Stuffed Creativity and Fantasy in One Book!! The Market of “Doujinshi” is The Energy of Otaku Communication!

| Anime | Posted by Maririn on Feb.10.2016

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From the big expanding of Comic Market, many otaku might understand the vocabulary “doujinshi“; and at the same time, some might have mistaken this word wrong in meaning. What is doujinshi? How does it differ from normal manga or magazines? Can anybody make one and sell it? All of your questions about doujinshi are answered in this article!!

Gintoki from “Gintama” holding BL Doujinshi

Since there are erotic depiction and theme in many doujinshi, some people grasp the meaning of doujinshi a little bit different from the usual meaning. Doujinshi is a coterie magazine sold directly for and made by otaku. There are many otaku creators who wants to sell and share their magazine, which is a reflection of their imagination. “Doujinshi” is derived from “doujin” which means a person or persons with whom one shares a common interest, and “shi” that means magazine or publication. So, it doesn’t necessary mean adult comic or magazine, and since there are many genres, it is difficult to categorize doujinshi; which is the same of no restrictions in what you want to write. Basically, any people can sell or buy doujinshi at the Comic Market or Only Events. However, there is a rule, due to the system, that people who can join has to have an address in Japan.

Doujinshi is now recognizable as manga or anime themed coterie magazines that is mainly in manga form, but this is just one category. Not only anime or manga genres, but also there are coterie magazines about railroad or sports!! The context of the magazine can be any kind too; even recipe books are on sale.

【本館/4F】コミケ82でufotableより頒布の『Fate/Zero Cafe レシピ本』入荷デス！今までカフェで出したメニューをレシピブックとして1冊にまとめた内容となっておりマス！また歴代コースターイラストなども収録！！ pic.twitter.com/6o2aLDTYSr

— らしんばん秋葉原店本館@中古買取販売 (@lashin_akiba) January 30, 2016

This one is from TYPE-MOON, which is a game company that has incorporated and produced the popular visual novel Fate/stay night series.

Buying Doujinshi

Comic Market Scene from “Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata”

Depending on the sale and popularity of the creator, doujinshi is sometimes available at book or manga stores, such as Animate, Tora no Ana, or Melon Books too. Also, there are events that sell doujinshi throughout the year which is not as big as Comic Market, but specifically grouped in genres, which is called “only events“. For example, if one favors Osomatsu-san, we recommend to visit several events that only sell Osomatsu-san doujinshi.

Selling Doujinshi

YuruYuri Characters Selling Doujinshi at Comic Market

If you have a strong interest in selling doujinshi at particular events, you might want to start off with events nearby. As we mentioned earlier in this article, events in Japan need a Japanese address because of the system. However, doujinshi events are found in many countries now! Japan Expo, held in France, also have exhibitors who sell anime goods, of course doujinshi too! Even though there is no events around you, create one and promote using SNS. There are illustrators who sell their manga or illustrations online that connects to popularity and creating fans.

#C89 #冬コミ［いよいよ明日！］サークルMayoRiyoで参加いたします(((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))#ボカロ #初音ミクさんイラスト集のほか、歴代イラスト集表紙ポストカード（トレカ形式）の頒布を予定しております♪東カ16 pic.twitter.com/QYbVYmtGnl

— MayoRiyo (@MayoRiyo) December 30, 2015

Relatively, most of the illustrators have pixiv or Twitter account. Pixiv is an online art communication service that connects artists with other artists and enthusiasts, and allows you to submit or rate artworks. Twitter also lets the illustrators throw random artworks that they have drawn and get back feed backs quickly from other users.

How to submit to the event is hard to explain in this article, because it is totally different depending on the event. However, if you want to create a doujinshi, you might want to decide the range of the cost, quality, and the number of works. There are two ways of how to print: One is offset printing and second is copy printing.

1. Offset Printing/Book
Offset printing is a way to create doujinshi by ordering to printing company which costs in money, but makes your doujinshi in high quality. It might be a quality that you might want for your doujinshi to be. If you seek a good sale on your doujinshi, you might want to print out more than 100 prints that might be hard to print on your own. In this case, we offer ordering to the printing company. Even though you are worried about the price, you can adjust with options, such as printing in color or not.

2. Copy Printing/Book
Copy printing is simply printing the book by yourself which is low in price, and at the same time low in quality. You create your book by stapling, so if your book is too thick, you might want to check out offset printing instead. However, there is no restriction that offset printing have from the printing company, so it might be easier and interesting for creators.

Doujnshi is one necessary communication tool for otaku to share their favorite genre and enthusiasm toward it. We want this communication to widen not just in Japan, but everywhere in the world.

RELATED LINKS
Comic Market Official Site (For Foreign Visitors): http://www.comiket.co.jp/info-a/TAFO/C89TAFO/cmkfor.html