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NatsuComi, or Summer Comiket, is now over and done with for another half a year after bringing together anime fans from all over the Japan, and indeed the world, in the sweltering summer heat. Ridiculous amounts of money were spent, litres of sweat were released into the atmosphere, and bizarre and beautiful cosplays went viral.

For three days each Summer and Winter, the convention center Tokyo Big Sight is turned into an otaku paradise, but for people working in the area it can be a nightmare. Legions of volunteers make sure the con runs smoothly, but there’s also the regular employees working at the nearby restaurants, cafes, and train station who have to prepare for the huge influx of people.

Summer Comiket opened with the tradition we affectionately refer to as the Running of the Nerds. Station staff readied themselves each morning for the arrival of the first train of the day at 5.46am and were in position to tell people not to run; a thankless, and often fruitless, task.

▼ Apparently some of them were moving so lightening fast they couldn’t even be captured by the camera!

[tweet https://twitter.com/nitehu/status/631933108275703811 align=center]

▼ And you can see why they’re in such a rush to get to the front of the line when the line looks like this.

[tweet https://twitter.com/seiyufan/status/631981382613405696 align=center]

While camping overnight is forbidden, some people still do it, so even these early arrivers won’t be at the head of the queue. Speaking from personal experience, I arrived at 9am for the 10am opening and spent two hours in a huge carpark without a single bit of shade before finally making it in at around 11am. So why do people endure such conditions not even once, but twice a year? For the merch, of course! To the uninitiated it might seem ridiculous to put oneself through such torture, but trust me, it’s worth it all in the end!

▼ See more from both outside and inside the convention centre in this TV clip.

Did any of our dear readers attend Comiket this year? Or do you plan to in the future? Let us know in the comments section below!

Source: KiniSoku, Twitter
Featured image: YouTube/コミケ最後尾
Top image: Twitter/@nitehu