Fans of self-publishing and creator culture are in for a treat this weekend as Doujin Market returns for its 7th edition on May 4 and 5 at the Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre, Halls 401/402, from 12pm to 8pm daily.
Entrance is free as usual, but for those who wish to cut the queues (of which there can be many), Doujin Market is introducing a S$15 FastPass. Owners of the FastPass get early admission (11am), expedited entry, priority queue on re-entry, and exclusive FastPass-only products at participating booths. The first 50 FastPass holders to visit the Neo Tokyo Project booth per day will also receive a Convention Goodie Bag.
The premium FastPass ticket will help keep admission free for the rest of the fans, say organisers Neo Tokyo Project. You can buy the FastPass here.
WHAT TO DO AT DOUJIN MARKET 2019
This year’s Doujin Market will be held in two halls, with Neo Tokyo Project touting it as Singapore’s largest comic arts and illustration festival. More than 340 creators from 14 countries will be here, including Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, United States and Vietnam.
This year’s show will also include more industry partners, and will have a focus on helping youth rise to the challenges of growing their own brands and beyond. Fans can also look forward to exclusive merchandise, tabletop games and guest appearances by celebrity cosplayers.
For those looking into self-publishing, seminars make a return with 10 different sharing sessions with the industry partners, such as Wacom and Pentel. Game artists Muju Monster & Kan Liu, and Purrballs: Catventure Card Game creator Isaac Tan will also be there to share on technical topics such as how to develop your own board game and going full-time as an artist.
“Creators nowadays must learn to be advocates for their communities and ambassadors of their own brands,” said Jason Koh, account director of Neo Tokyo Project and founder of Doujin Market. “If they lack the ability to adapt, they risk becoming irrelevant as consumers get more discerning.”
Networking Night, another Doujin Market event, has more than doubled its sign-ups this year with more than 60 artists and creators attending. The event, which started two years ago as a way for artists to make connections and learn from industry partners, has led to numerous collaborative projects, many of them online. This year’s edition is sponsored by BlockPunk, a next-gen anime studio.
“It’s exciting to see our partners take a ground-up approach to supporting creative communities,” Koh said. “We’re also working closely with them to generate opportunities for artists, especially in the digital space, where creators can skirt the gatekeeping of traditional publishing and reach audiences that truly matter.”
RPG DAY SINGAPORE AT DOUJIN MARKET 2019
Fans of tabletop roleplaying games can also take part in RPG Day Singapore, a gathering for tabletop rpg fans, sponsored by Geekified. Adventurers can party up to enjoy their first game of Dungeons and Dragons at the Tabletop Playspace, with introductory tables between 12-4pm daily. Slots are limited, so register early
The more artistically-inclined can always leave their mark on the Pentel Art Wall at the entrance or head over to the Tabletop Playspace for a miniature painting workshop run by Games@PI. Epic Gear will also be presenting a digital art wall in partnership with Samsung.
Doujin Market 2019 takes place from 12pm to 8pm daily on 4-5 May at Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre, Halls 401/402. Admission is free, with a S$15 FastPass.
