With Comiket returning, so is its anime-posters-for-otaku-blood blood drive

Donors get three posters this year, which helps us estimate the value of otaku blood.

It’s been two years since the last Comiket, which is ordinarily a twice-a-year-event but has been on hiatus since December of 2019 due to repeated coronavirus-related cancellations and postponements. Fingers crossed, though, this month will mark the return of Japan’s largest doujinshi (self-published manga) event, as Comiket 99 is scheduled to take place on December 30 and 31.

With two years of pent-up demand, you can expect otaku cash to be flowing within the vendor halls, and Comiket’s organizers are also hoping that otaku blood will be flowing with the return of its cooperative blood drive with the Red Cross. As in years past, those willing to donate blood will be rewarded with anime/game character art posters. This year’s donors will receive a set of three, one for Cardfight Vanguard Overdress…

…one for the Hololive Gamers virtual YouTuber quartet…

…and one for Alice Gear Aegis.

A blood donation center will be set up in front of the Panasonic Center building, which is located just a short walk from the Tokyo Big Sight convention center where Comiket will be held. However, the poster giveaway will be running from December 30 all the way to January 31 at Red Cross blood donation centers across Japan, so even otaku who aren’t attending Comiket can still contribute/profit from the campaign.

Alternatively, those who want to pitch in but are unable or unwilling to give blood can also give money, as the Hololive-design can be purchased outright as a tapestry online here, with profits being donated to the Red Cross. Incidentally, this also lets us make a rough estimate of the value of otaku blood. The purchase price of a single Hololive tapestry is 2,750 yen (US$23.90), but a 400-mililiter (13.5-ounce) blood donation gets you three posters, so we could say the value of the blood donation is 8,250 yen, or 20.625 yen per milliliter.

▼ Put in different terms, 750 milliliters, the amount of liquid that a standard-size wine bottle can hold, would be worth 15,469 yen, making otaku blood as valuable as some fairly high-quality vintages.

These figures are merely estimates, though, as the 72.8-centmeter (28.7-inch) cloth tapestry is larger than the 59.4-centimeter paper posters from the Red Cross. In any case, the exact price for otaku blood will always remain fluid, so consult a financial planner before attempting to sell yours on the open market, and if you’re planning to attend an upcoming doujinshi event, you might want to consult this etiquette reminder from a doujin artist.

Source: C Agent (1, 2) via Otakomu
Top image ©SoraNews24
Insert images: C Agent, Pakutaso
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