During the recent edition of Comiket, the biggest doujinshi event in Japan Several users on Twitter reported a “strange and unpleasant smell” in the sections dedicated to the popular “Blue Archive” franchise.. Held in the middle of the Japanese summer, this event is known for attracting thousands of fans, making ventilation and space crucial factors for the comfort of participants.

One of the most striking comments on social media was:

• «Yostar's booth had a "strange smell" wafting through it and I had to leave in less than a minute. This is Comiket, I think. I was baptized».

• «At Comiket, because of the heat I couldn't notice many smells, but at the Blue Archive booth there was definitely a change in the smell».

• «My impressions of the space dedicated to the Blue Archive: there were a lot of people. For those who were there for the first time, well done. Regarding the smell, it was hell when you passed someone who smelled bad or when you were in line and there was someone nearby who smelled bad. The population density is high, so if three people smell bad in a row, it's hell. I thought about getting back in line. The vendors must have had a hard time. If you didn't smell anything, you were lucky.».

“Blue Archive”, a mobile game developed by Nexon and published by Yostar, gained massive popularity for its combination of tactical gameplay and its cast of engaging characters. However, the large number of people gathered in a small space, combined with the high temperatures, appears to have created a difficult environment for some participants.

The community reacted quickly to these reports, generating a series of comments:

• «made me laugh».
• «Everyone must think it doesn't smell bad».
• «You take a shower, then wait a long time and sweat, bacteria grow on sweat-soaked clothes, and that's where the bad smell comes from.».
• «Popular areas have high density, so it is natural for this to occur.».
• «This is the place where these types of people gather the most, so it is natural that this happens.».
• «I've always wanted to go to the Blue Archive area for some doujinshi event, but with this... I can't go».
• «With this heat and the amount of people compared to other areas, there wasn't much to do... Although there were probably also people who didn't take any precautions regarding the smell, I think the problem is more the number of people in a small space.».
• «This is so funny they call it 'Blue Cheese'».
• «The density of people on this island is completely different, so there is no way around it. A few years ago, the FGO area had a terrible smell».

This type of situation occurred in other popular areas of Comiket, where the high concentration of fans and the intense heat appear to be the main factors contributing to this phenomenon. The “Blue Archive” franchise remains a gathering place for thousands of fans, but these types of incidents highlight the need for better crowd management at events as large and high-profile as Comiket.

Source: Hachima Kikou