California has San Diego Comic Con, and Tokyo has Comic Market, aka Comiket (コミックマーケット), arguably the largest dojinshi (同人誌; “self published works”) convention in all of Japan. Twice a year, fans and creators alike congregate to celebrate all forms of self-published media. Cosplayers from around the world are invited to attend and cosplay as popular or favorite characters.
But the sexual harassment of one cosplayer, which was captured on video, started a flurry of discussion on the unchecked misogyny present at such conventions.
Comiket held its 96th event from August 9 to August 12 at Tokyo Big Sight. It purportedly drew a record-breaking 730,000 attendees over its four-day run.
On August 11, Twitter user @rubi0921 posted a video that quickly made the viral rounds on Twitter Japan. A young cosplayer is seen surrounded by men with cameras and phones taking videos and photos, despite her plea for space. One man appears to duck down to get an upskirt shot, clearly without consent. The video was accompanied by the caption:
It was really sad today seeing a scared Chinese cosplayer surrounded by cameramen taking low angle shots. Someone notified the convention staff and they put a stop to it, but even then a guy was there with his camera up the girl’s skirt.
The tweet was soon followed by a photo with the caption こんな状態だった (“Here’s the awful scene”). The same cosplayer is sitting on the ground once again mobbed by camera-wielding men with seemingly little regard for her personal space.
The tweet sparked a conversation inside and outside of Japan. Popular cosplayer and model @PeachMilky_ commented that it was that type of behavior, plus the August heat, that made her weary about ever attending Comiket. Western models and cosplayers who had attended Comiket in the past, such as CapsuleBunny, were quick to share their stories of hot and humid weather coupled with creepy men with expensive cameras staging impromptu photoshoots with female cosplayers.
Japanese Twitter users voiced a wide range of opinions. One user asked if the cosplayer was an adult porn star — AVかな? — to which another user succinctly replied, やめろや、クソが (“Fuck off, shithead”). Some expressed concern and pity for the cosplayer. Twitter user @UOOsenbiri noted that the “Yes, Cosplay. No, Touch” (Yesコスプレ Noタッチ) ethos was severely lacking at this convention, and that this type of harassment might deter other talented cosplayers from attending.
Other users, like @Amaugatsu_Kuon, went the “not ALL men” route, pointing out that this behavior is not representative of all otaku (geeks):
オタクが気持ち悪いんじゃなくて良識やモラルに欠けたオタクが悪いのにね。一緒くたにしないで欲しい。その中国人コスプレイヤーの方がコミケを嫌いになってしまったりする事があるとほんとに悲しい、、
It’s not that otaku are creepy, but that these otaku lack good sense and morals. Please don’t lump them all together. It’s sad that the Chinese cosplayer might begin to hate Comiket because of this.
A lawyer specializing in entertainment was interviewed by Excite News on the topic of cosplayers and harassment in light of Comiket96. While the interview is a general overview on the rights of the cosplayer to pursue legal action if his or her privacy is invaded upon, the lawyer fails to take into account how female cosplayers are at a severe disadvantage when pummeled by hundreds of ogling men taking unrequested photos. How are they to be taken seriously when they’re constantly being fetishized and demeaned?
While a cultural rift is inevitable between fan cultures at large-scale conventions, participants, usually male, of the Japanese otaku culture can certainly cross the line. Comiket97 is set to take place from December 28 to December 31 at the same venue. Let’s hope there are more strict rules regarding interactions with cosplayers so no one feels uncomfortable attending.
