The recollection of Doujin games at Comic Market 87

It was fine day in 2014 December 30.

Usually Comic Market takes place 29, 30, 31.

But Comic Market 87 was one day earlier.

And at last day, December 30 Doujin soft corner is set.

Doujin soft is the genre of Comic Market which has long history.

From the start people sold and bought computer softs beside to Doujinshi.

Now this genre includes many Japanese indie games, especially Doujin games.

My purpose is going Doujin soft, and see and buy many Japanese indie games.

Last year there were 700 circles exhibiting at Douji soft.

It is fewer than normal.

I think the reason is other indie game event recently.

There are BitSummit and Digital Game Expo.

I arrived at Tokyo Big Site in the morning.

Waiting in a queue, then making for east floor to apply for press.

And then I was going to west.

In the west there are 4 blocks.
There are some exhibitions of companies like Shaft or 5pb on 3rd and 4th block.
On 1st and 2nd blocks collegiate manga circle, gal-game fanart, Type-moon's fanart and Doujin Soft share the floor.

In terms of the whole this event size there are few space of Doujin soft.
However this area was full of participants at this time and it had the booth and booth of colorful arts and packaged games.
It was good view to just watch.

Why is it referred to as "Doujin Soft"?
It is why this corner includes non-game software.
And there are some hardware like game controller, handmade monitor, vintage chip-tune audio device.

Kawaii circuit board!!! 

The basic policy of Comic Market is similar to DIY of punk.
However they are more easygoing and lesser political.
So various contents are displayed, sexual contents and all age games are mixed up.
It embarrasses me, but this is Comike.


To get back to Doujin game, some exhibitors are very famous and release their games by Steam or other platforms for oversea.For example World End Economica is famous visual novel written by Isuna Hasekura. He is the original author of Spice and Wolf. They distributed luxury art books of World End Economica.

PlatineDispositif is a veteran Doujin developer. He is amazing one man dev. This year he distributed very mysterious shoo'em up. This game is made by unusual language, and nobody else author can read it. He released some games on Steam localized by western publishers, but this one have to be localized by alien.

Additionally there was many shoot'em up. As you know Doujin shoot'em up is most procreant Japanese indie games. This year veteran developers and newcomers distribute shoot'em up. Doujin shoot'em up seems to be low tone in the late 2000, but it gets moving again.

The most favorite and promising game of this Comic Market is Imalice by Wakusei Marimo. It is vertical shoot'em up drawn by flat stylish arts. It feels like old Compile games like Zanac or Milestone's KAROUS and Radirgy. Very fast pace, ambient dark music, pretty cool!

Unfortunately this alpha demo was sold in the morning. And another game "伊" by Wakusei Marimo sold too. However I will catch up this project.