Tokyo Comic Con 2026 Announces Main Visual Contest Ahead of December 11-13 Event at Makuhari Messe

Tokyo Comic Convention Co., Ltd. (President and Representative Director: Takehiko Goto) has announced details of the main visual contest for Tokyo Comic Convention 2026, or Tokyo Comic Con 2026, which will be held from Friday, December 11 to Sunday, December 13, 2026. Toward even greater excitement: the long-awaited Tokyo Comic Con 2026 begins. Since its first edition in 2016, Tokyo Comic Con has offered thrilling and moving experiences as a pop culture festival, including opportunities to meet famous overseas celebrities and renowned artists, exhibitions of props used in films, and spaces for cosplayers to interact. Tokyo Comic Con 2025, held last December, welcomed a record 20 celebrity guests, including Johnny Depp, Mads Mikkelsen, Sebastian Stan, Norman Reedus, and Christopher Lloyd. Attendance also exceeded 90,000, the highest in the event’s history, drawing Japanese fans into a wave of excitement. The event continues to evolve each year, expanding in scale with every edition, and has become a major event attracting attention from around the world. Tokyo Comic Con 2026 has been confirmed for three days from Friday, December 11 to Sunday, December 13. The event will offer a wide range of programs and content, including photo sessions and autograph sessions with Hollywood stars and other overseas celebrities, delivering three intensely exciting days that will make visitors forget the winter cold. The main visual contest will return this year. Tokyo Comic Con’s annual Main Visual Contest, whose winning design serves as the “face” of that year’s convention and is used on posters, pamphlets, and in various other settings, will be held again this year. Launched with Tokyo Comic Con 2019, the fourth edition of the event, the contest is open to everyone, regardless of professional or amateur status, and to both general entrants and students. For Tokyo Comic Con 2025, the work by &OK! won the Grand Prix. &OK! attended the convention in person and interacted with fans, receiving many positive comments from visitors. All works submitted to this year’s main visual contest are scheduled to be displayed at the Tokyo Comic Con 2026 venue. The Grand Prix-winning work is expected to be used on the website, posters, pamphlet cover, venue boards, Comic Con merchandise, and more. As an additional prize, the winner will receive one booth in the Artist Alley area, where artists can exhibit and sell their works. Artist Alley is a popular section that annually features artists and creators active in American comics, including Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Main Visual Contest Application Guidelines Submission theme: Tokyo Comic Con is seeking a main visual design that will become the face of Tokyo Comic Con 2026, which marks the event’s 10th anniversary. Entries inspired by the event’s themes, such as films and American comics, are welcome. Entries must be original works created by the applicant and must not have been previously published in Japan or overseas. Prizes: Grand Prix, one winner, one Tokyo Comic Con 2026 Artist Alley booth; Runner-up Grand Prix, one winner, one pair of Tokyo Comic Con 2026 3-Day Passes; Excellence Awards, up to 10 winners, one pair of Tokyo Comic Con 2026 general admission tickets. Application period: Monday, May 18, 2026, through Monday, August 17, 2026, at 23:59. Eligibility: Anyone may apply, regardless of professional or amateur status. Minors must obtain consent from a parent or guardian. How to apply: Artwork size must be A1 vertical format, 594 mm × 841 mm, 350 dpi, CMYK. Submissions must be made as data files. Applicants should use an upload service such as GigaFile Bin, compress the file as a ZIP, and enter the upload link in the application form. This contest accepts data submissions only. If the work is created physically, such as by hand drawing, applicants should photograph the work and submit it as data. Results announcement: Results are scheduled to be announced in early September on the official website after a rigorous review by the executive committee. Selected entrants will be notified by email. Important notes: Submitted works must not use existing characters owned by other companies and must be the creator’s own original work. Works must be created by the applicant without the use of generative AI. Works using AI will not be eligible for selection, and entries will be invalidated if AI use is discovered. By submitting a work, applicants are deemed to have agreed to the transfer of rights for Grand Prix, Runner-up Grand Prix, and Excellence Award-winning works. The Tokyo Comic Con logo may be placed anywhere on the work. The Grand Prix-winning work will be used on the official website, posters, pamphlets, items sold at Comic Con, booklets, social media, and other media. Runner-up Grand Prix and Excellence Award-winning works may be used on the official website, posters, pamphlets, items sold at Comic Con, and other materials. Prize benefits are valid only for the contest winners themselves and may not be transferred. Benefit specifications may change without prior notice. Resale of contest rights or benefits through internet auctions or similar channels is prohibited. Application form: https://tokyocomicco.jp/keyvisual Tokyo Comic Con 2026 Event Overview: The official name is Tokyo Comic Convention 2026, abbreviated as Tokyo Comic Con 2026. The event dates are Friday, December 11; Saturday, December 12; and Sunday, December 13, 2026. The venue is Makuhari Messe, 2-1 Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba 261-0023. The organizers are Tokyo Comic Convention Co., Ltd. and the Tokyo Comic Convention Executive Committee. Event content includes: announcements of the latest information on domestic and international films, comics, and related works; corporate exhibitions, including sales of limited and advance-release products and merchandise displays; exhibitions of actual props used in films and rare goods; experiences using the latest technologies; interactions with overseas celebrity actors; live performances and stage shows; cosplayer interactions and contests; and exhibitions and sales of works by manga artists and illustrators in Artist Alley. About Tokyo Comic Con: Tokyo Comic Con is a new Japan-originated Comic Con that combines cutting-edge technology with the best of pop culture. Comic Con, or Comic Convention, refers to a pop culture festival centered on comics, where fans, creators, and celebrities gather. Beginning in the United States, Comic Cons are now held in countries and regions including France, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Hong Kong, attracting global attention. In Japan, the first event was held in December 2016 as Tokyo Comic Con 2016. Based on the American style, Tokyo Comic Con is a festival of technology and pop culture that distinguishes itself from existing comic, film, anime, and game shows by creating a space for sharing innovation and fun. It is an event that stimulates intellectual curiosity and can be enjoyed by all generations, from families to older visitors. Official website: https://tokyocomicco.jp