyo Comic Con.
The convention is taking place Dec. 8-10 at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo. As many as 80,000 people are expected, Tokyo Comic Con president Mitsuaki Munegumi told Stars and Stripes by video call on Nov. 14. About 67,000 people attended last year.
Celebrities gather for Tokyo Comic Con's opening ceremony at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo, Nov. 25, 2022. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
The list of celebrity guests this year includes 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.
They’ll be joined by Mads Mikkelsen, who played Hannibal Lector in the “Hannibal” TV series; Mackenyu, who portrays Roronoa Zoro in the live-action show “One Piece”; and Temuera Morrison and Daniel Logan, who both played Boba Fett in the “The Book of Boba Fett” miniseries.
A statue of Poison Ivy from "Batman" is on display during Tokyo Comic Con at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo, Nov. 25, 2022. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
Screen-used memorabilia on display will include “Titanic” costumes worn by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet and “Star Wars” lightsabers and TIE fighters.
“You can take a picture with the movie props and backdrops, so it will be an interesting experience for our audience,” Munegumi said.
General admission tickets per day are 4,400 yen, or about $30, for adults and 2,500 yen for high school students. Admission to celebrity panel discussions is free, but there’s a charge for autographs and photographs. For example, Benedict Cumberbatch is 33,000 yen, or about $224.
A DeLorean time machine from "Back to the Future" is on display during Tokyo Comic Con at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo, Nov. 25, 2022. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
Celebrities, including Christopher Lloyd from "Back to the Future," gather for Tokyo Comic Con's opening ceremony at the Makuhari Messe convention center, Nov. 25, 2022. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
Comic Con started out in 1970 as Golden State Comic Book Convention, organized by comic book enthusiast Shel Dorf and a group of San Diegans, according to the Tokyo Comic Con website.
Munegumi staged the progenitor of Tokyo Comic Con in 1998 when he brought David Prowse, who portrayed Darth Vader in costume in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, to the Hollywood Prop Museum in the Tokyo Tower. James Earl Jones did the voiceover that audiences associate with Vader.
Prior to Prowse’s appearance, Munegumi had been putting on photo and autograph sessions with celebrities for decades, he said.
“As one of the fans of movie stars, that’s why I wanted to do this,” he told Stars and Stripes last year.
A tribute to Stan Lee at Tokyo Comic Con at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba, east of central Tokyo, Nov. 25, 2022. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
Starting in 2000, Munegumi booked small hotels, ballrooms and other small convention halls as demand grew for a bigger venue to hold celebrity signings and meet-and-greets.
The first Tokyo Comic Con opened its doors in December 2016 at the Makuhari Messe.
“Tokyo Comic Con is my child,” Munegumi said.
Tokyo Comic Con
Directions: About a 12-minute walk from the east exist of Kaihimmakuhari Station.
Times: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday.
Costs: General admission tickets per day are 4,400 yen, or about $30, for adults and 2,500 yen for high school students. Admission to celebrity panel discussions is free but there’s a charge for autographs and photographs. Ticket’s available on the event’s website.
Food: A food court will offer a variety of dishes, from sushi and ramen to gourmet hot dogs and steaks.
Information: tokyocomiccon.jp/en
