Fans' obsession with comic books have never been restricted to Japan. In San Diego, over 50,000 dedicated enthusiasts attend the International Comic Book Convention, Comic Con, every year. However, twice a year, hundreds of thousands of people crowd into Tokyo Big Sight, Japan's largest exhibition center, to participate in the largest comic book convention in the world. In fact, with some half-million attendees, the two-day event may be the largest event in all of Japan.

For a quarter of a century, Comike, Japan's Comic Market Convention has been the premier gathering place for manga and doujinshi (amateur comics) fans. Over its long history, Comike, has grown from 30 exhibitors to over 22,000. Of course, the professional anime and manga industry has come to notice Comike. Publishing house representatives now regularly attend Comike to scout for new talent. The professional careers of artists like CLAMP ("Card Captor Sakura," "X"), Rumiko Takahashi ("Ranma 1/2," "Inu-Yasha"), Fumi Saimon ("Tokyo Love Story"), Hisaichi Ishii ("My Neighbors, the Yamadas"), and others began in Comike's crowded halls.

Comike has developed into a manga artist haven representing the gamut of styles and genres, which range from original works to parody to adult-centric stories. There is doujinshi for practically any genre imaginable, probably some beyond imagination--like doujinshi of import car manuals. Just imagining that the floor would be so jammed with doujinshi that finding interesting material would be easy is not enough preparation for the sheer immensity of the convention.

Emerging from the underground station, all I can do is huddle deeper into my coat for warmth. But the wind pierces the thin fabric as I exhale clouds of breath. And the early morning sun does nothing to dispel the cold. Maybe it's my imagination, but the clear blue sky seems to make the cold sharper.

Tokyo Big Sight sits on picturesque Tokyo Bay. As the taxi drives further from the station, we pass half a dozen green JR buses (Japan Railroad System buses that take passengers from the train station to popular stops), filled to capacity, their windows fogged with body heat and breath.

Nearer Tokyo Big Sight, throngs of people shift about in a swarm before the main doors. Thousands actually. I am amazed to see that many people waiting an hour before the doors open. These were not just "otaku" coming out of the woodwork. This was a legitimate cross section of the Japanese population to whom manga is a way of life. These were students (who obviously skipped class); these were older people following their favorite artists; these were young professionals who simply love the art of cosplay.

Comike is renowned not only for the amazing artists who attend, but also for the hundreds of enthusiastic fans outfitted as their favorite anime or manga character. However, as we make our way from the taxi to the convention center I don't see anyone in costume. Nor can I blame them. The cold makes my toes numb.

Only inside do they emerge from beneath their overcoats. Designated restrooms boast signs that read 'for costume changes only.' Even before the convention opens at 9 a.m. there are Circle members (groups of doujinshi writers and artists) changing for cosplay. Volunteers also begin to appear in costume, set apart from the chaff by a bright pink armband. But on this first day of the convention, the cosplayers aren't nearly as plentiful as I know they will be tomorrow.

Thanks to staff from Gamers (a trading card and anime merchandise store chain owned by Broccoli) scoring an industry pass for me, I enter Comike early to watch industry dealers set up. Gamers, Animate, Gainax and Kodansha are a few of the big industry names with booths at this predominantly non-professional convention. They set up in the smallest of the halls, upstairs and away from the doujinshi artists. They make up such a small percentage of the exhibitors that this is no surprise, but since industry character goods are popular, crowd control lines are set up for the coming mob. Compared to the elaborate displays of the big comic book companies at San Diego's Comic Con, these industry booths are much smaller and less, well ... ornate. The bigger companies here defer focus to the far more modestly sized doujinshi tables.

Thousands of Circle members pour in early to decorate their tiny tables with profuse doujinshi and related goods such as clocks and handmade dolls. The industry tables may be larger, but the Circles' décor, which reflects their earnest enthusiasm for the craft, touches the fan sentiments in almost all of the attendees. Thousands of Circles attend Comike. And those who do not attend at least send their works to Comike for display in the convention-sponsored communal area, located in the same hall as the industry booths, behind all the free stuff.

At Comike's inception 25 years ago, organizers focused on original doujinshi works. But their vision has expanded from original manga creations to include parody, fanfiction manga, game-based issues and even manga based on popular J-pop celebrities.

Day one of the convention (a whole different roster of exhibitors sets up each day) is devoted to gaming doujinshi, women's doujinshi such as shoujo and yaoi, and anime and manga parody- "Final Fantasy," "Trigun," "One Piece" and "Naruto" are popular fanfiction and parody targets. When a manga becomes popular in Japan, there is sure to be doujinshi for it.