An expected attendance of 43,000 visitors braved 50 mph winds to make the biannual pilgrimage to Tokyo Big Site for Winter Wonder Festival 2008. Often known as simply Wonder Fest, it is the largest garage kit and figure event open to the public, second only to the doujinshi Comic Market in scale.

The winds were especially harsh for those near the back of the line, which stretched past Dream Bridge some 2.3 kilometers from the venue. It was long enough for staff to make it double back into two rows, but that proved an insufficient windbreak. Being over the open water meant winds gusted hard enough to some blow fans off their feet, but the masses had huddled in the orderly queue since 11:00 pm the prior evening in hopes of improving their chances of getting limited edition Wonder Fest exclusive goods and swag.

The wind had an unexpectedly pleasant side effect once inside the venue. Cosplayers could not possibly be forced to go outside in the gale wearing their intricate couture, and so space was somehow made for them inside the already cramped exhibit hall. This was a rare case of an integrated sales and cosplay event, usually forbidden as it causes a disturbance in shopping and keeping order. Cosplayers were constantly stopped for pictures while going form hall to hall, which stopped the flow of shoppers trying to get to dealer tables and exclusive items. Adding to the danger and excitement, Wonder Fest is one of the few events that allows cosplayers to carry weapons.  Astonishing costumes and gear were readily on display throughout the entire space.

The parade of costumes also meant a parade of ladies inside the hallowed halls of garage kit mania, a rarity that added much to the interaction and dynamics of the event. Contributing to the festival-like atmosphere was the inclusion of food and beverage vendors inside event space, another rarity since Wonder Fest always has them outside, near the cosplay area. With all the cosplayers and kebab-wielding bohemians in the crowd, it was a madhouse of kinetic energy and surging throngs of buyers both veteran and casual.

One highlight of the event was Big West’s 25th anniversary Macross Museum, which showcased 25 years of transformable toys, model kits, artwork and figures. Yamato’s new Lynn Minmei doll was displayed for the first time since it’s production announcement last year. A beautiful prototype phase piece, the finished product will have some adjustments made to the face sculpt and it will actually be “Made In Japan.”  Priced around 60,000 yen when released later this year, it will be an exclusive work available only through Yamato’s official website. The Museum was also selling many new items in promotion of the new Macross Frontier series that will start in April. Far more interesting than the mecha-only talk, an adjoining live karaoke challenge had fans singing Macross favorites that could be heard throughout the exhibit hall. Their impassioned caterwauling and energetic displays were a welcome change of pace in the bustle and stress of the deadly serious buyers' game.

Not far away, Gainax’ Gurren Lagann booth showed the opposite end of the spectrum; its most popular goods sold out in under an hour. Those disappointed by their failure to obtain the goods could take heart in the live-talk performance featuring all of the main voice actors and actresses. The crush of bodies to see them was almost equal to the thunderous herd bearing down on the booth early that morning.

The fan favorite booth had to be Max Factory / Good Smile, which moved all 5,000 units of its Izumi Konata Cosplay Figma in a little over an hour. These highly poseable beauties (the characteristic of the Figma line) were to be found all over the event at different booths as sellers played with their purchases and a few shrewd persons resold them at inflated prices. Max Factory also displayed its Nendoroid and Nendoroid Puchi super deformed Lucky Star toys, many in areas where fans could play with them and take pictures. The Death Note L was cute, as was the unexpected Moetan model slated for release later this year (future Nendoroids in the Plus series may even talk). This, in combination with the influx of indoor Lucky Star (and Haruhi) cosplayers, made it obvious why this company is called Good Smile

Max Factory also dominated the other major boom: Hatsune Miku, spokes-character of the voice-synthesizein software Vocaliod who has more recently become a media icon. The line of Miku Nendoroids was every bit as cute as expected and had a solid line of visitors until the event closed at 5 pm. Volk’s released a stunning Miku resin kit, but fans for their part were already content to fashion their own garage kits to barter on the circle side of the event. Every single circle, a tight knit group of fans that produces their own materials, presenting Miku goods had sold out by the end of the day, an almost unheard of clean sweep. The buzz is expected to remain strong for Max Factory’s Miku release in late March.

The addition of a Nendoroid Kagami Rin, the second generation of the singing "Vocaloid” personality synthesizers, is something to keep in mind for the future. She was certainly represented in the dozens and dozens of cosplayers going as vocaloids this season, though not as common as Miku and not in garage kit form.

Of course, Max Factory didn’t skimp on its super-high quality Character Figure line, unveiling fabulous sculpts of various properties – including everyone’s favorite cross-dresser, Bridget from Guilty Gear.

Griffon Enterprises made a strong showing with some surprising figure and statue designs such as Haruhi in goth-loli regalia and Shana in a provocative state of undress.

Revoltech had the most gorgeous booth, however, dominated by a life-sized rendition of Raoh from Fist of the North Star. Astride his mighty stead, the imposing giant towered over Kenshiro and heralded the coming of the company’s new Fist of the North Star toys, satisfactorily oozing gore and machismo.

On a disappointing note CM’s Corps. highly anticipated Mospeada Legioss and Tread Jota set was pulled from their Wonder Fest exclusive sales leaving fans wondering if the long sought after transformable Tread toy will ever see the light of day. Then as an added dash of salt to this open wound, CM’s had on display a prototype Black Legioss, the release of which will depend entirely on the sales of the Legioss and Tread sets that have been delayed. CM’s did, however, sell an exclusive Mospeada Public Solider Ride Armor figure that was limited to only 100 pieces at the event. 

In related good news for mecha heads, Yamato had on display models of all four hardsuits and motorbikes from the seminal series Bubblegum Crisis. The classic is reborn in the stellar sculpts, sure to be on many a wish list this year.

Judging from the bulging armfuls of goods in fans’ hands, the mix of fun stuff and frantic buying struck a chord.

“I bought so much stuff my arms hurt,” said Yasu, a fan taking time out after posing with Raoh, a giant Haruhi statue and cosplayers. “But I can’t stop! There is too much to see an do.”

by Adrian Lorenzo and Patrick Galbraith

edited by Evelyn Emery