Interest
Upset Fans Get Type-Moon Creators to Change Their Comiket Plans
posted on by Richard Eisenbeis
Kinoko Nasu and Takashi Takeuchi may be the founders of Type-Moon and creators of the Fate/stay night franchise, but they still have their own little doujinshi-making group called the “BAMBOO BROOM.” On Sunday, they planned to have a table at Comiket and sell three books comprising of miscellaneous artwork and production materials. The first two, “Katadzuki Kōhon” (Type-Moon Manuscript) and “Avalon le Fae Synopsys” are sold online as well.
However, the group's Twitter account announced last Wednesday that the third book, “Kaleido works,” would be distributed only at the convention. An online firestorm ensued.
The reason for this sudden backlash is that Japan is currently in the middle of its biggest COVID-19 outbreak yet. And given that Comiket is infamous for its crowds, fans are less likely to risk going to the event. So, of course, many fans that would normally be able to go and pick up the books aren't able to purchase one.
竹箒のレベルで会場限定やったら阿鼻叫喚じゃね？いや、手に入らないのは仕方ないから、私は諦めてるし、他の2冊通販機会くれるって言うので当然チャレンジはするけど、コロナ禍でそこまで人集めて大丈夫か？…怖っ！＞RT
— りょく (@ryoku_tl) August 3, 2022
After the announcement, many people called for the third book to be sold online as well—even if at a greater price—because people could literally die going to pick it up in person.
これ会場限定なんてしたら、コミケチケット持ちはコロナ陽性でも行ってしまうやろ。待機列で密集してコロナ感染拡大で阿鼻叫喚。こんなことになれば竹箒とコミケ準備会は責任とるんやろな？
— ミスターYOU斬 (@shineya5648) August 3, 2022
Meanwhile, others felt that it was highly irresponsible for a convention-only book to be sold at all due to the fear that some die-hard Type-Moon fans would line up for the book even if they had tested positive for COVID.
【8/5ご連絡③】
— サークル竹箒 C100 【告知用】 8/14(日) 東・シ64 (@takebouki_c100) August 5, 2022
『Kaleido works』
コミックマーケット100開催後に、一部内容を変更して本書のPDFデータを期間限定で公開する予定です。
こちらも詳細決まり次第告知いたします。
Luckily, as a result of the backlash, BAMBOO BROOM announced two days later that an edited version of “Kaleido works” will be released online as a PDF for a limited time sometime after Comiket.
The world's biggest comic convention is still struggling to adjust to COVID health restrictions. Comiket 99, which was held in December 30-31, was the first Comiket to be held in-person in two years. The event was originally planned for winter 2020, but was delayed to the Golden Week holidays in 2021 (which took place in April and May) due to the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation, and scheduling issues considering Tokyo Big Sight's East Exhibition hall would remain unavailable until fall 2021 due to the Olympics. However, the Comic Market Committee postponed the event again in March due to COVID-19.
Comiket 99 required attendees to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test, and offered passes by random drawing, due to restrictions in attendance numbers.
The last in-person Comic Market event was Comic Market 97 in December 2019, which attracted a record 750,000 attendees across four days.
Japan reported 253,392 new COVID cases last Friday.
[Via Yaraon]
