Held twice each year in Tokyo, Comiket is Japan’s largest gathering devoted to doujinshi: self-published manga, novels and magazines. The convention has attracted as many as 750,000 people, making it a major meeting point for creators, fans and cosplayers.
Attendance fell sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 event was cancelled after the summer and winter gatherings in 2019 drew 730,000 and 750,000 visitors respectively. The smaller 2021 conventions peaked at 170,000 attendees, before numbers began recovering with 300,000 visitors recorded in 2025. The 2026 event appeared set to continue that upward trend.
This gallery focuses mainly on anime and manga characters, while still including familiar game figures from League of Legends, Yakuza, Street Fighter, Fate/Grand Order, Honkai: Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero. For more gaming coverage, browse the RETROCADE arcade blog.
For readers who enjoy character-driven games and classic adaptations, an arcade machine can make a colourful centrepiece for a games room. The arcade machine buying guide covers the practical details to consider before choosing one.
Comiket cosplay highlights
The event coverage also includes video, followed by 18 photographed costumes spanning anime, manga, superhero fiction and fighting games.
Arsène Lupin III — Lupin the Third
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Toshiro Hijikata — Gintama
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Nico Robin — One Piece
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Asuka Langley Soryu — Neon Genesis Evangelion
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Cnoc na Riabh Yaraan-doo — Fate/Grand Order
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Tanya Von Degurechaff — The Saga of Tanya the Evil
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Complete Form 21 — Kamen Rider Decade
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Deadpool
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Sparxie/Hibana — Honkai: Star Rail
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Reggie Star — Jujutsu Kaisen
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Juri Han — Street Fighter
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Nicole Demara — Zenless Zone Zero
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Kazuma Kiryu — Yakuza
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Nazuna Nanakusa — Call of the Night
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Kisaki — Blue Archive
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League of Legends
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Lum Invader — Urusei Yatsura
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Narancia Ghirga — JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
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Comiket’s scale may have changed over recent years, but its cosplay community remains a prominent part of the convention experience. The mix of long-running manga icons, contemporary anime favourites and recognisable game characters reflects the breadth of Japanese pop-culture fandom.
For a smaller footprint at home, explore bartop arcades, or consider a DIY arcade kit for a more hands-on project.
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